We have been so much pleased and inftructed by this first part of Dr. Marfh's courfe of Lectures, that we shall wait with fome impatience for the appearance of the f cond; and if the whole course be conducted with the ability with which it has been commenced, and of this we have no reafon to entertain a doubt, it will furnith a better guide to Students in Theology then any one work, with which we are yet ac quainted.

ART. VIII. An Elementary Treatife on Geology, determining fundamental Points in that Science, and containing an Exami nation of fome modern Geological Systems, and particularly of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth. By I. A. De Luc, F. R. S. Tranflated from the French Manufcript by the Rev. Henry De La Fite, M. A. of Trinity College, Oxford. 8vo. p. 415. 12s. Rivingtons. 1809.

IT

T would be a great fatisfaction to us, if we might hope, in a review of this book, to be able to do juftice to the me ritorious zeal, and extraordinary exertions, of the venerable and very celebrated author, in the beft of caufes. Mr. De Luc's Geological Refearches, have long had an higher object in view, than the mere advancement of natural knowledge; the bent of his ftudies latterly his been, to collect facts in confutation of thofe fyftems which have been particularly fuppofed to weaken the authority of the Bible: and it is fit that this fhould be generally known; that divines as well as naturalifts may be brought to ftudy his works. His great talents as a naturalift were established and acknowledged throughout Europe, long before he felt fo decifively called upon to direct his attention to the theological queftions, connected with the natural hiftory of the Earth. But being particularly in the way to obferve and trace the beginning and progrefs of that deplorable fyftem of infidelity, which per vaded Germany and France in the outfet of that Revolution, which has overwhelmed the whole continent of Europe, he perceived with an aching heart, that those who ought to be moft watchful for the fupport and maintenance of religion, were molt ready to give up and abandon the first principles and strongest holds, leaving the door open for the introduc tion of much falfe philofophy, immediately directed againft the book of God. It is fcarcely poffible to calculate the evils likely to enfue from the efforts that have been made of late years, to break the bond of connection which ought for Kk

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXXV. MAY, 1810.

ever

ever to unite the Religion of Chrift with the Jewish and Patriarchal Revelations recorded in the Old Teflament. Sundry means have been devifed for doing this, which, put in motion by enemies, have been encouraged and even patronized, in a manner, by the weaknefs and fupineness or extreme dulnefs of pretended friends. Our Saviour himfelf, and his holy Apoflle St. Paul, unqueflionably regarded the Book of Genefis as an infpired document of the first beginning of things, and as the very foundation of Chriftianity. In that light it was received and regarded by Chriftians of all denominations, till within thefe few years. When infidels began to deride, and thoughtlefs Chriftians to concede, what neither fufficiently underflood; falfe fyftems of the world were fabricated by one party, with a fupercilious contempt of the Mofaic Cofmogony; while fyftems altogether as falfe, for want of fufficient knowledge, were advanced in opposi. tion to the others by fome few fupporters of the facred records; while a third feft flood idle between both. Thefe feeling hurt by the fcoffs of infidels, and afhamed of the feeble fupport of injudicious defenders, were induced to abandon the very point in difpute, by admitting the Genefis of Mofes to be a mere mythologue, unconnected alike with real history or true philofophy...

T

of

The extraordinary efforts perfonally made by Mr. De Luc, in all parts of Europe, to ftem this torrent of irreligion and infidelity, we are prevented by the nature of our work from defcribing at length., Suffice it to say that while he engaged in a correfpondence with moft of the academies and univerfities on the Continent, he had perfonal communications with certain crowned heads, and fome of the moft confpicuous per fons in church and flate. He published numerous works of great labour and celebrity; and visited almost every part Europe to enlarge his knowledge and increase his collection of facts, by perfonal obfervation of Geological Phænomena. Long has he been perfuaded of one great feature in his fyftem, and in which he had the confent of thofe confummate naturalifts Meffis, de Sauffure and Dolomieu, namely, that our prefent Continents are not of great antiquity, and that many regular chronometers are difcoverable which carry us back to the very æra of the Mofaic Deluge. Thefe chronometers depend on the action of existing caufes, capable of measure. ment; very diftinct from thofe caufes which probably produced our mineral ftrata, and to which we are to refer the prefent forms and characters of our Continents, which caufes now no longer operate. If this be fo, what an im portant point is gained; becaufe the deluge undoubtedly

establishes,

eftablishes, not the origin indeed, but the renewal of the fpecies, and becomes an incontrovertible fact in corroboration of the Mofaic writings, and the (facred) hiftory of man! For it is extraordinary, but moft true, that if we fuffer not ourfelves to be misled by the extravagant fyftems of thofe who would confidently affert that geological obf.rvations tend to overthrow the Mofaic hiftory, all other facts tend to confirm it; as the origin, courfe, and progrefs of arts and fciences, and the failure of more ancient records. But Mr. De Luc carries his refearches much further back; not indeed to what has been termed the first origin of things, but to the most probable commencement of geological operations*; and complains of those who would reftrain fuch enquiries by pronouncing them to be impracticable or premature. And though in doing this he may, certainly be faid to write in defence of our holy records, yet he by no means takes them as the basis of his enquiries, but clofely confults facts and reafons from the known principles, and moft recent difcoveries of natural philofophy. He finds thefe turn out to be wonderfully in agreement with the Mofaic records, even from the firft commencement of things, and eminently conducive to the confirmation and establishment of their high authority..

