50 KANSAS CIT Y RE VIE W OF SCIENCE. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



Creation: By Arnold Guyot, LL.D. i2mo., pp. 136. Charles Scribners' 

 Sons, New York, 1884. For sale by M. H. Dickinson, $1.50. 



Professor Guyot, who died on February 8th, after a long and useful life, 

 principally spent as a teacher of Natural Science and for many years as Professor 

 of Geology and Physical Geography in the College of New Jersey, united to his 

 devotion to science the utmost reverence for the teachings of Scripture. His 

 remarkable exposition of the true meaning and import of the first chapter of 

 Genesis is the most satisfactory that has ever been presented by a man of science. 

 The views here set forth have frequently formed the subject of public lectures by 

 Professor Guyot, and have attracted much attention. It was among the last 

 wishes of the distinguished author that his attempt to show the accordance of 

 the sacred narrative with the facts of Geological science should be given to the 

 world in its final and perfected form, and to the preparation of such a work he 

 devoted his latest energies. It is entitled " Creation " and is an exposition of 

 the Biblical cosmogony in the light of modern science. 



This subject was presented by him as early as 1840 in Neuchatel, Switzer- 

 land, and has been repeated in lectures and essays from time to time, ever since. 

 Prof. J. D. Dana has quite fully endorsed the views of Professor Guyot in all the 

 editions of his "Manual of Geology " from 1863 to 1882, and they have met 

 with the approval of Christian scientists and thinkers of all countries. 



He divides the Creation into two acts, one relating only to cosmic or univer- 

 sal work and the other to the specific work done on this earth only. He also 

 harmonises the two Mosaic accounts of the creation by separating them into two 

 periods. The first period begins with the first chapter of Genesis and ends with 

 the third verse of the second chapter, and is complete in itself, "forming an or- 

 ganic whole which unfolds the history of the Creation of the material universe 

 and of living things, including Man as a part of Nature." 



The second period begins at the fourth verse of the second chapter and takes 

 up "under another aspect the creation of man as the head of the family of hu- 

 manity and specifically of the Jewish people." 



Professor Guyot offers the following tableau as showing the symmetrical ar- 

 rangement of the parts and the special work of each cosmogonic day : I. The 

 Prologue, a. The Primordial Creation of Matter, b. The Primitive State of Mat- 

 ter. II. The Era of Matter, The first Cosmogonic Day. First Activity of 

 Matter — Cosmic Light. Second Cosmogonic Day, Organization of the Heavens. 

 Third Cosmogonic Day, a. Formation of the Earth, b. the plants. III. The Era: 

 of Life. Fourth Cosmogonic Day, the Solar Light. Fifth Cosmogonic Day,. 

 Creation of Lower Animals in Water and Air. Sixth Cosmogonic Day, a Crea- 

 tion of Higher Animals on land, b. Creation of Man. Seventh Cosmogonic Day, 

 Conclusion : the Sabbath. The work of each day is taken up regularly and dis- 

 cussed in the light of modern science, most ably and interestingly, with the fol- 

 ing conclusions, as stated tabularly at the close of the volume : 



