December 15, 1893.] 



SCIENCE. 



333 



essay^) according to the preface, show the results of this 

 method as applied to various questions. Hence he has 

 entitled the book "Method and Kesults," but the various 

 essays are so heterogeneous in character that the reader 

 is likely to think that almost any other title would have 

 served about as well. The book opens with a brief auto- 

 biography, which will interest the author's admirers for 

 the account it gives of his early life and education ; but it 

 has little to say of his later scientific activity or of the 

 many controversies in which he has been engaged. The 

 longest paper of those here collected is that on ''The 

 Progress of Science," which was published at the time of 

 Queen Victoria's jubilee, and with which the readers of 

 this journal are doubtless familiar. Of the remaining 

 essays several, of which the earliest is dated 1866, relate 

 to physical science and the importance of cultivating it ; 

 while no less than four, mostly of recent date, are con- 

 cerned with political topics. The main object of the latter 

 is to set forth Mr. Huxley's views on the much debated 

 question of socialism against individualism, as to which 

 he occupies a middle ground in opposition to the extreme 

 doctrines of both parties. He fails, however, to lay down 

 any principle for the practical guidance of statesmen 

 which will enable them to steer wisely and safely between 

 the two ; while much that he says about Eousseau and 

 the social contract, though for the most part true enough, 

 is merely a threshing of old straw. The whole book is 

 marked by the vigor and earnestness that characterize all 

 of Mr. Huxley's writings, as well as by that positiveness 

 that he usually shows even when expressing the most 

 "agnostic" opinions. The whole series of volumes, of 

 which this is the first, will consist, we suppose, of works 

 that have been published in some form before ; but they 

 will be handsomely printed, and readers will like to have 

 the essays in a collected form. 



Catalogue of Section One of the 3Iuseuni of the Geological 

 Survey, Embracing the Systematic Collection of Minerals 

 and the Collections of Economic Minerals and Bocks and 

 Specimens Illustrative of Structural Geology. By G. Chris- 

 tian Hoffman, F. Inst. Chem., P. R. S. C. Printed by 

 F. E. Dawson. Ten cents. 



TuE recently issued catalogue of section one of the 

 museum of the Geological Survey of Canada embraces the 

 systematic collection of minerals, and those of economic 

 minerals and rooks, as well as a smaller series illustrative 

 of structural phenomena. From it we learn that the col- 

 lections comprise between 6,000 and 7,000 specimens. 

 The systematic series is arranged in accordance with the 

 classification employed in the latest edition of Dana's 

 Mineralogy. The economic series is arranged as in the 

 following synopsis: I. Metals and Their Ores. II. Min- 

 erals Applicable to Certain Chemical Manufactures. III. 

 Minerals Used in the Production of Light and Heat. IV. 

 Minerals (and Material Manufactured from Certain of the 

 Same) Applicable to Common and Decorative Construc- 

 tion. V. Minerals Employed as Pigments. VI. Refrac- 

 tory (Fire Resisting) Minerals. VII. Brines, Salt and 

 Mineral Waters. VIII. Minerals Applicable to the Fine 

 Arts and to Jewelry. IX. Minerals Employed, with or 

 without Previous Preparation, as Fertilizers. X. Min- 

 erals Employed for Grinding and Polishing. XI. Miner- 

 als of Miscellaneous Apjslication. 



The arrangement as above outlined is not wholly free 

 from defects, but the present writer will venture the as- 

 sertion that no one who has himself wrestled with the 

 problem of museum installation will be inclined to criti- 

 cize it too harshly. It will be always an open question as 

 to whethei", in such cases, material had best be arranged 

 fey kinds, and their use indicated by labels and hand- 

 books, or -whether We should, attempt to classify accord^ 



ing to usage, as above. The first method is much the 

 easier, and to the systematic student the more useful 

 since it involves much less duplication of material. Un- 

 fortunately the visiting public usually prefer seeing 

 specimens to reading labels; at least the specimen must 

 be seen first. Hence some such arrangement as that 

 adopted by the Canadian Survey seems most nearly to 

 meet their wants, though it must be acknowledged that it 

 is wasteful of both space and materials, and vastly more 

 troublesome in carrying out. The mineral quartz well 

 illustrates this point. In its various forms it is used for 

 optical purposes; in jewelry; as an abrading material; in 

 the manufacture of glass, china or earthenware; as an 

 adulterant in paints, and (in the form of sand) in mortar 

 and brick making. This involves a duplication and re- 

 duplication of materials and labels which is at least try- 

 ing. V oncerning the effectiveness of the exhibit, natural- 

 ly nothing can be learned merely from a perusal of a 

 catalogue without illustrations other than a diagram of 

 the exhibition hall. The least that can be said, is that it 

 shows a very pains-taking and commendable attempt at 

 making the work of the survey available to the public. 



Examen Sommaire des Boissons Falsifiees. Par Alex. 

 Hebakt, Preparateur aux travaux pratiques de Chimie 

 il I'Ecole de Medecine. Paris, Gauthier-Villars et Fils. 

 171 p. 1893. (Broche 2 fr 50c. Cartonne 3 fr.) 

 In this work is comprised a study of the more frequent 

 of the adulterations with which many modern manufac- 

 turers load our wines and other table liquors. M. 

 Hebart has aimed to produce a work for the educated 

 public and for the amateur, which will be at once read- 

 able and intelligible to all of even elementary acquaint- 

 ance with the science of chemistry. Unlike some other 

 books of like intention, this manner of treatment has not 

 drawn from the scientific usefulness of the work, and 

 while many theoretically and practically difficult methods 

 of analysis are omitted those which are described are ad- 

 mirable for their accuracy and applicability. A large 

 number of important facts are advanced in the five chap- 

 ters devoted successively to wines, ciders, beers, brandy 

 and liquors, and vinegar, and at the same time many 

 popular fancies regarding the adulterations of these 

 liquids are exposed. In general terms the treatment in 

 each of the above named chapters is as follows: First, a 

 discussion of the history and composition of the crude 

 material and finished products; second, a summary of 

 the different varieties produced, and, third, a study of 

 the adulterations and their characteristics, with particu- 

 lar attention given to those forms of adulteration which 

 are most commonly met with. A popular exposition of 

 scientific facts treated successfully in a scientific manner 

 is sufficiently rare to make this work of M. Hebart's 

 unique and of considerable value. 



A Laboratory Guide for a Twenty Weeks' Course in General 

 Chemistry. By Geoko:, Willaed B nt n, A. M., In- 

 structor in Chemistry, High School, and Chemist for 

 the City of Indianapolis, Ind. Boston, D. C. Heath & 

 Co. 163 p. 1893. 



This little book is designed as an aid to the student in 

 elementary chemistry and is addressed to him alone, with 

 words of advice as to chemical manipulation and labora- 

 tory methods. The exijeriments (over 150 in number) 

 are systematically arranged and are so placed before the 

 pupil as to aid him in drawing his own conclusions by 

 logical deductions from the facts observed. Methods of 

 measurement, the comparison of physical and chemical 

 change, the properties of the non-metals, their com- 

 pounds, and the metals are illustrated in succession and 

 with simplicity. In several cases the experiments have, 

 ■ however, been rather injudiciously chosen; as, for in- 



