ve not
speedily perceived that these pretentious books belong to the class of
pests and unmitigated nuisances in literature. Antiquated views,
utter lack of comprehension of the subjects treated, and shameless
unscrupulousness as to accuracy of statement, are faults but ill atoned
for by sensational pictures of the "dragons of the prime that tare each
other in their slime," or of the Newton-like brow and silken curls of
that primitive man in contrast with whom the said dragons have been
likened to "mellow music."

Nevertheless, the sort of scientific reputation which these
discreditable performances have gained for M. Figuier among an
uncritical public is such as to justify us in devoting a few paragraphs
to a book [13] which, on its own merits, is unworthy of any notice
whatever. "The To-morrow of Death"--if one were to put his trust in the
translator's prefatory note--discusses a grave question upon "purely
scientific methods." We are glad to see this remark, because it shows
what notions may be entertained by persons of average intelligence with
reference to "scientific methods." Those--and they are many--who vaguely
think that science is something different from common-sense, and that
any book is scientific which talks about perihelia and asymptotes and
cetacea, will find their vague notions here well corroborated. Quite
different will be the impression made upon those--and they are yet too
few--who have learned that the method of science is the common-sense
method of cautiously weighing evidence and withholding judgment where
evidence is not forthcoming. If talking about remote and difficult
subjects suffice to make one scientific, then is M. Figuier scientific
to a quite terrible degree. He writes about the starry heavens as if he
had been present at the hour of creation, or had at least accompanied
the Arabian prophet on his famous night-journey. Nor is his knowledge of
physiology and other abstruse sciences at all less remarkable. But these
things will cease to surprise us when we learn the sources, hitherto
suspected only in mythology, from which favoured mortals can obtain a
knowledge of what is going on outside of our planet.

[13] The To-morrow of Death; or, The Future Life according to
Science. By Louis Figuier. Translated from the French by S. R. Crocker.
Boston: Roberts Brothers. 1872.

The four inner planets being nearly alike in size (?) and in length of
day, M. Figuier infers, by strictly scienti