their inhabitants, with an infinity of things to their use, would remain. Every limestone quarry should daily present us with some of these most precious of all antiquities, before which those of Italy and Egypt would shrink to nothing.

How greatly must we regret that this is not the case, that we must relinquish the delightful hope of some day finding in the body of a calcareous mountain, the city of Enoch built by Cain, at the very origin of the world, with what awful sentiments had not present generations contemplated objects which once had been looked upon by eyes which had seen the divinity!

The other great fact which forcibly militates against the diluvian hypothesis is, that the fossil animals are not those which existed at the time of the deluge. The diluvian species must have been the same as the present. The multifarious wonders of the ark had for sole object their preservation; while of the fossil kinds, not perhaps one, or quadruped, or bird, or fish, or shell, or insect, or plant, is now alive.

"Amazing proofs of inundations at high levels " are appealed to. Had they being, of the deluge they could at most speak but to the existence; on its influence in the contested cases, they would be silent; but it appears that this stupendous prodigy,

"Like the baseless fabric of a vision,
Left not a wreck behind."

Of the occurrence of marine depositions at great altitudes, the elevation of the stratum by volcanic efforts, furnishes a far more easy solution than the elevation of the sea, as it refers the phenomenon to a natural cause, and does not require the immediate interposition of the divine hand; and the ruptured state and erect position of the strata on all these occasions, testify strongly in favour of the simpler supposition.

To collate the revered volume with the great book of nature, and show in their agreement one author to both, was an undertaking worthy of the union of piety and science. If the result has not been what was anticipated; if we look in vain over the face of our globe for those mighty impressions of an universal deluge, which reason tells us that it must have produced and left behind itself, to some cause as out of the natural course of things as was that event, must this doubtless be attributed.

By his entering into a covenant with man and brute animals, and having for ever "set his bow in the cloud," as a token that the direful scene should never be renewed, the Creator appears to have repined at the severity of his justice.

The spectacle of a desolated world,-of fertility laid waste,of the painful works of industry and genius overthrown,-of infantine innocence involved in indiscriminate misery with the hardened offender,-of brute nature whose want of reason precluded it from the possibility of all offence, made share in the

forfeit of human depravity, may be supposed to have touched his heart.

Under the impression of these paternal feelings, to obliterate every trace of the dreadful scourge, remove every remnant of the frightful havoc, seem the natural effects of his benevolence and power. As a lesson to the races which were to issue from the loins of the few who had been spared,-races which were to be wicked indeed as those which had preceded them, but which were promised exemption from a like punishment, to have preserved any memento of them would have been useless.

To a miracle then which swept away all that could recall that day of death when "the windows of heaven were opened" upon mankind, must we refer what no natural means are adequate to explain.

ARTICLE XII.

ANALYSES OF Books.

An Epitome of Chemistry, wherein the Principles of the Science are illustrated in 100 Entertaining and Instructive Experiments, &c. &c. By the Rev. John Topham, MA. (of St. John's College, Cambridge) Head Master of Bromsgrove Grammar School, Worcestershire. Second Edition. 24mo. pp. 134. CONTRARY to the expectations we had formed when we first saw this publication, it has (according to the title page at least) reached a second edition; we consider it, therefore, proper to exhibit its true nature to the public, and to warn them of the numerous errors which it contains:-errors greater in number and importance than in any work of the same size that ever appeared on the subject of which it treats.

We shall not pretend to go minutely through the book; a few passages, taken almost at random, will be sufficient to show the nature of the work, and that the author, without intending to be original, is so greatly in error, that he does not possess even the slender requisites for a copyist.

With respect, first, to chemical action, it is stated, in p. 4,that "chemical action will not take place between two bodies, except one of them be in a fluid state, or at least contain water." Now this is not the fact; numerous examples might be given of the contrary, but one will suffice, viz. the mutual action of lime and muriate of ammonia. In p. 5, it is asserted that "if two bodies, x and y, unite in the proportion of 4 to 6, then these numbers express the weight of their atoms." This again is an error; oxygen and phosphorus unite in the proportion of 4 to 6, but these numbers do not express the weights of their atoms; they only show that phosphorus combines with two-thirds of its

weight of oxygen, but the weight of the atoms depends upon that of the standard assumed: thus the weight of an atom of hydrogen being 1, that of oxygen is 8, and phosphorus 12, but an atom of hydrogen being 0-125, oxygen is 1, and phosphorus

1.5.

"When combination takes place between two bodies in various proportions, the numbers indicating the greater are exact simple multiples of that denoting the least. Thus 100 parts of carbon unite with 132, or 265 parts of oxygen, and no other. Again, 100 parts of sulphur unite with 50, or 100, or 150 parts of oxygen; and in the intermediate ones no combination ensues."

Now it happens that the greatest proportion is sometimes not a multiple, but one-half more than the least; this occurs with respect to iron, of which 28 parts unite with 8 of oxygen to form protoxide, and with 12 to form the peroxide. Again, the exact quantity of oxygen with which 100 of carbon unite are 133 to form oxide of carbon and 266 to form carbonic acid, but there is an intermediate compound, namely, oxalic acid, composed of 100 carbon and 200 oxygen. Once more; 100 of sulphur unite with 125 of oxygen to form hyposulphuric acid, as well as with the three proportions above stated.

In p. 12 we have a marvellously easy method of making sulphuric acid; sulphur "by combustion in atmospheric air over water, unites with oxygen, and forms sulphuric acid." How foolish then have our manufacturers been in using nitre at a vast expense! We must, however, I believe, for sulphuric read sulphurous.

