from the Brahminical temples. For instance, the images in the former are all mere human figures, either standing upright, or sitting on a bench sometimes with one foot resting on the knee or they are seen squatted down with the feet crossed and resting upon the thighs. There are here no metamorphoses of gods into animals, or monstrous human shapes with many hands and sundry beads. And as all the Bouddhs rose to the possession of their extraordinary power by means of lengthened and profound meditation, they are uniformly represented in a contemplative posture, generally with the fore-finger of the right hand resting on one of the fingers of the left. In short, the idols of the Bouddhists' exhibit the form of a man and not of a god.

Another circumstance peculiar to the Bouddhist temple is the Dagop or receptacle of relics; which is usually in the shape of a cupola, and is supposed to contain a bone, a tooth, a hair or a garment of their divine saint. In some parts of India and in Ceylon, this Dagop assumes the form of a pyramid of great height, and is not attached to the building of the temple, but stands in the immediate neighbourhood.

The monastic habits of the Bouddhist priests led naturally to a third ground of distinction; namely, the numerous cells which are found in the vicinity of their temples, fitted for the accommodation of the friars and nuns who appear to have co-operated in performing certain parts of the religious ser

vice.

There are several other peculiarities or tests which will assist greatly in discriminating the remains of the Bouddhism from the works of the Brahmins. The dress of the idols and the emblems of power with which they are surrounded, point out the faith to which they belong; and there are besides, a variety of inscriptions, which, being executed in the language sacred to the respective churches, prove an infallible guide to the creed whence they had their origin.

But after all, a difficulty remains which we know not how to remove. In some of the Brahminical temples there are found figures of Bouddh, who seems to be thereby recognized as one of the regular gods of the Hindoo pantheon. We are thus once more compelled to admit either that the Bouddhists and Brahmins must have lived together, during a certain period, in harmony and friendly intercourse, or to suppose, with Mr. Erskine, that the latter wished to supersede the former, in some parts of the country, by swallowing up their tenets and ceremonies in the mighty and shoreless sea of their own polytheism.

There is still an ample field remaining for future enquiry

and it is gratifying to find that, notwithstanding the numerous disappointments which have been sustained, and the thousand false hypotheses which have misled the judgment in regard to the true object of research, there continues to exist among our countrymen in India an unquenchable love of knowledge, and a perseverance which no labour can exbaust.

ART. V.

Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales. By the Rev. W. D. Conybeare. F.R.S., &c. and William Philips. F.L.S., &c. Part I. Philips. 1822.

GEOLOGY is peculiarly the science of the present age. It is more extensively studied than perhaps any other science; and has arrived at that extensive dissemination within a much shorter period than any other branch of knowledge, To build up the fabric of physical astronomy was the work of ages. From its first rudiments in the visions of Copernicus, and the gradual collection of materials by Kepler, to the firm establishment of its foundation, and the rearing of its superstructure by Newton and Laplace, centuries have elapsed; but geology, on the contrary, has had its first origin within the last half century; and during that brief period several different theories have been successively pro→ posed, disseminated and exploded.

At present, the prevailing spirit seems to be the absolute rejection of all theory; a principle which, however just in itself, may be, and often is, carried to a blameable excess; whilst the opposite fault is characterized by at least one advantage, that though an erroneous principle in itself, it is nevertheless very commonly the parent of an ardour in the pursuit, and a success in the investigations, which would not have been attained without it. Valuable facts have often been elicited in the ardent pursuit of a most visionary theory, and discoveries of real importance, cast aside in the enthusiasm of following up some fanciful hypothesis, have been subsequently treasured up, and found to possess infinitely more value than the speculations which gave them birth; and perhaps the very general diffusion of a geological taste among a multitude of persons whose other attainments do not qualify them for striking out bold and original ideas; may, while it tends to give soberness and consistency to the researches of the science, be at the same time depriving it of the valuable aid which is often, if not generally, given in the

indirect manner just alluded to, by the bold, but extravagant flights of real genius.

Leaving, however, such topics, let us proceed to the consideration of the work before us. Mr. Philips is known to the public by a series of publications on mineralogy and geology, which have for some years past been issuing forth from his press in the shape of improved and enlarged editions of the first. The present work, in fact, owes its origin to a continuation of this plan. An early communication on the subject with Mr. Conybeare (a gentleman greatly distinguished by his contributions to the labours of the Geological Society) produced a connection in the editorship, from which we are convinced the work derives much of its value. The first part of the work only is as yet published, the remainder being promised as shortly to follow. The present volume consists of an introduction, giving a general view of the objects of the science, and an elementary guide to the knowledge of it. The subsequent part takes up the subject in detail, and gives the particular instances at full length, occurring in each district of this island, on the observation of which the general truths were deduced. The work is illustrated by a geological map, and several sections, and is interspersed with diagrams in wood, which from their simplicity and clearness, are well calculated for the purposes of elementary explanation. The style and manner of the whole is plain and simple;-the two main requisites in a work of this kind. We will now proceed to examine some parts of it more closely.

