Atigusi 1 8, 1881] 



NATURE 



355 



species of algse this little manual of the New England 

 species will prove a most welcome volume. They will 

 find in the chapter on the structure and classification 

 facts that were not known in Harvey's day, and which, 

 here collected for them within a brief space, they would 

 otherwise have to search for in the writing: of Thuret, 

 Bornet, Janczweski, Rostefinski, Pringsheim, or Reinke. 



Tlie Ben'ies and Heaths of Rannoch. (London: G. Bell 

 and Sons, 1881.) 



The berry-bearing plants here described and delineated 

 are eight, viz. Vacdnium oxycoccos, V. Myrtilhis, V. 

 u/iginosum, V. vi/is Idaa, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, A. 

 alpina, Empetriim nigrum, and Rubus c/iamtFinorus, all 

 of which do not, strictly speaking, come within the geo- 

 graphical limitation of the title-page. The heaths are 

 three only in number, viz. the common Erica cinerca and 

 Tetra/ix, and Calluna vulgaris, to which are added two 

 other nearly allied species not actually found within the 

 district, Andromeda polifolia and Loiseletiria (^Azalea) 

 prociimbeiis. In the letterpress it is not to be expected 

 that anything new could be added to what is already 

 known about these plants ; but in an appendix is given a 

 list of the Gaelic names of the various species supplied by 

 the editor of the Scottisli Naturalist. The coloured 

 plates are exceedingly good and characteristic ; but surely 

 it should have been stated that they are taken from 

 Scwerby's " English Botany." The volume is a pretty 

 one to lie on the drawing-room table. A. W. B. 



Lclu-buch der Mineralogie. Von Dr. G. Tschermak. I. 

 Lieferung. (Wien : Alfred Holder, 18S1.) 



It is with great pleasure that we have received this in- 

 stalment of Prof. Tschermak's work, and also learnt from 

 the publisher's introductory note that the rest of the book 

 may be expected during the course of a year. The work 

 is sketched somewhat on the lines of Nauraann's well- 

 known " Elemente der Mineralogie," but follows Miller's 

 Mineralogy in the wider scope given to mineral physics. 

 The present number is introductory, and treats of descrip- 

 tive crystallography, crystal-structure, general mineral 

 physics, and includes a considerable portion of mineral 

 optics. In the crystallography the Millerian notation and 

 the stereographic projection are employed, and the systems 

 are developed from the principle of sj-mmetry in a clear 

 and simple manner. Prof. Tschermak has adopted the 

 four-plane axial system in the rhombohedral system, 

 which is sometimes designated the Bravais-Miller system. 

 Possibly this may appear to non-mathematical students 

 simpler, and may to a certain extent be more easily 

 mastered, but we feel sure that in its practical application 

 to crystallographic problems it does not possess either 

 the elegance or conciseness of the three-plane axial 

 system selected by Prof. Miller. We feel also that it is 

 most unfair to Prof. Miller's memory to attach his name, 

 even in a double-barrelled way, to a system which he 

 steadily refused to adopt. The theories and facts of twin 

 and mimetic crystals are carefully expounded. These con- 

 stitute a branch of mineralogy which has become of the 

 utmost importance since the application of the microscope 

 in the investigation of the optic properties of minerals. 

 Other sections, which are especially good, are those on 

 mineral inclusions, on the hardness and etching of crystal 

 faces. These contain a large amount of information which 

 is rarely to be found except by a laborious search through 

 scientific periodicals. The book is divided into sections, 

 each dealing with its separate subject, and at the end of 

 each section is a list of the more important literature of 

 the subject. The work so far is excellent, and if, as we 

 have every reason to expect, it be carried through in an 

 equally satisfactory' manner, we shall possess a text-book 

 in keeping with the reputation of its author and worthy of 

 the school to which he belongs. W. J. Lewis 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 



[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed 

 by his con-espondents. Neither can he undertake to return, 

 or to correspo)id with the writers of, rejected manuscripts. 

 No notice is taken of anonymous communications. 



