New-York tribune., 1902-06-14

Not so much a popular account of the new DIS
coyeries in astronomy as comprehensive state
ment Of how the science has been revolutionized
in the last quarter Of century IS contained
in Herbert Hall Turner's book Modern AS
tronornv." which E. p. Dutton & Co. are pub
fishing Mr.. Turner is Savilian professor of as
tronomy at Oxford OF all the scientific events
of the last quarter of a century tnat have pow
erfuIly Influenced astronomy, Professor Turner
thinks that the invention OF the Photographic
dry plate has done the most. A striking and
significant feature Of his book is the large
amount Of space he devotes to the achievements
Of American astronomers. who are mentioned
more frequently IN 1t than the scientists of
any other country.
Professor Turner tells story about the Lick
Observatory that does not exactly bear upon
the progress of astronomy in one way. though
it does in another. The erection of that OBJ
servatory on Mount Hamilton sent up the value
of land in that region considerably:
Some enterprlsng gentlemen in another neigh
borhood, desiring to .est the generality of the
law that If a large telescope were built the
value of land IN the neighhorhood would go up.
announced a still larger telescope and ordered
two 4o-inch discs of glass for the lens The ex-
pertinent succeeded admirably, and they were
so well satisfied with the rise in price which
followed on the mere announcement $50 the
story goes) that they considered 1t unnecessary
to proceed further with the instrument
The two lenses were produced and not being
claimed were left the makers hands. the
result being that the favorable opportunity for
their purchase brought to Mr.. Yerkes's at
tention and he bought them for the great tele-
scope that bears his name. This, at least. is
Professor Turner's version of the story.
The cult of the Stuarts may some time equal
that of Napoleon If 1t continues to grow as 1t has
of recent wears Another elaborate volume is
10 be added to the literature Of the subject in
the early autumn published In this country by
the buttons 1t is written by j. ]. Foster, #
London. whose book on British Miniature
Painters attracted attention a few years ago,
and is entitled The Stuarts: Illustrated by six
teenth seventeenth and eighteenth century art:
Together with some account Of the non political
history OF the family from James " OF Scotland
70 Prince Charles Edward" The book will be
sumptuous in appearance. containing $50 photo
gravure plates ten original etchings. four re-
productions in color and ten fac-simile letters.
The author lays stress on his purpose to keep
the volume non-political, and to develop the
personal element. Two editions viii! be i'm
ported OF the $50 published of the ordinary
edition 100 are reserved for this country, and
of the 115 of the limited edition, thirty-fve are
TO be disposed of here. There is also a third or
royal edition of twenty copies Of which the
American publishers may be able to secure some.
if they asked to.
Robert Shackleton believes that the true way
to write book is to take chateau in France
and spend the summer at work in It. This Is
what he is going to do. and he expects to finish
a new novel that he has undertaken under these
surroundings in about five or six months. Of
his last book, Many Waters this story is told
When his typewriter was copying the manu-
script of that book she passed chapter after
chapter with the usual professional indifference