New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TOPICS OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT.

%" or iii TIE THEORY OF EVOLUTION. BY c. NJ.
Williams. PIP. XIV. Sol. Macmillan 90.
PIONEERS OF SCIENCE. BY Oliver Lodge. f. r. 5
With Illustrations. PIP. @V' Ao4' "aeh''''a" {"
THE VISIBLE UNIVERSE. Chapters the Origin
ina and Construction Of the Heavens. BY J. Ellard
Gore PIP. <, 34G. Macmillan Co.
ELECTRICAL PAPERS. by Oliver Iieaviside Two
volumes PIP. xx, $50; XVI. oo'. MacHiia" ~
Mr. williamss work has two purposes. The nrst
part is devoted to synopsis. from frchoy point vi
view OF the moral studies made by men prominent
MS ndhercnts OF evolution More or less elaborate re-
views are given OF the opinions set forth by Darwin
Wallace. IIaeckel Spencer. Fiske. Rolph Barratt.
stephen Carler IIoeGding Gizych, Alexander ana Dr.
Paul Rec who IS treated In small type as having deVel
oped his subject exclusively from the pessnsuc ana
mechanical side. The second part Which comprises the
authors own treatment OF the theme. begins with
reo,on OF objections TO evolution in ethics ciassif"s
the various theories OF evolution. and thus forms a
basis for the assumption that there Is Always a
pbys,ca assumption connected with the psychica and
that the relation OF the two IS not an accideh' OF
variable but a constant one I'm other words, that
whatever the metaphysical truth as TO the freedom
n, the will such freedom cannot interfere with the
consistency OF nature" Taking up the subject OF In
telicence and final cause he reaches "A concinsioh
which, seems so far IL Is not wholly negative 10
he q compromise between purely mecharicai cohc'P
tions pron conclusions for he sums UP Dy say ms
.we have no proof OF consciousness outside animal
Ife and no proof Of the nOn-cxistence OF Trans
cendcntal causes, though likewise no PROOF OF 'heir
existence Then follow inquiries on the Will; on
the mutual relations Of thought, feeling and Will IN
evolution: on cgoism and altrulsm; on conscience
on the moral progress OF humanity as shown III MS.
orv on the results OF evolutlOnal ethical inquiry and
on the possibility Of the ideal ana us attainment
The treatment OF all these topics Is sober ana mod
crate and interesting those who like such studies.
Of Mr. Lodge COM
b,ned biography and scientific teaching In an at
tractive way. Beginning with Coperncus ana 'he
motion OF the earth, he uses Tycho Brahe' hePie''
Calico Descartes, Newton, ROemer bradley. La
grange Lapace Herschel and more modern diSeoVerer
10 mark the various steps taken in the attainment OF
our nresent knowledge Of the universe The book Is
the outcome Of a series OF lectures. and convenient
feature Is a brief synopsis facing the opening pays
OF each lecture and giving at one view the dates anu
a summary Of facts necessary to rapid compreheh'
sion OF the subject While the general reader KNOWS
something Of the old-time discoveries. which nave
formed q part OF education for generations ne VIII pc
apt 10 find something quite new TO him IN the ia'fr
studies of comets and meeors and the tides not only
respcc ting the way they formed ana the devices
ianted for measuring them, but In their reauoh ~
planetary evolution. ..,
"The Visible Universe exploits no new hypo'ness'
but simply groups and connects the theories OIL ooel'
and evolution advanced by we'll known astronomers
and other men OF science The author points out tao
there are aspects Of the visible universe "here
seems to be in contact with that unseen universe Vi
which Others have written-namely, gravitaton ana
tho lumlnerous ether. lie imagines that there may
he possiby close connection between The TWO
mysteries. Should the time ever come when We shs"
understand the constitution OF this at present hNo
ceivable fluid, such knowledge may not improbabiy
lead us to q solution Of the great mystery OF graVita
tion.' How far the most profound scieAunc
thought is from anything like certainty respecting u
Innate facts of the universe is obvious In the ehort 10
account for the existence of matter and the lnhniy
of space as compared with the limits OF the universe
Tho only thing clear about matter is that its real
nature must be totally different from the precon-
ren,ions due to human but Hemholtzs theory
~ vortex rings in the ether has at least the merit OF
answering mathematical requirements
The Electrical Papers of Mr. oliver Heaviside are
80 exclusively technical and algebraic as TO be hard
reading even for expert. Here and there, now
ever there are very suggestive discussions OF
prevalent theories respecting the nature OF electricity
and the manner Of It's propagation along wire or
other conductor II there any people who still
think OF an electrical fluid they might do well TO
glance at some Of the less abstruse pages In these
tvo closely printed volumes