178 Recent Literature. [ March, 
Leaves or blossoms—what doth matter ? 
Phases of one thought; 
Leaf in spring is fruit in autumn, 
Bud-and-blossom bought. 
Earth has tree and fruit within it; 
Life and thought, the clod; 
Stones spring up to love and duty 
From the sun-kissed sod. 
February rath. 
-O% 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
Comstock’s OUTLINE OF GENERAL GEoLOoGyY.'—This neat little 
volume of 80 duodecimo pages, is a and interesting, as it. 
occupies a novel position among the many aids now furnished to 
the student of this most comprehensive branch of physical sci- 
ence. In his brief preface, the author explains its character, as 
an amplified syllabus of his elementary lectures to a mixed class 
in the University, who are required to gain a general familiarity 
with the facts and principles of geology, before they can enter 
either of the more extended courses, on Paleontology and on 
Economic Geology, given at Cornell. It isdesigned as a handbook 
of classified statements and references, to be used in connection 
with lectures on the one hand and with collateral reading on the 
other; and a blank leaf is bound in between every two pages of 
text, for diagrams, memoranda, etc. The general arrangement of 
topics is similar to that of Dana's Manual, save that Dynamical 
Geology precedes Historical. Under each minor division, is given 
an exceedingly concise statement of the facts and laws of that 
art of the subject, as recognized by the best authorities, and gen- 
erally also a brief notice of other or older views. This is followed 
by a series of references, made by numeral figures, to the Refer- 
ence List at the close of the book, in which about one hundred 
and fifty works, both general and special, including articles in 
scientific periodicals, monographs, etc., of particular value, are 
arranged, frequently with a few words of estimate, guidance, or 
caution, for the student. 
It will readily appear, from the mere statement thus given, that 
the hand-book of Prof. Comstock’s has great value, if only for its 
references, apart from its condensed and carefully classified sum- 
maries of fact. As stated in the preface, some parts of the sub- 
_ ject are treated more fully than others. We may instance the 
1 An Outline of General o with copious references. cis ete for the use 
of both gerin and special studen By THEODORE B. COMsST RS 
in charge of the Department of Geot, Palæontology and pe Geology, in 
the Cornell University. Ithaca , N. Y.: University Press, 1878. 