The general phenomena of the English strata are well described in the following passage:

"If we suppose an intelligent traveller taking his departure from our metropolis, to make from that point several successive journies to various parts of the island; for instance, to South Wales, or to North Wales, or to Cumberland, or to Northumber land, he cannot fail to notice (if he pays any attention to the physical geography of the country through which he passes) that before he arrives at the districts in which coal is found, he will first pass a tract of clay and sand: then another of chalk: that he will next observe numerous quarries of calcareous freestone employed in architecture: that he will afterwards pass a broad zone of red marly sand; and beyond this will find himself in the midst of coal mines and iron furnaces. This order he will find to be invariably the same whichever of the routes above indicated he pursues; and if he proceeds further, he will perceive that near the limits of the coal-fields, he will generally observe hills of the same kind of compact limestone, affording grey and dark marbles, and abounding in

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mines of lead and zinc: and at a yet greater distance, mountainous tracts, in which roofing slate abounds, and the mines are yet more valuable; and lastly, he will often find surrounded by these slaty tracts, central groups of granitic rocks." Introduction, p. 2.

From the observation of the regular succession of these different soils or rocks, forming as it were successive belts traversing the extent of our island, (and indeed of all parts of the world hitherto examined) connected with their relative elevations and general configuration, it is considered beyond all doubt that they are actually the emerging edges of a number of different layers on strata, of which the surface of the earth is composed; and which, being all more or less inclined from a strictly horizontal position, exhibit their emerging surfaces in regular succession. It is therefore to the study of the various phenomena presented by the different strata, that the researches of geology are directed. By examining the particulars of their structure and inclination in the first instance, and then of their constitution and mineral contents, native and adventitious, the geologist attempts to advance towards a probable history of the order of their formation, and if possible, an acquaintance with the causes which were employed in producing them. The first step in such enquiries must obviously be to reduce, if possible, the multifarious and apparently complicated appearances presented in a detailed examination of the various appearances of the earth's surface, to some more general classifications, or convenient principle of arrangement. Taking them upon a large scale, such a simplification, (as in the instance just considered) is by no means difficult.

Obvious however, as may be the general arrangement of the strata, the examination of all their appearances in detail would in the first instance be attended with much difficulty, and involved in considerable perplexity. The attention of observers has, however, enabled them to reduce these diversified appearances under some comprehensive divisions and subdivisions. Thus the distinction of the almost innumerable strata of which any of the grand divisions are composed, is rendered easy by taking notice of their regular alternations with each other in a certain series; which is succeeded perhaps by a similar set of alternations of several other strata; to such series of strata the name formation has been applied. In enumerating these formations great difference of opinion has existed among geologists: it is indeed on the question whether one particular stratum shall be referred to this or that formation, that a large proportion of

the controversies which agitate the geological world are founded: such questions often involve the grounds on which the more recondite enquiries of the science are built; but they also frequently arise merely from the want of due discrimination in the use of terms; from that most common source of dispute, the neglect of definition. In the work before us its authors have carefully avoided on the one hand the bias of hypothetical views as to the origin and construction of the strata of the earth, and on the other paying a close attenton to perspicuity of terms, they make use of generalizations only in reference to their most proper and legitimate objects, the assistance of the comprehension and memory in becoming acquainted with an otherwise perplexing multitude of individuals. On such principles they proceed to a simple and clear enumeration of the principal formations, according to what they conceive the most advantageous arrangement.

To a beginner in the science of geology the difference of nomenclature which exists between different writers and different schools, is frequently a source of difficulty. The principal cause of perplexity of this kind arises perhaps from the different distribution of the various rocks into their more comprehensive classes rather than in the names of particular species. This diversity of arrangement has often arisen from the peculiar theoretical opinions of different schools; but in the present work we think the learner will find all difficulty of this kind removed by the very simple and perspicuous arrangement adopted, and thre comparisons given of it with other systems. After describing some of these arrangements, our authors proceed to explain their own in the following terms:

"Of these more comprehensive classes five will perhaps be sufficient: the first or upper series will comprehend the beds of sand and clay which repose upon and partially cover the great and conspicuous formation of chalk. The second class is of a less uniform character, and comprehends many formations, in some respects dissimilar, which yet possess many common relations, and which the fear of constituting too large a number of general classes forbids us to separate; yet four subdivisions of it require enumeration; 1st. The chalk formation: 2d. A series of sands and clays beneath the chalk: 3d. A series of calcareous freestone (such as the Portland and Bath stones) and clays: 4th. Beds of red marle and sandstone, containing occasionally alabaster and rock-salt. The third general class comprizes the beds affording coal and the limestones and sandstones on which these repose.