The herald., 1894-04-29


Boston. For sale by the stoil Il Thsyer com :
paHy.
Professor Todd says: "The great
selipse OF 1912 marked the dawn of a
golden age OF physical research upon the
sun, and the conclusion ofR hall century
of significant research forms fitting
epoch for summarizing salient results IN
review. Advantage has been taken of
this opportunity to present in this vol
ume the. attractive features of remote
eclipses; and the connection of those in
early. medieval and later centuries
with contemporary history will, 1t lie
hoped, add new interest tc astronomical
events already widely celebrated" The
abundant references used have been
critically verified in the library OF Am.
herst college, of the American Academy
OF Arts and Sciences, Boston OF Harvard
college observatory. and in the New
berry library, Chicago.
Necessarily the ample illustrations
have been chosen IRON wide field.
Particular attention is requested by the
author to the collection ofcoronss OF the
different eclipses. Especial care has be-
slowed upon the chart OF eclipse tracks
in the future. On pages 224 and 226
will be found Geographic sketches of Sir
George Airy, F. w. Bessel, Father Perry
and Father Secchi, the distinguished
astronomers whose portraits appear in
this volume.
The author says: "This volume is
not written for astronomers, much less
for eclipse experts, ont to give very un-
profaaain0ai in form II m n fhoaa with
out technical knowledge, who are yet
curious as to these strangely impressive
phenomena, and with the hope too OF
creating farther intelligent interest"
TOTAL eollpses OF the sun, always oc-
casions for stir in the astronomical
world, have nowadays hardly less inter
est to people IN general though in
different way. Eclipsea and eclipse tracks
In general is tirst discussed and explained
followed by very clever descrlp-
tion OF q total eclipse. Articles explaining
thoroughly Solar PfomiBences and The
Corona are well written and fully Illus
trated. 10 a fabulous age all nature
was mystery. In our own day, with
superstition far in tho background, and
with clear scientific explanation for
nearly all natural phenomena, the pro-
digious effect OF solar eclipse upon
primal races is hard to apprehand. Per-
haps the most interesting chapter in the
volume is the one devoted to this sub-
ject, Eclipses in the Remote Past. The
Monaghan myth and Egyptian myth
are among the oldest. the eldest know n
work on astronomy seems to have been
written about $500 B. O. by SaTgon the
First, king OF Agade, in Babyionla. The
first foretelllng OF an eclipse was the
means Of making the eclipse OF 5S5 b. q.
famous. The mathematical feat, Won
deriul for that early time, was performed
by Thales OF Mlletus, one OF the acuteet
philosophers OF antiquity. Full &C
counts are given OF all these ancient
facts and prove very fascinating read
ing. The description of the crude appa-
ratus used by the ancients shows that
their simple instruments were at the
same time constructed on principles es.
sentially Identical with those EN- bodied
in the fundamental equipment of a mod
ern observatory. WhIle perhaps o.
slight astronomical value, these remote
observatories described in this volume
afford picturesque and almost indispens.
able glmpses into the misty past.
A complete history is given of early
medieval. and later eclipses, from A. d
to 1872; after which modern eclipses
are taken up including the period sm-
bracing the years l642 to 1880. During
these years Investigations necessaril
proceeded slowly, but many OF the grea
problems Of the sun were explained ant
made plain. These chapters are full o
illustrations which add pleasure to th(
reader and aid greatly in the tuller un
derstanding Of the text.
The chapter devote& to Raceni
Eclipses covers the period from 1852 ti
1898 and contains a description OF tnt
eclipse OF 1889, on New Years day
when with clear skies everywhere, Ia
ObE0rVsTa were enabled to secure mega
tlVes and drawings in abundance ant
Boeure a record OF this eclipse which i
one of the most complets ever made
Chapters are devoted to eClipses and tn
electric telegraph; automatic eclips
photography the recurrence and pre-
dietion OF eclipses selecting stations
future eelipses; ending with tGll lIs
Of past and future total eclipses of tn
eun with charte of the came covering
period from 1872 to 1878. To any on
interested in this particular study c
nature this volume will prove mine c
information, TO the STUDENT 1t will Civ
hight and strength to many points no,
in doubt; to the beginner it will prove
valuable help ana teacher. 1t is We
written and to the point.
~
IF CHRIST CAME TO CHICAGO, by VILLA,
Z, STEAD, editor OF the kevi OF Review
PubllsheIs, Laird IL Les Chicago. For sal
by Antiquarian book store.
If Christ Came TO Chicago, a peculia
title of peculiar book. The object {
Mir. Stead's book ls to point out that
any substantial progress is to be mad
toward q better social system whlc
should deliver the people from the evil
under which they are at present suffer
ing, it is absolutely necessary for a
good cltiAens to put more religion int
their politics. fne whole BOOK Is pie
supported by a survey Of the condlUo
OF things as they exist IN Chicago ior
revival OF civic religion. 10 put it ent
nutshell, ii Christ Came 70 Chicag
de would 60 into politics and eudekvo
10 bring about the klngd1m OF heave
there and now by recognizing the re
sponsibilities and fulfilling lhe obHgg
uons which are incumbent upon ever
good citizen in dem ocrauc state II
ahows tnat the chief cause OF the evil
described are such because We have for
gotten God, and that good people nav
LETT city politics and the COL
troll of the agencies by which
can be made easy TO do gooC
and difficult to do evlI, almost enurel
III the hands OF men Whose personal il
teTest is wrspt up in making 1t dltncu
TO do good and easy TO do evil. As II