[ 468 ] 



LXVI. Notices respecting New Books. 

 History of Physical Astronomy, from the earliest Ages to the middle 

 of the Nineteenth Century. By Robert Grant, F.R.A.S. Lon- 

 don : Baldwin. 8vo. (pp. 635.) 

 ABOUT eighteen months ago, in the continuation of the Library 

 of Useful Knowledge undertaken by Mr. Baldwin, appeared 

 the first number of a History of Physical Astronomy, by one Robert 

 Grant, who was then wholly unknown. To write history on this 

 subject was an attempt of the most ambitious kind ; first, because no 

 connected and consecutive history had ever been written ; secondly, 

 because such a thing would require a large amount of mathematical 

 reading of the highest order ; and thirdly, because the historical 

 materials exist in great part among the long series of memoirs of aca- 

 demies, which are not very easy to get at, and are very troublesome to 

 master. We say nothing of the many questions which demand the 

 highest judgement ; because we are speaking only of the difficulties 

 which no amount of self-confidence could ignore or even materially 

 underrate. It was, we have no doubt, to these difficulties that the want 

 of such a history was due : and we think it probable that many took 

 up the first number of the work before us with the impression that 

 the genius of book-making must have been very hard put to it for 

 materials, before he could have suggested the theory of gravitation, 

 its mathematical aspect inclusive, as a subject of history for a popu- 

 lar series. But it was found, on examination, that the work bore 

 evident marks of original reading, high mathematical knowledge, 

 sound judgement, and careful writing: and it made some sensation 

 in the astronomical world, that there should be any person in the 

 country who had so mastered the subject, without first becoming 

 known by some minor effort, in the usual way. During the publi- 

 cation of the numbers, Mr. Grant's name, which had at first been 

 *' spelt by th'unletter'd muse," acquired the four suffixes which stand 

 at the head of our article. And the work is now as well established 

 among the greater efforts of scientific history, as it could have been 

 if the author had been previously known, and it had been waited for 

 with the usual amount of announcement and previous discussion of 

 its probable character. And, though it includes some subjects which 

 proceed by the highest mathematics, it is nevertheless very popular 

 in its requirements from the reader. On this point Mr. Grant would 

 have deserved high commendation, though he had been only a com- 

 piler. It seems that the plan was at first of a limited character, but 

 that it expanded during the execution. To this it is due that the 

 words of the title-page, ' from the earliest ages,' are supported only 

 by an introductory chapter, which is faultless as an introduction, but 

 insufficient as a component part. 



It does not lower Mr. Grant's credit, but very much raises it, that 

 such an achievement as his proves the history of science to be in no 

 forward state ; for those things which are left open for any one to do 

 who will, are generally those which there are few who can do. There 

 did not exist any connected history of the whole theory of gravita- 



