Apbil 1, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



87 



hypnotism has been abused and misrepresented in modern 

 fictiou, and it is certainly remarkable that all such writers 

 should have failed to convey " any true idea of the 

 hypnotic state or the dangers which may attend its use." 



Aivln'f and hi.H lialloon. By Henri Lachambre and 

 Alexis Machuron. (Constable.) Illustrated. Os. There 

 is little of importance in this book that was not generally 

 known before its publication. In the introduction a very 

 brief history of the life of Andrt'e is followed by a detailed 

 account of the construction of the famous balloon. The 

 rest of the book deals at great length, and in a highly 

 emotional style, with the two expeditions to Spitzbergen, 

 and the work done there in connection with the inflation 

 of the balloon, to which is added an account of its final 

 departure with the three explorers on July 11th, 1897. 

 As everyone knows, the first of these expeditions was a 

 failure. Owing to the prevalence of northerly winds the 

 balloon was unable to start, and the whole expedition had 

 to return. M. Lachambre accompanied this expedition to 

 superintend the inflation and general preparation of the 

 balloon. M. Machuron accompanied the second and suc- 

 cessful expedition in the same capacity as his collaborator. 

 The whole story would have formed a fitting subject for a 

 couple of magazine articles, but there is nothing in it to 

 warrant its publication in book form. 



The Xaturalixt's Directory, L'^ft.'i. (Upcott Gill.) Is. 

 The idea of this book is good, and if it were conscientiously 

 and exhaustively carried out the work would have con- 

 siderable value. As it is, the inconsistent omission of the 

 names of a number of well-known naturalists makes the 

 book utterly worthless. This is now the fourth year of its 

 publication, and we almost cease to hope that it will ever 

 have any value. Perhaps the editor, whose name is not 

 disclosed, will some day be aroused by his critics and wake 

 up to his responsibilities. 



The Jdiinuih of Walter White. With a Preface by his 

 Brother, William White. (Chapman \ Hall.) Gs. Walter 

 White was for thirty years the assistant secretary of the 

 Royal Society, having been appointed to that office after 

 serving ten years as sub-librarian. In his later capacity 

 he came into intimate contact with many of the men 

 whose names are now famous throughout the world. The 

 diary, which he seems to have very carefully kept, con- 

 tains all sorts of interesting facts — many of them trivial, 

 it is true — about notables, as well as quaint expressions of 

 his views of things in general. Some of his reflections on 

 the characters of various men of science might, we think, 

 have been rather more carefully edited. Men of science, 

 like other mortals, are not without their faults and eccen- 

 tricities, but no good purpose is served by exhibiting them 

 to the public. We did not anticipate finding that Prof. 

 Dewar, when he was younger than he is now, remarked to 

 the diarist that " he was shocked when in London by the 

 self-seeking of scientific men ; no man caring to work for 

 love of the work." Much water has, however, passed 

 under the bridges since then. If any of our readers find 

 themselves with an hour which they can spare, they will 

 be able to pleasantly occupy it with these journals of 

 Walter White. 



The Knciiclo}ixdi(i of Sport. Edited by the Earl of 

 Suffolk and Berkshire, Hedley Peek, and F. G. Aflalo. 

 Vol. I. (Laurence i Bullen.) Illustrated. This work, 

 which iy to be completed in two volumes (the first of which 

 is now under review), is being issued in parts. There is 

 no doubt that such a work is needed, since it will take the 

 place of " Blaine's Encyclopwdia of Kural Sports," which 

 is now quite out of date. The scope of the present volume 

 is very wide and embraces every sort of sport, from 

 amateur athletics to leopard spearing, besides describing a 



great many beasts, birds, and fishes, and dealing with such 

 a subject even as "first aid." The articles are for the 

 most part written by authorities on the several subjects 

 treated of, and the matter is therefore generally accurate 

 and up to date. A bibliography is provided at the end of 

 each important subject, and this forms a very valuable 

 adjunct. Mr. Millais' statement, on page 118, that blaek- 

 game are practically extinct in the New Forest is not 

 warranted by the fact. There are still a fair number of 

 blackgame in the New Forest, as, indeed, the Marquis of 

 Granby correctly states on page 487, in the article on 

 grouse. In dealing with the use of brass cases for wild- 

 fowl guns {page 49ii), some mention should have been 

 made of the pegamoid waterproof cases. The book is 

 provided with a large number of illustrations, many of 

 them very fine. Amongst these are a number of drawings 

 by Mr. Thorbum, whose only weak point seems to be a 

 lack of accurate proportion. We would draw attention 

 to the picture of the capercailzie, facing page 178. The 

 male and female birds are here made about the same 

 size, notwithstanding the very marked difference in size 

 of the two sexes. If the second volume proves equal in 

 accuracy and completeness to the first, this encyclopaedia 

 will form an indispensable book of reference to sportsmen 

 of every order. 



Applied Mechanics. By John Perry, ii.e., d sc, f.r.s. 

 (Cassell & Co.) 93. It is not too much to say that the 

 publication of this book was awaited with the greatest 

 interest by all teachers of applied mechanics in those 

 technical schools and science classes where the subject is 

 taught under the regulations of the Science and Art 

 Department. Prof. Perry was quite recently appointed 

 the examiner in applied mechanics for the central authority 

 at South Kensington ; consequently, there are upwards of 

 eight thousand students, in nearly three hundred classes, 

 interested in learning how he thinks this subject should be 

 taught and learnt. At the outset we venture to say that, 

 under the conditions which obtain in the ordinary evening 

 classes, applied mechanics cannot be taught in the way 

 Prof. Perry lays down as the only proper method. The 

 first chapter opens with the statement : " The student of 

 applied mechanics is supposed to have some acquaintance 

 already with the principles of mechanics ; to be able to 

 multiply and divide numbers, and to use logarithms ; to 

 have done a little practical geometry ; to know a little 

 algebra, and the definitions of sine, cosine, and tangent of 

 an angle ; and to have used squared paper. He is supposed 

 to be working many numerical and graphical exercises ; to 

 be spending four hours a week at least in a mechanical 

 laboratory ; to be learning about materials and tools in an 

 iron and wood workshop ; and to be getting acquainted with 

 gearing and engineering apphances in a drawing office and 

 elsewhere." This reads well enough, but we wonder how 

 many of the students who present themselves for instruc- 

 tion at the first meeting of an elementary class in applied 

 mechanics in connection with the Department of Science 

 and Art are able to do half the things enumerated in the 

 paragraph we have quoted ? The book will have been a 

 disappointment to the teacher who has to be examined by 

 its author, for it is evidently addressed to a different class 

 of student altogether. Of the volume as a treatise on applied 

 mechanics it is unnecessary to say anything. Prof. Perry's 

 name is evidence enough that the book is accurate, modem, 

 clear, and practical. It is svritten in a style which imme- 

 diately arrests the reader, but soon makes him angry with 

 the frequency of the outbursts against " academic " 

 methods, and the free use of the first person singular. 

 Certainly every teacher of the subject should read the book 

 from cover to cover, and then, if possible, re-read it. 



