Notices respecting New Books. 



517 



In the Appendices is presented a large mass of chemical notes, 

 and of collected and original information bearing on the multi- 

 farious subject-matters of the foregoing pages. 



This is a remarkable book, full to overflowing with carefully 

 collected notes on every kind of metamorphosed rock, and results 

 of personal research. The author's happy acquaintance with 

 German literature has been utilized by him in getting every avail- 

 able German idea on metamorphism into his Essay ; and indeed 

 this is a valuable and praiseworthy feature, certainly bringing us 

 nearer to our Continental brethren ; for, though in micropetrology 

 they are quoted often, yet in the broader field of rock-changes and 

 the theories thereto belonging, their views, though known to those 

 interested therein, have not been brought together so closely before. 

 French and British geologists have not, it seems, helped the author 

 much. With regard to the latter, some here and there get very 

 " bad marks " indeed ; he readily runs them down, and among 

 their wreckage he floats high and disdainful. Indeed his egotism 

 is very distasteful, and not least so when he quotes small observa- 

 tions made by himself in the field, as if no one else, not even the 

 tyro aud the amateur, had seen the common thing and been told of 

 its evident lesson again and again ; for instance, the selenite in clay 

 near Grantham, &c. 



The American Geologists he treats respectfully ; and indeed he 

 expresses regret at not having known more of Mr. T. Macfarlane, 

 some of whose views, as well as some published by Dr. S. T. Hunt, 

 he now finds that he has inadvertently taken as his own. 



In this Essay, of course, we meet with many facts and ideas 

 already well known to both teachers and students ; but certainly 

 some are put aside as insecure, and some are authenticated and 

 more clearly defined than heretofore. This is work in the right 

 direction, and our thanks are due to the industrious, and indeed 

 enthusiastic, author, who has brought his chemical and physical 

 knowledge to bear on the advancement of Geology, by the elucida- 

 tion of the Earth's development, according to the views and theories 

 that seem best to him after an earnest and conscientious study of 

 rocks and rock-changes. 



If the Second Edition be called for, and well it might, the 

 author should, if possible, be less dogmatic, and endeavour to 

 make himself less prominent in the language and style of the 

 book ; — he should incorporate his more important notes as far as 

 possible in the text, and above all make a good Index of both 

 names and things, — for this would be very valuable for reference 

 to the many good facts and notions in the book, and to the 

 observers and authors who have treated of them. 



Phil. Mag. 8. 5. Vol. 29. No. 181. June 1890. 2 R 