Now it fhould be remembered that fince Mr. De Luc builds upon facts, and known physical proceffes, and has taken more pains probably than any other obferver on the face of the earth, not only to verify his facts by perfonal examination. of the feveral phænomena, but, to, make known and define all the principles he adopts, all the places he has vifited, and all the remarks he made, upon the feveral fpots, his opinions are not to be fet afide, by the counter-fyftems of other Geologifts, unless they put themfelves to the pains of examining for themfelves the precife facts and phenomena alledged; and can pofitively, but philofophically contradict and refute his propofitions and arguments. It is here then that we would wifh to excite our divines to a fludy of Mr. De Luc's works, He richly merits to be heard. Should he ever be wrong, "(which in fome of the moft important points it feems scarcely poffible that he should be) they may yet derive this advantage from his very curious remarks; that they will certainly be better able to comprehend the futility and bad philofophy of feveral celebrated fyftems, to which the world has appeared difpofed to give undue credit, Naturalifts will not confent to be checked in their career by any theological ftumbling

blocks, but the friends of Revelation ought to be ashamed of being feduced into conceffions, to which they are so far from being compelled by any advancement of human knowledge, that philofophy itself, if we may believe this great and zealous friend of mankind, ftands ready to aid their resistance and fupport their faith. If Mr. De Luc is not to be believed on this fubject, let him be confuted, which we are bold to fay, has not yet happened: The fundamental points in Geology, which he feeks to establish, deserve much more confideration than they have yet obtained; he has put queftions both to naturalifts and divines, nay to academies and univerfities, here and on the continent, which have not yet been anfwered: which have indeed in too many instances been very fufpicioufly evaded. Herein it is, however, that we have occafion to lament our inability to do full juftice to his labours and exertions; becaufe his works are fo many, and have been published in fuch different parts of the world, and on fuch various occafions, that they require to be collected and examined together; as they very particularly tend to confirm and corroborate each other. The work now before us refers back to many of the author's former writings, and former details of facts, and is ftill dependent further on a work yet to come, and for the publication of which we have therefore waited fome time. In that work we are to be fupplied with the refult of fome late travels and obfervations, made at confiderable expence and trouble, but upon the only equitable and fair principle, of examining the phænomena alledged by others, each upon the proper fpot; this is a piece of justice which Mr. De Luc has always been forward to observe with respect to his opponents, but they have very grossly neglected with regard to him.

While however we fpeak of this work as fo connected with his other performances, as to preclude us from going fo largely into the fubject as we fhould feel inclined to do, in juffice to the author, yet we are very anxious to recommend the book, as admirably adapted to explain, to thofe whom it moft concerns, namely, the friends of revealed religion, the peculiar importance of thefe ftudies in the prefent ftate of things; and the dangers they incur of being mifled by a fuperficial knowledge only of fuch matters. In the Review alfo of the Huttonian Theory they will be enabled to dif cover, how much more effential it is to be acquainted with facts, than to build upon conjecture, and how eafy it is, and how prone men are, to draw inferences, without a fufficient fupply of data. To fay that this work is fo ftrictly elementary as to contain the first principles of Geology, for the inftruc

tion of ignorant and unphilofophical perfons, would be to deceive the public; yet we have felt highly pleased by the introduction, as admirably calculated to fet forth the true nature and importance of such studies and pursuits, and to excite in the breafts of thofe, who have hitherto paid no regard to the fubject, a ftrong defire to engage in fuch researches, not only for their pleasure but their fecurity. To use the author's own words:

"This is not merely one of those subjects of natural history or natural philofophy, in regard to which it would be of little confequence to mankind whether erroneous theories were formed or adopted: a moft important moral object is combined with it, by the indiffoluble connection which fubfifts between the hiftory of the human race, and that of the earth; an object, which ought to be always kept in view, as well by those, who not pursuing the road which alone can lead to truth, may betray mankind into fatal error, as by thofe, who, not having qualified themfelves by previous ftudy to judge of thofe fyftems, embrace hypothefes from mere appearances. I more particularly request the latter to fufpend their judgment in regard to Geology, until they fhall have beftowed upon it fufficient time to enable them, felves to become at least acquainted with its extent. And I earneftly entreat thofe who have formed or adopted fystems which I fhall hereafter combat, to follow me with caution in the path which I fhall tread, while I establish fome fundamental points in Geology; to do which will henceforth be my only object." P. 6.

2

In oppofing Dr. Hutton and the learned advocate of his Theory, Profeffor Playfair, it is due to Mr. De Luc to obferve, that he pays every proper refpect to their eminence and character in the learned world. In regard to Profeffor Playfair's "Illuftrations;" he selects that work, he tells us himfelf, " as one of the latest and most methodical works on Geology; written by a man poffeffed of confiderable talents, who fets out from general data, no lefs true than important; who appears invariably to proceed with the moft gu rded caution, and knows how to diffufe a peculiar interef upon the difcuffion of fcientific fubjects." It may easily be fup. pofed that in the difcuffion of fuch a theory, and flatement of facts and local obfervations, in oppofition to it, much geolo gical knowledge of the highest importance must be brought before the reader. Mr. De Luc acknowledges that he could not have made choice of any theory that would furnish more effential difcuffions in Geology; and as he jufty obferves, difcuffions on controverted points afford the most effica cious means of fixing the attention upon the objects them felves." The work therefore cannot but be confidered as of