KEVIEWS. 
77 
in the formation and perfecting of the Universe and its living inhabitants, 
there is nothing in such a notion that need “ in itself be a bugbear on 
theological grounds.” At the same time he considers that, before even the 
hypothesis of the gradual evolution of organic forms by descent with modi- 
fication can be accepted, we require to possess a much larger array of facts ; 
and the doctrine of evolution against which he specially protests u is the 
spontaneous evolution of nothing into atoms and force, and of these into all 
the wonderful and complicated plan of nature, without any guiding mind.” 
With regard to the origin and history of the human race, Dr. Dawson 
seems to have placed himself in a position of unnecessary difficulty by taking 
the date of the first appearance of man, the scriptural Adam, 11 not a myth 
or an ethnic name, but a veritable man,” from such chronological data as 
can be derived from Scripture, and fixing it at from 4000 to 5000 years b.c. 
In discussing the human question, however, he admits the evidence proving 
the co-existence of man in Europe successively with the Mammoth and the 
Reindeer, and explains it after a fashion that will be hardly satisfactory to 
our readers. The Mammoth-men, according to him, are a portion of the 
pre-diluvian descendants of Adam, whilst the probably Eskimo-like Rein- 
deer-men are post-diluvian ! 
While we find it impossible to agree with Principal Dawson either in the 
general tendency of his work or in many of its details, we must confess that 
it is a pleasant and readable book enough, and one that will doubtless be 
welcomed with delight by many who will look at it, rather from the theo- 
logical than the scientific point of view. For ourselves, holding all spiritual 
religion to be a matter of faith and not of demonstration, and regarding the 
prevalent Bibliolatry of Protestant countries as a most mischievous element 
in modern Christianity, we cannot but regret that the author should have 
devoted so much of his time to the elaboration of the present work. 
BIOLOGY.* 
T HIS is a volume of u The Library of Contemporaneous Science,” which 
Messrs. Chapman & Hall are publishing, with a view to render good 
modern science more available to the educated classes. It appears that 
MM. Reinwald & Co. have made arrangements with certain foreign authors 
to do the original work, and that Messrs. Chapman & Hall have decided to 
present it in an a English dress,” by means of some of the “ best writers 
and recognised authorities here.” It does not appear in the publishers’ 
preface why English authors were not asked to do the original work, but 
possibly the affectation, as Herbert Spencer has it, which induces some men 
to depreciate the work of their own nationality, has not been without its 
influence. 
Dr. Letourneau has produced a very good and readable book, far in advance 
of anything of the kind in this country, and his translator has performed by 
no means an easy task faithfully and very intelligently. It is a book which 
may be placed in the hand of an advanced student, of any member of the 
* “ Biology.” By Dr. Charles Letourneau. Translated by William Maccall. 
8vo. London. Chapman & Hall. 1878. 
