484 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
THE NATURAL HISTORY AND EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING* 
W E have before us that rare phenomenon, a book which, professing to 
treat of a scientific and yet popular subject, accomplishes its task in 
a way which must command the deep respect of scientific men, while it also 
provides a mine of interesting matter for the mere intelligent dilettante. We 
all know how easy it would be to write a showy, useless book upon the fasci- 
nating topic of lightning and its occasional disastrous effects. The work of 
Dr. Sestier, however, is quite another affair. It is a solid, comprehensive, 
and most interesting treatise ; the labour of love in which a most able 
physician employed every hour that he could spare from private practice for 
more than ten years ; and it may almost be said to exhaust the subject. 
Unhappily the esteemed author met with a sudden death, and a short but 
earnestly written preface from the pen of the great French savant, Professor 
Louis, explains the manner in which the responsible task of editing the work 
has been committed to the able hands of Dr. Mehu, and bespeaks the 
attention of scientific Europe to what the Professor evidently judges to be a 
master-piece. We regret that it is impossible, owing to the great demands 
on our space, to give a lengthened analysis of this valuable work, and we 
decline to spoil the subject by a necessarily imperfect attempt at reviewing. 
We strongly recommend every one to read the book for himself. 
* “ De la Foudre, de ses Formes, et de ses Effets sur FHomrne, les Animaux, 
les Yegetaux, et les Corps bruts, des Moyens de s’en preserver, et des Para- 
tonnerres.” Par le Dr. F. Sestier. Redige, &c., par le Doct. C. Mehu. Paris : 
J. B. Bailliere et Fils. 2 tom. 8vo. 1866. 
