Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-27

--N-f 49,
changes of climate. 1t is evidently his belief
that man existed in the pliocene and miocene
periods. This work grew ont of series of
papers first published in the Natural History
Review, their aim being to clucidate the princi-
pies of prehistoric arch zoology. These were re-
written, enlarged, and published in a volume,
in 1865. He has now rewritten the whole
again, and made large editions Therefore,
this new addition is very complete. 1t is well
furnished with carefully prepared Illustrations.
The subject presented in this work is one
which will continue TO engage attention, more
and more every year; and the facts connected
with it must be accepted and discussed. There
was time when the remains Of the extinct
mammoth, and of other huge animals which
long since ceased to exist, were held to be the
remains Of ancient giants; and there was Swiss
college professor, who described their bones as
the bones of fallen angels who were slain in
their war against heaven. But the giant theory
was most common; and when Sir Hans Sloan
rejected and ridicued it, he was denounced
as an infdel who spurued the positive teachings
of the Bible. Strange uses have been made of
the Bible in the controversies of medieval dog
matism with science; but none more strange
than that which treats the stupid, rabbinical
system Of chronology put forth by Usher, as if
it were part Of divine revelation. Those in our
time who insult the Bible by naming it as
authority for Usher's system of chronology, are
modern representatives of the medieval dog
malists who used it to prove that the great
bones of the mammoth were the boues of ancient
giants. The earth and man are vastly older than
the current chronologies have allowed us to sup
pose. THIS can now be seen without inquiring
OF geology.
Sir John Lubbock has theories which we can
not accept. He is a Darwinian, and assumes
constantly that the human race began with very
weak intellectual capacity and had a vast period
of savasery before there was anywhere begin
ming of civilization. There is no proof of this;
there is nothing to show or suggest that the be-
ginning of civilization is not much older than
the shell-mounds of Denmark; tins assumption
ofuniversal and uninterrupted savagery through
great periods Of prehistoric time, is devised in
support of the development theory which is it.
self an improved assumption But this work is
full of interest, because it presents the facts
which each reader can study for himself; and
no wise teacher or thoughtful man will fail to
give these due attention. Sir John Lubbock
has studied the subject thoroughly; he writes
well because he has something to say. We may
reject some of his theories without leSsening
the value Of MS book. For sale by Sanford &
Co.
MABEL LEE. A Novel. By the Author of
ys,t, =,
Appleton & Co., New York, publishers. The
plot of this story turns on the abduction of a
young lady. We arc first taken to a family
estate, at the south, which the author treats as
if it were in England, subject TO the laws and
social pecuIiarites Of that country. The propre-
tor is a kind Of lord of the manor, without chill
dren, bat iearfuly intent on making some ar
rangement which shall not "braak the entail"
Here we are introduced to Mabel Lee and her
friends; the abduction follows; and the rest of
the story is regulated by the misdirec.ed sus-
picions in regard to her Fate and by the persist
eut attempts to find her. The social machinery
is English, or, rather, snobbish imitation of
the English, such as the authors knowledge and
capacity made possible. Ofcourse, the sketches
Of social life are not worth much. Tue most
favored hero has been a fast. GAMBLING. spend
thrift: the author apnears 10 think he must
have this character in order to be like an En-
gsh gentleman" His cousin, an American
clergyman irreproachable in character, is scom-
ed and caricatured rs much as the authors
limited ability for this kind of wri;ino will
allow. MANY of fine incidents are devised ne
they are wanted nor by the movement of the
story. but by the authors contrivanca. The
story nevertheless. is quite as Good as tbe aver
age novels of this sort: it will have readers. hut
we find in it too much snobbish imitation Of
what English novels say Of ENGLISH society and
TOO little wholesome description of American
life as it is. or as it ourht 10 be. For sale bv
Sanford Co.
TRAVELS IN ARAp1A: compiled and ARRANGED
bv Bavarl Taylor New York. S,ribner ARM
strong & Co. pnblisbers. Tbis is the thirI issue
of the series entitled sInnstrated Library Of
Travel. Exploratio, and Adyentura.n and If is
n capital hook Mr. TavIor in nrenarino If did
his work admirably. The 6rst chapter cives 4
brief sketch of the aeoaranbicaI nosition and
history of Arabia. Then follow accounts of tbo
visits of Euronean travellers in Arabia 4. Iudovico
Bartema in 1503. Niebnbr in 1862 Rnrzhordt in
1914. Wellsted who surveyed the coast and trov-
eled ia Oman in 1885,. Burton who visited AIecca
and Medina in 1874 and William Clifford Pal,
crave. son Of Sir Francis paIprave tl,e historian
who Travelled through Central Arahia in 1924
being the first European who has visited and de.
scribed the interior of that remarkable INIT little
known peninsula A Iarpe MART of Mr. Pal
graves narrative is reoro1uced in this bool, II
is surprising to ms that no American nubJisber
has reprinfed the exceedingly interesting and
important work of Mr. Pllgraye: but those who
read this volume will understand what If Is The
book is well Illustrated very vel nrnte5 and
beautifully bound Far s,le Inv sanford e. "a
co,,u,, O.. n an,
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