REVIEWS. 
87 
day no longer satisfy their minds with the theories of imaginative dreamers* 
but they search for facts, and prefer ignorance to questionable truth. A 
spirit of positivism has crept in among our philosophers of the laboratory* 
and the laws of their science are now only framed in accordance with demon- 
strated truths. In the little volume before us, which is a reprint of lectures 
delivered in the Eoyal College of Chemistry, the author — one of the leading 
members of the “ new school ” — advocates the unitary system of notation. 
The arguments for this are forcibly put forward by Dr. Hofmann, but are of 
much too lengthy and complex a character to be noticed here. Of the style 
of Dr.Hoffmann’s composition we cannot speak very highly. The English is 
grammatical, but the sentences are constructed upon the German plan, and 
are very tedious reading. Such terms too as “ crith,” “ chemism,” “ ponderal,” 
“ molar,” “ quantiquivalential,” the fruit of the writer’s inventive powers* 
might with advantage have been omitted. The author expresses his obli- 
gation to Mr. F. 0. Ward for his assistance in preparing the volume, and 
alludes, in passing, to that gentleman’s “ known powers of lucid composition.” 
If Mr. Ward is any way responsible for the elongated sentences and general 
character of sesquipedalianism which the book exhibits, we think Dr. 
Hofmann’s comment more flattering than just. The book is an excellent one* 
but it requires simplification. 
GEOLOGICAL TERMS.* 
S TUDENTS of geology are already much indebted to Mr. Page for his- 
many useful treatises upon the science of the rocks. They have been 
helped over many a difficulty by his clear method of instruction and accurate 
statement of geological phenomena, and they will therefore hail with satis- 
faction the appearance of a new edition of his handbook of geologic terms. 
Although Mr. Page’s book is essentially of the dictionary stamp, it is one 
which may be taken up at any time to refresh the memory upon the ques- 
tions it treats of, and as the explanations of the technicalities of the science 
are written in a pleasing style, the subject is divested of much of the dryness 
which is characteristic of many books of reference. The work is divided into 
three portions : an opening series of tables, showing the present arrangement 
of existing and fossil species, the synonymy — English and foreign — of the 
several rock systems, and the relation of the various minerals ; a comprehen- 
sive dictionary of the terms used by geologists ; and a list of specific appel- 
lations in which the terminations indicative of gender are given. Of these 
three divisions, the first and last may be simply regarded as accessory, the 
volume deriving its entire character from the second. This latter, we con- 
sider has been well arranged ; the definitions are lucid and accurate, and the 
list includes even such recent words as Eozoon , etc. The specific appellations 
are a useful addition, and will save many an unclassical geologist from falling 
* il Handbook of Geological Terms, Geology, and Physical Geography.” 
By David Page, F.R.S.E. Second edition. Edinburgh : Blackwood &, 
Sons. 1865. 