Iodine appears also to have undergone a wonderful change of properties; according to Mr. Topham, it " is abundantly absorbed by water;" the fact is, that water absorbs about 1-7000th of its weight.

In the chapter on the alkalies, potash, soda, and ammonia are mentioned; and after incorrectly stating that the last "next to hydrogen gas, is the lightest known ponderable body," we are informed, that "the other alkalies are lithina, delphine, brucine, vauqueline," and then we are instructed that "the bases of the other alkalies [meaning the four last named], except vauqueline (which is of vegetable origin) have also been formed into amalgams with mercury, and are found to be metallic." From this we might conclude that delphia and brucia are not of vegetable origin, and that the seeds of stavesacre, and the bark of the brucia antidysenterica have been "found to be metallic." The sentence which we have last quoted is followed by "oxygen, therefore, in one proportion is the cause of alkalinity; in another (as will be seen) of oxidation; and in a third of acidity." It is difficult to conceive how so much error could have been crammed into so small a space. If these statements were true, then we may take any substance which is capable of uniting with oxygen; let it be hydrogen, sulphur, or potassium, and by combining them in

different proportions produce a mere oxide, an alkali, or an acid, with the same base. Mr. Topham will find that he has incorrectly stated with respect to different proportions of oxygen, what is true only with regard to different bases. This erroneous view of the case is also contained in the chapter on oxides, in which it is stated that "any simple substance, in union with a less quantity of oxygen than is necessary for the formation of an acid, is termed an oxide." Now acidity does not depend upon the quantity of oxygen, but upon the nature of the base which unites with it. Six parts of carbon combined with 16 of oxygen form an acid, but 6 parts of hydrogen combine with 48 of oxygen to form water. In the next chapter we again meet with the erroneous statement that sulphuric acid is formed by the combustion of sulphur over water; and sulphurous acid is said to be "constituted of 1 atom sulphur and 2 of oxygen in 100." We would inquire whether it is not so constituted in 10, 100, or 1000 parts? or whether its atomic constitution is altered by the quantity subjected to analysis, so that what is true of two portions of 50 parts each added together would not be true of 100 parts?

Nitric acid is said to be a compound of one atom of nitrogen and two of oxygen, instead of five of oxygen; but carbonic acid is one of the most extraordinary we have ever met with: "it is widely diffused through nature, being combined with chalk, limestone, gypsum, magnesia, &c." Of these four statements, one only is correct; chalk and limestone are not combined with carbonic acid, they consist of lime combined with it, and gypsum is neither combined with, nor contains carbonic acid; we need hardly say, that it consists of sulphuric acid and lime.

In speaking of nitrous oxide, it is stated to consist of "two atoms of nitrogen and one of oxygen." We suspect that our author has mistaken volumes for atoms; for this gas, although composed of two volumes of nitrogen and one volume of oxygen gas, is generally allowed to consist of only one atom

of each.

It appears from Exp. 4, that our author does not know that nitric oxide and nitrous gas are different names for the same elastic fluid; for he says at p. 64, nitric oxide on coming into contact with atmospheric air receives a further portion of oxygen, and becomes nitrous gas.

We have neither time nor inclination to pursue our observations upon this work any further; and after what we have stated it would be superfluous to offer any additional opinion respecting it; but we cannot refrain from expressing our surprise, that a gentleman who must have distinguished himself in order to have acquired the degree of Master of Arts, should so far have forgotten what was due to his own reputation and to public utility, as to venture to write a book upon a subject, his ignorance of which he must have felt, and all conversant with chemistry must discover.—(P.)

ARTICLE XIII.

Proceedings of Philosophical Societies.

ROYAL SOCIETY.

May 27.-The reading of Mr. Abrahams' paper on Magnetism was concluded; and a paper was read, On the Direction of the Eyes in Portrait Painting; by W. H. Wollaston, MD.

VPRS.

June 3.- Lemon, Esq. was admitted a Fellow of the Society; the name of Charles Macintosh, Esq. ordered to be inserted in its printed lists; and a paper was read, "On the Generation of Fishes; by J. L. Prevost, MD."

The Society then adjourned to June 17, in consequence of the ensuing holidays.

June 17.- Edgeworth, Esq. was admitted a Fellow of the Society, the name of Major Charles Hamilton Smith, ordered to be inserted in its printed lists; and the following papers were read, several of them in an abridged form.

On the Organs of Generation of the Axolotl, and of other Protei; by Sir E. Home, Bart. VPRS.

On the Effects of Temperature on Magnetism and on the diurnal Variation of the Needle; by S. H. Christie, Esq. MA.: communicated by the President.

On the Preservation of the Copper Sheathing of Ships, and on some Chemical Facts connected with it; by the President. On the Application of Doebereiner's new Discovery to Eudiometry; by William Henry, MD. FRS.

The Society then adjourned, over the long vacation, to meet again on the 18th of November next.

LINNEAN SOCIETY.

May 4.-M. G. St. Hilaire was elected a Foreign Member. A notice from Mr. Wood was read respecting the Goldem Oriole, Oriolus Galbula, shot on the 26th of April, flying in company with some Blackbirds, at Aldershot in Hampshire.

The reading was continued of Mr. Vigors's papers on the Natural Affinities of Birds; and of the Catalogue of Norfolk and Suffolk Birds, by the Rev. Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear..

May 24.-On this day, being the birth-day of Linnæus, the: Anniversary of the Society was held at one o'clock, in conformity with the Charter, the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Carlisle, Vice President, in the Chair.

The following gentlemen were re-elected Officers:
Sir James Edward Smith, President ;
Edward Forster, Esq. Treasurer;
Alexander Mac Leay, Esq. Secretary;
Mr. Richard Taylor, Assistant Secretary.