260 Notices of Books . [April, 
may remind him that it is not the best and noblest man who is 
most ashamed of his poor relations. 
We are here reminded of a further piece of evidence which 
proves that the work before us is in its spirit theological rather 
than philosophical. We refer to the manner in which Mr. Gorman 
treats all dissidents. He is not one of those who can agree to 
differ. He cannot apparently believe it possible for conscientious 
and enlightened minds to arrive at conclusions other than his 
own. All such he calls, in facft, with but little circumlocution, 
either knaves or fools, and imputes to them the most unworthy 
motives. No inconsiderable portion of the book is made up of such 
elegancies as the following: — “ Meanest and most malignant 
subterfuges,” “ bestial fabrication,” “wicked forgery,” “offensive 
and slanderous epithets,” “ intolerable social nuisance,” “ flagi- 
tious example,” “audacious and mischievous attempt,” “wanton 
and profane hostility,” “ narrow-minded and arrogant class of 
intellectual obstructives,” “the darx, narrow, tortuous, intolerant, 
and earthy tone and temper of Dr. Priestley’s lucubrations,” 
“ the pseudo-scientific sect of Darwinian evolutionists,” &c. 
Do not let the author, however, flatter himself that he can 
succeed even in offending the eminent men whom he denounces. 
They will give him that contemptuous pardon which is the 
privilege of a certain class. Says a German poet— 
“ What cares the moon 
If a dog barks at her ? ” 
If he wishes to criticise men of Science we would advise him 
to spend some eight or ten years at genuine scientific work, as a 
needful preliminary. He would then see not a few things in a 
very different light. 
Thermo-Dynamical Phenomena , or the Origin and Physical 
Doctrine of “ Life," and the New Theory of 11 Fermentation." 
By H. A. Huntley. Madras : Foster and Co. London : 
Longmans, Green, and Co. 
The title of this pamphlet scarcely gives a full and fair idea of 
the author’s objects. We quote, therefore, his opening para- 
graph : — 
“ The much-agitated question of the origin of ‘ Life ’ from 
organic liquids — or the spontaneous generation of Infusorial 
Animalculse, Monad, Badlerium, and Vibrio, &c. — has always en- 
gaged the attention of careful observers ; but owing to the inde- 
finiteness (and hence conflicting character) of the results advanced 
no true scientific conclusion has hitherto been drawn. Moreover, 
