of the public, we must consult the inclinations, and cater for the taste of our readers, in the selection of the subjects we discuss. But if, as we expect, the education of their sons is a subject that will commend itself to Irish parents, we will on some future occasion endeavour to lay before them such information, upon the state of our University, as may guide their opinions on its system. Of the University itself we desire to say something: we have been speaking of her in terms that some might consider those of censure; but it is not because we do not love and reverence our Alma Mater it is not because we do not respect her fellows and admire her institutions. No; it is because we wish her well. We address her in the words of Burke, and say, "Those who are least anxious about your conduct, are not those who love you most. Moderate affection, and satiated enjoyment, are cold and respectful A jealous love lights his torch from the firebrands of the furies." If we have spoken freely, it is because we love largely—if we have spoken warmly, it is because we love passionately. We love ardently enough, to desire to see her perfect; and yet temperately enough, to feel that she has her faults-but no fault that care may not correct, no defect for which prudence may not find a remedy. We know too that there are those who " mark well her bulwarks and observe her towers," for evil and not for good, and therefore we have done the same for good, and not for evil. We feel that envious eyes are upon her, and therefore it is well that there should be jealous ones. We call upon her friends to reform her, that enemies may have no pretence for intermeddling in her affairs. We have spoken boldly, but we trust respectfully, and suggested freely, but yet with diffidence. Our advice may be rejected, and our warning disregarded, and we must be satisfied; but to our own minds it will be a consolation, that it was given honestly; and while even as she is, we pronounce to her our unbought "esto perpetua," we would feel more confidence that our prayer would be accomplished, were she as she ought to be.

It remains for us, before we conclude, to say a few words upon the merits of the Calendar itself, which

certainly does not de serve to be passed over with so slight a notice. But the volume for 1833 has been so widely circulated, and so universally admired, that eulogium on its successor is almost superfluous. The University Calendar is a work which no college man should be without; and the value to the student of the present volume is considerably enhanced by its containing a full account of all the recent, and somewhat complicated changes in the course. It is with feelings of sincere pleasure that we contemplate the probability, indeed we may say the certainty, of the continuance of this work. The publication of the Examination papers is a most important and salutary measure; and we are not afraid to place the lists of questions in the volume before us in competition with the best examination papers of the English colleges.

With

Our examination for fellowship being one for which no parallel can be found in the Universities of the sister kingdom, no comparison can be instituted with respect to this. But during the past year there has been no vacancy for fellowship, and, accordingly, the Calendar contains merely the lists of questions propounded at the medal examination, and those for the mathematical and divinity premiums. these we may fairly challenge a comparison, and we are sure it will not be to the disadvantage of the Irish Upiversity. Next year we hope the Calendar will contain the printed lists of questions to be proposed, according to the new regulations, to the candidate for honour, at the quarterly examinations. (Until a new epithet is invented, we will be Irish enough to employ the old one.) We cannot help remarking the change which has taken place in the spirit of the University.

We remember when first a report of the fellowship examination, which by statute was open to the public, was published in the columns of the Evening Mail, a journal which can claim the proud distinction of having first conquered difficulties which had been previously deemed insurmountable, and given to the public a full and accurate report of this most important examination, the conduct of the conductor of that paper was regarded as almost a breach of academic privilege, and no inconsiderable dissatisfaction was ex

Journal of the Geological Society of Dublin. Vol. I. Part I. Dublin, 1833.

The Geological Society of Dublin is yet a very young institution. It was first organized in November, 1831, and has ever since continued to prosper under the influence of a warm and lasting interest, originating with its founders, and since communicated to every well-wisher to his father land.

The increase of his country's scientific capabilities, marked by new wants and more extended labours, is one of the most cheering anticipations of the true patriot: the labours of individuals, the formation of institutions for the advancement of science, and the monuments erected by both to the progress of knowledge, in each improvement which they effect, and every tribute which they bring to the altar of civilization, meet with their reward in the silent and unostentatious gratitude of their countrymen. They are enshrined in the memory of virtuous actions which become frequent, and even national, when the humanizing and ennobling feelings which are generated by the pursuit of knowledge, and the love of nature are generally diffused, and are allowed to exercise their free prerogative over the human mind.

The learned and Very Reverend President of the Dublin Geological Society has, in an address characterized by its elegant and manly style, and by a spirit of the most sincere love of all scientific knowledge, spoken in a tone which particularly pleases us, of the objects of this institution, and of the ultimate bearing of the subjects with which it occupies itself; of the best mode of entering on the study of this department of physical science, and of the moral associations and benefits which, like the starry gems found in naked rocks, spring from these very objects of contemplation,

In the future progress of the society, annual occasional addresses will probably be made to contain brief but clear expositions of the state and progress of geological science, either generally, or in connexion with the immediate labours of the institution; but at its foundation it was in much better taste to trace out with skill the road for volunteers, and convince the judgment of the utility of the labours VOL. III.

proposed, by proving their importance even by the qualifications which are necessary for their pursuit. It was a fortunate thing that a person so eminently fitted by an intimate acquaintance with various sciences, and a powerful and vigorous command over most branches of human knowledge, should lend his aid in furthering so amiable and so noble an object.

