LITERARY NOTICES. 



503 



Of the success of his attempt there will be 

 various estimates, but there can be but one 

 opinion upon the point that he has greatly 

 enriched the discussion by new and ingen- 

 ious arguments for the Temoval of past an- 

 tagonisms. We may add that, on its scien- 

 tific side, the book abounds in clear and 

 instructive statements of facts and laws that 

 are now established, while the accompany- 

 ing philosophical discussion brings them 

 out in clearer light and more impressive as- 

 pects. 



The Theory op Evolution op Living 

 Things, and the Application op the 

 Principles op Evolution to Religion. 

 Considered as Illustrative of the " Wis- 

 dom and Beneficence of the Almighty." 

 By the Rev. George Henslow, F. L. S. 

 Macmillan & Co. 



We noticed, last November, a book 

 called the "Philosophy of Evolution," by 

 B. Thompson Lowne, which we explained 

 to be an Actonian Prize Essay. It was stated 

 that Hannah Acton had left a lot of money 

 to the Royal Institution, the income of 

 which was to be spent as prizes for scientific 

 essays, illustrating the wisdom and goodness 

 of God. We stated that seven years ago 

 the Solar Radiations were proposed for a 

 prize, but that, no volume appearing to claim 

 it, the money was left to accumulate, so that 

 this year there were two prizes. But we 

 were mistaken : the Solar Radiation man 

 furnished his essay, and got his money. 

 Nevertheless, such has been the good man- 

 agement of Widow Acton's funds, that there 

 were two prizes this year ; Lowne got one, 

 and Henslow the other, for the book now 

 before us. It is a volume of most excellent 

 intentions, and not without some merit. It 

 is, however, mainly significant from the evi- 

 dence it affords that theologians are begin- 

 ning to regard the situation calmly, and to 

 adjust themselves to the new circumstances. 

 Professor Henslow is not only a clergyman, 

 but a man of science, a cultivated bota- 

 nist, and son of the late eminent Professor 

 of Botany in Cambridge. His opinions will, 

 therefore, be entitled to weight from those 

 of his own class. We published an inter- 

 esting chapter from his book last month, 

 under the title of "Genesis, Geology, and 

 Evolution." 



The Bible and the Doctrine op Evolu- 

 tion. Being a Complete Synthesis of 

 their Truth, and giving a sure Scientific 

 Basis for the Doctrine of Scripture. By 

 William Woods Smythe. 390 pages. 

 London : H. K. Lewis. 



We have here another volume of the 

 •same scope as Prof. Henslow's, but a far 

 abler book. The author's argument is close 

 and searching, and the case he makes out is 

 very strong. The point of view from which 

 it is written is illustrated by the following 

 passage from the Dean of Canterbury : 

 "Possibly to our views of the nature of 

 Christianity, and in our exegesis of Script- 

 ure, we have arrived only at partial truth ; 

 and do not distinguish with sufficient accu- 

 racy between what is certainly revealed 

 and what is nothing more than a possible 

 explanation of the divine word." The book 

 exemplifies not only a thorough acquaint- 

 ance with the doctrine of Evolution, and the 

 extent and grounds of its proofs, but it ex- 

 emplifies an equal mastery of biblical eru- 

 dition. Nor is it offered as a mere ingeni- 

 ous attempt to ascertain the points of cor- 

 respondence between Scripture statement 

 and recent scientific speculations. The au- 

 thor is a profound believer in the Drinciple 

 of Evolution, which he maintains to be the 

 fundamental law alike of Nature and Chris- 

 tianity, and he holds that " the plain and 

 obvious interpretation of Scripture is the 

 most congruous with the principles of Evo- 

 lution," He recognizes his work as but 

 the opening outline of an inquiry which 

 must be carefully filled up, " the intention 

 being to place stepping-stones, however un- 

 hewn, across a troublesome and heretofore 

 impassable stream, which in the future may 

 grow into a highway that the fool cannot 

 err therein." The author acknowledges in- 

 debtedness for assistance and advice to a 

 large number of clergymen whom he has 

 consulted in the preparation of his work. 



It is gratifying to observe that the au- 

 thor, who has thus far gone most thorough- 

 ly into the investigation he undertakes, 

 shows also the most intelligent appreciation 

 of the minds that have contributed to the 

 working out of the great doctrine with 

 which he is dealing. He says : " It does 

 not seem to be sufficiently understood that 

 Evolution owes much more to Mr. Spencer 

 than to Mr. Darwin. The latter only de- 



