New-York tribune., 1875-02-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


$40. d. Appsten h Go.
The most prominent scientific socletles Oh
London are here described with certain onhana gayey
which sayors OF the naive frankness OF the do
hemian than OF the dignity OF learned ex
position The writer appears to be mana ana goVe WIN
some of the chief priests OF corporate srience IN tne
"great metropolis" and has thus obtained an insidc
view OF the celebration OF their most solemn mysteries
His loquacious narratives are eminenty readape ocn
amusing and compel the attention OF the reader spite
OF his imperturbable assurance or you please MS SELF
satisfied impudence. 1t Ia not dliheuit mat
ter to obtain access to tho halls OF the
ROYAL Society, though as are kindly informed
cit ia not an expedition TO be under
taken lightly or in an rreverent spirit" Certain con-
6itions necessary, which having funlIed, Il pre-
sented myself" he tells us, at Burlington House on
one OF those foggy evenings for which London IL recov
erng its ancient notoriey Having deposited my coat
and hat with careful ttendan found my self In the
spacious anteroom gazing the dark features OF his
Majesty King Charles H., WHO, albeit OF an over gay
and festive Of mind, had probably acquired GER
tain dilednt taste for science from hs dashing rela
tive that ringleted Prince OF Bohemia, who-equal to
either fortune-ed charge OF cavalry In the field. or
conducted scientific experiment In the quet recesses
OF his laboratory with equal success The members are
now dropping by one aud are chatting pleasantly
in groups OF examining specimens and photographs of
curious organisms brought by distinguished Fellow,
who Is the happy possessor OF sunplcture OF the
| gigantic octopus recently washed ashore ut New
| foundland. Thoughtfullookng, gray-halred men
arc the majority OF the +. r. B., but active
| withal, and evidently men to whom hard work
and constant study have become necessary stmulans
For the ronce they put holiday air as II bent on
enjoying little bit Of scientific dissipation, and resolved
to make scientific night of It, But the CLOCK points 10
balfpast eight, the hour at (which proceedings COM
mence and punctuay to the moment the audience set
tie down here and there while the president proceeds
TO take the chair. On das placed Immediately be-
meath the portrait OF Newton, at tho upper END ofthe
roon sits the president enhroned IN massive chair,
evidently made the lines OF Sir Joseph Banks and
aAorng ample for Dr. Hooker, whose spare hgure
and study-wOrn face are surmouned by pair OF those
bushy ey ebrows which so frequently add force and
character the features Of those deeply learned in the
law and those other sciences to which Mr. Ayron recently
declined concede any priority Jurisprudence Be-
fore president lies the without winch regular
meeting can be seld his right sits Professor Stokes,
Lucasian Professor OF Mathematics. the senior secre-
ary and his left sits, rather recline in mis- arm
chair, who has done much to gld the pill OF science
and make it acceptable to the maBy-Proiessor Huxley.
short paper read in the absence OF the eontrbutorby
junior secretary and duly committed to the archives
OF the Society," after which ceremony the meaning OF
some complicated clockwork the table Is made mani
| fest. This subject proyokes heightened and
| lively discussion, Mt tho conclusion & which
| the meeting comes 10 an end; tho chairman
abandon themselves TO tea ard scientific gossip"
The weekly meeting of the Royal Institution according
to our laughing philosopher, Is wonderful combna-
ton OF science and society, Of physics and fashion,
although once in while printer or photographer
manages to obtain permission to date on the excel
lence OF his wares and thus 10 advertise himsei Ia
what capacity the writer made his appearance we are
precisely informed but 1t Is certain that he formed
one Of the noble army OF lion hunters who had made
rush. not only TO hear but to see. Sir Samuel Baker"
On this particular night find all the approaches 10 Al
bemaIe-st. blocked by carriages, and on making my
way into tho Royal Institutlon find the theatcr fully
occupied at quarter past o'clock or threeqaarers OF
an the time OF the lecture. With the excep
of ow reserved for the two boards OF mana
gers and visitors hall is crowded to the ceiling every
avenue being already ammed with dense mass OF peo-
pie, among whom gay opera cloaks aud Angot caps
largely predomnate over black and snowy shirt
fronts. few young visible, but after standing
about for while and finding 1t impossible TO approach
their far friend these youths vanish through the crowd
ed doorway and seen more. thus leaving the
British matron. who prevails to-
night extent that would have struck terror into
the poor Nathaniel Hawthorne. There is no in
considerable amount OF crowding and pushing In this
elegant throng. and l forciby reminded Of
the saying of certain philosopher-who has
seen men and cities, and the customs OF them
that "a well-dressed crowd is o rude crowd" "
On another occasion he "assisted " at q lecture on
palponology in which Professor Duncan discourSed ION
that friend Of my youth the tchyOsaurs and In few
and graphic sentences described tue manners GUS
TOMS and peculiar structure OF that great hsh-zlrd
with whae-like body, crocodile head, and monstrous
saUcer-eyes" The pieSoSdrrus Is then disposed Of
after which the inevitable per0ddctBe turns up the
flying heard Of predatory habits, the possible progeuor
OF BIRDS and the certain original OF the heraldc dragon
aud griffin. The shape OF the head and the gradual
adoption by this gruesome creature Of breast-bone
piV sill
is lizard which is rapidly making up his mind to be-
bird. These particulars, and q dissertation on
coral islands make mp the body OF an interesting lee
ure, which falls however, to warm tho audience into
enthusiasm Perhaps people don't care FOR coral islands
or mayhap, TO parody line OF Mr. Bret Hartc-' the
pterodactles played out Professor Tyndal is to
the taste GOA another AFTERNOON about
D. NJ, I betakc myself to Albemarest.. aud become
the spectator OF widely different The theater Is
already full OF visitors and thrsters after science
when eluridated by those brilliant experiments which
excite the admiration and envy OF Pofcsso Tynda
mitaors- bad almost written rivals forgetting that IN
this country and In his particular line of physical
demonstration, Dr. John Tyndall, Frs philosopher
and cragsman, has rival At a3OolOck lecture many
ladies are OF present. in ali the variety OF gor
geous present in fashion, for however severe
may the mental attributes OF these fair students OF
physical science. sernnes5 is visible in their
outward appearance. Pending the arrival OF the pro-
fessor OF natural philosophy these young ladies are
chatting pleasantly among themselves. Are they talk
ing science, wonder, discussing the merits of the
Leonardo da VBci hat the grace ana style communl
Gated by the Norwegian waistbe with all sorts urnp
watches and other quaint odds and ends dangling from
III Do they know much about liquids and gases have
they come TO learn Verify. know not. The we'll
known lecturetable is covered with apparatus and
huge bathtub occupies a considerable space Mr. Cot
tre the laboratory assistant, is very busy, ILL., pune
tua to the stroke of three, tall slender OF unde
IN MI hel fha