MR. LAURANCE'S Geology in 1835, is an amusing, though not
a striking book ; and contains a good deal of information in a small compass, though it be not arranged in the most scientific or orderly manner. The ambitious object of the author was to com- press the leading features and phenomena of geology within the narrow limits of a duodecimo volume, and to present a popular sketch of the progress and latest discoveries of the science. The mode in which he endeavours to accomplish his end, is by first giving us a history of the different theories of the Earth, put for- ward at various times by various philosophers ; a section of his book which is meagre, and much below BERTRAND'S both in ful- ness and spirit. He next considers the alluvial appearances of the world,—meaning those changes in its surface which have taken place since the Deluge, and the remains which have been deposited after that event ; a division of the volume which con- tains some interesting facts. His third and last section treats of the diluvial condition of the globe, when it " was without form and void "—or when the temperate of a tropical climate extending from the Equator to the Pole everywhere gave rise to the rank- ness of a tropical vegetation—or when creatures monstrous both in size and form " strangely tenanted an infant world." The phenomena presented under this head of the subject will have much interest and novelty to the class of persons to whom Mr. LAURANCE addresses his little book; but they will feel disposed to trust his statements rather from what they may have heard else- where, than from what he proves. Deficiency of proof, indeed, IS the defect of the volume. No general view of the theory of the science having been laid down, nor sufficient evidence offered of the manner in which geologists have arrived at their conclusions, a frequent demand seems to be made on the belief of the reader; which, though not greater than in the case of astronomical truths, is newer and stranger, and for those reasons less likely to be yielded.
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