New-York tribune., 1907-10-02
Literary yNes0s and Criticism.
chapter is of especial value to ambitious plant

chapter is of especial value to ambitious plant
growers
Dr. Gustave lie Bon, famed a decade ago for
MS study of the psychology of crowds has
turned his attention toward the problems of
physics and has come out openly and somewhat
enthusiastically in favor of the radioactive
theory Of matter a book Dr. lie Bon wrote
IN his native French some time ago on this
SUBJECT created enough interest in England and
on the Continent to warrant its translation into
Ghshsh Under the title THE Evolution Of
Matter" Imported by Charles Scribner's sons,
the scientist has written a book which lis half
way between a popular presentation and tech
nical treatise. The first division of the volume
contains history Of the growth and demon
stration of the doctrine that atoms constel-
Iatlons Of corpuscles and that radioactive phe
nomena are to be explained by the behavior Of
these atomic constituents. The reader whose
knowledge of physics is limited to rather vague
recollections of a term spent in high school
or college laboratory will hardly agree that
DR.. lie Bon has written a summer novel; and
yet the truth is that the author has simplified
his subject matter almost as much, 1t can
be simplifed without distortion. In the second
part Of his work he recaptulates the methods
of his experiments and also defends his fame
the first man TO develop the theory of intra-
II
is too complete and technical to be readable to
non-students. the second section is scarcely ex-
haustive enough to help physicists very much.
Nevertheless. the easy. lucid style and the
Illustrations. offset some OF the difficulties con-
fronting the Unskilled reader who may take up
the volume in search Of information.
Under the title of Evolution and Animal
Life Appleton & Coz, President David Starr
Jordan of Leland Stanford Junior University and
Professor Vernon Lyman Kellogg. Of the same
institution, have just published an elementary
treatise on the facts, processes laws and theories
relating TO the life and evolution OF animals.
While the book is naturally compilation, more
than anything else. It is apparently an excel
lent one: all the usual topics, from the single
cell UP TO man, are touched upon In separate
chapters. and the discussions are assisted by
copious illustrations. Intricaces have been
avoided. a rule but unsettled matters OF
theory have not this account been slurred
over so as 10 give the student an impression Of
unimportance The spirit Of the entire work
is admirably summed up by the closing words Of
the preface. I'VE wish you to accept no view
of ours unless you reach it through your own
investigation What we hope for is that you
think Of these things and find out for your
selves" Consistently with this sentiment, the
authors have mantained a spirit OF restraint
in debating the inheritance of acquired char
acteristics, the Mendelian law. the origin OF life
and other fundamental but vexed questions. The
volume is so carefully and pleasantly written
too, that many who are not students might
derive much satisfaction from its pages.
Tennyson's complete works are presently 70
be Incorporated in the delightful 'Eversey
Series" The poems viii be annotated