EEYIEWS. 
77 
severally the dogmas propounded by Owen, Huxley, EoUeston, Flower, 
et hoc genus omne. To our geological readers, the second article on " The 
Primaeval and Ancient ^yorld ; or, the relative Epochs of ]\Ionumental 
History," will be more interesting. The author says : "The history of 
humanity, as revealed by its monuments, may be divided into eight great 
periods or eras, some of them of very long duration, and all presenting 
materials for subordinate stratification. These eras may be named, the 
Geologic, the Cromlech, the Cyclopean, the Pyramidal, the Eastern, the 
Classic, the Mediaeval, and the Modern, the succession and contradistinc- 
tion being very clearly indicated. The Geologic era may be considered 
as extending from the time of man's first appearance on this planet, until 
we meet with unequivocal vestiges of his civilized labours. During this 
long period, infantile humanity was gradually overspreading the earth, as- 
serting its supremacy over inferior animals, and rehearsing the sad story 
of passion, conflict, and crime, which has been so often repeated in its sub- 
sequent annals. In certain more favoured centres, it was also slowly 
emerging from primal barbarism into incipient forms of civilization. This 
vast unknown space must doubtless cover its tens of thousands of years, 
and may hereafter have to be divided into several distinct epochs ; but as 
yet it can scarcely be said to belong to archaeology at all, so few are its 
known mementos, and so completely do these fall within the dominion of 
geology." It is perhaps needless to state that the sentiments advocated 
by Mr. Burke are of the most liberal character ; and we trust full success 
may be achieved by this philosophical periodical, of which he is the 
energetic editor. 
Science Elucidative of Scripture, and not Antagonistic to it. 
By J. E. Young. London: Lockwood. 1863. 
Mr. John Radford Young is a mathematician of eminence, and was for- 
merly professor in Belfast College. He makes no pretensions to being 
either a geologist or a theologian ; but he is a sensible man ; and, as a 
mere layman, " fully sensible by his own incompetency to do complete 
justice to the cause he has undertaken," he steps in to take part in a dis- 
cussion which is every day rising to greater dimensions, thinking, that 
"when attacks on the Bible have to be repelled " it is likely a volunteer in 
the service may receive more willing and candid attention than would be 
given to " one whose sacred office and bounden duty it avowedly is," 
as he swears in his ordination oath, to " drive away all erroneous and 
strange doctrines contrary to God's word." As to the points in dispute, 
whether the Bible and creation or the Bible and science are in accordance, 
we have always set our face against expressing an opinion. On other occa- 
sions we have invariably maintained that the time was not come for a 
systematic and proper comparison. "VVe think so still. The Biblicists 
generally know nothing of geology, and not a tithe as much as they ought 
to do about that very book, for the accuracy of whose every syllable they 
so senselessly contend, and for the due fitting of whose every piece with 
every possible doctrine or fact they so strenuously labour. The anti- 
bibheal geologists, on the other hand, are often quite as senseless in their 
opinions as their antagonists. Mr. Young is too acute a man not to per- 
ceive some of the weak points in accepted geological doctrines ; and if he 
do not always know enough to attack them with complete success, the well- 
directed fire of his artillery and its destructive power upon some parts of 
the groundwork, even of modern geological tenets, shows that the battle 
is not yet half fought out, and that the war will last, at least, until science 
I 
