1822.] Analyses of Books. 289 
ARTICLE XV. 
ANALYSES OF Books. 
Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Vol. 4. 
Part II. 1822. 
(Concluded from p. 63.) 
V. Notice of the Astronomical Tables of Mohammed Abibeker 
Al Farsi, two Copies of which are preserved inthe Public Library 
of the University of Cambridge. By Samuel Lee, MA. of Queen’s 
ollege, Professor of Arabic in the University, and Secretary to 
the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 
The author of this paper states, that as far as his researches 
have gone, the only notice of the work here alluded to is to be 
found in the Bibliotheque Orientale of d’Herbelot ; and Mr. Lee 
concludes from the manner in which it is mentioned, that this 
author had never seen tle work in question. ‘“ In presenting, 
therefore,” says Mr. Lee, “ to the Society a notice of a very 
scarce and valuable work on Arabian astronomy, I trust I shall do 
no more than what some of the most eminent writers in astro- 
nomy have often called for ; and, in so doing, it is my intention 
to avoid prolixity, and to give such details from the preface of 
the work in question, and such extracts from the work itself, as 
may be interesting and useful.” This paper, from its nature, 
scarcely admits of abridgment. 
VI. On Sounds excited in Hydrogen Gas. By John Leslie, 
Esq. FRSE. &c. &c. 
This paper is given in the last number of the Annals. 
VII. On the Connexion of Galvanism and Magnetism. By 
the Rev. J. Cumming, MA. FRS. MGS. and Professor of Che- 
mistry in the University of Cambridge. 
Prof. Cumming commences this paper with observing, “ that 
it has been remarked of the pile of Volta, that it stands unn- 
valled in the history of philosophy, as its discovery was not the 
result of accident, but the fruit of preconceived theory, without 
which it might have for ever remained unknown. But this, 
though the first, was not the only instance of the kind in the his- 
tory of galvanism. The decomposition of the alkalies and the 
discovery of the close connexion, if not the identity of galvanism 
and electricity, were the results of experiments, which were not 
undertaken fortuitously, but successfully deduced from theore- 
tical views. Another instance,” says Mr. Cumming, “has been 
added of the verification of hypothesis by experiment, in Prof. 
‘Oersted’s discovery of the action of the voltaic pile on the mag- 
metic neeedle.” 
Prof. Cumming then proceeds to notice some facts which 
New Series, vou. iv. U 
