1878.] 
Notices of Books. 
55i 
Light. A Series of Simple, Entertaining, and Inexpensive 
Experiments in the Phenomena of Light, for the Use of 
Students of every Age. By Alfred M. Mayer and Charles 
Barnard. “ Nature ” Series. London : Macmillan and 
Co. 1878. 
This work describes, in simple language, a number of experi- 
ments illustrating the principal properties of light, by means of 
a beam of sunlight admitted into a dark room, and various con- 
trivances. The experiments are highly ingenious, and, although 
in many cases insufficiently explained, the young student cannot 
fail to learn a good deal from the book. As an example of the 
effective experimental method employed, we may specially men- 
tion the device for illustrating the refradtion of light, figured and 
described on page 46. 
The book is specially designed “ to give to every teacher and 
scholar the knowledge of the art of experimenting.” 
The Devil Demonstrated. By A Physiologist. London" 
Printed for the Author, by G. J. Ogden and Co. 
We have here a curious and highly original work, written ten 
years ago, and now published anonymously for fear of the tea- 
tables. The author, it should be premised, is not a materialist • 
he distinctly admits the existence of the Deity, and of an imma- 
terial, supra-vital, responsible principle in man, not perishing 
with what is commonly called death. He recognises, moreover, 
the authority of the Christian Revelation, and in seeking to es- 
tablish his doctrine he appeals to St. Paul against the authority 
of Milton, a writer whose glosses on the Scriptures have — in 
England at least — been popularly identified with the Sacred text, 
and are, we believe, to no small extent responsible for the anta- 
gonism which in some quarters still prevails between Religion 
and Science. 
The author contends, in brief, that the Devil is neither a person 
nor a spirit, but an evil principle connected with the flesh, which 
lives and dies with that flesh, not found in man alone, but in 
every animal or vegetable form of matter. “ Where there is 
force acfting upon matter, there is the Devil ” — a formula which 
would of course comprehend inorganic substances as well as 
plants and animals. “ Wherever there is any evil principle, 
anything which works injury, the Devil, or evil, is there present, 
as much as in man.” 
This view is expounded in the form of a dialogue between a 
DocStor, a Friend, and a Patient, introduced by the latter, and 
who here is supposed to represent the unscientific British public. 
