EETIEWS. 



159 



primseval animals may be as certain as those of the palaeontologist in refe- 

 rence to their structure. Again, as the psychical and moral are intimately 

 associated, the theologian, too, has claims on past life. Physiology expressly 

 indicates a connection between physical and moral law ; while Scripture 

 as expressly declares it. And so an inquiry such as we have indicated, so 

 far from being trifling or minute, interlaces itself with questions of the 

 most momentous importance. 



The existence of such organisms as a lion's paw or the jaw of a sharV, so 

 wondrously adapted for tlie purposes of rapine in a creation otherwise filled 

 with evidences of the utmost benevolence, has led most natural theologians 

 to conclude in the existence of an active principle of evil. This is 

 strengthened by the statements of Scripture regarding the tree of know- 

 ledge of good and evil, as well as the recognition by the Saviour, both in 

 his miracles and in his didactic statements, of the power of the arch-enemy 

 over physical nature. The evidences of death by violence in the geologic 

 eras have given an additional importance to this inquiry. Did some dis- 

 turbing moral element prevail in the old creations of the past ? is a question 

 affirmed and denied by equally competent writers. The pamphlet at the 

 head of this article is perhaps the best original exposition published in this 

 country on the affirmative ; while the two works it specially combats — 

 those by Hugh Miller and Paton Gloag — are the best representatives of 

 the opposite side of the question. The learned German theologian Kurtz 

 has perhaps most fully discussed this topic ; he shows that not only the 

 past history of our globe, but also that of the whole universe, may be inti- 

 mately connected with moral dynasties in which Satan and his angels 

 mingled. 



Mr. Gillespie affirms that geology can only bear witness as to the exist- 

 ence of the carnivorous monsters of the past ; and that the theologian 

 alone has the right to discuss the reasons why they were furnished with 

 such implements of rapine and destruction. Hugh Miller, on the contrary, 

 founding his whole argument of the ' Testimony of the Eocks ' on the doc- 

 trine that the Mosaic creation is that referred to by geology, affirms that as 

 all these past creations were pronounced " very good," so these animals 

 must have come direct from the hands of the Creator. Whether or not 

 Miller has in this case departed from his usual philosophic style, our readers 

 must judge. But to do this they must hear both sides ; and they will find 

 in Mr. Gillespie's pamphlet ample material on a topic which will occupy 

 more than it has done the thoughts of speculative men. 



A Glossary of Mineralogy. By H. W. Bristow, F.G.S., of the Geological 

 Survey of Great Britain. London : Longman and Co., 1861. 



The public waited a long time for this work, and it has proved worth 

 waiting for. To have a cheap book is something ; to have a good book is 

 better. But to have a book at once cheap and good is to have all we can 

 desire of author or publisher. The preface opens by telling us it was 

 undertaken to supply a want which the author had often felt— and, we 

 may add, how many others? Having felt it himself, is fortunately, 

 perhaps, one reason of his success in supplying the concise handy manual 

 which meets that want, and will make the stony road of mineralogy 

 more easily trodden by future students. Tlie work is arranged on the plan 

 of a glossary or dictionary, with a capital introduction giving the general 

 characters of minerals, followed by an excellent table of classification. 

 The general characters of minerals of course are those which relate to external 

 form and structure, and characters dependent on light ; these are divided 



