>/j/8, i875] 



NATURE 



185 



paring the reactions obtained with the specimen, the 

 name is ascertained without difficulty. An example will 

 suffice to show this : — " The mineral has a metallic lustre. 

 Its degree of fusibility is 2, and a portion of it is readily 

 volatile, evolving the garlic-like smell peculiar to arsenical 

 minerals. On looking at the tables it is found to belong 

 to Division I. Fused with carbonate of sodium on char- 

 coal in the reducing flame, no metallic globule is obtained, 

 but the reaction for sulphur is seen on moistening the 

 fused mass and placing it upon a piece of silver. Does 

 not give the reactions for copper or cobalt. In the 

 closed tube gives metallic arsenic, and after long heating 

 becomes magnetic. It is found that it can only be one of 

 two minerals, viz., Arsenopyrite (mispickel) or Lolingite. 

 The streaks, colour, and hardness are the same ; but two 

 reactions observed before prove it to be arsenopyrite, for 

 it fuses at 2, and gives a strong sulphur reaction." As 

 we have pointed out, it might have been expected that so 

 distinguished a mineralogist as Prof. Ikush would have 

 given us all the more modern methods, but, nevertheless, 

 his book is certainly a very useful one, and may be recom- 

 mended to the student. Charles A. Burghardt 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Elementary Chemistry. By F, S. Barff, M.A. (London : 

 Edward Stanford, 1875.) 



The question which naturally occurs to one on opening 

 this book is, Why was it written ? Of late we have had 

 so many books professing to teach elementary chemistry, 

 and some of these really fulfilling their profession, that it 

 is hard to understand why another should be added to 

 the list. In his preface the author says : " This book, as 

 far as it goes, professes to enable the attentive student to 

 acquire a sound knowledge of the very elementary facts 

 concerning the most important of the ' non-metallic ele- 

 ments,' as they are called." Again, he expresses the 

 belief that by the system he has adopted, " boys will have 

 their reasoning faculties strengthened and their powers of 

 observation rendered accurate and acute." 



So far as mere facts are concerned, this book appears to 

 to be very trustworthy ; the author is evidently well ac- 

 quainted with his subject ; but there is a want of principles 

 toguidethestudent. If chemistryistobetaught thoroughly, 

 even in its elements, the method of teaching adopted 

 must from the very beginning be a scientific method ; it 

 must seek not only to inculcate accuracy of knowledge in 

 detail, but also to point out the generalised expressions 

 which bind together the facts into a connected system. 

 By studying the book before us a boy may certainly gain 

 a considerable amount of good and useful knowledge, but 

 we are afraid that his ideas of what chemical science is will 

 be at best but vague. The author does not appear to have 

 clearly set before himself the end which he desired to 

 secure by writing a book on elementary chemistrj. If 

 that end was merely to supply a collection of useful facts 

 about various chemical substances and processes, he has 

 succeeded ; but books already existed which supplied this 

 want. If he wished to supply sound chemical knowledge, 

 so far as the book goes, he must be said also to have suc- 

 ceeded, but unfortunately he has stopped too soon ; the 

 fault is that it does not go quite far enough : a little more 

 carefulness in planning the book, and the introduction of 

 at least a few generalisations to explain the facts, would 

 have added vastly to the value of the book as an 

 elementary educational work. If we compare this 

 little book with others which might be named which 

 cover much the same ground, the want of general 

 ideas to guide the student becomes very apparent. 



Another question which occurs in connection with 

 a book on chemistry specially intended for the use of 

 boys at school is. Are schoolboys as a rule really inte- 

 rested in this science ? Is it found generally advisable to 

 devote any large portion of a schoolboy's time to the 

 study of chemistry ; or is it better, when natural science 

 is introduced into a school curriculum, to choose physics 

 as the principal subject-matter for study ? " 



M. M. P. M. 



Travels m Portugal. By John Latouche. With Illus- 

 trations by the Right Hon. T. Sotheron-Estcourt. 

 (London : Ward, Lock, and Tyler.) 

 Mr. Latouche's narrative is full of interest and instruc- 

 tion ; but why has he not indicated the year or years 

 during which he travelled in Portugal ? There is even no 

 date on the title-page. Wc hope Mr. Latouche will 

 supply the necessary dates in a second edition. The 

 author refers with justice to the general ignorance of 

 Portugal and of its people ; many, no doubt, suppose they 

 are a sort of degraded Spaniards, whereas we think it is 

 pretty clear, from the information contained in the work 

 before us, that the Portuguese are in many respects supe- 

 rior to their neighbours. Mr. Latouche evidently knows 

 Portugal well, and has carefully observed the charac- 

 teristics of its people. In his narrative he wisely gives 

 very few details about the beaten tracks, but describes 

 principally what he saw in districts which are never 

 visited by the ordinary traveller. His work contains 

 much information concerning the people, their ethnology, 

 language, manners, customs, superstitions, and history ; 

 about the country itself, its physical features, its natural 

 history, the state of agriculture, and other points of inte- 

 rest. As to the ethnology of Portugal, Mr. Latouche 

 seems to believe that the people are an agglomeration of 

 a greater variety of elements than that of any other 

 country in Europe, and that these elements still remain 

 to a large extent heterogeneous, different elements pre- 

 ponderating in different districts — Celts, Iberians, Phoe- 

 nicians, Romans, Visigoths, Saracens, Greeks, French, 

 and Jews all contributing their quota. As an illustration 

 of the extensive infusion of Jewish blood throughout all 

 ranks of the people, Mr. Latouche tells the following 

 anecdote : — " When that foolish bigot. King Joseph, pro- 

 posed to his minister Pombal that all Jews in his kingdom 

 should be compelled to wear white hats as a distinctive 

 badge, that sagacious minister made no objection, but 

 when next he appeared in Council it was with two white 

 hats — ' one for his Majesty and one for himself,' explained 

 Pombal, and the King said no more about his proposal." 

 With regard to the natural history of Portugal, Mr. 

 Latouche thinks there is much still to be learned; that, in 

 fact, it has been less studied than that of any other 

 country in Europe. There is no doubt much truth in 

 this, but we hope it will not be necessary for any foreign 

 "patient naturalist " to learn the language, as Mr. Latouche 

 suggests, in order to investigate the natural history of 

 Portugal. Surely there is a sufficient number of com- 

 petent men in the country itself to undertake the task, if 

 their attention were directed to the importance of having 

 it accomplished. Indeed, we believe there have not been 

 wanting signs recently of an awakening of intellectual life 

 in Portugal, and we hope that one of its results will be a 

 thorough investigation of the natural history of the country, 

 as well as a vast improvement in the wretched system of 

 education which prevails. The Portuguese, as our readers 

 know, were at one time one of the most enterprising people 

 in Europe, and under proper guidance might still occupy 

 an honourable position among the nations. 



To those who wish to obtain some trustworthy infor- 

 mation concerning the present condition of Portugal, we 

 commend Mr, Latouche's work, which, we may state, is 

 enlarged from a series of articles which were published in 

 the New Quarterly Magazine. 



