REVIEWS—ARCHAIA. 59 
readers to know the opinions of the chief of comparative anatomists, 
and they can readily satisfy it, by having recourse to the work itself, 
which deserves the careful study of all who are interested in these 
pursuits. W. 4H. 
Archaia; Or Studies of the Cosmogony and Natural History of the 
Hebrew Scriptures. By J. W. Dawson, LL.D., F.G.S., Principal 
of McGill College, &c. Montreal: B. Dawson and Son. 1860. 
Dr. Dawson’s recent contribution to the literature of the Bible—for 
in such light must his Archaia be chiefly regarded,—has reached us 
just as we are going to press; and, hence, we are unable to devote 
to it the space to which it is so justly entitled, both by the 
distinguished name of its author and by its own intrinsic merits. As 
the issue, moreover, of a Canadian publisher, it has further claims 
upon us: ill met, we are afraid, by this too scanty and too hurried 
notice. Archaia is essentially composed of a series of critical essays 
or discourses founded on the opening chapter of Genesis; but the 
author enlarges his field of inquiry by various references to other 
passages of the sacred writings; more especially in the bearings of 
these on the Mosaic record of creation, and in their connexion with 
the study of nature generally. For the successful composition of a 
work of this kind, the author possesses many peculiar qualifications : 
a ready command of language, a clear and logical method of discus- 
sion, an intimate acquaintance with the discoveries and researches of 
modern science, and, above all, an evidently sincere and strong faith 
in the divine truths of Revelation. With these qualifications, although 
preceded on the same path by many active investigators, he has pro- 
duced, as might be expeccted, an interesting and popularly written 
book ; and one, moreover, containing various subordinate points of 
a novel character. The very nature of the subject renders, however, 
a work of this description more or less unsatisfactory to many readers. 
Perhaps to the scientific investigator, and to those whose thoughts 
have long dwelt on these questions, more especially; but if the work 
before us, leave the mind in some respects unsatisfied, we cannot but 
admit that in its expansive treatment of the subject it has gone far 
beyond its predecessors. The author, in his preface, hopes that his 
work may aid in some degree in redeeming the subject from the 
narrow views which are unhappily too prevalent: and of this, if those 
