, 1874-02-22
LITERATURE.

LITERATURE.
Conservation OF Energy.
THE CONSERVATION OF ENERGY. Dy BALrou1
Philosophy at Tho owcns College, Manchester. New
York D. Appleton + ca. Volume Of tbs Inter.
national Scientific Series.
No discovery in Science has been more prolific
OF results than the modern loc:rine Of the Cor
relation ard Conservation OF Forces Grove
AMI Mayer, in 1872. first ga'o expression to the
theory, that The different manifestations OF
forces are mutually convertibtc; and that 3o,ce
in itself Is indessiucti5le and persistent Jou1o,
after all elaborate senes Of experiments, estab:
lished the mechanical equivalent OF heat, and
reduced 1t to It's simplest term rs unit OF work
Tyndall, in that most fascinating Of books OF
Science, Heat as Mode OF Notion" followed
it through ite various Transformations, nnd
wruug from flames mud liquids, iron and ice, the
smallest particles Of mattor, and the sun him
sell, the secret Of their changes, and showed
them but tho outward visible Appearances Of
matter acted upon and controlled By an imper-
ishable force, Nor has the investigation rested
hero. Men early began to suspect that vitality
itself Was subject to this same law; and that
the growth and development Of organic ifa, and
all the thought and motion that constitute indi-
viduals and societies, had their place under tho
same conditions that regulate the expansion OF
an iron bar, OF 1aiso water into steam under the
application Of heat. Theories OF the possibility
OF a Perpetual motion, no less than the sudden
acquisition of material, social, End intellectual
prosperity through tho enactment Of
laws, received a deathbloW when once
the fact whs established that tho sum
OF forcca is constant, and incapable
either Of creation or nnnihilation; and that re-
suits are directly and inevitably rotated to tho
amount Of e1ertion OF energy put forth, which
simply transfars tho abiding place Of SO much
forcs from one factor OF physical or social phe-
nomena to another.
=, Energy ia power which the body possesses
Of overcoming resistance. It is Of two vE1ieti ios
molecular or invisible energy, and mechanical or
visible energy. The first deals with the back
ward and forward motion which takes place
among the molecules OF body, without chang
ing its position in regard tosurrounding objects !;
the last with the movement Of bodies and organ
isns through epaee. Moreover, there ia an en-
ergy Of motion and an energy OF pos1tion,-as iu
. cannou-ball in actual motion, and the came
ball at rest upon the top Of house. This dis
tnctlon holds Tor invisible molecular energy as
truly as it does for that which 1s visible. En-
orgies may be conveniently classified rs follows:
!. Energy Of visible motion,-as in the planets,
running stream, neteors, etc. 2. Visible en-
ergJ Of position,-ns in head Of water, bow
strung for use, OF q clock wound up. Batween
these ia the case OF pendulum, which, in Vi
brating, alternately displays both modes. These
are samples Of visible enargies. The following
are invisible, namely: l. Heat. 2. Molecular
trical separation. 5. Electricity which is con-
tinuoEs- 6. Radiant ouergy which proceeds to
US from the Bun.
The aum of these taken together is constant,
other. The evidence upon which this assertion
ls based ia pecullar,-peculiAr in its magnitude
ia it's uniyersality, ia the subtle nature Of the
agents with which it deals. It cannot be proved
as We prove tho conservation Of matter in chem
ical experiments, but, under certain test condi-
tons, wo obtain results which prove tho law to
be true in all cases where rigorous experiment is
available. AL work can be changed into heat,
but. although heat can be changed back into
work, al OF the beat cannot be utilized. Beyond
what is s4uandered in the shape OF friction,
some escapes into space, and loaves tho earth
altogether. We cannot prevent ita going, and,
with reference to the earth, cannot say that tho
Sum il constant. But the physicist, in unfold
ing the laH OF Nature, stops not at the earth on
which we hre. Grayitation holds it's sway in the
furthest regions OF space, and here We find our
energy which ia dissipated. We may, indeed,
assume that, for ill tho euorey radiatod into
space, an equal quantity returns to IN in energy
radiated from the siderea! system. But, putting
this aside, the nein source OF our planetary
energy is the sun. It ia stored in tile shape OF
fuel food, head Of water, tides, and tho ene1-
gy Of chemical separation in native sulphur,
iron, etc. besides which, there il tho energy OF
air and water in motion.
Consciously and unconscously, this energy
iB gradually becoming transformed into beauty,
and some proportion Of it is beyond our power
to rotr20sform- Hence tho Startling conclusion
that mo:e and moro will tie mechanical energy
OF the universe be transformed into unircs-
saly-dlTusod hest, until it will no longer ba fit
abode for human beings, since the production OF
work and the possibility OF life depend upon dif-
fereuces of temperature. Although. therefore,
Il: strictly-mechanical Ronse, there is con-
soEvation Of energy, yet, rs regards usefulness
or fituess for LIVING beings, tho energy Of the
universe is in process Of deterioration.
Il is not within the province Of Prof. Stewart
to deal with tho application ct these principles
TO other than inanimate matter, but in an appen-
dix arc added two essays: On the "Corrolation
Prot. Joseph Le Conte; and the ''Correlation
Of Nervous aud Mental Forces" by Prof. Alex
ander Balm; which will give tho reader an idoa
of the relations Of energy to life.
luis work very opportunely follows that OF
Prof. Cooke upon tha - New Chemistry" and
may be road in connection with it to great ad-
The two combined cannot fail to pre-
sent clear conception OF the present condition
Of chem1cl aud physical ecence. It IL possiblc
with reference 70 the work OF Prof. Stewart, that
Bome faint tinge OF disappointment nny be felt
By those poraona who are familiar with tho more
advanced and profounder treatment OF the sub
lect by Grove, Tyudall, Heimholtz, Spencer, and
others; but bearing in mind the purpose OF the
works. forming tue international Series, the vol
nme will bo found admirably adapted to the
wants Of those who desire q plain statement OF
lie theory, unincumbered with technical and
minute details.
a Novel by Hhoda Rroughton.
NANCY: A NovEL. By HHoDA BRoUaaTos, Author at
"Good-B5e, Sweetheart, !" etc. New York: D. Ap-
plcton L Co.
This IS. in the frat ha1f of it, altogether Tho
Eaciest book ne have read in long while. It
1as much OF the spicy flavor Of Miss A1cott's
8 Little Women" and recalls that charming story
" numerous points Of resemblance. Mias |
B1oughton does not prosper we'll in the concep-
lion Of 8 plot, and her characters are apt to be
but she has an extraordinary fac |
,1tY for sustaining colloquy; and rs there is
nothing IN Ill the world moro fascinating than !
,risp, witty conversation. abe keeps her readers
amused By the exercise Of this talent.
She manages clms1es, too, cleverlyi and near
, every chapter winds up with \ smart, sharp |
that is delightfully."- exhila1ating. |
Va MD her characters ware mt to ha incnnnr1