REVIEWS 475 



possible, that in their writings they may learn something of the long and hard 

 struggle by which our present knowledge has been won. 



The study of applied mathematics seems to us to be at a low ebb in 

 England, and we are convinced that this is largely because we have too often 

 presented it as a static body of propositions based upon incontrovertible logic. 

 We must make our students see mechanics grow. To this end there are two 

 courses open to us. We can show them mechanics growing in current research, 

 or we can show them its gradual growing in the past. It is often contended, 

 though we think it false, that the nature of the subject prevents that early ac- 

 quaintance with research which may be enj oyed by students of the other natural 

 sciences. In an honours degree examination in chemistry and physics we may 

 well find questions relating to knowledge gained during the last few years ; 

 in the corresponding examination in mechanics we shall probably find little 

 which is less than a century old. It may be that there is more than the mere 

 conceit of the mathematician in his contention that his subject is so much 

 more difficult than others that this state of affairs is unavoidable. As a 

 mathematician, we doubt it. There can, however, be no question but that 

 the student will gain a new interest and a deeper understanding of his subject 

 through the reading of its greatest classics. If he has the good fortune to 

 work in one of our great libraries he will have every opportunity for this. 

 In other circumstances it will not be so easy. We therefore welcome the 

 series of " les maitres de la pensee scientifique " published at a price of 

 about 3 francs per volume, with the promise that " les memoires et les ouvrages 

 frangais seront reimprimes avec grande exactitude d'apres les textes originaux 

 les mieux etablis, et ceux des savants etrangers seront traduits integrale- 

 ment et avec une rigoureuse fidelite." About half a dozen works have already 

 appeared, and D'Alembert's Traite de Dynamique is the first dealing with 

 mechanics. We are promised, at an early date, Galileo's Dialogues and New- 

 ton's Principia. We hope that this list will be extended and that we may 

 have other works in the same attractive and accessible form. 



G. B. J. 



William Sutherland. A Biography by W. A. Osborne. [Pp. 162.] 

 (Melbourne : Lothian Book Publishing Co. ; London : The British 

 Australasian, 1920. Price 7s. 6d. net.) 



William Sutherland was a physicist of exceptional ability, whose work has 

 failed in many quarters to secure adequate recognition. This biography, 

 written by Prof. Osborne at the request of some of Sutherland's Australian 

 friends and academic colleagues, will be found to indicate probable reasons 

 for Sutherland's comparative isolation. If, also, it begets a belated homage 

 to a man who, during the twenty-six years preceding his death in 191 1, 

 contributed to various branches of physics sixty-nine original papers, the 

 hope of the biographer and his committee will be fulfilled. 



Sutherland died at the age of fifty- two. Apart from a few years spent in 

 Scotland in early childhood, and three years' study at University College, 

 London, he lived his life in Australia. His love for his home was exceptional, 

 and to this, mainly, must be attributed the fact that he never held a high 

 University post. Openings in England occurred more than once, but were 

 declined ; and even posts in Australia, if distant from his home in Melbourne, 

 had no attraction for him. In addition, the responsibilities of a university 

 teacher were irksome, because Sutherland found them to hinder the prosecu- 

 tion of his researches. 



Dr. Osborne has been able to give a very pleasant description of many 

 aspects of Sutherland's life. Naturally, that obtaining the most attention 

 is his work in physics. It is necessary to make only one criticism of this 

 account. Sutherland is best known to physicists by reason of his contribution 

 to the kinetic theory of gases in relation to the variation of viscosity with 



