The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-14
NEW BOOKS.
the Path Of EvOtutiou.

~ one OF the most successful attempts ever
made 10 popularize the conclusions reached
nv scientists and philosophers In the vari-
GUS fields OF human inquiry. The title Of
the book, which is published by the Henry
lltemus Company OF Philadelphia, Is 1.-THE
Path OF Evolution from Ancient Thought
and Modern Science" It is difficult task
which the author, Mr.. Henry Pemberton,
has undertaken, for, although his treat
ment of the several sciences reviewed
Is necessarily superficial, there are ques-
tons. as he reminds US in his preface, ,
which child might ask, but the
visest man can scarcely answer. Tho
probems OF the Ether and Of Gravttation,
for example. are yet unsolved, and by
many men are deemed unsolvable. Then.
again, definitions are not always attain
able. because, as Dean Mansel demon
s,rated, the powers Of tho human mind
are limited. The prosecution Of scientific
research. for instance, has enabled us to
approach the question Of q first cdSss,
which, however. Is inoonceivable. What
We can learn, and have learned. however,
in many directions is indicated by Mr..
Pemberton with remarkable lucidity. The,
singular clearness Of his exposition Is due
mainly. OF course, to the distinctness Of
his own ideas, but partly, also. to his
studious avoidance Of technical language
To assist the reader to understand the
philosophy that modern science teaches,
and to appreciate the difference between
il and the philosophy OF olden times, Q
short sketch is given Of the decline Of learn
ing in the dark ages, which. 30 far a. West
ern Europe Is concerned. may be said to
have lasted from 600 to 900 A. D.. after
which the human intellect slowly reawak-
ened and first exhibited itself in the form
Of Scholasticdsm. which eliminated In the
thirt zenith century. In tho course Of Q
brief survey Of the unsatisfactory results
Of the prieri reasoning Of the Schoolmen,
the author points out that the experimental
research and critical observation cannot
be described as entirely non-existent In
the Middle Ages. since Roger Bacon en-
gagged in empirical research, and Coper.
nicus must have studied the heavens In
order TO construct the system OF astronomy
that bears his name. A for Francis Bacon.
there Ii no doubt that he preached better
than he practised. Though he formu-
lated the method Of the inductive philoso-
ply, he made few practical Investigations,
and never accepted the Copsrnioan A.
tronomy. although its CORRECTNESS bad been
demonstrated by Calico.
To Bruno, Descartes. Newton, LAvoisier
and Dalton separate chapters are devoted.
Our author recognizes that upon tho knowl-
edge obtained through tho science Of
chemistry depends nearly all the progress
that has been made In other sciences. II
is through chemistry that We have learned
- yAat he
realms are made, Of what our globe IL COM
posed. and it Is through chemistry. With
the help Of spectrum analysis, that We have
ascertained Of what elements the far
distant stars are composed. and have oven
discovered In the sun certain constituents
before they were known or met with on
the earth. Chemistry has also proved
to US the indestructibility Of matter. Again
we have learned that any change In chemical
combinations il always attended with the
development or the absorption of heat,
and also with manifestations Of electrical
phenomena Heat and electricity them
selves induce chemical changes. These
relations indicate that chemical afinity,
like heat and electricity, II dependent
upon the properties OF the Ether: but a.
though We know how ohsmical a6inity
acts. II is almost impossible TO conceive
Whv IL acts, or what 1t u. Tho closer 70
lations that have been established be-
tween the phenomena Of physics and Of
chemistry, the demonstration Of the con-
sersation Of energy and the acceptance
Of the existence Of the Ether have 20 far
widened the Geld Of Investigation - even
to suggest . possibility that what were
considered the 'Ultima Thule In chemical
science, TO wit, the atoms, may themselves
be a compound. product Of the Ether.
Our authors examination Of the mani.
festations OF life begins with the develop
ment OF vitality In its simplest shapes.
the -monera' OF Hasckel. forms Of which
IL is impossible to say whether they are
plants or animals. Among the monera.
or closely related thereto. are the bacteria
and similar low forms OF life The evil
and the good that they give rise TO are
here pointed out. In what way life 10
transmitted without change In the lowest
types OF beings. by division or gemmatiou,
and in the progressively higher forms
by asexual and sexual generation Il shown
by describing In detail the processes In
the lowest life. in plant life and In flowers.
the conditions that give rise to the variation
Of species, and the benefits and evils rs-
tIlting from atavism ara briefly noted.
On the other hand. the higher Development
al life In animals Is but lightly touched
upon, only the changes produced by In
'uba,ion in an egg and a few Of the data
al embryology h-ing discussed. OF La
marck and 81 Monboddo. the precursors
a Darwin, slight sketciie~ are given. after
, nich the theory ~ this evolution of life
and u the origin of species 10 espounded
H. detail
While most ~ tie hook N devoted TO
o. account ~ the advancement ~ knowi-
sisr. tho author examines In his hhAi
clal'sts the philosophy ~ evolution Ne
illis that ths pfoblsins on.f.d by the
'lisl"nun - s,n and death sse l,r,i.f solved
- i,s dsaTihs ~ syolutloD than by ti.a-
o.uYs D-ath hs feoosaisa. ~ aa iniesial
90 'ssun'lAl I.Ar ~ tho plan II sslstsnas
90 r,u l.s hids q Iaftiai ekIllahstion IN
s'atasiu A. regards faisn his, % is Ao-
Ins~ ississ-i 'l,ai ,l,s i,i,ils.ssi,hy ~ ssolu-
iiIu tan uo mais lsaal Va anytlilas I-asiiiss
leo rah ollnT PHILOSOPHERS tssn 10
o. 80 ihs his is,siss ii.s sssss ls- ss''
go ~ Iss,lsos fis ssllsos snslas il.s
49, - uss-s sza.ail.ls sLs, shils ,isr
fiH.ii a fssafss thai iilalls lfs lzpf lesss.