The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-02-17
LITERATURE.

WoRLD-LIFE; OR COMPARATIVE GR.
oLosI. By Professor Alexander
Winchell. Chicago: 8. O. Grigps s.
Co.; Salt Lake: James Dryer. Price,
$3.50.
The above is the title of work by
Alexander Winchell, the celebrated
geologist OF the University of Michi-
gan. It is gotten up in fine style by
the publishers. Although We re-
ceived this some time ago, we have
refrsined from making any mention
of it until now, as we desired to take
more than superficial view If its
contents, as the work Of go distin-
guished and able an author on go
interesting a subject was worthy of
more than ordinary consideration.
And we Can say here Dat our aptici-
pations OF its worth, both as an in.
teresting and instructive work, have
been more than realized.
The first chapter is taken up with
the study OF cosmical dust. in which
he includes neteors, the material
supposed to produce the zodiaesl
lights. comets and nebu'e. He
shows plainly that the regions of
space are not entirely destitute Of
matter outside of the go called ether,
bat that there is great deal of it in
the shape OF dust, which produ ces
every day those shooting stars which
may be observed on any clear night
in greater or lees numbers; or when
the grains of this dust are larger We
get meteors and aerolites. or if the
earth ran into one OF these dust
streams, showers are produced, as We
may observe In August orHeptember.
He shows also that by this constant
pelting of the earth's surface by these
meteoric bodies the atmosphere may
be changed in character slightly, and
that the surface Of the earth is being
covered, but at a very slow rate, by
thin layer of this dust, and thus he
leads us to the conclusion that the
earth may have increased by these
accretions during past ages to its
present size, and may continue to in.
crease in the ages to come.
In the second chaptec the learned
author takes up the subject of nebu-
lar life, explaining how heat may
originate in those vast chaotic masses
OF roatter in the universe designated
nebu,a, then how rotation sets in,
when rings are formed, and gradu-
ally from these there spring up after
wards spheres, as in the members o!
our solar system.
The second part of the book treats
of plsnetology, beginning very appro-
priately with the origin of the solar
system, considering each in its proper
place, the objections based on rela'
tions of planetary motion, on rela-
sions OF planetary positions, on rela-
tions of planetary masses and densi-
ties, on relation to terrestrial
duration, on relations of comets.
stars and nebu'se giving their due
weight and answering them satisfac-
torily. In connection with this
subject he takes occasion to explain
more fully the theory of LIE Place, or
rather that theory as modern science
has been obliged to modify it in order
to meet the demand OF recedt discov-
cries.
Another chapter is devoted to gen
ersl cosmogonic conditions on eool-
ing planet. This has more to do with
the geology Of our earth than its
astronomy, yet it would be difficult to
separate one from the other by well.
defined boundaries, for as Sir VIM.
Thompson says: Geology, in franz
ing its conclusions, is compelled to
take into account the teachings OF
other sciences" Then the other
members of our system are taken up,
and their present and past history
considered, and farther on We are
made to look il to their future condi'
ton, at least some Of them, by COM
pairing them with the various MEMS
bers of ourssystsm that are now in the
process of uecsy. Another very in
teresting subject is treated of under
the head OF "Habitability of other
worlds." Though he does not favor
the belief that many o! these worlds
are inhabited by human beings still
he shows that the human standard
is not the only one to Judge oy. but
life may exist under widely different
conditions, az in the bottom OF the
sea, in ths hot water of q geyser, or
or on the shores Of the Arctic regions.
Then some chapters on FIXED
Stars and Nebul@." and "The Cosmic
Cycle"
Part w treats of the evolution OF
cosmogonic doctrine, going back to
the early Greek philosophers, review
ing briefly their opinions, then those
of Kepler, Descartes. Leibnitz. Swe-
denborg Wright, Ksu.. Lambert.
Herschel, and winding up with La
Places System of the World"
The work is written in the clear, con-
ciss and earnest, il not eloquent lam
gusge go characteristic OF the author.
Tx nh hao