Revieivs — Dawson's Acadian Geology, 329 



music have furnished to composers the material of their melodies 

 and harmonies, so ha^^e the three elements of Arkite symbolism — 

 the ark, the mountain, and the flood — yielded the fundamental idea 

 which is embodied in the numberless myths, monuments, symbols, 

 and inscriptions of ancient civilization. 



It is quite possible that the symbols of the ark, mountain, and flood 

 are portrayed in some of the instances quoted by Mr. Lesley, as, 

 indeed, other investigators have pointed out likewise ; but every man 

 has his own particular hobby, Mr. Lesley's being Arkite Symbolism. 



We cannot conclude this notice without expressing our thanks to 

 the author for supplying us with so readable a book ; and we hope 

 it may not be long before a new edition is called for ; which will 

 furnish us with another opportunity of improving our acquaintance 

 with so agreeable a fellow-traveller, writer, and lecturer. 



II. — Acadian Geology. — The Geological Structure, Organic Ee- 

 MAiNS, AND Mineral Eesources of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, 

 AND Prince Edward Island. By John William Dawson, M.A., 

 LL.D., F.E.S., etc., etc. Second edition. London : Macmillan 

 and Co. 1868. 8vo. pp. 694. 



THIETEEN years have passed since the first edition of this work 

 was published. During that interval its distinguished author 

 has been diligently and successfully prosecuting his investigations in 

 Acadian geology. *He has issued numerous memoirs, in British and 

 American journals, on the physical structure of the region which he 

 has made so completely his own, and on the organic remains dis- 

 covered there — memoirs which have not only elucidated the geo- 

 logical history of Acadia, but have largely contributed to a just 

 appreciation of the physical and biological conditions of the palaso- 

 zoic epoch in other regions of the earth. These various memoirs, 

 along with observations hitherto unpublished, are digested and in- 

 corporated with what was published in 1855, producing a volume 

 very imperfectly characterized on its title-page as a "second edition, 

 revised and enlarged," inasmuch as it contains about five times more 

 matter than the original work. It would be, as is evident, a vain 

 undertaking to endeavour to present to the reader an acount of the 

 additions contained in this edition ; we shall examine at greater 

 length the important exposition of the Paleozoic flora, first glancing 

 only at one or two other points of importance. 



The earlier chapters on the Boulder-clay and subsequent deposits 

 have a special interest at present. The chapter on the Micmac 

 Indians, and the results produced by forest fires, abound with obser- 

 vations which must receive the careful consideration of those in 

 Europe who are investigating the question of the antiquity of man. 

 We have a long historic period in Europe, the earlier portions of 

 which, in those districts where investigations as to man's antiquity 

 have been carried on, are very obscure and mythical, while the pre- 

 historic period is, as regards the measurement of time, utterly with- 

 out any certain indications. Successions of events can be deter- 



VOL. V. — NO. LXIX. 22 



