i88o.] Analyses of Books. 7 2 5 
Cosmical Design, or the existence of an unknown, inconceivable, 
intelligent ‘ First Cause ’ (the phrase is a misnomer), of whose 
Eternal Mind the Eternal Universe may be an hypostasis or 
emanation.” 
To examine all these theses, or even those we have quoted, 
would manifestly require far more space than is at our disposal , 
but we may briefly diredt our attention to the fifth, in which the 
eternity of the universe is plainly asserted. But as far as man 
has been able to penetrate into the mysteries with which he is 
surrounded, all natural forces tend to an equilibrium, which when 
reached all life, all aaivity, all motion must come to an end. 
Our planets must gradually become dried up like the moon, and 
will doubtless fall into the sun. The sun, which in the opinion 
of the ablest authorities has “ seen his best days,” must— in 
spite of this additional fuel and of the heat engendered by the 
conversion of mechanical motion — burn himself out. Even the 
falling of suns into each other cannot prevent the end for ever. 
There may, indeed, be a recuperative process at work in the 
universe tending to counteract all this levelling process ; but we 
have no physical evidence of its existence, and cannot even con- 
ceive its nature. Dr. Lewins, be it noted, does not venture to 
deny the possible existence of an Eternal Mind. Why, then, 
should he venture to deny finite minds, without which it is ex- 
tremely difficult to give an account of many familiar phenomena. 
It will be perceived that there is in this work not the slightest 
attempt to show how physical energy is transformed into life, or 
how atoms of carbon, oxygen, &c., come to feel an interest in 
the position in which they are arranged. 
The Appendix, from the pen of “ Thalassoplektos, is an ex- 
position of the treatise of Dr. Lewins, and contains much of 
which we can approve and no little against which we must pro- 
test. He condemns, very justly, our competitive examinations, 
but he does not honour the man of research and the specialist. 
What, for instance, must we think of such passages as the fol- 
lowing •__« With such men as these [i.e. 9 country squires, cavalry 
officer°s' in regiments rarely seletfed for foreign service, &c.] 
savans and literati cannot for a moment compare. The highest 
life, as compared with the narrow epicier - like existence of the 
specialist, despite his assumption, wherever possible ot ill- sus- 
tained superiority, is that of the country gentleman, the dignified 
clergyman, and that of the well-fed contented peasant . 
Again * — “ Savans may pile discovery upon discovery, until, 
as was the case with Michael Faraday, the desire to discover 
becomes a real mania ; but the life that is wholly given over to 
such pursuits is a mis-spent one, and is, as an example, posi- 
tively injurious to society. The whole burden of ‘ Faust 1S t0 
trace the gradual development of a superior mind, a perfect man, 
from contemplative to adtive pursuits, from the library, labora- 
tory, museum, and observatory, and finally to the execution of 
