Elementary Treatise on Natural Philosophy

Abstract

THIS translation of Prof. Deschanel's “Traité de Physique” will, we believe, be found extremely useful. An elementary treatise of moderate size on Physics has been long wanted in our schools. Atkinson's translation of Ganot, or Brook's Natural Philosophy, is too expensive for general use, and of smaller books, none, so far as we know, are good. The issue of Dr. Everett's translation in parts at the moderate price of 45. 6d., will enable it to be largely employed. The ergravings with which the work is illustrated are especially good, a point in which most of our English scientific works are lamentably deficient. The present part contains Mechanics, Hydrostatics, and Pneumatics. The clearness of Deschanel's explanations is admirably preserved in the translation, while the value of the treatise is considerably enhanced by some important additions. Thus, to Deschanel's description of the pendulum is added a short account of the condition of isochronous vibration, moment of ineitia, momentum, and kinetic and potential energy. In the section on Pneumatics, Deschanel's extremely good description of the air-pumps of Hawksbee, Bianchi, Kravogl, Geissler, and Deleuil, is supplemented by an account of Sprengel's mercurial pump. It is possible to point out defects, but they are few. The conception of “mass” is always a difficult one for a beginner. Deschanel gives a very clear explanation, which is not reproduced, the term being employed without explanation. Nor do we understand why, instead of Deschanel's statement that the co-efficient of absorption of ammonia in water at 0°C. is 1050 (exactly it is 1150), it is said to be only 600. But these are minor defects, and we repeat that we believe the book will be found to supply a real need.