Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-11-30
For the Standard.
EMMONS' MANUAL OF GEOLOGY.

rise from an examination of Prof Emmons' new
book on Geology with such satisfaction, that if you
will permit, Mr. Editor, will express that satsfac-
ton through the columns of your paper; and will
congratulate the teachers of North Carolina, and of
the South, that they now have within their reach
textbook in which the Geology Of the South has re-
celved some share of attention. It is certainly to
the advantage of youth that the illustrations of
the subjects which they study should be drawn from
places and things with which they are familiar and
in which they are intimately interested rather than
from those with which they have but little connec-
tion as has heretofore been the in geological
books ~. 3d.. "a ....- . .-. H..
This volume is strictly what it purports to be-a
7ert- Book, and Prof Emmons deserves credit for
having so well realized that desirable object It is
brief, comprehensive orderly in arrangement and
gives in the main to each subject its proper share of
attention. The unusually large space devoted to the
Sediments and their Fossil Remains, must be re-
garded, as things now are, IN the light of an excel
lencc rather than defect. l.s .-5 .f.s5 .--
To be sufficiently comprehensive, consistently
with moderate size the book could not of course be
exhaustive on particular topics. And indeed no
tbook, to be used by teacher at all competent
to his work. ought to be exhaustive If the subject
is taught in the book in all its Details there is MOTH
ing left for the teacher to do--he is mere hearer
Of lessons. ..-. ... &c. -.,.. .sat ...
ANY one who should suppose from its small size
and its many pictures that this is child's book,
would make a great mistake. Indeed, Iifind fault
with the author for introducing several things en-
rcy beyond the range Of ordinary college students
Such for instance, are some parts of his essay on
Classification no beginner. understand his dis
cussion of Species. Generally, however, the book is
well adapted to the capacity of college classes in Ge
ology. 70 most pupils in academies" it will prob
ably prove 'all Dutch" unless the teacher can af
ford to give unusual amount of time to its expla
nation m .. b.. ...... ~. .-,... ,..s.. "a, e,.a-3i.
Not to make this article too long, would suggest
as faults in the book, occasional want of persp
Guilty in the style; the insertion of the first chapter
which, though pro?er enough as an introduction to
course of lectures on geology, is not particularly
appropriate in textbook the bold assumption as
fact of doctrines still unsettled, without any warn
ing that they are strongly controverted and the in
PRODUCTION of several terms involving theories
not yet adopted on all hands. 1t is better to be
without convenient name for time, than to adopt
it at the hazard of nurng true progress by its use
and of having to discard it in the end.
The excellencies of the book, besides those men,
toned already, are manifold, as will appear to all
who will read it. Unless am mistaken, they will
pronounce it decidedly without superior as text
book and, perhaps, taken as a whole, without an
equal. d; q t Fl $50 7Ai s.f" NJ.