New-York tribune., 1904-10-18
COMMON SENSE IN SCIENCE
A Good Book by a Man Writing for
Human Beings.

THE CYCLE OF LIFE ACCORDING TO MOB, MOB
ERN SCIENCE By c. W saleebys N ID. VIE 2
Bros.
This collection Of short essays is destined TO
he received with enthusiastic favor. The writer
has keenly felt The fascination OF the scientific
mysteries and revelations which he here deftly
sketches, and he has the power to bring his
readers simultaneously under the same spell
Fzis range Of topics IS wide enough 10 include
the infinitely great things-time. distance and
snace-wnich the astronomer studies, and the
inhnitely little as suggested by the new theories
Of the nature Of an atom. He discusses the
wonders Of both the vegetable and animal
Kingdoms. but most Of his papers have dis
rinctlv human interest. Several chapters are
devoted 10 swimming. cricket and other forms
~ sport and light entertainment, but even
more attention IS given 20 mans intellectual
development and delights DR.. Saleeby ex-
plains HE own passion for science by saying
that wisdom like poetry and art and love- Is
on the side Of the angels and the children.
Finally. the author has not been beguiled by his
Imagination or a sensational disposition into
the hasty acceptance of unverified discoveries
IN which respect his work is distinctly superior
70 that Of Carl Snyder. IN New Conceptions OF
Science" If conservative experts think. for
instance that Dr. Saleeby is q triae premature
IN regarding the doctrines Of Thomson, Crooker'
Lodge and Rsmsay about the composition Of
matter as fairly We'll established. 81 must Ger
tainly be recognized that there is already a
strong array OF authority in support OF those
teachings. Moreover. the common sense ex-
hibited IN the talk about teiepathy. vivisection.
Tolstoy's condemnation - marriage ana wal
iaoes notion that the earth is the only inhabited
celestial hodv. far more than oompensates for
that possible lapse.
Almost the first Of the marvels treated IN
This volume is the seat OF all life in plant or
animal, the cell. There resides every possibility
not merely OF bodily growth, hut also OF me
HIGHER functions Of the most perfectly organized
creature The Irresistible law that shapes a
maple leaf differently from that Of the oak me
physical and spiritual influences OF heFedlty anu
the forces in which originate the genius OF
Shakespeare here begin their sway. Whence
came the first living cells on this planet no one
can say indisputably. DR.. saleeby hoots at
F5aeclleTs assertion that life must he attributed
10 certain properties of carbon. and he also indi-
cates-Iuuch more graciously-that Lord kel-
WINS supposition is unsatisfactory. The high
temperature momentarily produced on the sur
sace Of q meteor as Il enters the atmosphere
from outer space would be fatal 10 any known
form Of life borne hither by such visitor so
far as science is concerned, the origin OF life
s. sin a mystery Dr. Saleeby is evolu-
world is old-almost countless millions Of years
old-but man is young. creature something
like him began 10 live this globe about
10000 Yeas ago, more or less" They did
llot attain 10 Inconsistencies. perhaps. until
nine-tenths Of that period had elapsed. Now,
the astronomers concede that the conditions
favorable TO existence may endure for at least
100000 years. and Naeterlinck points out that
man may yet discover a way 10 prolong his stay
here stiII further. The race, then, is evidently
sn It's infancy. The greatest future development
Il Is safe 10 assume viii he mental, and the re-
rultinE achievements in art, science, literature
and religion are beyond all conjecture. To those
who have learned carefully 70 distinguish be-
tween theology and religion, it has long been
apparent that whatever notifications the former
may have undergone in consequence OF scientific
teaching The latter has remained unaffected
FOR the benefit OF people who do not thus dis
tinguish it may not seem out OF place 10 show
sha influence which his reading has had on Dr..
Saleeby's views. He says:
Ultimate questions can be answered for each only,
n st all BY the faith Of each. And II you ask me
what business have 70 talk Of ialth, answer
dogrnas are built upon faith-faith that what re
eees exists ana that he secs an that there is 70
see: faith that his data absolute and his logic
sound Herbert SpeEcers doctrine ot the
,,ylrnoz-afle uro1ie5 hi with reconciliation be-
religion and science. he asserted that there
can be any antagonisrn between them, but
only between superstition and science. True sci
ence. he said. and religion must meet IN the
recognition Of that infinite power OF which mind
and matter the manifestations 10 rs. There he
greatest ever conceived by that great mind. The
choice is NOT, ne said. between personal God and
something lower. but between q personal God ana
something higher.