iSyi.] Notices of Books. 257 



wish to make any progress in geological thought. The present 

 edition will go far to increase this inequality — for the readiness 

 of reference and the handiness of this volume will make it, what 

 it ought to be, the constant companion of the working geologist. 

 There are, besides modifications and additions, improvements 

 in the present volume. Sir Charles Lyell is a man great enough 

 to be able to say, " I have been wrong and others have been 

 right " — in consequence, in deference to the French geologists, 

 he now classes as Lower Miocene what he formerly called Upper 

 Eocene. How many Frenchmen dare make a like concession 

 to an Englishman ? 



A Dictionary of Science ; comprising Astronomy, Chemistry, 

 Dynamics, Electricity, Heat, Hydrodynamics, Hydrostatics, 

 Light, Magnetism, Mechanics, Meteorology, Pneumatics, 

 Sound and Statics ; preceded by an Essay on the History 

 of the Physical Sciences. Edited by G. F. Rodwell, 

 F.R.A.S., F.C.S. London : Moxon, Son, and Co., 1871. 



"The number of dictionaries professing to comprehend a general 

 view of the arts and sciences, in a condensed form, already extant 

 is very great ; yet great as it is, it is every year rapidly increasing." 

 Thus wrote the editor of a so-called portable encyclopcedia 

 in the year 1826, and verily since his day the number of books 

 of reference has not decreased. One great advantage, however, 

 has resulted from the increased number of topics on which 

 universal dictionaries have to treat; and that is, that no one man 

 can any longer attempt to inform the world upon every subject. 

 It was Dr. Wm. Smith, we believe, who first adopted the plan 

 of inducing a number of other well-known men to write each on 

 the subject with which he was best acquainted, and then the 

 whole were amalgamated into a complete lexicon. The system 

 was found to be very successful, and not only has the original 

 editor continued a series of such works, but others have imitated 

 the design in other branches of knowledge. Among these we 

 may class the work edited by Mr. Rodwell. He has embraced 

 chemistry, astronomy, and the sciences usually called physical. 

 These subjects have been assigned to the following well-known 

 gentlemen: — Messrs. J. T. Bottomley, M.A. ; W. Crookes, 

 F.R.S. ; F. Guthrie, B.A., Ph.D. ; R. A. Proctor, B.A. ; C. 

 Tomlinson, F.R.S. ; R. Wormell, M.A., B.Sc; and the Editor; 

 each taking two or three distinct subjects. 



The articles in a very brief space give a thorough history of 

 our knowledge on each subject, and bring that knowledge down to 

 the latest discoveries ; and besides this they direct the student to 

 the works and papers where fuller information can be obtained. 

 Altogether we can recommend the book very highly both to the 

 student who is desirous of gaining some general information about 



VOL. VIII. (O.S.) — VOL. I. (N.S.) 2 L 



