March 19, 1903J 



NA TURE 



46 1 



processes when a comparatively rough result is suffi- 

 cient for the purpose in view. Some of the processes 

 described have not usually been introduced into elemen- 

 tary treatises, but all that are given have been found 

 by the author to be well adapted for students. It is not 

 quite clear why the description of instruments is post- 

 poned to the part dealing with accurate determin- 

 ations, seeing that their use is assumed in earlier 

 chapters, but otherwise the sequence is all that can be 

 desired. Some of the " forms " for computation do 

 not seem to be the best that could be devised for be- 

 ginners, though they are doubtless well adapted to 

 trained workers, and we think they could be made more 

 self-explanatory with advantage to the student. The 

 book deals very completely with the astronomical work 

 involved in surveying, and anyone who masters its 

 contents will obtain a thoroughly sound knowledge of 

 the subject. 



A New Student's Atlas of English History. By Emil 

 Reich, Doctor Juris. Pp. vii + 55 maps. (London: 

 Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) Price 10s. 6d. 

 This small and handy atlas will be found of use in the 

 higher forms of schools, for the modern specialising 

 sixth form boy who is going to add to the number of 

 open scholarships which his school can advertise to 

 the world, more especially. Nor will the aspirant after 

 a " first in modern history " find Dr. Reich's book of 

 small use to him by any means. It contains many 

 points that will not be found elsewhere; for instance, 

 the historical summaries facing the maps in most 

 cases will prove very handy. The maps themselves 

 are good and are up-to-date ; the latest partition of 

 Africa is given, and the Transvaal and Orange Colony 

 are as red as Natal. We may, perhaps, object to 

 Egypt being described in brackets as " (Turkish) " on 

 map 48 ; if it is not British, it is Egyptian ; the shadowy 

 and hardly even nominal overlordship of Turkey is 

 hardly worth commemoration any longer. Also, there 

 are not enough maps ; what there are are so good 

 that we should like more. 



As is perhaps natural, however, in a German author, 

 there is a suspicion of pedantry about the book. In 

 the preface there is much talk about " paedagogy " 

 (though " pedagogue " in English is a term of abuse, 

 and the Greek nmSaywyos was a sort of male nurse- 

 maid!), and it is obviously directed rather to the 

 address of the schoolmaster than of his pupil. Person- 

 ally, we think that such a preface should be written 

 for the information of the boy who is going to read 

 the book. But this is a matter of opinion. 



The Rational Memory. By W. H. Groves. Pp. vi + 



115. (Gloucester, Va. : W. H. Groves, n.d.) 

 Few could read this useful little book of 115 pages 

 without benefit. The author does not claim original- 

 ity, but has selected the principles and facts of recog- 

 nised importance from other works on memory. The 

 author draws special attention to the fact that one man 

 may have a good memory for certain things, and yet 

 be very deficient in remembering others. This fact, 

 though so well known, is constantly overlooked by 

 writers on memory. They can themselves remember, 

 through the possession of some well-developed faculty, 

 and therefore invent a system based on this fact, 

 whereas the majority of persons might find greater 

 difficulty in remembering through the system than 

 through the ordinary method. The author devotes four 

 chapters to the consideration of concentration and ob- 

 servation. There is a very instructive chapter on the 

 necessity of reviewing the knowledge we possess, so as 

 to have it available at any given moment. As we re- 

 member entirely from single impressions, it is of the 

 greatest practical importance that when we receive 

 NO. 1742, VOL. 67] 



a new impression the previous one be revived. A 

 simple illustration will make this clear : A man may- 

 meet another three separate times without remember- 

 ing that he has met him before; he might subsequently 

 remember that he had met the man on any one of the 

 three occasions, but the remembrance would not be 

 nearly so vivid as if he had recognised his acquaintance 

 each time they met. The chapter on the subconscious 

 or subjective memory contains many statements which 

 will not admit of proof. As a matter of fact, all 

 memory is subconscious; everything- is remembered, 

 and may, in favourable circumstances, be brought 

 before the mind. There are some curious errors 

 which the author would do well to correct in another 

 edition, such, for instance, as the use of the word 

 " mneumonics," which occurs repeatedly for "mne- 

 monics," and the reference to Mr. Gladstone as Sir Wm. 

 Gladstone. 



Real Things in Nature. A Reading Book of Science 

 for American Boys and Girls. By Edward S. Holden, 

 Sc.D., LL.D., Librarian of the U.S. Military 

 Academy, West Point. Pp. .xxxviii + 443. (New- 

 York : The Macmillan Company, 1903.) Price 35. 6d. 

 The subtitle of this book is somewhat misleading, 

 because it may give the idea that Dr. Holden imagines 

 it is possible to teach science by reading lessons alone. 

 An examination of the contents of the volume shows 

 this is by no means the case, for Dr. Holden continuallv 

 instructs his reader to try experiments bearing upon 

 the statements made in the book. The scope of the 

 volume is very wide, readings being given in astro- 

 nomy, the various branches of physics, meteorology, 

 chemistry, geology, zoology, botany, human physi- 

 ology, and the numerous subjects included under the 

 early history of mankind. The book is well and pro- 

 fusely illustrated; it contains a full table of contents, 

 but no index, an omission which rather interferes with 

 the usefulness of the book as a work of reference for 

 pupils. 



Castology : a View of the Oolite Period and Earliest 

 Man. By J. Craven Thomas. Pp. 20. (Bromley : 

 Kentish District Times Co., Ltd.) 

 Tins purports to be a paper read before " The Bromley 

 Naturalist (sic) Society " in November, 1902, and we 

 can only marvel. Had it been written two or three 

 hundred years ago we should not have been sur- 

 prised, but for anyone in the twentieth century to 

 advance seriously the views expressed by Mr. Craven 

 Thomas is astounding. His " science of castology " 

 appears to be the contemplation (we cannot say study) 

 of flint-casts which he regards as belonging to the 

 Oolite period ! But it will be sufficient to quote one 

 paragraph from his pamphlet : — " Fossil flint is that 

 which is composed of petrified organisms, with or 

 without a certain amount of integument, such as 

 leaves, branches of trees, fruit, birds, beasts, fishes, 

 and broken parts of man " ! ! 



The New Forest. Its Traditions, Inhabitants, and 



Customs. By Rose C. de Crespigny and Horace 



Hutchinson. Pp. viii + 293. (London : John 



Murray, 1903.) Price 2s. 6d. net. 



This pleasantly written book appeals both to lovers 



of the New Forest and to those who have yet to make 



the acquaintance of this vast woodland region. 



Readers who have themselves explored the recesses and 



solitudes of the forest will be impressed by the wide 



knowledge of the beauties of this part of Hampshire 



possessed by the authors; and those who have not yet 



strolled through the leafy glades of, say, Mark Ash will, 



after reading the book, be anxious to spend a few 



pleasant days wandering in the forest. 



