( 424 ) 
[July, 
ANALYSES OF BOOKS. 
The Wonders of Plant-Life under the Microscope. By Sophie 
Bledsoe Herrick. London : W. H. Allen and Co. 
The author of this ably-written work treats in succession of the 
bemnnin^s of life —an ominous subject,— of single-celled green 
Diants of fungi and lichens, of liverworts and mosses, of feins, 
fhe physio logy of plants, of corn and its congeners (among 
which are here included the orchids), "the microscope among 
the flowers.” pitcher-plants, and insectivorous plants. 
It will be evident, from this sketch of the contents alone, that 
Miss Herrick has sought not to furnish a systematic treatise on 
B^nV buffo give a number of detached piflures illustrating 
come of the most interesting portions of the science. 
In the first chapter the writer discloses her point of view, 
which is scarcely that of the modern biologist. She _ speaks o 
an “Intelligence which can and does fill every portion of this 
infinity of worlds with full, perfett, and exquisite life. We 
mio-fit nerhaos ask Miss Herrick how she has ascertained th 
every * pmtio^o^the universe is filled with life and by what 
standard she measures perfection ? She speaks of the subt e 
scepticism of the human heart,” of “the world in its innate 
unbelief” and of Science as being “its own antidote. Does 
it require one ? Passing from these reflections, which we sub- 
mit savour more of a traCt than of a scientific treatise, she gives 
^clear account of the vegetable cell, and of its contents, proto- 
plasm “ responsible for much bitter and rancorous warfare. 
B 4h!s 1 cfmpter 1 cllnclud^s/perhaps^with doubtful relevance, with 
certain comments on the relations between man and the lower 
animals. Says Miss Herrick It is hard to find anywhere a 
deep chasm which separates our race from the myriad forms of 
life beneath if we ignore man's spiritual nature. On lie phy- 
sical side man is undoubtedly allied to brute nature, as he is on 
the spiritual side to the Divine.” But if we grant a spiritua 
side "to man, can we deny it to the lower animals ? There is 
probably no faculty or emotion present m curselves which in 
lower grade is demonstrably absent in them. The very same 
arguments used in favour of man's continuance after death may 
be advanced also on behalf of “our poor relations II the 
phenomena of Spiritualism prove that man is not solely mat^ 
rial, they have shown the same concerning dogs and birds. The 
