Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-28
RECENT LITERATURE.
LoUKIs LARAs GREAT MUSICIANS :
BIBLICAL CRITICISM.
Mineral Land Laws-The Cat-Muscies and
Nerves Breton Folk = The
Woman in Black-Etc.


This is most complete monograph. 1t is
fully illustrated work and one that takes
place in broad and deeply interesting field.
the first and.best steps to the proper study of
the animal kingdom. Mivart treats of the
cat exactly as he would of the high
est form of living organism-man. 1t is
a study of biology which is producing mar
velous changes in this progressive age,
changes so profound and rapid that the
natural history of animals and plants
needs to be rewritten, that Is, the field OF
nature should be surveyed from new stand
points. Now such history may be written
either by treating living beings as one whole,
or by taking one animal or plant as type,
to be treated of in detail, other types sue
cessfully more divergent in structure from the
first being described afterwards. Hence the
cat is selected as one OF the most complex OF
living creatures in its structure, and OF the
class to which man belongs. Man him
self is not chosen for the study, be-
cause a fresh description of human anatomy
is required, and, beside, a satisfactory
study of animals can only be carried
on by their direct examination-the knowl-
edge to be obtained from reading being sup
plemented by dissection, and as regards man
this can only be practiced in medical schools.
Moreover, the human body is SO large that
it's dissection is very laborieus, and it is
task generally at first unpleasing to those
who have no special reason for undertaking
it. But this work is intended for persons
who are interested in zoology, and especially
in the zoology of beasts, birds, reptiles and
fishes, and merely for those concerned in
studies proper to the medical profession.
The problem then, says Mivart, has been
to select as type for examination and
comparison an animal easily obtained and
of convenient size; one belonging to mans
class and one not SO different from him in
structure but that comparisons between it
and him las to limbs and other larger portions
of its frane) may readily suggest themselves
to the student Mivart thus speaks In con-
Guiding his introduction "Such an animal
is the common cat. In it we have conye-
nient aud readily accessible object for refer.
ence, while the advantages which would
result from the selection of man as type
will almost all be obtained without the dis.
advantages of that selection. The study OF
the zoology of the cat, as here treated, will
also give the earnest student of biology the
knowledge Of anatomy, physiology and kim
dred sciences, which is necessary to enable
him to study proGtably the whole class of
animals to which it belongs and to which
we belong = the class of mammals. +"
The work upon which he then enters is as
complete in detail and illustration as any
work may be expected to be. He treats of
the cat as domestic animal, its origin, the
different breeds, its habits, in what the scien.
tifc study of the cat consists, of the cats
general form, the skin and appendages, the
skeleton of the head and trunk, the skeleton
of the limbs, the muscles, the alimentafy sys-
TEN, the organs OF circulation, respiration
md he an
Of sense, etc.
THE OLD TESTAMENT I THE JEWISH CHURCH. BY w.
Robertson Smith, NJ. A New York: d. Appleton
& Co. VOL, Svo, 81 IS.
1t is not our purpose to enter upon any
critical analysis of the twelve lectures con-
tanned in this volume on biblical criticism, for
they involve too much to be discussed in the
limits of this review. We shall content our
selves with making the object of the author
clear. The lectures had their origin in a tenn
porary victory of the opponents of progressive
biblical science in Scotland, which drew Pro-
fessor Smith from his collegiate chair in
Aberdeen to respond to the invitation of
several hundred Free Churchmen in Edin-
burgh and Glasgow, who deemed it better
that the Scottish public should have an op-
portunity of understanding the position of
the newer criticism than that they should
cOnueulu IL unlledru Inc leCtureb were ue-
livered in January, February and March of
Smith says he has endeavored to make
his exposition essentially popular in the
legitimate sense of that word-that is,
to present continuous argument, resting at
every point on valid historical evidence, and
so framed that it can be followed by the ordi-
nary English reader who is familiar with the
Bible and accustomed to consecutive thought.
He has tried to make all the main
parts OF the discussion independent
of reference to the Hebrew text. OF
course it is not possible for any sound
argument to adopt in every case the render
ings OF the English version, he adds. In gen.
eral he wishes it to be understood that
while he cites all texts by the English chap
tiers and verses he argues from the Hebrew.
The position he assumes is that biblical
criticism is not the invention of modern
scholars, but the legitimate Interpretation of
historical facts; that the great value of his
torical criticism is that it makes the Old
Testament more real to US; that Christianity
can never separate itself from its historical
basis on the religion Of Israel; that the revela-
ton of God in Christ cannot be divorced
from the earlier revelation on which Christ
built; that in all true religion the new rests
upon the old; that no one to whom
in an unreal conception of the Old Tesla
ment history and in an age when all are in
terested in historical research, no apollo
getic can prevent thoughtful minds from
drifting away from faith il the
historical study Of the old covenant is con-
demned by the Church and left in the hands
of unbelievers. He recognizes the fact that
suspicion has arisen that the Old Tesla
ment history cannot bear the test applied to
like other ancient histories, and holds that
the history of Israel rightly studied is the
most real and vivid OF all histories, and that
the proofs of Gods working among His peo-
pie Of old may still be made, what they were
in time past, one Of the strongest evidences
of Christianity.
Breton FOLK: AN ARTISTIC Tour IL BRITTANY
By Henry Blackburn; with illustrations by r.
Caldecott. Boston J. r. Osgood & Co.
This little work concerns artistic rambles
in land of poetic Tradition country
quaint in its people, distinct in its costumes
and peculiar in all respects. 1t deals with q
country blushing full Of riches for the art
student-not in gold and silver gems, but in
studies of beauty and quaintness. Blackburn
aud Caldecott, of more than merely observant
tastes, have caught the beautiful in Brittany
and transferred it, eide by side with the
quaint, to the pages of this little volume.
Iley T0uQQ LnS pTeLLISsL Vi tHe DIetou BiiIs i,
the best OF the peasantry the richest of
all the picturesque; the fairest of all
the landscapes the oldest of all hooks !;
and have made guide-book out of the col
lection that rises above the ordinary run of
such works, until they are lost in the depths.
The illustrations are full of suggestions of
character, of habit, of costume, of life. 1t
is o charming little book.
"Loulis Laras is the title of another of
Appleton's Handy-volume Series. 1t is q
volume of "reminiscences of Cliote merchant
during the Greek war of independence. 1t
is by D. Bikelas, and is very interesting
narrative and gives very vivid idea of the
savagery of war. 1t is modern Greek tale,
first published in the Athenian periodical The
Hestia in 1879, and then attained great and
deserved popularity, and has had the hearty
recognition of the most distinguished Greek
scholars. The work has been translated into
several languages.
1.-THE Great Violinists and Pianists is the
title of new work by George L. Ferris, and
is one of Appleton's New Handy-volume
Series. 1t does not include sketches of all
eminent artists worthy to be so classified, but
gives attention to those universally recognized
as occupying the most exalted places in the
arts of violin and piano forte PLAYING, To