The New York herald., 1870-12-11
LITERATURE.



known 10 literature the science OF nature IL an |
agreeable study, how much more fascinating IT must
be when presented In all the charms OF vigorous, |
animated writing. Not even the occasional cold |
blooded materalism which Mr.. Huxley rgh tly bs |
Iieves he VIII be charged with exhibiting can suffice
to render the papers contained in this book repul
sive 10 the reader. We may not-0ud speaking for
ourselves, we cannot-approye the ill-disguised |
sneeis al the Bible the composition OF . semi
barbarous Hebrew neither are we at all satisfied |
thai humanity viii be elevated or made happier By
the study OF nature, in form which precludes the
possibility OF a GOD. For we hold the opinion OF
some OF the greatest OF philosophers that man,
though part OF nature, is her master; and as we
cannot conceive man = waif on creation, with
neither guide nor mentor, we must perIorce believe
in Supreme Being superior to man ana conse
quently infinitely superior TO nature. Ii we take Pro-
lessor Huxley's article son the Physical Basis OF
Life" by way OF example It's perusal probably con-
vinces us that the basis OF all fc is to be found IN
protopasm, simple or nncleaed-that from micro.
scopic transparent egg containing mud, colorless
or otherwise, in which noats tiny speck OF matter,
man and beast aud plant alike spring. and that
there il appreciable differences III the materials
composing the Protein Of man from tina. composing
the Protein OF beasts. But we object 10 the position
assumed by Mr.. Huxley that we must not attempt
plasm or to speculate upon Its origin. Now, It Is
certainly impossible to exaggerate the importance
OF possessing knowledge OF the physical basis Of
nfe;' but II is also vastly more impossible to ex-
aggerate the Importance Of obtaining, whether nom
demonstrabe proof or from deductlon some salts
factory idea concerning the source whence such
physical basis is derived. Why shall we rest con.
tent with knowledge OF the eject and not seek the
causep
1t is not our purpose, however, to enter into auy
long argument against the materialIsn OF the au.
thor's language. Viewing the work from a purely
scientific standpoint, we unhesitatingly recognize
Its great value TO There few men living
more fitted for the task OF instructng us on the
great facts Of natural history than Professor nux.
ley, and we doubt If there be any who can impart
such instruction in so thoroughly entertaining q
style. We have read the book with The deepest In.
terest. Some OF the papers we had read before;
others new But the old ones had lost nothing
Of their interest," and their perusal afforded as much
pleasure as the Others.
The essay "on the Advisableness OF Improving
Natural knowledge" though written for the English
people, applies with equal force to Americans we
may indeed, take the first six papers as embodyng
the most cogent reasons why our knowledge Of
natural history shoald be enlarged. The first has
been referred to. The Others are entitled "Eulan-
and Where to Find It," scientific Education,- "on
the Educational Value OF the Natural History
Sciences" and "On the Study OF Zoology With
some Of the sentiments contained In these we do
not agree. For example, the article emancipa-
tiOn not altogether satisfactory Nevertheless the
central ideas which apparent In this and In all
the others are incontroverubie Our system OF edu-
cation abounds in faults. lis deiectiveness Is de-
monstrated daily. In his address 'On tue Educa-
tonal Value OF Natural History Scencesr Professor
Huxley declared that he dared venture 10 assert
tnal, although he was addressing an audience Of
educated persons, there was not one, with the ex-
cepon Of those who had received q medical educa-
tion, who could tell him what Is the meaning OF the
act OF breathing, or VINO could state in precise
terms, why II Is that confined atmosphere is In.
| furious to health. trn
How many Americans are better educated than
this audience OF English persons2 In wnat respects
do colleges and other institutions OF learning
differ rom those OF England? We do not exaggerat,
wnen We assert that three out OF every four gradu
ates OF Yale and Harvard leave those colleges know
Ing very ltto about the natural sciences thsr
| wien they entered them. Not that they did moi
study zoology. botany and mineralogy but tha,
/ somehow they derived but little benefit from their
studies OF these sciences. And If the students OF
our principal colleges fail to acquire correct know.
4
that the students OF ordinary schools are abso
| lutely ignorant OF even their fundamental princ.
pies? Hence, If these papers were not, as they are
so admirably written that they can be read with al
| the ayidity with which a sentimental school girl
reads love novel, we would sti!l recommend their
perusal TO all persons concerned in the education OF
| youth.
or the remaining nine papers in the book there Ia
none which does mol contain vast amount OF scien
/ tifc Information. That 'On the Physical Basis OF
Life" is Notwithstanding the Objectionable features
which have been already alluded TO- a clear and
| concise explanation OF most important subject
and trust thar It's facts be accepted without
as Professor Huxley warned his hearers might be tn,
! case their acceptance placing any person on tn,
first step to the ladder that leads to the anipodes
| heaven "The Scientific Aspects OF Positiyism' 4
an admirable review of Conte's 'new philosophy y
On Piece OF Chalk" "Geo ogical Contempo-
raneity and Persistent Types OF Life and "Geolog
! Cal Reform" are also excellent. We are not pre-.
pared 10 go as far as Professor Huxley In defence
| OF the Darwinian theory; hence we cannot alto
/ gether approve the views expressed by him In his
| review OF "rhe Origin OF Speceso and in his
review Of the criticisms that work. But his paper
| on Descartes and the one--witn which the volume
| cosss-on Spontaneous Generation, are in all re-
/ spects worthy OF the highest praise.
| We have said as much as our limited space will
! admit to show the value OF these LAY Sermons
| Addresses and Reviews" The reputation OF the
author is Of itself sufficient guarantee OF Its scien
| tilc importance. We are sure that It's pcrusal
! whether by the few familiar with the natural
sciences or by the many who have really nothing
more than vague idea OF what the natural sciences
| are, VIII result In the requirement OF additional
knowledge to the first, and not only afford nforma-
ton to the last but prove incentive to the study
| OF natural history.
At the same time would be best perhaps. for the
reader to reject Professor Huxleys theology while
thankfully accepting his scientific eXpositIons. II
we believed that science and religion irrecon
cilabe ana that faith in the eventuated destruc-
ton OF the other we would prefer, Tor the peace