Makch 23, 1905] 



NA TURE 



^85 



visible in these longitudes ; the declinations are omitted 

 from the maps, but this information, and the right 

 ascensions of every star marked, are given in the table 

 showing the mean places (and annual change) for 

 January, 1904. Other lists include the names of 

 the constellations and the principal stars in each, 

 and a complete alphabetical list of stars in the 

 maps. 



With regard to the general get-up of the maps, 

 letterpress, and portfolio which encloses them, more 

 could not be desired, and great credit is due to both 

 compiler and publisher for producing such a service- 

 able and handsome set of star charts for the use of 

 beginners, and_ at such a low price. ^^^ J. S. L. 



.4 CONTRIBUTION TO MUSEUM HISTORY. 



The History of the Collections contained in the 

 Natural History Departments of the British 

 Museum. \o\. i. Pp. xvii + 442. (London: 

 Printed bv Order of the Trustees of •the British 

 Museum, 1904.) 



EVERY museum of the first rank has two histories, 

 one of which is usually written but rarely pub- 

 lished — the history of the gradual accumulation of the 

 museum material, by purchase, exchange, or donation, 

 and another, which can hardly ever be written — the 

 history of the internal metabolism, the arrangement 

 and re-arrangement, the differentiation and integra- 

 tion, the " Kampf der Theile im Organismus." It 

 may not be difficult to indicate how various museums 

 have adapted themselves to the advance of science 

 and to their growing constituency under the influence 

 of effective directors, how nature has crept in between 

 the teeth of the abstractive scientific fork, how 

 evolutionary series have replaced static taxonomic dis- 

 plays, how problems of practical human interest have 

 been recognised, how a mere chamber of horrors has 

 become an introduction to a rational study of patho- 

 logical variation, and so on; but who can ever tell 

 the detailed physiological story of the metamorphoses? 

 For the great museum is an organism of many parts, 

 each with its spiritus rector, each developing inde- 

 pendently, and N'et in cooperation with the rest. It 

 may not be difficult to show how a museum has 

 changed or is changing as the various objectives — 

 for instruction, for investigation, for inspiration — 

 have become more clear to the organisers; when, for 

 instance, the simple step is taken of discriminating 

 between what can be usefully exhibited and what 

 should be as usefully concealed ; but who can ever tell 

 how much even this simple step costs? Is the price- 

 less connecting link to be shown with blinds up or 

 with blinds down, or net at all? But we must not 

 intrude further into the real history of a great museum ; 

 it is an intricate story of thrust and parry between 

 keepers and their environment, both animate and in- 

 animate. The history before us is a history, not of 

 the British Museum (Natural History Departments) 

 as a growing organism ; it is the history of the collec- 

 tions — a story of accretion. 

 NO. 1847, VOL. 71] 



The first volume of the history of the collections 

 preserved in the four natural history departments of 

 the British Museum deals with the botanical, geo- 

 logical, and mineralogical material, and also with the 

 libraries. It has been produced at the suggestion of 

 the director. Prof. E. Ray Lankester, by the officers 

 in charge of the collections. Mr. B. B. Woodward 

 has written the history of the libraries ; Mr. George 

 Murray, assisted by Mr. Britten, that of the depart- 

 ment of botany; Dr. Arthur Smith Woodward, with 

 valuable help from the late keeper. Dr. Henry Wood- 

 ward, and from Dr. Bather, assistant keeper, that of 

 the department of geology ; and Mr. Fletcher that of 

 the department of minerals. The second volume will 

 deal with the department of zoology. 



It need hardly be said that the various histories of 

 the collections are scholarly productions ; they tell of 

 the foundation-stones and of the additions made from 

 year to year, and they give an annotated alphabetical 

 list of the numerous benefactors and vendors. The 

 result is not adapted for fireside perusal, but it is very 

 impressive, giving us a correct idea of the variety, 

 extent, and importance of the immense series of 

 collected specimens which are carefully guarded and 

 ordered, " not only " (according to the terms of Sir 

 Hans Sloane's will) " for the inspection and entertain- 

 ment of the learned and curious, but for the general 

 use and benefit of the public to all posterity." And 

 it is also interesting to turn over the leaves and observe 

 how many famous names occur on the honourable 

 lists. Many of the short biographical notes in the 

 geological and mineralogical sections supply valuable 

 historical material. A useful addendum, we think, 

 would have been a series of references to the cata- 

 logues and memoirs in which the collected material has 

 been described. 



The book will be of great value to investigators who 

 wish to trace collections and specimens, or who wish 

 to know beforehand what to e.xpect in the British 

 Museum ; and everyone will agree that it furnishes 

 abundant documentary proof of the carefulness and 

 business-like methods of the great museum, which is 

 one of the national assets that we have most reason 

 to be proud of. 



SCIENCE AND METAPHYSICS. 

 Scientific Fact and Metaphysical Reality. By Robert 

 Brandon Arnold. Pp. xxiii -1-360. (London ; Mac- 

 millan and Co., Ltd., 1904.) Price los. net. 



IF this book does not conform to the adage 

 " Nonum prematur in annum " — for Mr. 

 Arnold's undergraduate career is no distant memory 

 — that is no ground for complaint. The work is not 

 only one of great promise, but a notable performance. 

 In originality of conception, vigour and clearness of 

 statement, width of outlook and fairness to all the 

 aspects of experience, it would be with difficulty sur- 

 passed. At the same time it is quite unpretentious ; 

 there is no parade of learning; there is not a single 

 foot-note. The one digression of any length — or 



