The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-19
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

JouaseY IN BRAZIL. BY Professor and Mrs.
Louis Agassiz. Boston: Tcknor l. Fields. 1863.
Here Is volume that one would scarcely expect 70
find on any bookseie-'s shelves the world rounds
volume with Agaszs M ne on the title page that Is not
strikingy and pre- smnsnv an addition TO tho general
store Of knowledge that attributes nothing actually
new a. food for thought n ere chapter on "tns
physical history OF the AmaxcA vs.; out this has been
hitherto published In the Atlantic Aonthy and s repro
ducton here looks exceedingly like an admission tina
there needed somsshiag 10 cover NE poverty Of tho
present volume. We can understand ~ at this volume
may have certain interest for the psTsal or for the
more Immediate scientific encourage or the profes'
sor, ~ giving the social atmosphere OF MS
sxcurson detailing the daily sequence Of events
sufficiently unimportant 70 generally, howsV Or the
knowledge Of Thorn may b. treasured by frisnda of
scientific results II has next to nothing; and ndAsd,
u seems very like piece Of literary humbug that Prs-
lessor Agassiz should give his to secure the sale
Of book net written by hma book not treating espe
calIy the topics with which his name Ii sssosiated
that is mere picturesque remembrance Of events OF
which the world scarcely to read. The book Is
mere narrative OF travel Of how the party voyagsd 70
Rio JaDsiro and how they organized their trips and
what cvilitics extended 10 them and so oH--a
book Of the class that Asassx should have left for the
especial property OF those nobodss literature who
make books Of no other kind ancan make this sort Of
book quite - well as this is made Whoever pays
his 1--WE for this volume expecting have his sphere OF
thought enlarged and hss intellectual lie enriched BY
contact with the mind Of great thinker whose
is on the title page will have good to declare
that he has been simply fooled out Of his money.
II could hardly be that in volume or over i've hun
dYsd pages detailing the OF the professor
and skstchng dmly at odd certain Of his thoughts
should mot have hint given here and there, in odd
sentences Of the tendencies OF Certain OF these
we have such this"Out Of such invest cations there
looms up deeper question for scientific men, the solu-
ton Of which 10 to DO the most important result Of
their work in coming generations. The origin Of life
is the great question of the day" Here IS another
81 am often asked what Is my chief aim in this expedi
tion to South America. No doubt in general way. 1t
is to collect materials for future study But the oonvc.
ton which draws me iresisbly that the combination
of animals on this continent where the fauna arc SO
and distinct from all Others will give
me the of showing that the theory
ID wholly without foundation in facts" To the large,
philosophical views taken by Agassiz that there is
reason TO conclude that the original OF animal life
had narrow limit or has even yet ceased to operate the
trapsmuaton theory is OF course, in sense necss-
sity. Here few striking ssntsnces:--
In their earliest stages Of growth all animals OF the
same class are much more alike than in their adult
dton, and sometimes nearly alike as hardly 70 be
distinguished lMdeed there Is early period wnen the
ntNer0neeH
far the reprsseD o different classes resemble
anotaer romans to be ascertaned with precision
There two possible interpretations Of these facts.
One 10 that animals nearly identical IN the beginning
must have been originally derived from germ and
are oat notifications transmuations under VARIOUS
physical conditions OF this primitive unit The Other
founded the facts IS that Co.
whsandng this material Identity In the begnnAag
germ ever grows TO be dinereat from its parent
dvergss from tho pattern imposed upon II az its bihth
therefore some other besides material st
control its deveopaent; and II this be have TO
q amir ~
outside OF physical influences
Here the attempt to escape from facts that n,akt,
directly for the transmutation theory by reference ~
thor than materian causessomethng beside "physs
al influences" What Influences the inquirer would
Joint to ~ Affecting tho physical world and not acting
physically Il is difficult TO Take for instance, hts
account Of the robin and duck Botha at acertain
me webfooted. We can understand that there may
DO stamped the life Of the robu, In the very
tuition or such brain has, even In IT'S stomach an
instinct 20 seek It's food in such compes il TO
1.-Two In great the branches Of trees; hence will
result tue sproutng Of the toes while the instincts Of
the duck lead It 10 way Of life that develops web
well rs toc Here would to bo the operation OF
vague not evidently physical. But where
dd their operation bsging What the history Of
OF instinct peculiar to eachs Did not that very Gauss
conditions, aud was not purely physical in it, or,gin'