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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
down great precipices (pages 149, 150) ; &c., &c., as though he could 
actually see the atoms and distinctly follow their movements. 
It is desirable, and even necessary, for the purposes of scientific 
investigation and discovery, to habituate the mind to a great variety 
of hypotheses, both abstract and otherwise, and to employ such images 
respecting the motions of atoms, &c. as tools in the daily work of scientific 
discovery ; but we think such imagery, even though it be the most 
accordant with known facts, is not very suitable for conveying informa- 
tion, because of the great liability of unscientific persons to treat such 
conceptions as though they were real facts. 
The book as a whole is beautifully written, and highly interesting on 
account of the number of good experiments contained in it. It is the 
most popular exposition of the dynamical theory of heat that has yet 
appeared. It contains the substance of the chief of the author’s original 
investigations in the science of heat, particularly a valuable one on the 
action of gases upon radiant heat, which we have not space to criticise 
further than to observe that though not equal in degree of originality to 
the “ Experimental Researches in Electricity” of his greatly talented 
predecessor, it represents a very large amount of labour, and manifests a 
high degree of accuracy in a very difficult subject. 
Hints on tlic Formation of Local Museums . By the Treasurer of the 
Wimbledon Museum Committee. London : Hardwicke. 
T is every year becoming a question of greater importance how to find 
suitable employment for the increased intelligence of the working 
classes. Mr. Toynbee has solved the question in his own way : he says, 
the educated population of our parishes are surrounded by an inexhaustible 
profusion of objects adapted to improve and to gratify the understanding, 
and yet, for want of some plan of stimulating inquiry and observation, 
these treasures remain almost unknown. Ilis little book, which is written 
in a thoroughly practical style, contains an account of a successful attempt 
to establish in Wimbledon a museum upon a plan which the author hopes 
may be found applicable to the formation of similar institutions throughout 
the country. 
The feature which gives the present work an especial interest is its 
advocacy of purely local collections. On this point the author gives the 
views of Professor E. Forbes : “ It is to the development of the provincial 
museums that I believe we must look in future for the extension of intel- 
lectual pursuits throughout the land.” “ When a naturalist goes from one 
country into another, his first inquiry is for local collections. He is 
anxious to see authentic and full cabinets of the productions of the regions 
he is visiting. He wishes, moreover, if possible, to study them apart, not 
mingled up with general or miscellaneous collections, but distinctly 
arranged with special reference to the region they illustrate. In almost 
every town of any size or consequence he finds a public museum ; but how 
often does he find any part of that museum devoted to the illustration of 
the productions of the district ? The very feature which, of all others, 
