4 MARCH 1876, Page 23

this book as a volume of sermons. It is, perhaps,

none the worse for that, only it does not so describe itself, and its second title, "A Sequel to Bible Teachings in Nature," does not help those who are not familiar with that work. Wo have read several of the "chapters," or sermons,

and they strike us as very close reading indeed, and unless they were addressed to a congregation of savants, or of people who thought it presumptuous to understand their preachers, they must have been a good deal thrown away. As botanical and astronomical lectures, they are necessarily inadequate ; as a epiritualisation of somewhat obscure facts in nature, they are unsatisfactory. It would be easy to make fan of some of Dr. Macmillan's similitudes, platitudes, and amplifications of Scripture texts ; we prefer to express agreement with his observation in the preface, " I cannot but think that were this mutual jealousy and estrangement, which at present exists between science and religion, to cease, the gain to both would be unspeakably great." We may thank Dr. Macmillan for his well-meant contribution to so happy an end.