﻿304 Notices respecting Netv Books. 



It is dedicated to the President, Council, and Fellows of the Edin- 

 burgh Geological Society, and is intended for the use of schools and 

 science-classes. " This treatise, consisting of a reprint of the author's 

 contributions to various magazines, is issued merely as an elemen- 

 tary work on the science." Our own perusal of the book has led us 

 to a different conclusion. It is really issued in order " to enlarge 

 our ideas of the wisdom and power of the Divine Being, and, conse- 

 quently, to exalt the mind." The manner in which this twofold 

 object is sought to be effected is as follows : — A small allowance of 

 metallic chemistry is put prominently forward, bald, inaccurate, 

 incomplete, and utterly destitute of the slightest logical sequence. 

 Throughout the dreary desert of description, oases of poetry are cun- 

 ningly planted, so as to lead the reader to the refreshing springs of 

 natural theology, apparently of his own accord. Here, however, he 

 will find thicket after thicket of Scripture texts somewhat incon- 

 gruously flourishing; and may not improbably interpret them as 

 evidence of design, though not very honest design. Recurring to the 

 poetry, he will remember that it consists of a few solemn pieces from 

 really great masters, and many pieces that are mere rubbish (some 

 of the latter are significantly anonymous) ; Eulalia Gurson rhymes 

 eloquently about the action of potassium upon ice, but unhappily has 

 no respect for the laws of accent. And he will probably agree with 

 us that our ideas are not to be enlarged after such a fashion, nor our 

 minds exalted. 



We have seldom seen so much titular distinction united to so re- 

 prehensible a performance. 



Text-Books of Science. The Elements of Algehra and Trigonometry. 

 By W. N. Griffin, B.D., some time Fellow of St. John's College, 

 Cambridge. Longmans and Co. 1871. Pp. 312. 



This book consists of three parts. The first contains the usual 

 course of algebra up to and including quadratic equations; the 

 second contains a rather full account of the properties and uses of 

 the logarithms of numbers ; the third contains the solution of plane 

 triangles, the ordinary questions of heights and distances, a few 

 questions of mensuration, with just so much of the theory of trigo- 

 nometry as is necessary as a foundation for these applications. It 

 follows, of course, that the treatment of the subject of trigonometry 

 is far from complete ; e. g. the whole subject of the relations between 

 the goniometrical functions of angles is omitted. On the other 

 hand, within the prescribed limits, the subjects are treated very fully ; 

 and while the explanations and expositions are amply sufficient for 

 the learner, they are not excessive. The book contains a very large 

 number of well-chosen examples; this, in such a book, is a capital 

 point ; and there is no doubt that the student who works conscien- 

 tiously through the book will obtain a thorough knowledge of the 

 subjects which it professes to teach. 



We should like to know what is Mr. Griffin's authority for the 

 following statement : — " In France and other parts of the continent 

 it is usual to measure angles by a decimal division. A right angle 



