26 



NATURE 



[November 14, 189; 



-origin of the solar system. It is limited in every direction 

 by the surface at which particles are in equilibrium under 

 the influence of gravity of the solar nebula itself, and of 

 the nearest stellar systems. Under the pressure of the 

 outer portions, a centre of greater density would be 

 formed, to which would be attracted all the matter in the 

 inner parts of the nebula. The outer parts, on the other 

 hand, condensing by radiation, as it is suggested, into 

 comets and meteorites, will not reach the vicinity of the 

 solar nucleus until a much later period, depending on 

 their distances. Some of these will fall into and augment 

 the nebulous sun, while others will become permanent 

 members of the solar system. It is typical of the author's 

 method that either event is left entirely to chance, and it 

 is difficult to see where a line is to be drawn between the 

 sun-forming matter and that which evades the nebulous 

 envelope of the central attracting body. The abrupt dis- 

 ruption of the nebula, thus introduced, offers a most 

 perplexing difficulty. 



■ The process by which the planets come into existence 

 presents precisely the question, to which an answer 

 would be expected in the book before us. It must be 

 said at once that the portion of the book dealing with this 

 question is most unsatisfactory. In addition to the 

 obscurity of style, to which allusion has already been 

 made, the unfortunate arrangement of the subject-matter 

 makes it quite impossible to gain any clear insight into 

 the author's views as a connected whole. Mr. Stanley 

 appears to adopt the theory of Laplace in its main 

 features, not because he has any novel arguments to urge 

 in its support, nor on account of the reasons which have 

 "hitherto led to its tentative acceptance, but because, in 

 his opinion, no other theory heretofore offered possesses 

 any reasonable probability. "Nevertheless," he says 

 (P- 65), " it is not probable that our system was formed 

 by any simple single mechanical effect of the action of 

 forces upon surrounding universal matter, as generally 

 assumed in special thsories, but rather that all possible 

 conditions were active, that may have conspired to 

 produce the final results." Thus, for example, accord- 

 ing to the theory of Laplace, the author thinks there 

 should be a simple relation connecting the masses of the 

 planets with their respective distances from the sun. He 

 thsrefore attempts to explain the irregularities observed 

 in the masses of the planets, by supposing them to be 

 caused by the precipitation into the solar nebula of that 

 matter, which at a much earlier period condensed by 

 itself at the outermost parts of the solar "pneuma." 

 Such a process implying the previous formation of 

 masses, of variable amount, and operating irregularly 

 and intermittently, may account for the existence of 

 planets greatly differing in size ; but, at the best, the 

 difficulty is only removed fi-om one place to another. It 

 seems equally impossible to agree with the author that 

 the plane in which the planets revolve, has been deter- 

 mined by the superior attraction of the two nearest stars. 

 For both this plane and the equatorial plane of the 

 sun should apparently preserve the direction impressed 

 by the moment of momentum of the original solar 

 nebula. 



Space will not permit us to follow further Mr. Stanley's 

 notions of the processes of planetary evolution or the 

 •effects which, it is suggested, the successive formation of 

 NO. 1359, VOL. 53] 



planets had upon geological periods. It can only be said 

 that the author toys with millions of years in a manner 

 which possibly amused himself, but which can scarcely 

 be edifying to the serious student. Unless the leading 

 points of Laplace's theory can be placed practically 

 beyond question, the consideration of details can have 

 no scientific interest. And Mr. Stanley could hardly expect 

 to rescue from its present position of doubt, and to place 

 on a secure basis a theory, on the merits of which the ablest 

 mathematicians and physicists have been unable to arrive 

 at a definite conclusion. We have already intimated our 

 opinion that the author's knowledge of mathematics and 

 physics is slight. In confirmation of this view, we might 

 draw attention to his treatment of the problem of finding 

 the volume of a ring (p. 82), and to a bold assertion, on 

 p. 190, concerning the increase of vapour tension in the 

 atmosphere. We might, too, point to his contemptuous 

 rejection of the theory, well supported by the highest 

 authority, that the interior of the earth is not fluid. He 

 is also smgularly unhappy in refusing to accept Prof. G. 

 Darwin's demonstration, that the earth formerly rotated 

 at a much higher velocity than at present, because the 

 study of the effects of tidal friction has always appeared 

 to give direct evidence in favour of the probability of the 

 nebular hypothesis. W. E. P. 



ELEMENTARY HIEROGLYPHICS. 

 First Steps in Egyptian : a Book for Beginners. By 

 E. A. Wallis Budge, Litt.D., Keeper of the Egyptian 

 and Assyrian Antiquities, British Museum. (London : 

 Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner, and Co., 1895.) 



A REVIEW of a book dealing with the laws and 

 structure of language may perhaps at first sight 

 appear out of place in a journal devoted to science. 

 A moment's consideration, however, will convince the 

 reader that the book, the title of which stands at the head 

 of this column, may be regarded as an exception to the 

 rule. Very little was known of ancient Egypt until, at 

 the beginning of the present century, the genius of Young 

 and of Champollion led to the decipherment of the native 

 inscriptions. Since that time, however, Egyptology has 

 attracted many workers, and to the results that have fol- 

 lowed the first decipherment the student of anthropology 

 is perhaps even more indebted than the philologist ; for 

 while the language in itself proved unattractive in con- 

 quence of its somewhat chaotic structure, the subject- 

 matter revealed was of the very highest importance. The 

 key to the hieroglyphics, in fact, admitted the anthro- 

 pologist and man of science to the study of the legends 

 and beliefs, the daily life and customs of a people, whose 

 history commences more than four thousand years before 

 our era. 



The truth of this statement is confirmed by the im- 

 mense mass of literature that has within the last few 

 years grown up around the records and remains of 

 ancient Egypt. The man of science has made good 

 use of his rich vein of fresh material, histories have 

 followed quickly on one another's heels, while many of 

 the Egyptian sacred texts and legends have appeared 

 from time to time in the form of short stories and transla- 

 tions ; in fact, the pubhc has been amply provided with 

 the means for acquiring a general knowledge of Egyp- 



