420 Miscellanies. 



Christ Church, and Reader in Geology and Mineralogy in the Uni- 

 versity of Oxford. 2 Vols. 8vo. Vol. I. 600 pages. Vol. U. con- 

 sisting of 69 plates; with 110 pages of description, and 18 of Index. 

 Plate 1 is a universal geological section, colored for the various 

 formations ; this section is 4 feet long, and 9 inches wide. 



Within the last days of finishing our present No. we have received 

 from the respected author this long desired work. There is now 

 neither time nor space to do much more than to announce it to our 

 readers. It deserves a full analysis, although it would be difficult to 

 do it justice, without the splendid graphic illustrations, by which it is 

 accompanied. 



We have read this work with a degree of satisfaction and admira- 

 tion which has increased at every step. 



It is a full digest of the most important facts in geology, happily 

 combined, with great condensation and perspicuity, and by the most 

 liberal use of plates beautifully executed, it speaks intelligibly to the 

 eyes, even of those who are not familiar with the language of natural 

 history, and thus it displays the astonishing structure of the world. 



This work cannot be cursorily and rapidly read, with any advan- 

 tage ; it demands study and care on the part of the reader, as it has 

 evidently cost much time and labor to the writer. 



The great moral demonstration which is its main object, is fully 

 sustained, and we think that no aian can rise from the intelligent pe- 

 rusal of it, without a full conviction that a creating and governing 

 mind, infinite in power, knowledge, wisdom and benevolence, has 

 gradually arranged the materials of this planet, and caused to be 

 interred in its strata and mineral masses, documents of its history, 

 and of that of innumerable races of animals and plants, from the most 

 microscopic to the most colossal, which lived and died ere man ap- 

 peared — documents surpassing in number and in credibility every 

 thing of actual history, except the inspired record itself. 



With this record we believe these facts to be entirely consistent, 

 and we are fully assured that ignorance of them is the sole cause of 

 the incredulity and displeasure which are manifested by some as to 

 the moral bearing of geology. 



We cannot now enter upon this argument, and can only say in 

 conclusion, that Dr. Buckland has by the present work, laid both 

 science and religion under great obligations, — while he will delight 

 all his readers by the vigor, beauty and eloquence which give his 

 work as high a rank in literature as it claims in science. 



