138 
Horrox’s letters to Crabtree, to which we are indebted for 
most of our scanty biographical information. An inspec- 
tion of the originals, should these have been preserved 
would probably contribute much to clear up doubtful 
points, and to complete our conception of Horrox’s in- 
tellectual character. The main outlines of the latter, 
however, are sufficiently apparent. They comprise a 
marvellous patience and persistency, combined with wide- 
reaching activity, a philosophical faculty for general- 
isation, ambition, enthusiasm, and self-confidence. The 
versatility of his attainments is attested by the com- 
position of his “ Venus” in Latin, by the quotations in 
his letters from Horace and Juvenal, and by his reference 
to Raleigh’s ‘‘ History of the World.” Of his restless 
energy and fertility of resource we have proof in the 
promptitude with which, when debarred from his favour- 
ite pursuit, he turns to the investigation of the tides. His 
grasp of general principles is displayed, among other 
passages, by a remarkable one in which he speaks of the 
possibility of illustrating the elliptic orbits of the planets 
by terrestrial analogies. “To which method of confirm- 
ation Kepler is always partial, and most justly, inasmuch 
as Nature throughout the universe is One, and the 
general harmony of creation causes the lesser things to 
be examples of the greater, as the revolution of the moon 
around the earth is an emblem or imitation of that of the 
stars around the sun.” We have already had occasion to 
appreciate his enthusiasm ; and the self-reliance usually 
associated with enthusiasm is powerfully evinced in 
another letter exhorting Crabtree to undertake, in con- 
junction with him, the preparation of a new set of 
astronomical tables. From some expressions in this 
it may be conjectured that he felt hurt at the ignorant 
comments of his neighbours, and his resentment 
against his false guide Lansberg, which occasionally 
transgresses the limits of what would be considered 
courtesy at the present day, is another indication of 
a sensitive spirit. When we add to these traits the 
self-denial manifested on occasion of the transit, and in 
the temporary renunciation of his astronomical re- 
searches in deference to the claims, as seems probable, of 
his family, we must recognise in Horrox no mere man of 
science, but a distinct individuality of singular force and 
attractiveness. His precise place in the scientific world 
must be left to astronomers to determine ; it requires, 
however, no special knowledge of the science to appre- 
hend that the obscure youth who, under every disadvan- 
tage, was able to correct Kepler, might, if only he could 
have continued at Cambridge, very probably have rivalled 
him. In him England lost the promise of an astronomer 
of the first class, which loss, like many a similar one, 
would have remained absolutely unknown, but for the 
fortunate conjunction of his name with a phenomenon of 
regular recurrence and universal interest. If the com- 
memoration of his great achievement cannot be equally 
universal, it should at least transcend merely local limits. 
Local patriotism has done its part well ; an appropriate 
memorial has been erected in the church at Hoole, and 
we are exceedingly indebted to Mr, Whatton for his in- 
telligent memoir and valuable translation of the “ Venus 
in Sole visa.” More, however, is demanded, and it would 
redound to the credit of Horrox’s countrymen if, on the 
December day of 1874, when English watchers scan the 
NATURE 
_ [Sune 19, 1873 
skies of another hemisphere for the transit of Venus, 
Englishmen at home were found dedicating a national 
monument to the first observer of the phenomenon in 
this. 
FAGOR'S “PHILIPPINE ISLANDS” 
Reisen in den Philippinen, von F.Jagor. Mit zahlreichen 
Abbildungen und einer Karte. (Berlin: Weidmannsche 
Buchhandlung. 1873.) 
HE increasing importance which the Philippines are 
assuming in both English and American com- 
merce, the comparative insufficiency of the informa- 
tion we possess concerning them, and the beauty and 
productiveness of nearly the whole region, amply jus- 
tify the ardour with which the author of this volume 
has devoted himself to a thorough exploration of the 
group, and an exhaustive study of every feature of 
interest appertaining to its component islands and 
their population. In this very interesting and accept- 
able work he has’ given to the world the results of his 
observation and inquiries, and of these it may be said 
that, while in point of extent and variety they are suffi- 
ciently comprehensive to embrace within their limits 
every subject of interest or of practical importance to 
which we should expect to find a place assigned in a book 
of travels having any pretensions to completeness, they 
bear the evident impress of the patient, laborious re- 
search, and the careful examination and weighing of 
facts, for which his countrymen are famous. 
M. Jagor can hardly be said to be a recent traveller in 
these islands. His journey through them was made in 
the years 1859 and 1860, but unforeseen circumstances 
put a sudden stop to it; and though fully intending to 
resume it at a later day, that purpose has not yet been 
accomplished. Although it must be admitted, therefore, 
that his work does not make its appearance with all that 
absolute freshness about it to which we are accustomed 
in these days of ocean steam-navigation, the apparently 
long interval which has elapsed since his visit has been 
profitably turned to account by him in the careful study 
of an immense mass of materials accumulated by himself 
during his stay, or which he obtained through the Spanish 
Colonial Minister, or found in the great national libraries 
of London and Berlin, including a few bulky monkish 
chronicles, the perusal of which last was a work both 
long and tedious. In the vast labour incident to the 
extraction from these various sources of their most im- 
portant and most interesting details, he has been sus- 
tained by a conviction that his subject was worthy of it. 
He has felt, as he tells us, that few countries in the whole 
world are so little known or so seldom visited as the 
Philippines, while none present more agreeable attrac- 
tions for the traveller, or have been more profusely 
endowed by the hand of Nature, or contain a larger 
store of neglected treasure for the natural historian. 
So strong and so abiding is his faith on this last point, 
he gravely assures his readers, that even poor travellers 
would amply cover the cost of their journey by the sale 
of their collections. Without going so far as to endorse 
this suggestion in its full and entire significance, it is 
nevertheless true that the descriptions here given con- 
stitute, in the aggregate, a picture of marvellous natural 
EE = ot a = 
