588 Literature. 
know how to distinguish good from worthless, and some-. 
times worse than worthless, glycerine. 
Of the application of glycerine to various uses, I propose 
to treat in the next number of the TECHNOLOGIST. 
(To be continued.) 
LITERATURE. 
The People’s Magazine. An Illustrated Miscellany for all 
Classes. No. 18. May 4th, 1867. 
THE wonder arises how so much useful and entertaining 
information can be supplied for so moderate a charge. We 
offer no opinion regarding the merits of the illustrations, 
but there can be little question that the reading matter of 
the Miscellany is of general average quality, adapted to 
suit a variety of tastes, and cheap at the price—in fact, 
gives a good sixpenny-worth. 
The title is very ambitious: it conveys the idea of an 
enormous constituency, and if the idea suggested is verified 
by the fact, it is highly important that all the articles should 
be very good—and here we join issue. We say nothing 
of the lighter part ; we confine our remarks to the more 
scientific matter, and we affirm that it is not good enough 
for the purpose it is intended to serve. We know by ex- 
perience how difficult it is to handle science popularly, and 
to furnish solid information in a readable form—there is 
always the fear that in our endeavours to dress dry facts 
in common every-day attire, we may fail to do justice to 
them, and perhaps altogether distort their meaning, or cur- 
tail the subject to such a degree that little real knowledge 
can accrue to the reader. The article on the “ Science of 
Common Things” brings prominently before us the obstacles 
which oppose when an attempt is made to write on high 
subjects from a low level; we think it is better to avoid 
doing so; and if it is considered necessary to supply scien- 
tific information at all, to go the whole way, and ensure 
that it is thoroughly reliable. In the article alluded to, 
bearing the rather catchpenny sub-title, “A Drop of Rain,” 
we find an instance of loose writing on a scientific subject. 
The author, in a chance allusion to attempts that have 
been made to predict weather, states that the majority 
of forecasts were incorrect ; he gives the force and direction — 
of the wind only as a guide to assist in prediction, whereas 
