REVIEW.

Clutha Leader, Volume XII, Issue 597, 25 December 1885, Page 5

REVIEW.

The Origin and Spiritual Nature ov Man. —By James Copland, M. A., M.D., PluD., Dunedin.

We have just received a tractate on the Origin and Spiritual Nature oi Man, by the Rev. James Copland, M.A., M.D-, Ph.D., and we have much pleasure in calling the attention of our readers to the contents.

The Author,, in the preface, states- hia reason for publishing the -tractate at tho present time to be the fact that he isa candidate for the vacant chair of Mental Science in the Otago University, and that, the subjects treated of in the publication, are closely connected with the subjects, taught from the chair. He is hard, and deservedly so, on the dogmatism and arrogance of the apostles of evolution,, who seem to imagine that they alone are competent to deal with the relations of* matter and mind. '

The doctrines of the ovolutionists arestated at considerable length in their own words, and we think the objections taken, by the Doctor to their main positions are forcible and well put, and we trii-fc n_i will elaborate and expand the tractate shortly, in accordance with the indicationill the preface.

Of course there are arguments used which, for want of sufficient physiologioal knowledge we cannot well judge aa to the force of, and this shews us the importance of the occupant of the chair having such special knowledge as shall enable him to deal with the physiological aspects of the subject. There is one objection taken by the author which we trust in afterwards dealing more fully with the question, he will expand, as to. our minds it is very forcible, viz., that, the lengoh of time since life was possible, upon the globe is much too short to admit of the truth of the evolutionary doctrines. If this be true, aiid there are 7 strong reasons for believing that it is so, then the explanation of the facts on which evolutionists build np their system must be sought for in another direction. The Doctor thinks the tide of evol\\tio*a has reached its height, and ia already receding. On this point we are unable to speak, but we commend the pamphlet, and we are of opinion that the writer, if appointed to the vacant chair, will fill it with credit to himself and to the ' satisfaction of the patrons, . -'I

Sxbay Thoughts; Poi.rr-CA_.AND Othbb, — By A. Landels* Balclutha, , . . |

j , We have received from Messrs Ma_kay, r Risk, and Miinro, printers, -Dunedin j a. . s copy of a work entitled ' ( Stray Thoughts. — Politicid and Otherj'',, by Mr A. Lan«- : del's Balclutha. '. " The/ work extends . tou 208 pages, bound in. clotb{ v is, printed :^h. very clear type, the i whole . ■ being; yerytastefully. executed. -.-. .We shaH;. .rejfer% v ; more- fully $o the work 'byefahdi- bye. r ; In the ; mean time, wfl'^ 'tents-" which are as'mnows'l-^Sepafa^y;., tion j A Letter-r-^A Defence of ;Pro"yinoJai;' Government-— Piibli.G. Works, gration '; Land Tax^-State GiVaranfei^^The/Pr^^^^ perty , TaxT-'Some Thoughts !Coii^Pri§teo*. ; . \ tioriisra— Considerations r.;.'6n\-;^ri?'etra4ji[ , ah<i Protectionism^T^ of ; I^nd-rrThe- . V " Considerations on : .{ _?y Wi(f«^j.b^~A!n;Vv Undelivered Election VAddre^ ti'nction qf-Dr^ dihg-^hbughts^ra^ Labour— Cruelty to —Bible '-Di^<*inl^ies-^.S^tef-: .-Omijpli^B^i'j-Famines-rM c morahd iim : Vr'o_t-i'_^Sdat~Th_^j:^ Ecbnoinicar^FutUre.of ; Britainr^^ye,an^M^ -Money—^On: the Si_e ; of -^ndeii^Proip^r^V •;. /-Mes— Labour. . ;-" ' .'^,^-^ ; '3^ ! -i :^ ; Vv^S-