FEBRUARY ITI, 1904] 
NATURE 
339 
and other remains on a surer basis than has heretofore 
been possible. Mr. Maudslay systematically gives, 
where possible, photographs of the monuments and in- 
scribed slabs, and, as many of these are injured, puts 
beside the photograph a careful outline drawing with 
any restorations for which authority may exist. Thus 
his plates provide an invaluable corpus of Maya inscrip- 
tions, absolutely trustworthy on the point of accuracy, 
which cannot but serve as a starting point for their 
interpretation. It must not, however, be thought that 
this monumental work is silent as to the meaning of 
the hieroglyphs, for a stout appendix of 144 pages con- 
tains a detailed explanation of their purpose and mean- 
ing. This contribution is not from the pen of Mr. 
Maudslay, but is written by Mr. J. T. Goodman, a Cali- 
fornian enthusiast on the subject of Maya history. 
From his too modest preface we gather that he has 
spent twelve years in conjunction with Dr. Gustav 
Eisen, of San Francisco, in this study, and that the 
present work is only a preliminary sketch, written ex- 
pressly to accompany Mr. Maudslay’s work. 
Mr. Goodman has but little respect for the methods 
of those who have, or should have, attempted the inter- 
pretation of the mysterious writings, and his position 
may be stated in his own words, that he has lost con- 
fidence in the ability of learning, but retains 
faith in the genius of ignorance. Such a confes- 
sion may act as a deterrent or an attraction; 
but its candour and courage are manifest. Mr. 
Goodman writes of the ‘‘ Archaic system ’’ found 
at Palenque, Copan, Tikal and elsewhere, that 
‘all the inscriptions so far brought to light are of a 
purely chronological character, destitute of any real 
historical importance.’’ This of itself is no mean dis- 
covery, if further research should confirm it, and it 
must be confessed that the elaborate tables here pub- 
lished have been extensively used by subsequent 
workers. 
It is impossible here to do more than state that from 
the external evidence, Spanish and other, Mr. Good- 
man’s scheme is probable. One of his fixtures may be 
mentioned to give an idea of the vast sea of chronology 
on which we are embarked, viz., that the period 
chronicled in the existing Maya inscriptions was the be- 
ginning of the last quarter of their grand era, marked 
by the observance of its 280,o00th year! Truly the 
New World is the older one, and instead of looking for 
the origin of American civilisation on this side of the 
world we should try the other way about. Whether or 
no the ancient culture of the American continent is in- 
digenous is a question not likely to be answered in our 
time. The one point on which all are agreed is that if 
any connection or influence existed it must have been 
at a time so remote that geological rather than chron- 
ological methods of computation must be invoked. 
It is, therefore, somewhat childish to insist upon 
small coincidences, the occurrence of particular pat 
terns and the like*® The existence of the oriental game 
of pachisi is certainly a remarkable fact and worthy of 
note, and the resemblances in style between the archi- 
tecture of Egypt and that of Central America are equally 
so. But all primitive folk have games, and the evolu- 
No. 1789, VOL. 69] 
tion of pachisi in two independent centres is conceiv- 
able; while the architecture both of Egypt and of 
ancient America is, after all, little more than the piling 
of stone upon stone. The decorative part of the build- 
ings is another matter. If, however, it could be shown 
that there was an identity of method in computing time 
between the Maya and any of the nations of antiquity 
in the eastern hemisphere, that would be truly a step 
towards fulness of knowledge. One point related to 
such matters has, as a matter of fact, been already satis- 
factorily determined, viz., the identity of orientation of 
temples in Yucatan and in Egypt, pointing to sun- 
worship at the same seasons and the use of the same 
northern stars in both countries, according to Sir 
Norman Lockyer. Here truly is a good solid basis for 
relations or communication between the two, and so 
good a starting point should prove fruitful both of 
accurate observation in the future, and show the direc- 
tion that serious investigations should take. It is to 
the United States that the world naturally looks for sus- 
tained efforts to solve the archeological problems of 
Central America, and there are many signs that well- 
equipped students will not be wanting. | Meanwhile, 
England may justifiably take pride in having produced 
the most important book on the subject, while Mr. 
Maudslay is to be congratulated on the completion 
of a magnum opus involving so great an amount of 
personal labour—a labour of love it certainly was—and 
on the possession of a friend like Mr. Godman to put 
his results before the public in so worthy a guise. 
FRICTION IN MACHINERY. 
Friction and its Reduction. By G. U. Wheeler. Pp. 
vilit+171. (London: Whittaker and Co., 1903.) 
Price 3s. net. 
A Treatise on Friction and Lost Work in Machinery 
and Mill-Work. By R. H. Thurston. Pp. xi+ 425. 
(New York: J. Wiley and Sons; London : Chapman 
and Hall, Ltd., 1903.) 7th edition. Price 3 dollars. 
R. WHEELER’S book is a reprint in the 
I main of a series of articles contributed by 
the author to atechnical journal, but a considerable 
amount of new matter has been added; it deals 
fairly completely with the subject of friction in 
machinery and the means adopted for its reduction. 
The first two chapters are devoted to a discussion 
on the importance of the subject from a mechanical 
engineer’s point of view, and to brief statements 
of the laws of solid, rolling, and fluid friction. 
Then follow a series of chapters bringing together in 
a very convenient form for reference all the experi- 
mental work on the subject of friction likely to be of 
value to those engaged in the design of machinery. 
We would point out, however, that the author has 
failed in several cases to give exact references to the 
original sources from whence his tables and other 
data have been obtained; this is unfortunate, as very 
often those making use of the book will be anxious 
to refer to the original memoirs. Some account is then 
given of the physical properties, such as_ specific 
