3o8 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Of course many biographical works on Faraday 

 have already appeared, and the author has had not 

 only the advantage of them for reference, but also 

 permission of the Royal Institution to take hitherto 

 unpublished extracts from Faraday's note-books. 

 Further, he has examined a number of his private 

 papers, by permission of Miss Jane Barnard, and 

 some extracts from these appear in the pages 

 before us. The whole book is exceedingly enter- 

 taining and pleasantly written. 



In Nature's Workshop. By Grant Allen. 

 viii + 240 pp., 7§ in. x 5 in., with 100 ilhistra- 

 tions by F. Enock. (London : Geo. Newnes, 

 Ltd. 1901.) 3s. 6d. 



On examining this book we are reminded of 

 the hand that is passed away, and the many 

 pleasant chapters written by the late Grant Allen. 

 His popular writings on natural science subjects 

 always commanded attention, even if in some 

 cases accuracy was sacrificed to the picturesque. 

 Still such w r orks are exceedingly useful in drawing 

 attention to the odd sides of Nature. The addi- 

 tion of Mr. Enock's beautiful drawings to the 

 pleasant pages of this book makes it one to be re- 

 commended to the general reader, who prefers to 

 be amused while instructed. 



Modern Astronomy. By Herbert Hall Turner, 

 F.R.S. xvi + 286 pp., 7§ x 5 in. With 30 illustra- 

 tions. (London : Archibald Constable & Co., Ltd., 

 1901.) 6s. net. 



This is an account of the revolution of the last 

 quarter-century in instruments, in methods, and in 

 theories. It is an expansion of three lectures given 

 at the Royal Institution in February, 1900, and~ 

 is written with an accuracy worthy of the Savilian 

 Professor of Astronomy at Oxford. It is given in 

 such a manner that all may understand, so that it 

 should be a welcome addition to the shelves of 

 every student and of every public library. — F. C D. 



Inorganic Chemistry. By Raphael Meldola, 

 F.C.S. Revised by J. Castell Evans, F.I.C. 

 xvi + 320 pp., 7 in. x 4| in. Illustrated by 36 

 figures. (London : Thomas Murby. 1900.) 2s. net. 



The fact that Professor Meldola's work has 

 reached a fifth edition speaks well for its use 

 amongst the students of schools. It made its 

 first appearance more than twenty years ago. The 

 present edition has been brought up to date by 

 Mr. J. Castell Evans, a co-worker with Professor 

 Meldola at the City and Guilds of London Institute 

 and Technical College. It is somewhat changed in 

 the sections treating of the metallic elements. 

 These have been arranged in accordance with 

 Mendelejeff's law.— R. M. R. 



Modern Chemistry. By William Ramsay, LL.D., 

 D.Sc, Ph.D., F.R.S., F.C.S. 327 pp., in 2 vols. 

 Vol. I., Theoretical Chemistry ; Vol. II., Systematic 

 Chemistry. (London : J. M. Dent & Co. 1900.) 

 Is. per vol. 



If the publication of text-books be any criterion 

 as to the popularity of any subject, we may safely 

 assume that the growth of chemistry is at last 

 becoming real ; for not only does the issue of new 

 works on the subject show no signs of abatement, 

 but there is, on the contrary, a steady increase. 

 Moreover, the increase is not altogether devoted to 

 advanced theories on the science, but more to a 

 consolidating and retrospective treatment, which 

 is further enhanced by the introduction of the 

 essentially new ideas which took their inception 



from the masterly applications of Van t'Hoff and 

 Ostwald. As one of the foremost of English 

 chemists, Professor Ramsay's work is naturally 

 regarded with interest. It would be invidious to 

 describe it as good. Clear and concise, it 

 bears on every page the impress of a master- 

 hand. The enormous amount of fact and theory 

 condensed into two such small volumes is hardly 

 noticed, so flowing and well organised is the 

 language, until one pauses to review his read- 

 ing of each chapter. The whole treatment of the 

 subject is refreshing, for Professor Ramsay leaves 

 the beaten track followed by the majority of former 

 writers. From the standpoint of the periodic law 

 and the reactions of ions he impresses on the reader 

 the importance of the acidic as well as of the basic 

 radicles. The ionic hypothesis should now be no 

 stumbling-block to the average student. Its im- 

 portance to the proper understanding of chemistry 

 is so self-evident that it is hard to understand why 

 it was, till within recent years, considered both 

 impractical and too advanced. The printing is 

 excellent, and the work is much embellished by the 

 two very good portraits of Dalton and Boyle which 

 appear as the frontispieces to the two volumes. 

 One or two manifest errors, such as " chloride " for 

 " chlorate" at the bottom of page 117 of the first 

 volume, and the formula " Mt 3 " for nitrogen given 

 on page 32 of vol. ii., will no doubt be corrected in 

 the next edition. It would be of advantage, too, if 

 the " equals " sign were printed in thicker type, as 

 it would not then be confused with the expression 

 of a dyad bond.— H. M. R. 



Introduction to Modern Scientific Chemistry. 

 By Dr. Lassar-Cohn. Translated by Professor 

 Patterson-Muir. viii + 348 pp., 1\ in. x 5 in., with 

 58 figures. (London: H. Grevel & Co. 1901.) 6s. 



Dr. Lassar-Cohn is already known to the majority 

 of English general readers through his " Chemistry 

 in Daily Life." The present work will not appeal so 

 directly to so large a class as did the former, yet 

 none the less its educational value is sure to be 

 considerable. As the author remarks in his pre- 

 face, "the book can be followed easily by anyone 

 who takes a serious interest in natural science," 

 while the younger of our teachers of chemistry 

 will undoubtedly be aided by the presentment of 

 the various branches which is here adopted. The 

 only points calling for alteration are the illustra- 

 tions, which could be vastly improved, and the outer 

 cover rather belies the word " Modern." — H. M. R. 



History of Chemistry. By Prof. Ladenburg. 

 Translated by Dr. Leonard Dobbin, xiv + 373 pp.. 

 (Edinburgh : The Alembic Club. 1900.) 6s. 6d. net. 



We are reminded by Professor Ladenburg of the 

 earlier days of chemistry, when modern theories 

 were in their infancy, old theories were " dying 

 hard," and the discussions of questions were not 

 carried on in so scientific a spirit as is usually 

 met with in these days. Dr. Dobbin's translation 

 is good, while Professor Ladenburg's remarks 

 which wind up each chapter are valuable, and 

 serve to broaden the interest that the reader 

 has already begun to feel. The author's re- 

 mark as to the priority in the discovery of 

 oxygen, and his statement in this connection 

 that " Lavoisier repeatedly tried to appropriate to- 

 himself the merits of others," are of great interest 

 to Englishmen, whose claims on behalf of Priestley 

 have not always been so openly acknowledged by 

 our Continental fellow-workers. — II. M. R. 



