Geological Text-Books

Abstract

ALL who care for geology, teachers and students especially, will hail with delight the appearance of a second edition of Dr. A. Geikie's “Class-book.” All the more that it may now be had at less than one-half the cost of the first edition. Such a substantial reduction in the price of a scientific book is a piece of liberality and far-seeing policy which it could be wished were more common. Too often, when a rapid sale of such a work has proved that its value is appreciated and its success assured, there seems to be a feeling that its established reputation may be relied upon to ensure a demand for it in the future equal to that of the past, and that it will be quite safe to keep up its price. But no such purely mercantile views have prevailed here, and we may feel sure that both publishers and author have been actuated first of all, in the bold step they have taken, by a wish to promote the extension of knowledge by placing within the reach of as many as possible a work so well got up, so admirably illustrated, and so full of matter presented in an eminently readable form. And there can be little doubt that this disinterested conduct will reap the reward it deserves. Many a teacher will bear me out that the book has been a universal favourite. Students who would not put up with the dry compendium of the normal text-book have been won over by its attractive style; and even those earnest workers, who despise or excuse the absence of literary elegance, have found their labours lightened and have felt an added pleasure when their first introduction to geology has been through the medium of this class-book. One thing only prevented its being adopted far and wide as a text-book in the school and lecture-room. Now that obstacle is removed, it is sure to come into more and more extensive use; and it may be confidently predicted that a rapidly increasing sale will soon recoup those concerned for y temporary loss that their generous treatment of the public may at first occasion.

Class-Book of Geology.

By Archibald Geikie Second Edition. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1890.)

Elementary Geology.

By Charles Bird (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1890.)