Bibliographical Notices. 49 



although far from bemg a copy, is somewhat similar to tlie * Cours 

 El^mentaire * oi M . Beudant, which we have long considered as one 

 among the most useful of introductory books. 



The work is divided into four parts, — Physical Geography, Mine- 

 ralogy, Descriptive Geology and Practical Geology. Under the first 

 head are comprised, the general condition of matter at the earth's 

 surface, and the changes that take place by the action of the various 

 forces of gravitation and cohesion, heat, light, electricity, &c., the 

 effects produced by the changes of temperature, climate, and by atmo- 

 spheric, aqueous and organic agencies, as well as the reaction of the 

 interior of the earth on the external surface, as evinced by earthquakes, 

 volcanoes, springs, &c. in modifying that surface. The study of this 

 section is important to the geological student, for in the scheme of 

 nature no fact stands by itself, but is insensibly blended with the va- 

 rious cosmical phaenomena going on around, and he who does not 

 inquire into the changes which are daily passing before his eyes, — 

 more or less influencing the organic and physical features of the 

 earth, — will fail to comprehend fully the value and beneficence of 

 those laws which have governed the past material arrangement of the 

 earth's crust, and by which the oeconomy of nature is sustained. 

 Mineralogy, or the description of the materials of which the surface 

 is composed and their combinations, is somewhat fully treated, the 

 author having selected for his arrangement the chemical nomenclature 

 of M. Dufrenoy, with remarks from the works of Mobs, Dana, Nicol, 

 &c., and the illustrations from Regnault's * Chlmie.' The portion 

 devoted to Descriptive Geology contains an interesting chapter on 

 the law of distribution of organic remains, and their importance in 

 the classification of different formations ; we could have wished the 

 subsequent part, descriptive of the arrangement of the inorganic ma- 

 terials, somewhat enlarged as regards the geology of England, and 

 that a few more illustrations of the characteristic fossils had been in- 

 serted. Considering however the author's intention to be that of 

 producing a work not only for the English student, but for the civil 

 and military engineer whose occupations may carry them to distant 

 regions, this brevity of local description is compensated for by the 

 general abstract of the geology of the globe as at present ascertained. 

 Some minor inaccuracies occur in this part, for instance the fossils 

 figured at p. 387 as belonging to the Great Oolite, are only found 

 in the Inferior Oolite, and no mention is made under the cretaceous 

 system of the abundance of phosphatic matter, which has of late so 

 much attracted the attention of our agriculturists. 



The concluding part of the work, and which considerably enhances 

 its value, contains a concise account of the practical applications of the 

 science, a knowledge which must be always available when anything 

 is undertaken concerning the earth, either as the basis of operations, 

 or the source whence all valuable materials are obtained. Under this 

 head therefore the student will find a brief but interesting outline of 

 the application of geology to agriculture, engineering and architecture, 

 such as the mechanical condition and chemical composition of rocks, 

 derivation and properties of soils, the principles of drainage, and many 



Ann, §• Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. vi. 4 



