The New York herald., 1870-12-11
LITE TERATURE.



agreeable study how much more fascinating 1t must
be when presented In all the charms OF vigorous,
animated writing Not even the occasional cold
blooded materialism which Mr.. Huxley righ tly bs
f1eves he viii be charged with exhibiting can sufce
to render the papers contained In this book repu-
sive TO the reader We may not-cud, speaking for
ourselves, we cannot--approve the i-daguised
sneeis AT the Bible as the composition OF q semi
barbarous Hebrew; neither are we at all satisfied
thai humanity viii be elevated made happier by
the study OF nature, in form which nrecludes the
possibility OF GOD. For we hold the opinion OF
some OF the greatest OF philosophers that man,
though a part OF nature, is her master; and as we
cannot conceive man = waif on creation, with
neither guide nor mentor. we must perforce believe
IN Supreme Being superior to man and conse-
quently Infinitely superior to nature II we take Pro-
essor Huxicy's article son the Physlcal Basis OF
I.e," by way OF example, its perusal probably con-
vinces w that the basis OF all life is 10 DO Iound In
protoplasm, simple or nucleated--ihat 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 no appreciable difference III the materials
composing the Protein Of man from tha. composing
the Protein OF beasts. But we object TO the position
assumed by Mr.. Huxley that we must not attempt
to inquire beyond the material fact OF such proto-
4
certainly impossible To exaggeratc the importance
Of possessing knowledge OF the physical basis OF
life; but IL s also vastly more impossible TO ex-
aggerate the Importance OF obtaining, whether srom
demonstrable proof from deduction, some salts
factory idea concerning the source whence such
physical basis IL derived Why shall We rest con-
tent with q knowledge OF the effect and not seek the
cause9
IL Is not our purpose however, to enrer into any
long argument against the mateflallsm OF the au.
thor's language. Viewing the work from a purely
scientific standpoint, we unhestatlngly recognize
Its great value to science There are few men living
more fitted for the task OF instructing US on the
great facts of natural history than Professor Iux-
ley, and we doubt If there be any who can impart
such instruction in so thoroughly entertaining
style. we have read the book with the deepest In
terest Some of the papers we had read before
others were new. But the old had lost nothing
OF their interest," and their perusa afforded as much
pleasure as the others.
The essay "0n the Advisabeness OF Improvng 2
Natural knowledge" though written for the English
people. applies with equal force to Americans. We
may indeed take the first six papers as embodying
| the most cogent reasons why our knowledge OF
| natural history should be enlarged The first has
been referred to. The others are entitled 'Eman-
| cpation: BlacIcand White,' "A Liberal Education,
| the Educational Value OF the Natural History
| Sciences" and "On the Study OF Zoology.n With
some Of the sentiments contained in these wc do
| not agree. For example, the article on emancpa-
tion altogether satisfactory. Nevertheless the
central ideas which apparent In this and In all
the others incontroverlibie Our system or edu.
cation abounds In faults. Its deieet.veness is de-
| monstrated daily. In his address ''0n the Educa-
tional Value OF Natural History Sciences Professor
/ Huxley declared that he dared venture 10 assert
| that, although he was addressing an audience OF
educated persons, there was not one, with the ex-
ception Of those who had received a medical educa
ton who could tell him what is the meaning OF the
| act Of breathing, or VINO could state in precise
terms, why 1t is that confined atmosphere is in
| furious TO health. .e NJ.
| How many Americans are better educated thai
this audience OF English persons? In what respect
do our colleges and other institutions OF learniu
differ rom those Of England We do not exagperai
wnen we assert that three out OF every four gradr
ates OF Yale and Harvard leave those colleges know
ing very little more about the natural sciences tha
| wien they entered them. Not that they did no
| study zoology. botany and mineralo.yy but tha
| somehow they derived but little benefit from thej
| studies OF these sciences. And II the students o
our principal colleges fail TO acquire q correct know
| ledge or these important sceaces is 1t any wonde
/
| lutely ignorant OF even their fundamental princl
ples2 Hence, If these papers were not, they are
| so admirably written that they can be read with a,
| the ayidity with which sentimental school CIR
reads love novel, we would sllll recommend then
/ perasal TO all persons concerned in the education o
4 youth.
or the remaining nine papers in the book there ID
none which does not contain vast amount of scien
| tifc Information. That "On the Physical Bas sis OF
Life" is Notwithstanding the Objectionable features
which have been already alluded 10, a clear and
concise explanation OF a most important subject
and thar It's facts can be accepted without
as Professor Huxley warned his hearers might be th
! case, their acceptance placing any person on tn
first step to the ladder that leads to the antipodes
| heaven. "The Scientific Aspects OF Positiyism'' 1
| an admirable review Of Comtes "new philosophy.
| On o Piece OF Chalk,n "Geol ogical Contempo-
raneity and Persistent Types OF Life, and "Geologi
| cal RefOrmn are also excel ent. We are not pre-
pared TO 60 as far as Professor Huxley in defence
| Of the Darwinlan theory; hence we cannot alto
| gethcr approve the views expressed by him in hi
| review OF "The Origin of Specieso and in hia
review OF the criticisms on that work. But his papc
| on Descartes and the one-witn which the volume
closes-on Spontaneous Generation are in all re
spects worthy OF the highest praise.
| We have said as much as our limited space vii
admit to show the value OF these .Lay Sermons
! Addresses and Reviews" The reputation OF tn
author is Of itself sufficient guarantee Of its scen
| ti1c importance We are sure that It's perusal
! whether by the few familiar with the natura
sciences or by the many who have really nothinl
more than vague idea OF what the natural sciences
| are, VIII result in the requirement Of addtiona
knowledge to the first, and not only afford informa
ton to the last but prove an incentive to the stud,
| OF natural history
At the same time 1t would be best, perhaps, for Tho
reader to reject Professor huxleys theology, while
thankfully accepting his scientific exposiuons. /
| we believed that science and religion were rrecon-
cable and that faith in the one eventuated destruc
| ton OF the other, we would PREFER FOR the peace
! and happiness OF humanity, to reject science. Blu