140 Literary Notices. 



parallel rays to a focus. In animals it would appear that to a large 

 extent the interpretation of visual phenomena is instinctive— what- 

 ever that term may mean. They certainly do not go through the 

 course of practical education that seems necessary for a man to 

 learn to see. Mr. Abbott claims, if we understand him rightly, a 

 large share of this same instinct for the human race, and he con- 

 siders that the behaviour of children, and of persons who have 

 received sight as the result of a surgical operation, confirms his 

 view. He cites on his side Sckroeder van der Kolk, who says, 

 " At a very early period, the infant can bring his little hands to his 

 mouth ; subsequently in the third month he catches at an object to 

 endeavour to raise it to himself. Proper touching and handling 

 succeed much later, and demand a higher degree of mental activity 

 and special investigation. Hence the absurdity of some writers 

 that the child receives his first impression of distance and size by 

 touch, and by feeling learns to see. On the contrary, he sees and 

 distinguishes objects at various distances long before he seizes them 

 in his hands and begins to examine them." It is certain that 

 men are more influenced by instinct than is commonly supposed ; 

 but although the child may have some appreciation of distance 

 before he has investigated relative distances, through touch and 

 locomotion, it does not follow that he may not with their aid learn 

 to see much better as he grows up. 



Mr. Abbott is not disposed to allow sufficient importance to 

 •brightness and distinctness as an indication of distance. Apart 

 from the knowledge of how bright and how distinct objects usually 

 appear at particular distances, such indications would be worthless, 

 and they are fallacious under new conditions ; but when interpreted 

 in conformity with sufficient experience they are solid guides. 



Philosophers have usually ridiculed the popular notions that the 

 moon really looks a foot wide, or that Orion seems to have a belt a 

 yard long; but Mr. Abbott refers to the curious fact that " a pencil 

 has the same apparent magnitude at four inches as at forty;" and 

 he states that at great distances, objects such as we have mentioned 

 have in all ages produced about the same impression of their appa- 

 rent size on ordinary eyes. 



Some of Mr. Abbott's statements appear to have been hastily 

 made, as when he objects to the distinctness of an object affording 

 an indication of its distance, he says, if so, "everything out of 

 focus would seem very distant." From a distant object the eye 

 receives only parallel rays, and when they are well focussed the eye 

 is not annoyed as it is by looking at an object in which the focus- 

 sing is bad. We have found his book very interesting and sugges- 

 tive, and although our readers will differ from many portions, they 

 will thank him for raising a discussion that must tend to the elimi- 

 nation of truth. 



Physical Geography for Schools and General Readers. By M. 

 P. Maury, LL.D., Commander in the Wavy of the Confederate States 

 of America, author of the " Physical Geography of the Sea," " The 

 Wind and Weather Charts," " Maury's Sailing Directions," etc. 

 (Longmans.) This little work affords popular explanations of many 



