448 



SCIENCE. 



LN. S. Vol. VIII. No. 196. 



motion alone, it is by color that the life condi- 

 tion is determined more clearly than by any 

 other test. With less teaching than that given 

 to any other mode of expression the pupils ac- 

 quire amazing skill, not only in representations 

 in color, but also in accurate expression of 

 form. 



The numerous selections from literature 

 which the author has mentioned will be of 

 great assistance to the busy teacher. They are 

 well chosen and will enrich the study, provided 

 they are not allowed to dominate the observa- 

 tion. They should be used only as the personal 

 experience of the pupils with nature will war- 

 rant it. 



The Reader which the author has prepared 

 as a companion book is composed of myths, 

 stories and poems which are suggested more or 

 less clearly by various natural phenomena. 

 The selections are good, and in general the 

 rendition is excellent. For this particular as- 

 pect of natvire study, if such it may be consid- 

 ered, the book leaves but little to be desired. 



The author seems inclined, however, to mag- 

 nify the importance of the relation of the myth 

 to science beyond what it deserves. If teach- 

 ers follow the author's suggestions, that the 

 stories be used to ' serve as an introduction to 

 the science work,' the book will prove to be a 

 veritable stumbling block for both teacher and 

 pupil. Since the myths are assumed to be the 

 outgrowth of direct observation of natural phe- 

 nomena, and since they are regarded as fanci- 

 ful and more or less poetical interpretations of 

 the same, it is difficult to understand why any- 

 one should wish to reverse this natural process 

 of their development in teaching children. 

 Nature has the right to ask that we bestow di- 

 rectly upon her at least one square look before 

 we place her at the mercy of the freaks of 

 fancy. If begun early enough, and continued 

 with considerable fervor through the first three 

 or four grades, this introduction of the child to 

 nature through the mists of fable and tradition 

 will be effective enough to forever refract his 

 vision of creation. In the incipiency of his 

 experience with nature, there is no doubt that 

 her large and somewhat terrifying aspects of 

 cloud and storm and season seem surcharged 

 with an almighty personality for which the 



myths offer a sufficient description and interpre- 

 tation. But the child quickly passes through 

 this stage and is probably pretty well clear 

 of it when he enters the primary grades. 

 Thereafter, the myths are really nothing more 

 to him than a history of how an exceedingly 

 primitive interpretation has been given to nat- 

 ural phenomena, and they should be treated as 

 such. The standpoint of the pupil, while none 

 the less interesting, has totally changed. 



The author advises that the stories first be 

 told to the child, and, afterwards, that they read 

 them. The purpose of the story, that it shall 

 vivify the pupil's own experience, will proba- 

 bly be best accomplished by the teachers' nar- 

 ration, and there seems to be no valid reason 

 why the pupils at this time should be required 

 to read them, especially if the teacher should 

 find it necessary to ' thoroughly drill ' upon all 

 the new words. There is no surer way to spoil 

 the effect of the story than by doing this. That 

 silent reading, as suggested, should be encour- 

 aged is unquestionably true. 



The considerable array of material which 

 these books provide from both the scientific and 

 the literary side will make them valuable for 

 any teacher in the public schools, while the 

 author's earnestness of purpose, strongly mani- 

 fest throughout the work, will prove to be a 

 lasting source of inspiration. 



Wilbur S. Jackman. 

 Chicago Normal School. 



NEW BOOKS. 



Commercial Organic Analysis. Alfred H. Al- 

 len. Third Edition with Revisions and ad- 

 denda by the author and Henry Leffmann. 

 Philadelphia, Pa., P. Blakiston, Son & Co. 

 1898. Vol.1. Pp. xii + 557. $4.50. 



A Short Manual of Analytical Chemistry. John 

 MUTBR. Philadelphia, Pa., P. Blakiston, 

 Son & Co. 1898. Sd American Edition. Pp. 

 xiii + 228. $1.25. 



Zoological Results. Based on material from New 

 Britain, New Guinea, Loyalty Islands and 

 elsewhere, collected during the years 1895,, 

 1896, 1897. Arthur Willey. Cambridge, 

 The University Press. 1898. Parti. Pp. vi-l- 

 120. 



