REVIEWS. 
293 
GEOLOGICAL CHIPS/ 
T here is not much in these essays that has not appeared in a hundred 
different forms before. To some writers a few facts are like the bits 
of glass in a kaleidoscope. They place them together to-day to make one 
book, and then — shaking up the kaleidoscope — they put them together 
in another fashion to-morrow, and thus they make another book, and so on. 
We are rather opposed to this sort of thing, and we find it very prevalent 
among a few individuals, who have a general knowledge of some branch of 
science, a keen perception of the gullibility of the public, and a certain 
power of sketchy writing. We could name on our fingers all those who 
indulge in this species of manufacture at the present moment, and we are 
sorry to think that Dr. Page is gradually getting into their orbit. We hope 
not, for his sake j for once a scientific man falls within an attraction of that 
kind, it is indeed facilis descensus, but very difficult to regain his former 
position. There is only one chapter in this book which at all deserves any 
notice, and this, which is entitled, ‘‘A Forgotten Chapter,” is not by the 
author. It is a quotation from Verstegan's ^‘Restitution’’ and is full of 
interest, since it shows us how much was known of geology in the year of 
grace 1605. The other “ chips ” are mere shavings, and we can only hope 
that Dr. Page will employ his literary “ plane ” to better purpose in 
future. 
WHAT IS MATTER ?t 
T he author of this work puts the old never-satisfactorily-answered question 
What is matter ? and, so far as we can gather from his statements, his 
reply is, that what is called matter is simply force. The case is one which — 
so far as any evidence yet urged upon it — is absolutely impossible to be 
decided upon. The testimony supplied is, of course, only the evidence of 
the senses. In other words, we are cognisant of phenomena. Force and 
matter are both terms which refer to an abstract substratum which is only 
a metaphysical entity. We admit the phenomenon, and some of us explain 
it by saying it is matter operated on by force ; others, that it is simply force 
acting on force ; whilst a third says it is matter exhibiting its pro- 
perties. If we must have an abstract something, let it be force or 
matter; it is impossible to conceive of both. The author of the book is a 
wordy writer, with some historical knowledge of his subject, but who is 
apparently ignorant of practical science, and who makes the serious blunder 
of resting a reliable mathematical argument on questionable scientific fact. 
* “ Chips and Chapters for Amateur and Young Geologists.” By David 
Page, LL.D. Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1869. 
t What is Matter ? ” By An Inner Templar. London : Wvman & Sons. 
1869. 
