is arrived at are erroneous; the premises upon which it rests are unproved." In a closing chapter on "Practical Results," the object of the work is disclosed—it is to harmonize religion and science by showing that religion is, at any rate, as well off for fundamental proofs as science. The conceptions of causality, uniformity, and permanence of order in nature being held as unproved, it is argued that supernatural interferences are logically admissible, and science and religion come into agreement by opening the doors of ancient and modern spiritualism.
The Science of the Bible; or, An Analysis of the Hebrew Mythology, wherein it is shown that the Holy Scriptures treat of Natural Phenomena only. By Milton Woolley, M. D. Chicago: Knight & Leonard. Pp. 613. 8vo. Price, $4.
This elaborate book is alleged by its author to have had the following origin: Impressed by the sentiment that human nature in every age and country is much the same, he inferred that cosmologies and mythologies generally resemble each other. But, if this be so, then the Hebrew mythology is probably like the rest. So the author, after he was turned sixty, studied the Hebrew language to find the key to the Hebrew mythology and the Hebrew Scriptures. He claims to have succeeded, and this volume is the exposition of his view.
His notion is, that the Bible from beginning to end is but a mass of astronomic myths. On the cover of his book is stamped in gilt the old almanac diagram of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. This diagram reappears printed on a card at the close of the book, with a movable index to show the position of the sun throughout the year. Now, the writer claims that the whole Bible is to be interpreted as referring to the phenomena of the year—the changes of seasons, and the movements and places of the sun, moon, planets, etc. Armed with this clew. Dr. Woolley marches deliberately through the Old Testament, taking its narratives, "Creation," "Adam and Eve," "Cain and Abel," "Flood," "Tower of Babel," "Abram and Sarai," all the way through to "Job" and "Jonah," explaining, right and left, that what is really meant by these stories is to symbolize natural phenomena, terrestrial and celestial. For example: "'Now when Moses was grown' (i. e., when Aquarius rises heliacally as before the sun) 'he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, (winter smiting summer),' and he looked this way and that way, and perceiving himself unseen' (the sun's rays hid him) 'he slew the Egyptian' (i. e., winter was followed by summer). 'But when he went out the second day' (i. e., after he passed the summer solstice) 'he saw two Hebrews' (the two halves of summer) 'striving together.' In attempting to pacify them he was reminded by the first half of summer, which witnessed his act, of his murder the day before, became frightened, and on learning that Pharaoh (the winter sun) intended to slay him, fled into the land of Midian (strife the point between winter and summer). Here 'he sat down by a well' Beer-sheba the end of the seventh month, when the 'former rain' begins."
And so everything is construed. This exegesis would get monotonous and tiresome, but the author peppers his text so profusely with sarcasms at the expense of those who hold to the literal interpretation of Biblical narratives that the tediousness of the exposition is somewhat enlivened. The work evinces much ingenuity, great learning, and indomitable perseverance, though whether these accomplishments have been wisely expended in its preparation is perhaps a question.
Nests and Eggs of American Birds. By Ernest Ingersoll. Published in Parts, 50 cents each. Part I. Pp. 24, with Plates. Salem, Mass.: S. E. Casino.
Hitherto there was no American work on the nests and eggs of birds, and information on that subject existed only in detached form in a multitude of publications or in the minds of ornithologists. Mr. Ingersoll has done a valuable service to ornithology by compiling the present work. When completed it will form a handsome volume, beautifully illustrated with tinted lithographs.
The Evidence of the Senses. Inaugural Address before the Poughkeepsie Society of Natural Sciences. By W. G. Stevenson, M. D., President.
Dr. Stevenson has here brought together many illustrations of errors and delusions
