REVIEWS. 
297 
were scarcely twelve and eleven years old when they ravaged a city and put 
all the inhabitants to the sword. Some of the laws are mentioned twice, 
and each time they are different in it.” These are but a sample of a host of 
such errors which the author dwells on. The book throughout is full of 
interest, and the plates representing various objects, chiefly from Eastern 
temples, are remarkably interesting. Altogether we are much pleased with 
the book, which is, however, of a class unsuited to our pages. We wish 
the author had given his name, for then we could more thoroughly thank 
him for the good efforts which he has made, and for which, even though he 
be unknown, we thank him. 
RADIANT HEAT.* 
H ERE we have a book which cannot be termed a popular work in any 
sense of the word, but which may be read, we think, with interest 
even by those who have little knowledge of the subject, but who have 
minds capable of taking up questions of this kind. It consists of a series of 
memoirs chiefly on the subject of radiant heat. These have for the most 
part been contributed to the ‘‘Philosophical Transactions,” and the u Philo- 
sophical Magazine,” and they together form such an admirable essay on 
the whole subject that we fancy Professor Tyndall did rightly in reproducing 
them. Furthermore, they will certainly tend to let many understand who 
were ignorant before, of the nature of the dispute between the author and 
Professor Magnus. They will, from this point alone, be of service, for they 
will show how convincingly strong are the arguments Professor Tyndall 
advances, and how admirably his experiments have been devised and carried 
out. To our minds, individually, the most popularly interesting paper of 
the whole is that on calorescence, which is headed by those aptly-chosen 
lines from Lucretius. We see no reason why any of our readers should be 
unable to follow the author through this portion of his book, which is 
written in Professor Tyndall’s usually eloquent, forcible, and clear style, and 
which is amply illustrated by woodcuts. Altogether the book is of course 
an excellent one, and we sincerely hope its sale will fully recompense its 
publishers. 
GANOT’S POPULAR NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.! 
W E do not know whether this book is to be regarded as superior to all 
our English books for beginners in natural philosophy ; indeed, we 
think ourselves that it is not. Still, it must be admitted that it is a very 
* “ Contributions to Molecular Physics in the Domain of Radiant Heat,” 
by John Tyndall, LL.I)., F.R.S., Professor of Natural Philosophy in the 
Royal Institution. London : Longmans, 1872. 
t u Natural Philosophy for General Readers and Young Persons,” Trans- 
lated and Edited from Ganot’s “ Cours Elemementaire de Physique.” By 
E. Atkinson, Ph.D., F.C.S., Professor of Experimental Science in the Staff 
College. London : Longmans, 1872. 
