August 23, 1901.] 



SCIENCE. 



295 



one or the other of these two things, but cannot 

 be both at the same time. Perhaps the latter 

 interpretation is the nearest to truth. The ex- 

 pansion of Catholicism in England within the 

 last fifty years is evidently related to the under- 

 current of mystical tendencies which has been 

 pushing Saxon art towards archaic forms. But, 

 as far as this country is concerned, the growth 

 of Catholicism is dependent upon increase in im- 

 migration from Catholic countries, a factor which 

 has been somewhat underestimated by Mosso. 



In the following chapters — V., ' The Weak- 

 ness of Eeligious Feeling,' VI., ' The Protestant 

 Universities,' YII., 'The Catholic Universities 

 and Canada,' VIII. , ' Americanism,' IX., 'Mod- 

 ern Tendencies in Education ' — Mosso takes up 

 the different aspects of the problem upon which 

 his interest is mainly centered, i. e., the prob- 

 lem of the relation that democracy bears to re- 

 ligion and education. Particularly worthy of 

 mention are the chapter on 'Americanism,' 

 which gives a very clear account of the contro- 

 versy waged between the Roman Curia and 

 some prominent representatives of Catholicism 

 in this country, and those in which he describes 

 the peculiarities of American university life. 

 Chapter X. — 'The Crowd and the New Aris- 

 tocracy ' — is a study of American political life 

 as influenced by the formation of a powerful 

 aristocracy of millionaires. The tenth chapter, 

 on ' Primitive America,' is a hymn to nature. 

 It is a vigorous description of some of the most 

 picturesque aspects of this continent, in its 

 wildest regions, where civilization has not yet 

 spoiled the divine charm of an enchanting na- 

 ture. Here Mosso shows his decided literary 

 tastes, and some of his pages are really beautiful. 



On the whole, Mosso' s book will prove both 

 interesting and instructive to his own compa- 

 triots as throwing a fuller light upon this won- 

 derfully growing country, which is called to 

 play such a tremendous role in the drama of 

 the century. While to the American reader 

 who can afford to take hold of this charming 

 book, it will undoubtedly be a source of deep 

 gratification to see how the noble efforts of this 

 valiant race towards a high ideal of civilization 

 are appreciated by a scholar and a scientist of 

 Mpsso's standing and fame. 



Gustavo Tosti. 



Atoms and Energies. By D. A. Murray, with 

 an introduction by Professor Frederick 

 Starr, of the University of Chicago. New 

 York, A. S. Barnes & Co. 1901. 



"It is a long time since I have read a work in 

 physical science which has given me so much pleasure 

 as 'Atoms and Energies.' The subject is interest- 

 ing, the point of view novel, the argument clear, the 

 book itself satisfactory." — Professor Starr. 



In writing this short review our chief aim is 

 to make reply to Professor Starr, for we too 

 have been trying to interest him and others 

 not specially devoted to the subject in physical 

 science. 



From the contents of the little book before 

 us it appears that the author knows nothing of 

 the works of the great builders of that marvelous 

 Engine of Interpretation, the atomic theory. 

 Among these works may be mentioned the fol- 

 lowing, each of which is monumental in charac- 

 ter. The list will serve to indicate to the 

 reader the present scope of the atomic theory. 

 Maxwell's and Boltzmann's contributions to 

 the ' Kinetic Theory of Gases,' Sohncke's 

 ' Theory of Crystal Structure,' Poisson's contri- 

 butions to the ' Molecular Theory of Elasticity,' 

 van't Hoff's ' Stereo -chemistry,' Planck's 

 ' Electro-atomic Theory of Eadiation,' and J. J. 

 Thomson's ' Corpuscular Theory of the Electric 

 Discharge,' to say nothing of such works as 

 Johnstone Stoney's on 'The Electron Theory,' 

 and Lord Kelvin's on ' The Vortex- atom 

 Theory,' both of which are devoted to 'many 

 an assumption that is not exactly necessary,' 

 to use Helmholtz's words, which are quoted in 

 the next paragraph. 



What are atoms? we are inclined to ask when 

 we take up Mr. Murray's book, although under 

 ordinary circumstances the question does not 

 much concern us. In so far as we have any- 

 thing to do with them we believe they are 

 mere logical constructions. Bacon long ago 

 listed in his quaint way the things which seemed 

 to him needful for the Advancement of Learn- 

 ing. Among other things he mentioned ' A 

 New Engine or a help to the mind as a tool is a 

 help to the hand,' and the greatest achieve- 

 ment of the nineteenth century in physical sci- 

 ence is the realization of Bacon's idea, in a 

 great body of useful theory. As Helmholtz 



y 



