8 INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS. [OWCLUSION. 



the same facts for a diametrically opposite purpose. The philosophers of one school have, on certain data, " proved " 

 theories which their opponents have as vigorously "disproved" by the game moans. We might remark on this sub- 

 ject to our readers, that if there be any branch of Science calling for patient, calm, and philosophic thought, it is this. 

 The imagination, at all times, unless chained by the iron fetters of sound reason, will rush violently to conclusions ; 

 and hence the bitter denunciations which geological opponents have hurled on each other. If, however, the 

 student will follow carefully the laws of rigid induction, he cannot avoid arriving at the truth; and in Ids obscrva. 

 tious he will assuredly find 



" Sermons In itonct, and good In everything." 



Throughout the divisions of the work, every endeavour will be made to render each subject as complete as pos- 

 lible. Those who have already advanced in scientific pursuits, will find formulre and facts, conveying full Information 

 in each department ; and, where necessary, mathematical demonstrations will be freely employed. The practical 

 engineer, and others engaged in like pursuits, will be enabled to trace the various steps between Abstract Science and 

 those extensive ramifications through which Experimental Philosophy and Applied Mechanics spread their influence. 

 The general reader will, it is hoped, gather information which, whilst strictly philosophical, will be, by a little atten- 

 tion, easily arrived at ; and, as far as possible, the difficulties which naturally present themselves in every work on 

 Science aiming at completeness, will be modified by the use of concise description, and illustrative experiments. In 

 conclusion, we have to express the hope that, although many omissions and shortcomings must necessarily occur in 

 our pages, the object wlu'ch has been constantly held in view that of assisting the reader to an intelligent and 

 practical acquaintance with the laws of Nature, and their general applications may yet bo, in some measure, 

 attained. 



Having thus laid the foundation if we may so say of our work, and having given a general view of its 

 arrangement, it may be useful to our readers to place before them, in a tabular form, the various subjects to which 

 we have alluded. They have been so arranged as to conduct the student, from the most elementary principles, to a 

 knowledge of each branch of Science into which the study of Nature is divided, according to the present system of 

 philosophy. Without attempting to claim for our method any special advantage beyond that afforded by others, 

 we venture to suggest that those who follow it will be enabled gradually to advance from comparatively well-known 

 to more abstruse subjects, in such a manner, as that they may use the knowledge acquired in each step for the 

 elucidation of that which has to follow. 



The entire work is composed of two great divisions the first relating simply to matter and forces ; the second 

 to matter and forces as connected with vitality, etc. The sub-divisions connect allied subjects ; whilst the sections, 

 into which each volume is divided, serve to render reference easy. They also separate the comparatively minor 

 details, by which each sub-division ia characterised, in a manner which is at once convenient and philosophical 



DIVISION I. VOLUME L EMBRACING EXPERIMENTAL, CHEMICAL, MATHEMATICAL, AND 



MECHANICAL PHILOSOPHY. 



SUB-DIVISION I. EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY UNDULATORY FORCES. 



SECTION I. HEAT. 

 ,, II. LIGHT. 

 III. ELECTRICITY. 



SECTION IV. MAGNETISM, ELECTRO-MAGNETISM, AND 



DIA-MAGNETISM. 

 V. ACOUSTICS. 



SUB-DIVISION II. CHEMICAL PHILOSOPHY. 

 SECTION VI. INOKGANIO AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 



SUB-DIVISION III. MATHEMATICAL PHILOSOPHY. 



SECTION VII. MATHEMATICS, INCLUDING ARITHMETIC, ALGEBRA, GEOMETRY, TRIGONOMETRY, ETC. 

 SUB-DIVISION IV. MECHANICAL PHILOSOPHY. 



SE<TION VIII. STATICS, DYNAMICS, HYDROSTATICS, 



PNEUMATICS, ETC. 

 IX. APPLIED MECHANICS. 



SECTION X. ASTRONOMY. 



XI. NAVIGATION AND NAUTICAL ASTRONOMY. 

 XII. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY. 



DIVISION II. VOLUME II. NATURAL SCIENCE. 



SUB-DIVISION I. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



SECTION I. COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY. I SECTION III. ZOOLOGY. 



,, II. COMPARATIVE ANATOMY AND OSTEOLOGY. | ,, IV. ETHNOLOGY. 



SUB-DIVISION II. THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



SECTION V. BOTANY, DESCRIPTIVE AND SYSTEMATIC. ECONOMIC BOTANY. 

 SUB-DIVISION III. THE MINERAL KINGDOM. 



SECTION VI. CRYSTALLOGRAPHY. I SECTION VIII. GEOGRAPHY. 

 ,, VII. MINERALOGY. ,, IX. <fe X. GEOLOGY. 



We have already explained those general laws to which matter is obedient, whatever kind, form, or state it 

 may bo possessed of ; and, with this general introduction, we conceive our readers will be quite prepared to 



