New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE NEW PHILOSOPHY OF FORCES

LiEBrG and Dr.. C.EPESTFK WIN An lTTnoDUCTloN
norERs OF me NEw NIEws By EDWARD J." iolAANs
MD Lsrce i2no. PIP. Kill 45 d. Appleton Co.
In this substantial volume by six of the repre-
sentative men OF European science, we have the
last and highest result Of thought concerning the
nature laws, and connections Of the forces OF the
universe. No sublmer problem can engage the IN
tcllect Of man, for it opens the question OF 'he
agencies and methods employed b. OmnipoieAce il
carrying on the affairs Of the world while the views
reached constitute the most signal step OF advance
ment that has long been made in the held OF scch'
tifc inquiry.
The President of the British Association for the
Advancement OF Science declared last year tha'
"the new views of the Correlation and Conserva-
ton Of Forces constitute the most important as
covery Of the present century; while DIR. Faraday
las pronounced the conservation ofloTce to be "the
highest law in physical science which our faculties
permit US to perceive That tho new doctrines
are regarded as of the highest importance is further
shown by the prominent place given TO Their DIS
cusson in the leading European periodicals, both
scientific and literary. In our own country the sub
feet has received considerable attention. AS is
stated in the Editors Introduction, the true founder
of the modern views of forces was an American
BY birth and education, Count Rumford. Professors
Henry and Leconte have published original ana
valuable memoirs upon the subject, Whlie lBe
"Amerean journal Of Science and Weiss "An-
nual of Scientific Discovery" have contributed to
enlarge the acquaintance of the public with the
question. knowledge of the doctrines has been
further exte led by the admirable work Of Prof
Tyndall on Heat as q Mode of Notion and the
lew edition OF DR.. Youmanss Chemistry. The
present collection, therefore, appears at an oppor
tune moment--when "a comprehensive and authors
taive treatise upon the whole subject is demanded
and will undoubtedly be cordially received by the
rejecting classes Of the community.
The principle Of the conservation of force is hat
power, like matter, is never destroyed but always
conserved. The principle of the correlation OF
forces is that the various forces mutually con-
verible, or may be transformed one into another
When forces disappear and seem TO be destroyed
they only change form; the impulse lives on und-
minished and indestructible through endless trans
mutations. A body in motion comes 10 rest and
tic mechanical force appears to be dnn'6itafcd; a
body at rest is put i'll motion and the force appears
10 be created. But these appearances are decep-
tive the sharper scrutiny and finer measurements
of the latest science show that no movement or
impulse, however slight, can disappear without be-
ing traceable in some other form. BY loosely
reasoning from superficial appearances it was long
believed possible to construct perpetual motion
machine that should 20 on forever, creating its
own power: but il is now considered that no force
can arise, except at the expense of some prcGxist
ing force, and that force can disappear without
producing an equivalent dynamical result in some
, form or other. Whenever mechanical motion is
arrested, whether gradually by friction or suddenly
by collision, heat is produced. When one body
strikes another, it is warmed. An apple falling
from tree has its temperature but slightly raised
while an aerolite falling from the heavens has Its
enormous motion SO arrested by impact against the
atmosphere that it is ignied, ard perhaps fused OF
exploded. All mechanical motion, therefore, when
brought 10 rest increases the store of heat in ma
ture. On the other hand, heat produces mechanical
force as we see in the case of the steam engine and
is consumed in its production. All mechanical
movement, therefore, is at the expense Of tAC
store Of heat in the universe. The whole circle Of
forces electric, chemical, and vital as well as Their
NAL and mechanical, are thus mutually convertible
and while the total amount of power, like that OF
matter, remains unatered, al the effects and
changes which we behold in nature or experience
IN ourselves are the results of those mutations OF
energy which take place under memorable numeri.
cal laws.
These propositions may seem obvious, and GER
family they are far simple and consistent than
the doctrines they replace but they are the highest
results Of advancing knowledge; they oyertun the
errors of ages and revolutionze the philosophy OF
science The fctions that have long pretended
to explain the effects Of forces are swept away. The
hypothetical agencies-caloric, the electric, mag
Hetic, and nervous fluids the vital principle, and the
Like, have gone the way OF phlogiston and ban
ished from the field OF progressive science. With
the rejection of these obscurlng perycrting ideas,
We are brought closer to the naked facts of nature
We see that forces are only manifested in matter;
they are only evidenced by movements in matter;
il is wisest therefore, TO regard them as only
affections of matter itself. This view may seem
unimportant, but it has stupendous implications.
If the reader will glance over the new volume, lie
will see that this principle gives TO the thinkers of
this generation a new heavens and newcarth.
The Essays which compose this book seem TO
combine in an eminent degree the two desirable
statement. The style in which they are written is
extremely simple lucid, and popular, and affords
an excellent illustration of that pressure of public
necessity and culture which compels even the great
est minds TO conform their mode Of expression 10
the requirements Of the mass of intelligent readers.
As regards the authority Of these discussions it is
only necessary to say that their authors are not