One of the first statements in the president's address is, that the knowledge and multiplied uses forwhich geology is available in the state to which it has now advanced, are themselves the most satisfactory proofs of the vitality of the science, and of the soundness of the principles by which the study is now prosecuted: the short time since this vitality exhibited itself, and the presumption which was shown in the first investigation of the laws of nature, are then pointed out in opposition to the proper methods of research, even as prompted by the desire of relieving wants, or adding enjoyments, and to the "spiri tual sustenance" which resulted from their first perception.

The disposition to conclude without sufficient inquiry, and the folly of substituting idle conjecture for patient research in erroneous methods, which are in no science presented to us in so striking a manner as in the history of geology, are also animadverted upon in a proper spirit. But it shewed a much more comprehensive idea of the science the author had to treat of, and a much clearer conception of its character, its tendency, and its boundless promises, that without dwelling upon these subjects more than was actually necessary to warn the mind from error, he could come forward to maintain that in this, which may be deemed the infancy of the science, hypotheses, which are the only substitute for a perfect theory, are not to be decried, as being destitute of all advantage and productive of nothing but injury. "A wide distinction is to be made between hypotheses perfectly gratuitous, such as those before alluded to, and those theories which profess to be founded on facts, though too few for their effective establishment. The former as causing a diversion from the proper path, were fitted only to perpetuate ignorance. Not so the

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latter. Professing to be founded on observations they suggest the necessity of appealing to that test of their truth; and the appeals thus continually made, both by the advocates of such theories and their opponents, are manifestly useful, not only in drawing attention to the facts already brought to light, but also in stimulating the industry of those engaged in multiplying the number of such discoveries. Indeed in this way, hypotheses are our guides in all enlightened investigations for what we bring to the test of experiment is something which we had previously supposed to be, at least, possible from partial observation, we form a conjecture as to the mode in which the effect is produced, and this conjecture, proceeding with due caution, we bring to the test of further observation or experiment. When hypotheses are used in this way, when they are founded on observation, and taken as our guides for further investigation, they must be deemed prejudicial whenever they are entertained with an assurance disproportionate to the evidence on which they are founded; for then, becoming a substitute for knowledge, they divert the mind from further inquiry. They do more; for they generate a feeling of scepticism towards even the observed facts, and they tend to throw infant philosophy into disrepute, and thus remotely injure the whole circle of science."

At any other time than the present, we would hardly have ventured to quote the foregoing observations, but we are anxious that there should be no feeling of dread on the part of a thoughtful public, of any evil consequences being entailed upon geology by the pause which the science is said to have made, to inquire anxiously whether the causes now in action are sufficient to have produced the appearances of nature: for now when an hypothesis is not founded on fact, it meets with ignominy and neglect; so when the data are not sufficient, it meets with the calm and dispassionate answer of more extensive inquiries, or more numerously collated facts; and from these causes a science which, in its infancy, was liable to the misrepresentations of a host of pretenders, has now maturity sufficient to protect it against either open or covert assaults.

"On the whole," says the learned president, "I would say, that as in our spiritual concerns the indications of the will of God are the only sure guide of our conduct, so in our physical researches the indications of the laws by which He

governs the world of matter, are the only clue by which we can hope to advance to their more complete discovery. In truth, the genuine spirit of sound philosophy, no less than of true religion, is teachableness and humility. As in the one, humility, arising from the consciousness of imperfection and weakness is requisite for our real advancement; so also in the other, teachableness of mind which leads patiently to trace the operations of infinite wisdom, rather than to rely on presumptuous speculations, is the only sure guide to the knowledge of these laws, by which the same Being conducts the operations of his material creation."

There are six scientific papers in this, the first number of the Journal of the Geological Society, all of which are characterized by greater or less merit; the first is on the study of the geological phenomena of Ireland, a most important subject, and treated of by a person certainly well fitted for the undertaking, by his acquaintance with the science, as well as by those duties, connected with the survey of this island, which have called him into its remote as well as its frequented districts; but as this is a subject which rather entails a summary of statements than an introduction to facts, we shall postpone noticing it in the hopes of doing greater justice to its merits, and to the importance of the subject.

