New-York tribune., 1874-04-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MAY MAGAZINES.
POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.
Dbvl

-. -, - as first ascribed ia 1868 by French |
naturalist 10 the puucture OF minute insect peo"hns
to the plantlouse family bearing close W
our sall-louse. Two years after while the FRANCO
prn.s.n war was at its hight, DR.. Riley succeeded In
establishing the identity of the French gallouse with
The American, through correspondence with Dr. Sig
poret OF Paris During the same year psIO the author
also established the identity Of the gall and roonhab-
~g types by showing that in the Fall Of the year the
last brood Of gallce select the roots for their winter
quarters In 1871 he visited France, and studied the
French insect in the field. After extended observations
he able pronounce upon the absolute identity of
the two insects and TO make other discoveries Of vital
Importance to American grape-growers He has come
90 the conclusion that the failure Of varieties Of
grapes in vineyards is mainly due to the attacks OF
this insdious insect Dr. Reys paper admirable for
the cearnes OF details and presents curious study
both to the entomologist and the cultivator. The
Limits Of knowledge of Nature" is the title OF dis
course by Professor Du BOls-Reymond OF Berlin
delivered before the Congress of German nat
uralists at Lepsic, and abounding with in
strucuve suggestions in regard to the pur-
suit Of physical science Professor Du Bois-Reymond
defines natural science the resolution Of natural
cesses into the mechanics OF atoms II to sup
pose all changes in the physical world resolved into
atomic motions produced by constant central forces
should then have scientific knowledge Of the universe
The condition Of the world any given moment would
then appear TO be the direct result Of its condition
the preceding moment and the direct of its con-
dition in the subsequent moment. Law and schance
would be only different names for mechanical necessity
But need not be said that the human mind will always
REMAIN very remote from this degree OF acquaintance
with Nature. The knowledge of Nature Whch proVis-
ionay satisfies desire OF tracing thln9s 10 Iher
causes In reality, does no such thing and is
not knowledge at all. The conception OF tne
world as consisting Of minute parts that nave
ALWAYS existed and whose central forces produce all
motion, is only substitute for explanation II re-
fo,l uopld Z
sum OF forces and constant quantity OF matter and
thus leaves in the changes themselves nothing that re-
quros lex planation. Granting the existence OF TINS
constant enjoy brief content in the hypothesis
but we soon long to penetrate deeper, and to cOnpre
hend II in its own substance The result is that for
while the atomic theory is serviceable, but when we
oyertax IT, and make demands upon it which 1t is not
Intended 20 meet, then corpuscuar philosophy II
leads to ntermnable contradictions Nor are the facts
Of consciousness expainable by its material conditions
The highest degree acknowledge which Ave can possess
Of the brain dseloses to inohng but matter IN mo-
ton. But we cannot by means Of any imaginable
movement OF material particles bridge over the
chasIn between the conscious and the unconscious.
Motion only produce motion, or be converted Dack
into potential energy. Potential energy can only pro-
duce notion maintain static equilibrium or exert press
ure or traction. But the sum of energy remains the
same Nothing can 60 beyond this law in the physical
world nothing can fall short Of It, The mechanical
cause passes completely into the mechanical effect.
Hence the mental phenomena which In the brain appear
with the material phenomena are so FAR as
understanding concerned, void Of sufficient basis.
They lie beyond the law Of causaty, and hence
iatehgible We never conceive how consciousness
should result from the Joint action OF any number Of
chemical elements will remain utterly impossible
TO understand the mental operations from the mechanics
Of the cerebral atoms Nor have any more distinct
perceptions OF the nature Of matter and force Here the
other limit OF knowledge Of Nature less absolute
than the first limits In spite of all the advances made
by natural science IN two thousand years. men have
made substantial progress toward the understanding
OF matter and force, any than toward the under
standing Of mental activity from its material conditions
so will those l'a'fts' sho man or
science lord and master, but beyond them he cannot
now nor can he ever 80. The paper OF Professor Du
Bois Rey mond remarkable as an illustration OF the
tendencies Of modern thought TO discomfort with the
mechanical theories OF the Universe 1t shows the fal
lacy Of all preensons TO explain the facts of conscious
ness the conditions ofmater 1t rebukes the ppant
claims nateralist to nd the basis of psychology
dissection Of the brain. and to account for the
phenomena OF thought feeling by the action of
bral molecules. Other articles Of interest In the
ber are Synthetic Chemistry" by Professor John W.
Langley "Action Of Sunlight on Glass;" By Mr.. E. 8
Drone, and claw and Insanity" by Or. H. Maudsley,
besides the valuable editorial miscellaues.
THE GALAXY.
Under the title "Americans in Paris,n Mr..
Albert Rhodes presents lively comments on the
oils, which perfectly original and perhaps per-
feety correct at least pointed, and might be taken
TO without injury by the fair women and brave
men who represent American manners on the Boule-
wards and in the Champs Elysees. The American girl
says Mr.. Rhodes. is enigma TO the French matron.
When her daughter answers the man with downcast
eyes and tmd speech her sister from the
fronts him boldly and speaks with assurance. The
Frenchman fnds irresistible charm in the naive au-
dacy. To the Gac dame, this blooming sprig of de-
snocracy has the manners OF married woman. She
TO theaters where her daughter permitted
30. reads novels that only allowed TO the French
woman with husband orders her wardrobe without
counsel from her mother, receives men visitors
alone and talks 10 them by the hour, engages
her cab and most remarkable Of all selects her
husband. The French mother most decidedly con-
demns this mode Of bringing up the American girl. To
tell the truth. she would rather her own daughter
take the vail than follow the transatlantic mode OF life
Mr. Clemens Petersen affords a insight into the
social life OF Sweden and Norway aud Denmark in his
agreeable paper Scandinavia" There a striking
resemblance between the character OF the land the
character OF tho people. The Swede is never stupid
Heis rather fantastic He has talent for medocrity
He has rather for eccentricy. All that is sweet
Ines him and hls him with JOY. All that is great at
tracts him and fills HIM with enthusiasm. Even in the
poorest circumstances his heart is always oyerhowing
with sublime lonNngs which he pours forth in the
sweetest and most touching songs the world has
heard. The swede, moreover, affords example OF
good and graceful courtesy which might Wen
he initiated by the dwelers in warmer cline. The
pirng youth does not try to show off his dextery by
handling an extensive number Of slang phrases.
The first token OF Of genuine Swedish
is the capacity OF arguing with geneness OF denying
with courtesy, and protesting with politeness This
habit prevalent in all speech, that by simple people
among his neghbors the Swede is often suspected OF