270 
Analyses of Boohs. 
[April, 
student by presenting him with a comprehensive outline of the 
earth’s history, and also to hold out a helping hand to those who 
with very inadequate means and opprtunities are striving after 
self-education. In this endeavour he is by no means unsuccess- 
fu The physical history of the earth, and man’s gradual com- 
nrehension of its successive phases and of their lessons, is given 
here cTeaX; fairly, and judiciously. Minute detail in a volume 
which does not extend to three hundred pages is of course 
th Ina e few°c'ases we can scarcely admit the author’s views with- 
ss rtf? £ saw? SJtH 
vations and conclusions as a starting-point for further researcn, 
ft took them merely as the basis for debates, discussions, and 
the same manner. In this respea the learned of the Uark Ages 
differed after all, little from us modern Englishmen. \\e, too, 
fovf words rather than things, and we would rather ‘‘be exa- 
mined ” in books than test their statements or follow out their 
indications Nor are we quite certain that “ Science owes mu 
to d the Reformation.” Protestant theologians have denounced 
the advances of Science with an energy never ; surpassed. 
In the author’s survey of the leading truths ,o g e0 
nalreontolo^y we notice with pleasure that, whilst he states fadts 
and theTr interpretations, he is free from rash and presumptuous 
dogmatism Where there is room for a difference of opinion 
S the evidence on either side, and suspends judgment 
Such being the author’s disposition, it is the more sa.tisiaa.ory 
to find that he pronounces for the continuity of life m °PP 
rtionl CU HTXws1hat\°great ' ^eak^in the strata is 
f fe°^nd n ift d « b w^sa rre ^^ n ^°ntends Aa^the 0 testi^ony°of a the 
' f l l„„«h often defective, yet in no known instance contra- 
SfdTw,”.! d„wi«/« . 
entific boundary ” between man and the lower animals. 
6n „ shor" we y must pronounce Mr. Nicols’s work accurate 
• j- • moderate and can recommend it to both the 
judicious and moderate student ^ affording a 
lXversigh?of egior s which he is about to survey in detail, 
?°° d °7he eeneral reader who merely wishes for a corredt sum- 
mary of the results of geological and paleontological research. 
