Sept. 29, 1882.] 



• KNOWLEDGE 



297 



clear ideas about the physics of heat as at present uader- 

 stood. Mr. Lardner assumes that the reader of the book 

 has no previous knowledge of physical science at all. His 

 explanations, therefore, are at tirst very elementary in 

 character. Farther on, as the reader gradually becomes 

 familiar with his subject, they become more succinct. The 

 mathematical parts require uo very profound study of ma- 

 thematics, and are very clearly, yet satisfactorily, dealt 

 with. (The general reader, even if he has enough mathe- 

 matical knowledge to master these portions easily, can pass 

 lightly over them, content to recognise the principles on 

 which calculation is based, without wasting his time in 

 testing their accuracy.) The questions and examples given 

 at the end of each chapter are excellent. We have been 

 particularly struck by the completeness of the treatment of 

 the various subjects : just, too, where difficulties are likely 

 to occur, they are referred to, and removed. The illus- 

 trations throughout are excellent 



There are a few slight errors here and there. For 

 instance, at p. 8, " the end C " of a tube is mentioned, 

 though it has no existence in the figure ; on page 20+, we 

 find specific heats Ci and C.^, instead of c^ and c, ; and so 

 forth. But the work contains so much, that the wonder 

 rather is that there are not more mistakes of this kind. 

 Among errors of a ditferent sort may be mentioned the 

 statement that astronomers believe the sun's heat to be 

 maintained by the downfall of bodies which had been 

 travelling around the sun, and the remark that the planets 

 are known to be slowly but surely closing in towards the 

 sun. (There is a footnote on the same page — 288 — 

 referring to Dr. Siemens's theory, which has been unani- 

 mously rejected, or neglected as not needing rejection, by 

 all who are competent to form an opinion upon it) Our 

 author's remarks on the tides also, are open to misconcep- 

 tion, where he speaks of the earth "in its daily revolution 

 sweeping through the protuberance of water due to the 

 moon's attraction." 



But these faults are slight and easily corrected in later 

 editions of the work. They detract scarce perceptibly from 

 the great value of this thoroughly excellent and honest 

 book, every page of which shows signs of careful study to 

 make matters clear and simple to the reader. The con- 

 trast between this book and some of the trashy text-books 

 of science which are finding their way into use is most 

 marked. The latter part of the work is naturally the most 

 interesting, as there is less occasion for explanation of 

 general principles. The chapters on Radiation, the 

 Mechanical Theory of Heat, and Heat Engines, ou^ht to 

 be as interesting as a well-written story to an intelligent 

 learner. 



BIBLE ENGLISH. 



Mr. W.\suixgton Moon is the self-appointed guardian 

 of the English language. Ever since he sat in judgment 

 on "The Queen's English" in "The Dean's English," and 

 was commended by those rather questionable judges, " the 

 young buccaneers of the press," he has missed no oppor- 

 tunity to exhibit his logical precision, liis acumen in 

 detecting faults, and his familiarity with Lindley Murray. 

 He not only points out errors in the writings of all our 

 best authors, but when those among the living ones who 

 think it worth while, defend themselves, he shows them 

 how their defence ought to have been worded. In the 

 ■work before us he " presumes," he says, " to take upon 

 himself" the "consideration of the revised New Testa- 

 ment regarded grammatically." 



• " The Revisers' Entrlish," by G. Washington Moo.v, F.U.S.L., 

 author of " The Dean's English." (London : Hatchard's.) 



We do not know Mr. Moon personally ; but we should 

 imagine he must be a troublesome person to convei-se with. 

 If not, his works belie him. We picture him speaking — 

 in the ordinary converse of life — somewhat as in the 

 following imaginary scene : — 



Tr.aveli.er (meeting Mr. Moon). — Can you tell me, sir, where 

 this ro.id goes ? 



Mr. Moox (aside). — He should have said, "If you can, ^cill yon 

 tell me?" {Aloud.) Sir, the road dote not go anywhere, it re- 

 mains always here. 



Traveller. — Pardon me. I should have said, " Where does this 

 road lead ?" 



Mr. Moo.\. — To lead, sir, is to go before — to guide (vidt Webster, 

 Worcester, and Walker, especially Walker). The road cannot go 

 before yon. ; ; : 



Traveller. — I perceive, sir, you are precise. I want to know 

 where I shall arrive if I follow this road ? 



Mr. Moox. — You cannot follow that which is at rest, for the word 

 foUou- 



Traveller. — Excuse me, my time is limited. Where shall I 

 arrive if I travel on this road ? 



Mr. Moox. — Your query is wanting in precision. Where yon 

 arrive will depend principally on the duration of your progression. 



Traveller {after a pause). Supposing I should walk upon this 

 road, at a rate of, say, four miles per hour, during, let us suppose, 

 two hours, what are the various places through or near which my 

 walk will bring me ? 



Mp. Moox. This is very painful. There are no less than seven 

 mistakes of the most glaring kind in the sentence yon have just 

 spoken. Your use of the word *' supposing " is quite inaccurate. 

 Who are supposing ? Then, having already used the word once, 

 you should not have used it again in the same sentence. Again, 

 what does "say" moan? Also, why use the Latin word per, 

 when "in an" would have served your purpose? You speak of 

 various places. But the word various, so used, is quite unmeaning. 

 If it were not redundant it would be incorrect, for the word 

 various implies that the objects to which it is applied vary from 

 each other. Xow, the places through which you have to pass 

 may, for aught you know, be precisely alike. Further, you should 

 not have said " my walk," but " my walking." The word " bring," 

 also, is inappropriate. I will go home and write an essay on each 

 of the questions which I have raised respecting your incorrect 

 language ; and 



Traveller. In the meantime, will you kindly teU mo what I 

 want to know ? 



Mr. Moox (asid-.) He does not mean " in the meantime," but 

 before that. {Aloud.) No, sir; that is what won should tell me. 

 Not to speak of telling yon, how can I eveu learn what you 

 want to know, when you fail to express yourself in terms at once 

 clear an4 accurate. Permit me to quote for your edification a 

 passage from the preface to my treatise on the " Revisers' English." 

 •'The mind which allows itself complacently to delight" — 



Traveller. How about tautology ? [He goes upon his waif. 



Mr. Moox. (.-Isidt'. A most inexact expression !) Understand, 

 sir, that in what I write no one has ever yet detected imperfections 

 — "complacently to delight," I say (raisimj his roice) "in any- 

 thing below the highest standard of excellence, is thereby dwarfing 

 its faculties ; for (louder) we become assimilated to that wiiich wo 

 worship, and {shouliiiy) [we] are ennobled or debased by the in- 

 fluence of that upon which our minds dwell with satisfaction." Ho 

 is beyond hearing ; I will write a series of letters for Public Opinion, 

 and point out his multitudinous errors. I iriH bo heard; he shall 

 (Saxon, seealan) listen to me. 



In this spirit Mr. Moon has revised the revisers' English. 

 We do not much admire tlie revised version of the New 

 Testament. Its authors set themselves an impossible task. 

 They proposed to correct the faults of translation in the 

 Authorised Version, to retain as much as possible of its 

 antique style, to adhere to English idioms, and to write 

 what all should understand. The result is a singular con- 

 glomeration of tautology, Greek idiom, obsolete expressions, 

 and commonplace language. 



In all former attempts to translate the Bible, the 

 language of the time was adopted, and thus each trans- 

 lation not only expressed the ideas of the Bible writers in 

 such language as men commonly employed, but left to 

 future ages a record of the language in each sucoessire 

 stage of its development Our revisers have been afraid 



