Iaboh 1, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



65 



work ; and if he has claimed more for his thesis than the 

 occasional identity of thought and similarity of expression 

 will fairly carry, still he has not for an instant wavered in 

 his allegiance to the study on which he set out. But he 

 appears to contradict himself upon the important question 

 as to whether Shakspere had seen parts of Fiorio's 

 translation earlier than 160;{ — the year of its publication — 

 " or even that he might have read Montaigne in the 

 original" (page 12); for later on in the essay (page 50) 

 Mr. Robertson says : " That Shakspere read Montaigne in 

 the original once seemed probable to me, as to others ; but 

 on closer study I consider it unlikely, were it only because 

 the Montaigne influence begins in Hamlet." In that case, 

 of course, at least one of Mr. Eabertson's parallelisms 

 falls to the ground. 



That Montaigne lighted a lamp in Shakspere which 

 shone through all his after work is clear, but the quaint 

 old French philosopher's searching criticisms of life were 

 given an immortal setting by the poetic genius of the 

 English dramatist. " The influence," says Mr. Robertson, 

 " is from the very start of that high sort in which he that 

 takes becomes co-thinker with him that gives, Shakspere's 

 absorption of Montaigne being as vital as Montaigne's own 

 assimilation of the thoughts of his classics. The process 

 is one not of surface reflection, but of kindling by contact ; 

 and we seem to see even the vibration of the style passing 

 from one intelligence to the other, the nervous and copious 

 speech of Montaigne awakening Shakspere to a new sense 

 of power over rhythm and poignant phrase, at the same 

 time that the stimulus of the thought gives him a new 

 confidence in the validity of his own reflections." 



The subject is a fascinating one indeed, and not alone 

 to the student of Shakspere, for Mr. Robertson's critical 

 method is so unemotional and impassive, and yet so 

 scrupulously just and many sided, as to afl:ord in itself an 

 interesting and instructive study, quite apart from the 

 special interest of its subject. 



The Elfinentx of Astionoimj. By Chas. A. Young, Ph.D. 

 (Ginn & Co.) Illustrated. This edition of Prof. Young's 

 book has been revised and brought up to date. The 

 author is well known by his larger work — " General 

 Astronomy " ; but it is asserted that the volume under 

 notice is not a mere compilation from the more pretentious 

 work. Its purpose is to teach astronomical science to 

 scholars in middle-class schools, and more especially those 

 who have not much mathematical knowledge beyond the 

 limits of simple algebraic and trigonometrical fmictions. 

 Indeed, the science of astronomy may be made interesting 

 without any knowledge at all of formula. The book, we 

 think, fiUs the requirements of the class of students 

 specified. All the latest researches are mentioned, includ- 

 ing the eclipse of the sun in August, 1896, and genuine 

 additions to oxvc knowledge are incorporated. Clear de- 

 scriptions are given of the planets, stars, nebuls, etc. — and 

 by clear, we mean that the author here exhibits the happy 

 knack of conveying information, even on intricate sub- 

 jects, in language shorn of all pedantry : an acquisition, or 

 a gift — it is diflicult to say which — not by any means 

 common among scientific men of the first rank. A little 

 pamphlet, called a uranography, is tacked on, which was 

 at first intended to be issued separately ; it is meant as an 

 open-air guide to a study of the principal stars, and 

 is accompanied by charts representing the chief constella- 

 tions. A good feature of the whole book consists in the 

 free distribution of a large number of first-rate diagrams, 

 which add not a little to the general attractiveness of the 

 volume — a great desideratum in text-books. A synopsis 

 and questions are added for the benefit of those who read 

 the book for examination purposes. 



SHORT NOTICES. 



The Machinery of the Univerae. " Romance of Science " Series. 

 By A. E. Dolbcar. (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.) 

 Illustrated. An ambitious title, truly ! and also misleading. " The 

 machinery of the universe " turns out to bo that mysterious ether 

 which, if occasion rei(uires, can perform either the functions of a 

 Uuid or a solid, or do duty for both at one and the same time. 

 Writing of the number of molecules in the visible universe, the 

 author says (page 29) : " The point is that there is a definite, computable 

 number." A definite number there may be, but computiihle, never. 

