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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



" Physiology of Common Life " — but none 

 of them have approached the perfection of 

 the original. Johnston was led to prepare 

 it by his pioneer studies in agricultural 

 chemistry, which not only familiarized him 

 with all common subjects, but, what was of 

 far more importance, gave him a sympathetic 

 interest in the common people. No mere 

 passionate experimenter or laboratory devo- 

 tee could ever have produced such a work. 

 Great changes have come over the field 

 of chemical science during the last quarter 

 of a century, but they have afPected this 

 work much less than more theoretical trea- 

 tises, as facts change less than their inter- 

 pretations. Nevertheless, the book had 

 fallen behind the age, and needed to be 

 brought up to date. The entire work has 

 been carefully revised by Professor Church, 

 somewhat enlarged, and brought down to 

 the latest date. Some new matter, aside 

 from that necessary to embody the latest 

 knowledge, has been added by the editor, 

 the most important of which is the article 

 upon " The Colors we admire." The book 

 is written for the people, in a clear and 

 popular manner, without technicalities, and 

 seeks to answer questions that common- 

 ly arise in every-day life about every-day 

 things. It treats such things as the air we 

 breathe and the water we drink in their re- 

 lations to human life and health ; the soil 

 that we cultivate and the plants raised ; 

 the food we eat and beverages we drink ; 

 the odors that are agreeable and disagree- 

 able, and the reasons why they are so ; the 

 colors that stand in like relation to us ; the 

 physiological processes of the body, and the 

 condition of health. It answers, in fact, a 

 thousand and one questions which all ought 

 to know, but which they do not, and will be 

 found a valuable addition to the library of 

 every household. 



Astronomy. For Schools and Colleges. By 

 Simon Newcomb, LL. D., Superintend- 

 ent of " American Ephemeris and Nau- 

 tical Almanac," and Edward S. Holden, 

 M. A., Professor in the United States 

 Naval Observatory. New York : Henry 

 Holt & Co. Pp. 512. Price, $2.50. 



The presumptions in favor of this work, 

 which are created by the names of its au- 

 thors, are abundantly justified by its critical 

 examination. It may be commended as in 



every respect a first-class astronomical text- 

 book for college students. The authors say 

 in their preface that " the work is designed 

 principally for the use of those who desire 

 to pursue the study of astronomy as a 

 branch of liberal education." Yet its plan 

 is such that it may subserve the uses of dif- 

 ferent grades of students, and those having 

 in view quite different objects. The sub- 

 ject-matter is divided into two classes, dis- 

 tinguished by the size of the type. The 

 portions in large type form a complete 

 course for the use of those who desire only 

 such a general knowledge of the subject 

 as can be acquired without the application 

 of advanced mathematics. This is the part 

 that will interest the general reader. The 

 portions in small type comprise additions 

 for the use of those students who either 

 desire a more detailed and precise knowl- 

 edge of the subject, or who intend to make 

 astronomy a special study. The work is 

 copiously illustrated, is written with great 

 clearness, and its explanations are admira- 

 ble. 



Progress and Poverty. An Inquiry into 

 the Cause of Industrial Depressions, 

 and of Increase of Want with Increas- 

 ing Wealth ; the Remedy. By Henry 

 George. One Volume. New York : 

 D. Appleton & Co. 1880. Pp. 512. 

 Price, $2. 



In the previous pages of this Monthly 

 the reader will find an article on the " Study 

 of Political Economy " that will be pretty 

 certain to interest him. He will see that 

 this so-called " dismal science " is capable of 

 being presented in an attractive way. But 

 after looking it over with satisfaction, as he 

 will be sure to do, he may still say : " This 

 man puts the subject very pleasantly in a 

 lecture, but where are the treatises which 

 can realize for us the interest of treatment 

 here promised ? All the books I have yet 

 found on this topic are very prosy affairs." 

 Well, the author of this essay has him- 

 self made a book on political economy, so 

 that he can be tried by his own test. • He 

 has made a pretty big book too (although 

 it is not expensive), and, whatever may be 

 its faults, dryness and dullness are not 

 among them. It is full of vital thought, 

 and is written with earnestness and power. 

 We might say it is the most engaging book 



