60 Notices respecting New Books. 
Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Part IT, 
Vol. VIII. 
The Part of this Scciety’s Transactions now published con- 
taius the following interesting articles : 
**On the Effects of Compression and Dilatation in altering 
the polarising Structure of doubly refracting Crystals. By Da- 
vid Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. London and Edinburgh. —~ Experi- 
ments on Muriatic Acid Gas, with Observations on its chemical 
Constitution, and on some other Subjects of chemical Theory. 
By John Murray, M.D. F.R.S. Edinburgh.— Experiments on 
the Relation between the Muriatic Acid and Chlorine ; to which 
is subjoined, the Description of a new Instrument for the Ana- 
lysis of Gases by Explosion. By Andrew Ure, M.D. Professor 
of the Andersonian Institution and Member of the Geological 
Society.—On the Laws which regulate the Distribution of the 
polarising Force in Plates, Tubes, and Cylinders of Glass that 
have received the polarising Structure. By David Brewster, 
LL.D. F.R.S. London and Edinburgh.—Remarks illustrative of 
the Scope and Influence of the philosophical Writings of Lord 
Bacon. By Maevey Napier, Esg. F.R.S. London and Edin- 
burgh, and F.A.S. Edinburgh.—Sketch of the Geology of the 
Environs of Nice. By Thomas Allan, Esq. F.R.S. Edmburgh. 
—On certain Impressions of, Cold transmitted from the Atino- 
sphere, with the Description of an Instrument adapted to mea- 
sure them. By John Leslie, F.R.S. Edinburgh, and Professor 
of Mathematics in the University of Edinburgh.A Methed of 
determining the Tjme with Accuracy, from: a Series of Altitudes 
of the Sun, taken on the same Side of the Meridian. By Major- 
general Sir Thomas Brisbane, Knight, F.R.S. Edinburgh.—Ob- 
servations on the Junction of the Fresh Water of Rivers with the 
Salt Water of theSea. [Ty the Rev. John Fleming, D,D.F.R.S, 
Edinburgh,—Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Honourable 
Alexander Fraser Tytlar, Lord Woodhouselee. By the Rev, 
Archibald Allison, LL.D. F.R.S. London and Edinburgh.” 
Elements of Chemical Science as applied to the Arts and 
Manufactures and Natural Phenomena, By J. Murnay. 
p. 294. 
‘The work before us aims at no other praise than what we may _ 
safely agcord it, that of exhibiting a lucid and comprehensive view 
of the principles of chemistry. The difficulties which stand in 
the way of any systematic arrangement of chemical phenomena 
are many and formidable ; but Mr. Murray has nevertheless sue- 
ceeded in forming a disposition of materials, which, distinguished 
by a good deal of novelty, conveys a very clear idea of the na- 
ture 