 As well might one say that all the thoughts which have ever entered 

 the myria<ls of human heads are computable. Although the author 

 displays much eruditio'n, he has not yet learnt to take off his shoes, 

 and to cover himself with sackcloth and ashes, when entering the 

 inner court of the great unknown. 



Chemisfri/ for Photographers. By C. F. Townsend. (Dawbarn 

 <fe Ward.) Illustrated. Is. net. There is much in this baok of use 

 to the practical amateur photographer who wishes to understand the 

 nature of the various thomicals he has to use. There arc brief but 

 ample explanations of such mysteries as the salts of silver and 

 development; also useful chapters on the different printing processes, 

 impurities in acids and alkalis, and a number of hints on miscellaneous 

 subjects connected with the art of photography. 



Pictorial Instruction Object Lesaoiis. By Or. Colomb. Adapted 

 into English by Seymour J. Gubb, u A. (Rclfe Bros.) Illustrated. 

 Is. (id. Akin to that popular French scientilic book of Paul Bert's,- 

 the idea of M. Colomb is to combine in his book pictorial illustration 

 with instruction in a manner siutablc to be put into the hands of the 

 younger generation. It is, in fact, a kind of child's picture book, but 

 of a more edifying sort : pictures of everyday life, including manu- 

 faotures, domestic operations, natural history, chemistry, physics, 

 mineralogy, and so on. A short — very short — description is placed 

 underneath each figure. On the whole the book has a very lively 

 appearance about it and deserves to be widely known. 



Revolving Planisphere. (George Philip&Son.) 2s. An oval opening 

 in the disc of this apparatus represents the horizon for which the 

 planisphere is constructod, and the part of the heavens visible at any 

 stated time may be found by adjusting the movable disc till the day 

 of the month marked upon its edge corresponds with the time of day 

 or night figured upon a superposed disc. An auxiliary disc, adjust- 

 able once a week, serves the jjurpose of a perpetual calendar. The 

 apparatus is ingenious in construction and extremely attractive in 

 appearance. 



We have received from Mr. L. CascUa a catalogue of automatic 

 recording instruments of various types, described as well as figured, 

 among which is a pyrometer, recording results up to -ioOO" F., 

 the automatic rain gauge, bai'Ograph, thermograph, electrograph, 

 anemograph, and many others; also the actinometcr for measuring 

 the heat and light of the sun. A new photo-theodolite here figured 

 is of considerable value for detennining the dimensions of olijects 

 accurately by means of photographs whicli give true perspective 

 pictures, and obviate the use of a large number of note-books in 

 surveying operations. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Aiidree and his Salloon. B}' Hem-i Lachambre and Alexis 

 Machuron. (Constable.) Illustrated. 63. 



Glass Blowing and Glass Working . By Thomas Bolas. (Dawbarn 

 & Ward.) Illustrated. 23. net. 



On Laboratory Arts. By Richard Threlfall, M.A. (Macmillan.) 

 Illustrated. 6s. 



The Arrangement of Atoms in Space. By J. H. Tan't Hoff. 

 Translated by Arnold Eiloart. (Longmans.) 6s. 6d. 



The Moon. By Richard A. Proctor. Fourth Edition. (Long- 

 mans.) Illustrated. 3s. 6d. 



T/ie Tfar of the Worlds. By H. G. Wells. (Heinemann.) 6s. 



Elementary Physics. By John G. Kerr, sr.A. (Blackie.) 

 Illustrated. Is. 6d. 



The Story of the British Coinage. By Gertrude B. Rawlings. 

 (Newnes.) Illustrated. Is. 



Calendar, History, and General Summary of Eegulations, Science 

 and Art Department. (Eyre & Spottiswoode.) Is. 7d. 



The Science of the Ideal. By F. J. Linford- Wilson. (Reeves.) 

 Illustrated. 2s. 6d. 



Storm and Sunshine in the Dales. By P. H. Lockwood. (EUiot 

 Stock.) Illustrated. 



Bemarkable Comets. Ev W. T. Lynn. Sixth Edition. (Stan- 

 ford.) 6d. 



Elementary Botany. By Percy Groom, M A. (Bell.) Illustrated. 

 3s. 6d. 



Charles Dickens. By George Gissing. (Blackie.) 23. 6d. 



Terje Viken. From the Xorse of Henrik Ibsen. By Alfred 

 Lishuian. (The Author : Fockerby, Goole.) 



