42 Notices respecting New Books. 



tions depend, as can only be obtained from a very long and intimate 

 acquaintance with the subject, and a natural habit of observation exer- 

 cised in an extensive field. 



Mr. Farey has been long known as one of those who possess the 

 knowledge required for such an undertaking 5 and the great length of 

 time which has elapsed since this work was first promised to the pub- 

 lic, must have given ample time for its execution in a careful manner. 



We have not had time to give this volume the examination that 

 the subject demands, but the objects and general tenor of it may be 

 gathered from the following extracts from the Preface. 



" The object of the present treatise is to give a historical, practical, 

 and descriptive account of the steam-engine, and its application to 

 useful purposes. 



" The historical part is intended to form a complete account of the 

 invention, from its first origin, to its present state of perfection, from 

 which the statesman and political economist may observe the influence 

 that the adoption of steam power has exercised upon our national 

 prosperity and advancement, during a century past, and may form 

 an opinion of the future advantages to be expected from more ex- 

 tended applications of the same principles. 



M The practical and descriptive part is intended to form a course of 

 instruction for professional students, in the practice and principles of 

 making and using steam-engines. At present, such students are left 

 to form and digest their own crude and imperfect observations ; and 

 for want of a scientific guide, their conclusions are liable to be tinc- 

 tured with many erroneous notions and false assumptions. The same 

 part is also intended to form a manual, which, by the aid of tables and 

 theorems for calculation, will facilitate the practice of experienced 

 professional engineers ; and will tend to perfect the practice of those 

 engineers and others, who require to employ steam-engines, and 

 apply them to various purposes ; but who do not possess a complete 

 knowledge of their construction, and therefore require information, 

 which it has hitherto been difficult to attain. The principles of me- 

 chanical and chemical action, upon which the ooeration of steam- 

 engines depends, and the application of those principles to practice, 

 will be also embodied in this part. 



" Another part will contain a record and brief explanation of all the 

 speculative projects which have been proposed for the improvement 

 of steam-engines ; so as to exhibit to mechanical inventors the various 

 ideas which have been suggested for that object : the instruction that 

 they may obtain from other parts of the work, together with the hi- 

 story of the circumstances from which the great points of invention 

 have originated, may enable them to make some further improve- 

 ments. 



" To attain these objects is not an easy task ; for it is only in the 

 course of an active professional practice, that sufficient information is 

 to be obtained ; and all competent engineers are too much engaged 

 to find leisure for a literary occupation. The author could not have 

 undertaken such a work, if he had not formed the plan, and collected 

 materials for its execution, at his first entrance into business j and 



