March i6, 191 iJ 



NATURE 



n 



aspect of overhead lines applies to France only ; but 

 their remarks on wayleave, compensation to land- 

 owners, organisation of working parties, establish- 

 ment of work-places for the manufacture of ferro- 

 concrete masts at various parts of the line, the trans- 

 port of these masts, their erection, and other matters 

 of an administrative nature, is well worth reading, 

 and is, with but slight modifications, also applicable 

 to similar work when done in this country. 



GiSBERT KaPP. 



OVR BOOK SHELF. 



Facts and Fallacies regarding the Bible. By W. 



Woods Smyth. Pp. x + 208. (London: Elliot 



Stock, 1911.) Price 3s. 6d. net. 

 Mr. Woods Smyth aims at showing that modern 

 scientific knowledge is in agreement with Divine 

 revelation as recorded in the Bible. He considers that 

 the Mosaic account of the creation of worlds and of 

 the various forms of life up to man should be accepted 

 as an authoritative and accurate statement of in- 

 organic and organic evolution. "The sober truth is," 

 he says, " that wherever the Bible touches upon ques- 

 tions of science it does so with a grace, an accuracy, 

 and a philosophic perfection which surpasses every 

 text-book of science in existence." 



This position is clear enough, and we cannot but 

 admire the author for his courage in occupying it in 

 spite of the difificulties involved. We believe, how- 

 ever, that he will not find supporters among theo- 

 logians who know most of the origin of the Scriptures 

 or among philosophers who are best acquainted with 

 the facts of nature. If all scientific knowledge and 

 theory of to-day can be shown to be only a confirmation 

 of the Biblical record, what will be said a hundred 

 years hence, and what was the case in the time of 

 early Greek philosophers? Science is progressive, 

 and the accepted views of one generation become the 

 discarded lumber of another. 



Unless, therefore, the Bible is regarded as contain- 

 ing all scientific knowledge for all time, there is not 

 much purpose in showing that science and revelation 

 are in agreement at a particular epoch, even assuming 

 this to be the case. A more reasonable view to take 

 IS that the Scriptures are faithful historical records of 

 what was thought or believed when they were com- 

 piled, containing observations of obvious phenomena 

 only, and interpretations appropriate to the period in 

 which they were made. Any attempt to show that the 

 facts of modern science can be confirmed bv reference 

 to an inspired literature must depend upon special 

 I pleading for its case, and can do little to further 

 the desire "to restore the Bible to its high place of 

 authority by restoring faith in the subject-matter of 

 the Divine revelation." 



"/ Wonder''' Essays for the Young People. By the 

 writer of "Confesslo Medici." Pp. 109. (London: 

 Macmillan and Co., Ltd., iqii.) Price 35. 6d. net. 

 The young people to whom the author refers on the 

 title-page of this book must be of a metaphysical 

 frame of mind to be able to read these essays with 

 interest and intelligence. The subtle reasoning occa- 

 sionally involved requires careful thought for its com- 

 prehension, and Is best appreciated by the adult 

 philosopher. A fine distinction on the use of the verb 

 " to wondej " Is made in the first essay. " Make up 

 your mind," says the author, "that you will only 

 wonder at," and do not wonder If, is, when, or 

 where. But the verb signifies to doubt or expect as 

 ' "Well as to marvel ; so that the advice given need not be 

 taken literallv. There is a useful lesson in the second 



NO. 2159, VOL. 86] 



essay, which aims at showing that many attributes of 

 things exist only so' far as our senses are able to 

 appreciate them ; but it will be lost on most young 

 people. Other essays deal with the wonder of nature, 

 of self, of pain, of death, of beauty, and the use of 

 wonder. 



It is scarcely correct to say that "there are gases 

 to which the air is as paving-stones to feathers," or 

 that the something— signifying the ether — which exists 

 -throughout space " Is one and the same energy, mani- 

 fest In all things." If, as the author says, "It takes 

 a fellow of the Royal Society to think of the inter- 

 stellar ether," It may be said with equal approach to 

 accuracy that membership of the Aristotelian Society is 

 desirable to appreciate the points of some of his essays. 

 The book has, however, the merit of fine style 

 and noble thought, and provides an admirable anti- 

 dote to the influence of overmuch attention to 

 materialistic affairs. 



Das hiologische Schullaboratorinm. By Dr. W. 



Schoenlchen. Pp. 67. (Leipzig : Quelle and 



Meyer, 19 10.) Price 1.60 marks. 

 In this pamphlet Dr. Schoenlchen gives an Interesting 

 account of the structural arrangements, equipment, 

 and course of study in the biological department at 

 the Helmholtz " Realgymnasium " In Schoneberg. 

 The author passes rather lightly by the courses of 

 general zoology and botany, though there is abundant 

 internal evidence that these subjects are accorded a 

 generous and judicious treatment. His main purpose 

 appears rather to be to lay stress upon the hygienic 

 value of biological study as a subject of general educa- 

 tion. In this country a certain hazy conception of 

 spores, germs, bacilli, bacteria percolates through the 

 medium of the daily Press Into the mind of the man 

 in the street, but neither he nor his wife has any 

 real knowledge of the "why" and the "how" of 

 personal or domestic hygiene. About half of the 

 present treatise is more or less directly concerned with 

 this aspect of biology, and accordingly we find full 

 accounts of a few of the more common spC' "es of 

 moulds, of nutrient media, and the various appliances 

 emploved in connection with them ; of the process of 

 sterilisation and the production of "pure" cultures. 

 A prominent place and full description are given of 

 Prof. Lindner's Ingenious "roll-cylinders," and of their 

 employment In the biological analysis of air, water, 

 &'C., and his method of "drop-culture" Is well ex- 

 plained and illustrated. 



The concluding pages are devoted to a brief survey 

 of the biological courses at ten of the German 

 universities. 



What 7vill the Weather Be? The Amateur Fore- 

 caster's Vade Mecnm. Bv H. G. Busk. Pp. 27. 

 (Cambridge : W. Heffer and Sons, Ltd. ; London : 

 SImpkIn, Marshall and Co., Ltd., 191 1.) Price 6d. 

 net. 

 This little manual is Intended to enable the non- 

 scientific reader to forecast the weather, for a day in 

 advance, from his own observations. Tables arranged 

 under the principal wind directions show the average 

 conditions of weather to be expected in winter and 

 summer, with changes of barometrical pressure. The 

 work Is accompanied by a useful introduction by Mr. 

 H. B. Stone, explaining the usual sequence of weather 

 In areas of high and low atmospherical pressure; it 

 Is this principle that lies behind the tables, and 

 may enable a forecaster to obtain " reasonable ac- 

 curacy " by their use. More accurate forecasting 

 depends upon the tracks actually being taken by 

 cvclonic disturbances and other considerations, includ- 

 ing the configuration of the ground. 