The paper which comes next is on Globular Formations, by Dr. Stokes, the Professor of Natural History in the University of Dublin, containing some interesting facts which we shall duly notice. Lava, it is well known, occurs in spheroid or flattened globules-all liquids in suspension in the air become so, and when given up to the force of gravity, assume the form of a spheroid, the line of whose greatest axis is at right angles to the attracting surface. In proportion to their liquidity will be the modifications of the shapes induced by their contact with the earth. The circular balls of basalt, described by De Humboldt, on the plains of Joryllo, and abundant in the trap districts of Scotland, may originate from similar causes to which the professor ascribes the for. mation of balls of lava or of white limestone. This system of rotatory aggregation is further applied to leucite, which Boué considers to have always a central nodule of augite, to granular augites called cocolite, and to that variety of garnet called pyrope, with its isomorphous compound, succinite, with which, and melanite, and other forms of the same mineral, it is now well known to be frequently mixed; but

while the latter we know are fusible, might not the other be worn round by attrition? We have never seen a globular leucite, so cannot speak from experience.

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The occurrence of sodalite and hyacinth in basalt, is certainly an interesting fact, and the professor's reasoning upon the subject ingenious. We are next told that obsidian is found in balls, and that this mineral passes by insensible gradations into lava. This is not exactly the way a chemical mineralogist would make the statement. Perlite, also globular, is closely connected with obsidian. We might also add spherolite. Obsidian and pumice, we are then told, pass readily into one another, and the cavities of pumice, scoriæ, and amydaloid, seem to be formed by vesicular vapours. We cannot perceive what relation there is between the cavities found in pumice, or scoriæ, with obsidian, to which the former is related by chemical constitution. Menelite, the author says, approaches to obsidian and pitchstone. It is an hydrate of silicaa variety of opal, while the latter are silicates of alumina, combined in the one case with lime, in the other with potash, Globular quartz is the next object of the notice. This substance curs, according to the author, in this form, in mulatto stone, county Antrim; in limestone, Sleive Galluion; in sandstone, Skrean, county Sligo. Are these formations by attrition? Hornblende occurs, according to our author, in balls in talcose slate, at Blackbull head, in the county of Cork. This is an interesting fact. Cepalino gold, iron pyrites, carbonate of copper, and clay ironstone (septaria and geodes), are next mentioned, as presenting occasionally the same forms. We have penned a list which is now before us, of twenty-nine different minerals which might be added to these names, as occurring in a globular form from crystalline arrangement-five, chiefly gems from attrition; two agglomerated in the globular form; and one (mica) occurring in the same form, from a concentric arrangement of laminæ or scales. As the author probably meant to confine himself to the notice of those minerals only which enter into the composition of mountain rocks, the mention of simple mineral substances not occurring as such, is only an illustrative labour; and hence he has been led to avoid the tedious enumeration of all these simple minerals; and yet it is very difficult for us to reconcile with this idea, the omission of all notice of the various globular formations, geologi

cally speaking, of carbonate of lime, as the oolites, &c. of the pesolites, peperinos, spilites, among the trap rocks, orbicular diorites, pyromerides, and various other formations.

The observations on the fossil elk of Ireland, by Dr. Hart, the historiographer of that animal, and of the discovery of whose remains this country may be justly proud, is an interesting sketch of what is at present known of its structure; and contains Baron Cuvier's excellent characteristics between it and other approximating species. Dr. Hart mentions the occurrence of these bones in sand and gravel, near Enniskerry. It is a curious fact, that this gravel is chiefly composed of limestone pebbles, though we do not know of this rock having been found within the circus formed by the Bray mountains to the west, the Scalp, Shankhill, and Killiney hills to the north, and the Sugar-loaves and Bray Head to the south. The length between the extreme tips of the horns of this splendid animal, measured in a straight line across, was, in the specimen in the museum of the Edinburgh University, six feet eight inches; in that belonging to the Dublin Society, nine feet two inches. In two specimens which the reviewer had an opportunity of measuring, one at Adare, (Earl of Dunraven's) county Limerick, was nine feet ten inches; the other at Major Purdon's, in the county of Clare, was ten feet eleven inches in a straight line.

Dr. Hibbert has lately advanced the opinion that this singular animal was not only the contemporary of such extinct animals of Europe, as the elephant, the rhinoceros, &c. but was also the contemporary of the earliest inhabitants of the human race dwelling in Europe, and so far from being an animal, the existence of which is referable to a remote antiquity, actually lived in Prussia so late as the year 1550, and perhaps later. This latter opinion was founded on the existence of a figure of a cervus given by Sebastian Munster, in a scarce folio work entitled Cosmographia Universalis, Lib. VI.

There are two drawings given by Sebastian, (see Edin. Jour. of Nat. and Geo. Science, Vol. II. p. 64,) which possess the coincidence marked by Cuvier and Dr. Hart, of giving horns to both male and female, after the manner of the rein deer.

The fourth memoir is by Dr. Apjohn, and contains observations on the trap district of the county of Limerick. It does not profess to much detail, this having,