New-York tribune., 1872-02-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NJ Figler has acquired certain iaNoi"' ~ ~
sation in the literary, rather thai INC s'o,'n''
world by his successful at'ehP'S " Pi''o"' W
conclusions of modern physical science IN popul"
So, u;o works ON the Earth and Sea" and on
..p~;,n;tivo MAN. have had a wide Crcula-
.;or aud certainly fom an agreeable pastime for
,.dors who wish to partake of the fruits OF
Lorledee without the trouble of personal research.
No is also the compiler of some interesting histori-
cal and biographical sketches, in which he displays
= singular talent for reaping where Others have
sown, and arranging the acCumulatiOns Of their
labor in a shapey bundle of Autumn sheaves. We
do not understand that he makes any pretensons to
original discovery In tho feh of science. His name
IL not connected with the magnificent results of
physical ,experment and research, which are the
glory of the age except an interpreter, or rathr
a sbovmau He is the Barnum of science, but not
its Herschel Kirchof Helmholz Bunsen, or Tyndall'
I'm the present volume, however NJ. Fguier has
struck into new path, and aims mt no hess vast an
achievement than the solution of the problem OF
future life by scientific methods and the estaDsn-
nent of a complete theory of Nature which snail
explain the integral and ultimate philosophy OF 'ne
Universe The ambitousness of his design is
eaualed only by the conspicuousfailure OF It's exc
euton Instead of dealing with exact scientific
data. NJ Figuier merely brings forward museum
of personal fances. To certain tastes these may,
rerhaps he no less attractive than the dis
play of glitterng ColOrs on the stuffed
skins of beast, bird, and reptile in zoologi-
cal gallery but they are equally destitute OF IN
ward vitality and if pretending TO the qualities ot
natural life excite no emotion hut scorn and dls-
gust If NJ, Fguier had presented his theories in
the cuse of fine UtOpian romance his work might
have afforded amusement, if not instruction, 70
large class of readers. Although it Is at an i'm
measurable distance below the sublime visions Of
Dante, the supramundano creations of Milton, and
even the picturesque descriptions of Heaven and
He'll by the Swedish seer Il has no better claims
TO scientific truth than those masterpieces OF
the poetic faculty. in which imagination, or
inspiration, if you please, has assumed the place
Of reason aud research What NJ Hgmer pro
pounds as the result of scientific inquiry is matter
of pure invention. Assuming the truth of his state
ments in regard TO the facts of science there is a
hideOus chasm between them and his conclusions
In many cases his premises are built on unauthor-
lied assumptions, and in case do they involve the
consequences which he puts forth as demonstration.
His reasoning indeed, is often not only 50 illogical
but so prominently absurd that, if it were not for
his evidently earnest purpose and conviction his
book might be regarded as a bmlesqur on the at
tempt to reconcile reg gion aud science instead Of %
serious treatise.
1t is hardly worth the space which il viii occupy
in our columns to give a rapid view of the method by
which NJ Figuicr undertakes 10 improve upon
Christianity III his illustrations OF life and iIumor
talty but to save the curious reader from wasting
his attention over an Improbable book VIII dc
vote little time 10 the attempt.
The scientific theory Of a future life, which ac-
cordinq TO NJ. Fguicy. presents complete solution Of
the problem of immortality, is based upon the con
ception OF planetary ether beyond the limits of the
terrestrial atmosphere This ether the pIopertiesof
which are as infinitely described by the author, as
il he had submitted it to the test
Of chemical analysis, Is rarrfcd gas con
siderably thinner than the atmosphere, dis
fribnted about the earth and the other planets Of
l the solar system, and, in fact, filing all space,
~ Though the exact composition Of the planetary
ether has not yet been made out, it probably con-
tains 10 oxygen as respiration becomes more diff
cult ascend TO the upper portions Of the atmo-
epbern- ThoSo grounds r'I uIc plieI mat II
consists of excessively Tareied hydrogen, it ap-
pears from observation on the late total eclipse that
q stratum of burning hydrogen surrounds the sun
All evidence-though the author does not tell us
what evdence-gocs TO prove that the etheris iuhab
tied. Hence-here is a specimen Of his reasoning
OF rather total want Of Teas0niug-the population
consists Of supeThuman beings that were originally
men, hut brought into a new life and furnished with
all kinds Of moral improvement.
Death. accordingly, is not the end, hut change;
il is only one in The drama Of human destiny
the last agony is not the prelude toannlation but
tie enforced suffering, which III the ordcrot Nature
attends every metamOrphOss. We cannot escape
from the material envelope that we leave behind US
70 rise to unknown spheres beyond the tomb without
pain As to the question whether the good and the
bad after DEATH obtain equally eligible residences
in the planetary ether the author remarks that the
human soul is like a celestial aeIonaut, who rises
with power in proportion to the Eghtness Of hi,
balloon. The soul Of a coarse and wicked man, of
coward lmave, on a yoluptuary has not been puri-
fed and sprituazed. 1t is weighed down by gross
passions which il hasnOt had the strength to destroy
Hence it is unable 20 rise TO the heavenly attitudes
and IL forced TO remaiH on "our sad and miserable
globe" The bad man is not then called to enjoy tle
blissful life which flows along in the serene regions
Of the planetary ether Ills soul Fingers here TO be-
gin second lie, but without any recollection OF
his former existence. But this state Of oblivion is
Of short duration. ForgetfncSs Of the past life is
only q temporary punishment imposed on the new
existence; but win pass away as soon as the soul
has attained sdHiUsnt Improvement to enter INTO
che superhumau state il the planetary ether The
newborn individual will recall the evil actions of
his first earthly life or Of his several lives,-n hc
has had several pTebatOns to underground the
thought Of these actions will still he his punishment
in the abode OF bliss which be will have won
at last. This explanation Of the punishment of the
wicked, NJ Figuier blaudly remarks " Is certainly
preferable 10 the hell Of Christianity which, he
cOndescends 10 inform us is AT once atTOcious and
absurd "The return TO second earthly life is
punishment less cIue more reasonable and
Just, than condemnation to eternal torment
These successive births into new human body
may be very numerous. They must be repeated
until the soul is sufficiently advanced for the man 10