, 1876-11-18
eccr,--but that nf Ills rancnsns nn'l rnaa!onate
r|letorIc must "a for w,at It Is WORTH


tcrcGtf0g Us candid expression Of tflu oplnions
vi nlnil whose vision t,as hrcn broalencd by
extensive and exact aciehtffc e,l,ttte and whose
Intelligence yields the most zcatuus at,l un1ucs-
tioring faith To the dogma. Of the Roman
Catholic Church. IN certain departments Of
Natural History his word |, acccJ,tc,i atnong
tho learned III England m an authority; in
questions pertaining To religious, civil, and
social aifafrs, hts views nre rrgar,1cll by thyac
outside of his sect as subject to fatal distortion
through tic Influence of tlespotte urcc,l. Nut
It Is rs representative IT the more enlightened
portion OF the body ot Catholics that lie speaks
in the present volume, md In this cllarmtcr It
Ia worth whflu h, l'car wllnt he has to say.
Tho Inquiry w!'tcl! Mr. Mivart undertakes 10
dispose of relates to the ultimate effect upon
Christianity Of the revival OF ttle Pagan sent,-
ment, which, beginning With the thirteenth
century. Is continuing its uninterrupted proy-
rcps thrnursl tie prrsent cra The ltso VI the
term Christianity he limita strictly tn the
Catholic Church. -l'rutcstattism being declared
by him n negative factrr II, the sum Of furrra
whtetl l'avc made ~ impress IN the wurkl; Dr,
granting It sosI'e TITLE effect, II las bern merely
uuc Of tIu in'uenrcs h.stel,iur The procrss II
Christian ,ltsntcEraion. Tic Increasing spread
OF Paganls1n for I'LL indefinite pcrod to ct,ulc IL
considered by him 40 y rlstInal forecast frum
the present attitude nt things. 1t Is admitted,
worst that may iesnlt ftonl tic full develops
n,cnt Of the workings ot fctentillr p!.lIosop!!,.
and cstt!ettc 'y1ulisn Ia rrcs,nrsl III tr raI"tl
latlon; n,n' yet Is t''ukc.l npuu without isn,ay,
Catholic Church ~ confidently p9cli ted.
The cal!scs which will scC1trr the rrrstalylfs.
ment III Christianity arc: First, the reaction
which ,n1tet aooicr Or later sct III against tl,,
present naturalsstts movement and turn back
the popular te toward tie oil t,lcterncy. acc-
only, tho education vi The renple II, Sclencc
and tl'ilosnphy vii! l'rln= tEeu Into closer cst,-
i.eetnn with the el"rgy, and enable tiIeta to
purify, mil ltbcralIty. umt authority 1T the
Church; md, titus siiycstct1 vi prejudice and
a1arnI, they Will readily eone n,sler ~ cortr!l
ngAit. Thirdly, thu attett upon the Church
bccn to strengthen It's organization. to give ire
cistun md tlstIhctlicss to !ts ttognas, tn perfect
unanfmity III thu faith md as t,f its followers.
and to Increase tliG cifcieney Of it, gUycrilnr
Tics, 1t l!as Isen e"nstnntiy ra|uinE epiritual
sway, and, by the stimulus uf opps.t!Dri, IT has
dcvolopcd y!gor discipline, arul artior aHl pre-
pared ltsclf for the right maintenance ui tho
supremacy II Is hereafter to attain.
In unfolding l'!* argument, Mr.. MIraFt is, III
the main, coo! III his il,nnncr,-gnlting for Ills
opinions the respect beluuEing to ttlcnl as the
uttern,Iccs Of M lN,ncst Catholic; hut orca-
be i,n'nl$es IN tl'c mxc of !'tter words. Calling
Hls1nnrcl, Gurtbaldi. and Ni:tor Emmanuel
"olsccne creatures VI rapfnc," nnl "uncJcan
vult,ircs and bycnas," may grasity personal
sptu, but It does not Md weight to tic aathurs
nasestuns, nor Increase cu:ilsience In the clarta-
bic spirit of Tho Church he worsl.Ips. Huxley,
Tyndall, and othclR Ut thu naturaiistic sun.ol of
sctel,tfsts, receive kttlu-l,tss uf considerable
severity now aud then; hut, tn this snrt ot treat
tncnt from Mr.. Mvart, tlleynrr we'll accustomed
THE EARTH.
LIFE.IIISTORY or OUR PLANET. Dy W,L1yAM