268 
Notices of Books. 
[April, 
creatures,” of which there were several successive genera- 
tions, whilst other organic beings were subsequently formed 
“ during the six working days of the Mosaic week, each day 
consisting of twenty-four natural hours !” The author has un- 
fortunately forgotten to add that in those dark, atmosphereless 
ages two and two made five, and two straight lines were capable 
of inclosing space. All this we are to accept “ upon the authority 
of the immutable word of God, assisted by the discoveries of 
Science !” Readers are further told that “ unless they are pre- 
pared to receive the announcements of Scripture ” — as interpreted 
and applied, of course, by Mr. A. T. Ritchie — “ with as implicit 
confidence as they would a thrice-demonstrated problem, it will 
avail them little to accompany” him. The author does not, as 
far as we have been able to trace, adduce any original observa- 
tions or experiments in support of his views. A large part of 
his six hundred pages consists of quotations from scientific 
works, but these chiefly represent the state of knowledge of the 
earlier half of the nineteenth century. The “ Cabinet Cyclo- 
pedia,” the “ Bridgewater Treatises,” the “ Library of Useful 
Knowledge,” Dr. Fleming, Hugo Reid, and Nichol, seem 
his favourite authorities. There is, of course, in his work much 
that is true, and altogether beside the question. But to find 
truths peculiar and essential to the author’s system is a difficult 
task. We quote, as most significant, the following passage from 
a note on p. 409 : — “ It is also worthy of remark how frequently 
throughout the Sacred Volume the finger seems to have been 
pointed to those discoveries long, long ago ; and repeated at in- 
tervals, throughout the whole course of the Divine Revelation, 
with a clearness only equalled by man’s wayward reludtance to 
appreciate them. In proof of this the following are a few from 
amongst the numerous passages which might be quoted to show 
that, under the figure of ‘ stretching out the heavens like a 
curtain,’ the expansive principle, now termed the ‘ diffusion of 
gases,’ is as clearly indicated as if volumes detailing the results 
of experimental philosophy had been written on the subjedt : — 
Ps. civ., 2 ; Isa. xl., 22 ; xliv., 24 ; xlv., 12 ; li., 13.” 
With this writer any serious discussion is impossible. 
That such a work can have been written, and have gone through 
several editions, is a painful proof of the backward state of 
higher education in our country. But we accept the author’s 
motto — “ Magna est veritas et praevalebit.” We feel assured 
that before another century has elapsed this book and its theories 
will be remembered merely as a lamentable instance of wasted 
labour and misdirected ingenuity. 
