270 



NA 7 URE 



[Jan. 



answers this question only as regards physical science, 

 and his answer is " contained in that to another ques- 

 tion, What is the object of the physical sciences?" The 

 whole concludes with words of the late Prof. H. Smith on 

 the function of mathematics in education. 



ACOUSTICS 

 Hand-book of Acouslks. By T. E. Harris, B.Sc, Lec- 

 turer on Acoustics at the Tonic Sol-fa College. (London : 

 J. Curvven and Sons.) 

 A FEW years ago some wiseacre had the temerity to 

 "^^ propound the idea that the scientific and historical 

 data on which music is founded have no bearing on music 

 itself, and need form no part of the knowledge to be 

 acquired by a rnusician. It is quite true that a man may 

 get through life very comfortably as a singer, a fiddler, or 

 a pianoforte-player, without ever having heard of sound- 

 waves or of the Greek modes ; but as regards a know- 

 ledge of music in a higher sense the idea is absurdly 

 untrue. The moment we approach the theory of music 

 we find the scientific and historical elements confront us 

 at every step, and all attempts to form an intelligible 

 explanation of musical structure without reference to 

 them have been, and must be, failures. In fact, no 

 rational theory of music can exist unless founded on 

 such a basis. This fact is now pretty generally acknow- 

 ledged by those who have to do with musical education. 

 All examining bodies of any weight require an acquaint- 

 ance with the data referred to, and all well-constituted 

 courses of teaching include them. 



The book now before us is a remarkable instance of 

 this. The Tonic Sol-fa movement is what we may call 

 ultra-practical : its supporters aim at teaching music to 

 the great masses of the people, and their system is pur- 

 posely contrived to facilitate its practical acquirement, 

 and to bring it down to the proverbial " meanest 

 capacity." Yet the Tonic Sol fa authorities think it 

 right to have a Lecturer on Acoustics, and to publish a 

 hand-book of the science for the use of their millions of 

 pupils. This is certainly about the severest reproof that 

 could be given to the foolish " practical " notion that would 

 exclude intellectual topics from musical study. 



There is not much to say about the book itself. It is an 

 unpretending compilation of the most important facts of 

 the science, gathered from various authentic sources, in- 

 telligently stated, and without any crotchetiness or affect- 

 ation of originality. The peculiar feature, of course, is 

 that the musical illustrations are, wherever possible, given 

 in the Tonic Sol-fa notation. Perhaps, in the 286 closely- 

 printed pages, there is more elaboration of detail than 

 the students may care for ; but this is to a certain extent 

 counterbalanced by a condensed summary being added at 

 the end of each chapter. 



It would have been an advantage if more copious and 

 complete references had been given to other and more 

 original works, from which the matter has been taken. 

 It is, or should be, one of the most important objects of 

 a " hand "-book to enable students, if they desire it, to 

 put more complete treatises on their study-table. There 

 is no date either on the title or in the preface — a very 

 bad habit of music publishers. 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Old or New Chemistry: Which is Fittest /or Stirvival? 



By Samuel Phillips, F.C.S. (London : Wertheimer, 



Lea, & Co., 1886.) 

 This small book is a collection of essays more or less bear- 

 ing on the subject indicated by the title, and may perhaps 

 be also described as a sort of protest against a grievance. 

 The elevating and spurring effect of the possession of a 

 grievance is well known, and it must be admitted that 

 in this case it has, apparently at least, contributed to the 

 production of a very entertaining little book, which will 

 no doubt, as it is intended, " wake up " chemists generally 

 to a clear perception of their absurd and useless theories 

 of chemical constitution. 



It is, however, doubtful whether the book will really 

 do anything to forward the science of which the author 

 professes to be such an ardent lover. As to Avogadro's 

 law and the laws known as Dulong and Pettit's, however 

 scanty a basis they may ha-\-e in experimental facts, they 

 have been useful, and will be until they are supplanted 

 by wider-reaching theories. It is exactly here that the 

 author seems to be too conservative. We not only want 

 more facts— as many facts as we can get — but we want 

 theories as well, if they will only again lead to new facts. 

 And, moreover, what is wanted in this country is for 

 chemists to work. There is no lack of problems waiting 

 to be solved. 



What we do not want is any further multiplication of 

 " fads." Nothing is gained by writing " Ph" for CoHj, 

 and the " equivalent symbol ' for " etholo-aceto-acetic 

 acid," viz., 



432') 



432 V 1294, O.HO, 



45 J 

 at page 19, is no advance but retrogression. 



Lectures and Essays. By the late W. K. Clifford, 

 F R.S. Edited by Leslie Stephen and Frederick 

 Pollock. With an Introduction by F. Pollock. Second 

 Edition. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1SS6.) 

 This collection of lectures and essays is already so well 

 known that it is now necessary only to note the fact that 

 a second edition has appeared. Two essays have been 

 omitted as being rather mathematical than philosophical, 

 namely, those on " Types of Compound Statement " and 

 on " Instruments used in Measurement." They have 

 found a more fitting place in the volume of " Mathe- 

 matical Papers" published in 1 882. The admirable bio- 

 graphical Introduction by Mr. Pollock has been revised, 

 and some additions and omissions have be.-n made in the 

 extracts there given. 



Lives of the Electricians. By William T. Jeans. 



(London: Whitaker and Co., 18S6.) 

 An extremely well-compiled and interesting book ; but 

 why did the author commence with the life of a living 

 professor, who is not an electrician .'' Faraday, as the 

 brightest electrical light of this or any other age, should 

 have headed the series. The author has a rich store of 

 names to draw upon — Gilbert, Coulomb, Arago, Snow 

 Harris, Franklin, Cavendish, Galvani, Volta, Henry 

 Davy, Ronalds, Oersted, Amp(^re, De la Rive, Ohm, 

 Schilling, Gauss, Weber, Daniell, Crosse, Steinheil — with- 

 out trenching on living celebrities. The work is very 

 impartially written. The life of Morse might have been 

 written by an enthusiastic American, while Wheatstone's 

 friends cannot complain of the eulogy of their hero. 



Some statements want revision. The inauguration of 

 the cable system can scarcely be fairly narrated without 

 mention of JNIessrs. Cramj. ton and Wollaston. Varley's 

 long artificial cable and great experiment shown at the 

 Royal Institution are accredited to Prof Tyndall (p. 95). 

 The statement attributed to Sir Robert Inglis (p. 285) 



