122 Notices of Books. [January, 
Eozoon and any form of vegetable life.” Be it so ; the faCt 
proves absolutely nothing. The further back we go in our re- 
searches the greater number of forms — both of vegetable and 
animal life — must have disappeared, and left not a trace behind. 
Why should the conneCting-links have been especially preserved ? 
And if they had, would not those upon whom the mantle of 
Agassiz has fallen, and who talk of “ prophetic analogues,” 
refuse to recognise them ? What can we think of the following 
passage ? — “ There may perhaps be higher intelligences that 
find it equally difficult to realise how life and reason can mani- 
fest themselves in such poor houses of clay as those we inhabit ? 
Dr. Dawson cannot imagine that “ clay” is a constituent of the 
human system. Why, then, does he use language which may 
mislead men of defective education, and which is certainly more 
worthy of a penny traCt or of a “ goodie ” story-book than of a 
scientific treatise ? Had he concluded his book with the seventh 
chapter he would have done a better service to science and to 
the public. 
Fifty -fifth Annual Report of the Board of Public Education of 
the First School District of Pennsylvania , comprising the 
City of Philadelphia, for the Year ending December 31 st, 
1873. Philadelphia, 1874. 
This volume gives a detailed account of the public schools of 
all grades in the city of Philadelphia, including the numbers of 
the pupils, the names of the teachers, the subjects taught, &c. 
We notice as a curious faCt that in schools for boys the teachers, 
as a rule, appear to be females. What has been the motive 
which led to so singular an arrangement, or what are the bene- 
fits — real or supposed — resulting, we are not informed. 
The President’s Report is an ably composed document, and 
must be interesting on this side the Atlantic as showing the 
projects and the hopes of many thoughtful men in America. 
We are struck, in particular, with this passage : — “ Let me ask 
you, gentlemen, does not justice demand that we should place 
within the reach of girls the same unrestricted privileges for 
pursuing the higher branches of learning that we extend to 
boys ? ” It might as well be asked — “ Does not justice demand 
that we should place within the reach of girls unrestricted 
facilities for acquiring a knowledge of military drill, seaman- 
ship, or the use of heavy artillery ? We fail to see that science 
or the human race are likely to be benefitted by enticing or 
thrusting normal women into pursuits which — not by any arbi- 
trary convention, but by a process of natural selection — have 
been hitherto reserved for the male sex. We fear that Institu- 
tions where girls may “ seek graduating honours ” will merely 
