2 MAY 1835, Page 16

MUDIE'S HEAVENS.

MR. Munts's new publication, The Heavens, is not equal in in- terest to some of his former works. The source of this privation is twofold. Instead of allowing the wonders of creation to display the might of the Creator, Mr. MUDIE takes the task upon him- self ; and besides a want of aptness in the introduction of his ser- mons, and of felicity in their declarations of the Deity's glory,* they have the effect of suspending his scientific expositions. The other cause lies in the abstruse nature of the task. To po- pularize the theory of Astronomy—to exhibit not only its wonder- ful facts and its astonishing discoveries, but to explain the principles on which it rests, unfolding the laws of gravitation and motion, demonstrating the orbits in which the heavenly bodies move, and why, and (amongst other things) showing by what means their distances, magnitudes, and weights are cal- culated—would require, as a basis, the popularization of mathe- matics, and severe reasoning. Still, our industrious author has struggled manfully with his task, and done as much as he could; stating, where practicable, the principles broadly and in the most homely form, and drawing his illustrations from the most familiar objects.

• "The heavens declare the glory of God."