[ The Editor urgently requests correspondents to keep their letters 

 as short as possible. The pressure on his space is so great 

 that it is impossible othenvise to ensure the appearance even 

 of communications containing interesting and novel facts.'\ 



Panizzi and the Royal Society 



The "Life of Panizzi" byhi.s friend and colleague, Mr. Louis 

 Fagan,' is marked by a tone of indiscriminate adulation which 

 disfigures many specimens of modem biography. The hero is 

 perfect, and they who think otherwise are dismissed with words 

 of contempt, or are admonished to go and meditate on their 

 wicked ways and then return in repentant mood to the commu- 

 nity of hero-worshippers. 



In the Royal Society's treatment of Panizzi, Mr. Fagan en- 

 deavours to justify another example of the wolf and the lamb, 

 although it must be owned that in the pamphlets - from which 

 the biographer quotes, the lamb's bleatings are sufficiently ener- 

 getic to lead to the conclusion that he thought himself a match 

 for the wicked wolf. 



Mr. Fagan thinks it important "that Panizzi's stormy connec- 

 tion with the Royal Society should be fairly and rmpartially " 

 stated ; although how this can be done without hearing both 

 sides he forgets to say ; and yet he professes to give "the proper 

 elucidation of the facts," "the whole circumstances of the case 

 thoroughly weighed and dnelt upon"; how successfully he 

 opposed "the force with which it was attempted to crush the 

 evidence of bis superior talent" (vol. i. p. 119), and although 

 "thwarted and impeded at every step, Panizzi at last suc- 

 ceeded in once again proving that right can contend successfully 

 with might " (vol. i. p. 130). 



The reader will g.ain a very lop-sided idea of this quarrel if he 

 trust to Mr. Fagan's account alone ; and as in the reviews of 

 this book no one has attempted to ascertain the truth of the 

 matter (which indeed could not be done without access to the 

 Royal Society's papers), I venture, as a member of the present 

 Library Committee, to .';tate the case from the other side, being 

 naturally anxious to sustain the reput.ation, so unjustly assailed, 

 of a former committee which contained the honoured names of 

 Baily, Beaufort, Children, Greenough, Lubbock, Murchison, 

 Peacock, Roget, and others.^ 



To make a long story short, it is sufficient to state that about 

 the year 1832 the Royal Society wished to bring out a complete 

 catalogue of the books, &c., in its library. As a preliminary 

 step, a list of the mathematical books was compiled and set up 

 in type as a specimen of the kind of work required. In the 

 words of a Council minute, the sheets were "not designed for 

 publication," they being "in a very rough and unfinished state." 



In October, 1832, Dr. Roget meeting Mr. P.anizzi at dinner, 

 informed him of the Society's intention, and requested him to 

 look over and revise the sheets in question, together with others 

 that might afterwards be forthcoming. This was agreed to, and 

 the first sheets were forwarded to Panizzi, who found so many 

 errors in them that, as he informed Dr. Roget, "although I 

 would never attempt to correct what had been already done, I 

 was rejidy to undertake a new compilation." 



Accordingly on October 16, 1832, the Library Committee 

 resoWed to recommend to the Council that Mr. Panizzi be en- 

 gaged to make a new catalogue according to the mode to be 

 agreed upon by the Committee, he to be paid 30/. for every 

 thousand titles, the whole remuneration, however, not to exceed 

 500/. 



■ " The Life of Sir Anthony Paniizi, K.C.B." By Louis Fagan. Two 

 vols., 8vo, 1880. 



"^ " A Letter to H.R.H. the President of the Royal Society, on the New 

 Catalogue of the Library of that Institution now in the Press." Pp. 56 and 

 3. Signed A. Panizzi, and dated January 28, 1337. The last three pages 

 contain a postscript letter to the President, dated November 4, 1837, 

 and a note in which it is stated tliat the pamphlet was not put into circula- 

 tion until the latter date, in order that H, R. H. might have an opportunity 

 of replying to it. 



The President, not having availed himself of this opportunity, the second 

 pamphlet was put forth. It is entitled " Observations on the Address by the 

 President, and on the Statement by the Council to the Fellows of the Royal 

 Society respecting Mr. Panizzi, read at the general meeting, November 30. 

 1S37." Pp. 24. Dated December 22, 1837. 



^ Strictly speaking there were three committees, namely, one for the 

 catalogue, a second for the librar>', and a third for deciding in doubtful casci 

 under what division a book should be placed in the new catalogue. 



