44 Notices respecting New Books, 



geometrical or algebraical analysis ; but all quantities are represented 

 in numbers, and their proportions established by the ordinary pro- 

 cesses of arithmetic : this plan has been adopted, in order to render 

 the principles very apparent to those who are not accustomed to any 

 other mode of calculus. This part of the work is intended to give 

 practical men an exact knowledge of the true principles upon which 

 their operations ought to be conducted ; and other parts, to show the 

 means of applying those principles to their daily practice, in the con- 

 struction and use of steam-engines. 



" To readers who are conversant with mathematical investigations, 

 the mode of stating the propositions will appear to leave them with- 

 out sufficient demonstration ; but the principles which it is intended 

 to explain and define (rather than to demonstrate) have been so well 

 established in mathematical evidence, as to leave no doubt of their 

 truth j and such readers may be referred to the mathematical writers 

 whose principles have been adopted. 



" Dr. Gregory's Treatise of Mechanics, in 2 volumes, 8vo., contains 

 the best collection of mathematical investigations j and the fullest 

 and clearest exposition of the principles will be found in Dr. Young's 

 Course of Lectures on Natural Philosophy, in 2 volumes, 4to. j also 

 Dr. Robison's articles on Mechanical Philosophy, in the Encyclopae- 

 dia Britannica, reprinted by Dr. Brewster, in 4 volumes, 8vo. To the 

 young student, a previous mathematical course is strongly recom- 

 mended : the best guides are, Martin's System of Mathematical In- 

 stitutions, in 2 volumes, 8vo.j Dr. Hutton's Course, in 3 volumes, 

 8vo. j and Dr. Gregory's Mathematics for Practical Men. 



" One great object of the present work is to furnish practical engi- 

 neers with a series of rules for calculating all proportions and quan- 

 tities, which can be required to be known for the construction and 

 use of steam-engines : these rules have been deduced from very nu- 

 merous observations made upon steam-engines and mills of all kinds 

 and of all magnitudes. In each case the observations have been very 

 carefully compared, and assorted in series, according to the similarity 

 of circumstances, and then such formulae deduced from them, as 

 would give results corresponding equally well with all parts of the 

 series. The construction of these various formulae has been a work 

 of great labour, of which very little appears, because only the results 

 of the investigations are retained in the form of an arithmetical rule. 

 The greater part of these rules have been formed by the author for 

 his own use, in professional practice ; and having undergone the test 

 of continual application during a course of several years, and re- 

 ceived frequent corrections, he is justified in claiming some confidence 

 iu their accuracy. 



"The principles which regulate the proportions of the different quan- 

 tities which are to be computed by each rule, are stated in the most 

 concise terms which could be chosen, without using algebraical sub- 

 stitutions j these have been avoided throughout the work, because 

 the methods of algebra and fluxions are only necessary to investigate 

 the formulae, wherebv computations may be performed in numbers, 



by 



