THE ROMANCE OF SCIENCE. 55 



Wayside Sketches is the title of Mr. F. E. Hulme's latest book. 

 It is from the S.P.C.K. also, and contains about 70 beautiful 

 illustrations, an index, and 332 pages of letterpress, dealing with 

 all sorts of everyday matters in natural history. It is another of 

 those chatty volumes with which we have of late become familiar 

 from the pens of Mr. Knight, Worsley-Benison, Dr. Taylor, and 

 others; and as- Mr. Hulme is not only able to use his pencil in 

 the portrayal of objects, but his pen in producing corresponding 

 word-pictures, his book is full of interest. It is to the same pen 

 that we owe I^amiliar Wild Flowers^ published month by month 

 in sixpenny parts, by Messrs. Cassell & Co., London. 



Not less romantic, although belonging to a very different class 

 of books, is that entitled Mount Vesuvius^ which Messrs. Roper & 

 Drowley, 1 1 Ludgate Hill, London, have recently published at 

 T2S. 6d. This is from the pen of Prof. Lobley, who twenty years 

 ago wrote a treatise on the same subject, and during the long 

 interval has been keeping himself well abreast of his theme. The 

 w^ork is handsomely printed and illustrated, and, what is more, 

 brings our information down to the present time, including the 

 most recent reports from the scene of action up till the time of 

 publication. After describing the region and surroundings the 

 writer depicts the mountain itself, and in three successive chapters 

 details its history from the earliest times. The geology, 

 mineralogy, and botany of Vesuvius each receives its due share of 

 attention, as do also the products of volcanoes generally, and in 

 chapter VIII. the author treats of the fascinating, but difficult 

 problem of volcanic action, and the various hypotheses which 

 have at different times been in vogue to account for the same. To 

 all students of the intricate subject of vulcanology this volume 

 will be most welcome, while the everyday geologist, naturalist, and 

 historian will find its pages teeming with interesting facts and 

 observations. A work of such value will not materially suffer 

 through oversights in revising the proofs, but it is a pity when 

 literary blemishes are allowed in the smallest degree to detract 

 from the finished beauty of such a book ; yet several are to be met 

 with in this volume. As I am unable to give a more detailed 

 critique, I may be permitted to assure the reader that Mount 

 Vesuvius is worthy of a prominent place in his library. 



