453 
REVIEWS. 
Natural History of the Europeah Seas. — By the late Professor Edward 
Eorbcs and R. A. Godwiu-Austcn, Esq., F.R.S. 
If anything could give us pleasure, and at the same time pain, it woidd be to 
review a posthumous book of Edward Forbes — we write not the prefix " Pro- 
fessor," for tlie two simple words are their own glory, the reality of whieh no 
addition coidd increase. Amongst the very earHcst of our cncouragers in the 
pursuit of natural history we remember, as many, many others in their own 
cases must do the like, the amiable courtesy and gentleness with whieh that 
great man would at all times assist our inquiries by the ready explanations 
which his vast-extended knowledge enabled him instantly to give. 
One half the book before us was ])emied by Edward Forbes, the remainder 
has been completed by liis friend — indeed a treasnrable title — and literary ex- 
ecutor, Mr, Godwin-Austen. WcU-known and appreciated for liis scientific 
acquirements, in no better hands than liis coidd such a task have been placed ; 
but all the world knows how eliarmiugly, and yet how pliilosopliicaUy the 
professor wrote ; and in few tasks, therefore, could it be more difficult to ac- 
quire a snecessfid result than in the completion of an unfinished work, however 
simple might be its character, of a man esteemed ahke as an individual, an 
author, and a philosopher. 
The liistory of the present volume, one of Mr. Van Voorst's projected 
series of " Outlines of the Natural History of Europe," is briefly told in the 
preface. Three books under the above title were proposed some years since to 
be issued ; Professor Heufrey undertook the subject of the " Vegetation of 
Eiu'ope," Professor Forbes " The Natural History of the European Seas," and 
the latter suggested to Mr. Austen to do " The Geological History of the 
Em-opeau Area." Professor Henfrey's book appeared m 1852, and that by 
Professor Forbes was amiounced for 1853. With the work and engagements 
then pressing heavUy upon him, no one was surprized at its not appearing, and 
indeed it is probable liis own additional studies and the further researches 
desirable might have made lum wish for a little delay before he committed 
himself to any general views on the marine fauna of the Enropean seas. In 
1855, the life and laliours of one of the most eminent naturalists our native laud 
has ever produced were suddenly cut off, and the little book, haK-finished, half- 
printed, of which a few uun'e months of his sojourn amongst us would Lave 
suliiced for tJie perfecting, has passed over to his friend for completion. 
Professor Henfrey, the author of the first of the scries of " Outlines of the 
Natural History of Europe," too, has passed away from amongst us. 
No one element of recent investigation has a greater bearing, or is bkely to 
throw more light upon the ancient geographical and physical conditions and 
distribution of the ancient extinct creations of our planet than the results of 
those accurate dredgiugs of the sea-bottom, to which Edward Forbes himself 
gave so strong an impetus, and those notations of organic forms occurring with- 
in special zones of depth, and the limitations of special groups withiu certain 
geograpliical areas. The bearings of these results upon fossil organic remains 
is of the highest value, and this book places all that is known before us in a 
quiet, unostentatious, but powerfid manner. It is in fact a book of reference, 
but with these exceptions to t!ie almost universal character of books of that 
class, tliat it is small, condensed, and not voluminous, and that it is pleasantly 
VOL. II. S S 
