276 
Notices of Boohs . 
[April, 
time of the Greeks down to the present day, may well be consi- 
dered a bold undertaking, even though the work is primarily 
intended for the use of schools and of young persons. The 
authoress seeks “ to place before young and unscientific people 
those main discoveries of science which ought to be — but which 
are not- — known by every educated person, and at the same time 
to impart a living interest to the whole by associating with each 
step in advance some history of the men who made it.” She 
adds — “ I have often felt very forcibly how many important facts 
and generalisations which are of great value in giving a true 
estimate of life and its conditions are totally unknown to the 
majority of otherwise well-educated persons.” This is true, and 
“ pity ’t is ’t is true.” 
Upon the whole we may fairly congratulate Miss Buckley upon 
the success of her labour, and must declare that she fulfils, and 
often more than fulfils, her promises. She is not content to give 
a mere enumeration of discoveries in their chronological order. 
A number of phenomena and of inductions — astronomical, phy- 
sical, chemical, and biological — are explained in clear and simple 
language, and are illustrated with diagrams. Thus a very small 
amount of preliminary knowledge is required from the reader, 
and no one will find himself repelled by a parade of needless 
technicalities. Of course, keeping within such narrow compass, 
and addressing herself not to the learned but to learners, the 
authoress cannot be expedied to enter into minute details, or to 
give an exhaustive and authoritative judgment on the merits and 
claims of rival discoverers ; but she furnishes a broad and mainly 
correct outline, which the thoughtful reader will doubtless seek 
to fill up. 
The arrangement of the work is very simple. The first part 
describes the state of Science among the Greeks ; the second 
treats of the Science of the Middle Ages, from a.d. 700 to a.d. 
1500 ; and the third, and of course largest sedtion, carries the 
reader down to the present day ; each of the two former parts, 
and in the modern division the account of each century, being 
preceded by a list of its chief men of seience, with the dates 
when they flourished. Every chapter concludes with a list of 
the principal authorities consulted. As must be expedted in a 
work of this nature, there are passages on which a variety of 
opinions may prevail ; but in dealing with all controverted ques- 
tions the authoress shows great moderation, and keeps within 
the truth. This is especially shown in her manner of dealing 
with the martyrs of science, and with the Darwinian controversy. 
In expounding the great dodtrine of organic evolution she shows 
that it has no more connection with atheism than has the old and 
opposite view of the independent origin of species. The fol- 
lowing passage is worthy the careful attention of all, however 
eminent, who have allowed prejudices to blind their eyes to the 
truth : — 
“ It is extremely foolish to be prejudiced against it, as some 
