34 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 80. 



attained, viz., it should be corred so far as 

 it goes and so far as existing knowledge 

 permits; it should be concise, consistent and, 

 above all things, clear. 



For use in systematic instruction the 

 textual form of a scientific manual should 

 be neither that of a treatise to be perused 

 nor that of a lecture to be spoken. The 

 paragraphs should be short, categoric and 

 visibly, as well as logically, coordinated and 

 subordinated. 



It is probable indeed that one of the 

 grounds for the success of mathematics and 

 linguistics as disciplinary studies is the rel- 

 ative perfection of their pedagogic methods, 

 and especially the way in which the general 

 rules and exceptions thereto are set forth. 



As to the ivriter of a text-book, if the book 

 fulfills the requirements perhaps its source 

 is of little moment. But even if this be 

 not conceded I fear the limitation indicated 

 by Prof. Gage is practically unattainable. 

 With the absolute convictions natural to 

 comparative youth, he is perhaps so sure that 

 " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing " 

 as to forget that, if that pithy saying be 

 strictly true, no one of us can regard him- 

 self as altogether safe. Indeed, it is now 

 many years since any one person could ob- 

 tain all physiologic information at first 

 hand. I trust, therefore, that Prof. Gage 

 may assent to this less stringent statement: 

 The writer of a text-book should have made 

 some real contribution to physiologic 

 method, fact or idea. 



Like the teacher, the writer of a text- 

 book needs to guard against the temptation 

 to subordinate the needs and capacities of 

 the learner to the supposed necessity for 

 exhibiting his own erudition. The wisest 

 of teachers is he who knows just what to 

 omit. 



In general method there is too often a 

 direct inversion of the natural order. Chil- 

 dren should be led to sing before they talk ; 

 they should be taught to draw before they 



write ; and they should be encouraged to 

 observe before they are compelled to think. 

 In observing and reflecting they should be 

 neither pushed nor pulled, but guided. 



As applied to physiologic instruction, in- 

 stead of ' verba et prceterea nihil,'' or even 

 many words illustrated by a few random 

 demonstrations, there should be numerous 

 and well devised experiments upon which 

 the pupils should reflect and comment. In 

 short, in the place of what may be called 

 inducation there should be sought a true 

 education . Contrary to the Scripture phrase, 

 the kingdom of science cometh with obser- 

 vation. Burt G. Wilder. 



Cornell Univeesity. 



GEOLOGICAL ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



FOLIO 16, KNOXVILLB, TENNESSEE-NORTH 



CAROLINA, 1895. 



This folio, by Arthur Keith, consists of 

 six pages of text, a topographic sheet, a 

 sheet showing the areal geology, another 

 showing the economic geology, a third giv- 

 ing structure sections, and a fourth giving 

 columnar sections. The folio describes that 

 portion of the Appalachian province which 

 lies between parallels 35° 30' and 36° and 

 meridians 83° 30' and 84°. This district 

 contains about 968 square miles, divided 

 between Knox, Sevier, Bland and Jefl"erson 

 counties, in Tennessee, and Swain county, 

 in North Carolina. 



The text begins with a general descrip- 

 tion of the province, and shows the relation 

 of this part to the whole. The local fea- 

 tures of the drainage by the Holston, Ten- 

 nessee and Little Tennessee Elvers and 

 their tributaries, such as the Little Pigeon 

 and Little Rivers, follow next in descrip- 

 tion. The various forms of the surface are 

 pointed out, such as East Tennessee Val- 

 ley, Smoky Mountains and Chilhowee Moun- 

 tain, and their relations to the underlying 

 rocks are emphasized. 



Under the heading ' Stratigraphy ' the 



