No More Learning

love-interest.
Leitzmann in Jena and Dr. Graff in
Weimar.
MR. FALCONER MADAN, whose biblio-
THE lectures arranged by most of the
In the current Mercure de France Dr•
graphy of printing at Oxford, 1468-1640 learned bodies in Paris are now announced.
(The Early Oxford Press '), was published At the Collège de France the Abbé Loisy Guède examines the picturesque accounts
in 1895, has now completed a new work will discourse on "Sacrifice in the Ancient which Casanova left of his escape, after
dealing with the books which concern
Roman Religion,' on Wednesdays and fourteen months' detention, from a Vene-
Oxford. The forthcoming book bears the Saturdays; and M. P. Monceaux on tian prison, and arrives at the conclusion
title, “Oxford Books,' Vol. II. , a fresh
The Letters of St. Augustine,', on Mon- that the tale is incredible, and not even
title-page being issued by the Oxford days and Tuesdays. At the École des invented to screen accomplices.
University Press for Vol. I. , mentioned Hautes Études there are a great crowd
above. The new volume is to a large of distinguished “ conférenciers,” among the
second volume of his souvenirs d'un
M. ÉMILE BERGERAT has just published
extent a detailed survey of the Oxford whom it will be sufficient to mention M.
Enfant de Paris,' under the title of “La
pamphlets, proclamations, and treatises Fossey on · Babylonian Boundary-Stones,
of the Civil War, 1642-8, with indexes M. Amélineau on . The Book of the Dead Phase Critique de la Critique, 1872-80.
and illustrations. The earlier part is a
and the Pyramid Texts,' and M. Eugène AMONG the new novels just published
supplement to the former book, and de Faye on Gnosticism. At the Faculty in Paris are 'La Neige sur les Pas,' by
the opportunity has been taken to
of Letters at the Sorbonne they are to have, M. Henry Bordeaux ; and 'La Trans-
incorporate corrections and additions, among others, M. Adolphe Lods on · The fuge,' a study of Parisian manners by
and add brief annals of Oxford history. Religion of Israel, M. Foucher on “ The T. Trilby. La Bonne Fortune de Toto,
The author's aim has been to present in Vedic Texts,' M. Lichtenberger on The a roman dialogué by
the two books a standard account of the Legend of the Graal,' and M. Picavet on eleventh edition.
whole printed literature of the University Ammonius Saccas and Plotinus. The
The death is announced at Edinburgh
and City of Oxford up to the year 1650.
on Saturday last of Dr. A. Taylor Innes,
programme of the Musée Guimet has not
who made many contributions to Scottish
MESSRS. MACMILLAN & Co. announce yet reached us.
history, particularly on its ecclesiastical
for early publication a new work in verse
by Mr.
Alfred E. Knight, to be entitled brates the 70th anniversary of his birth, published more than forty years ago, is
To-MORROW Prof. Georg Brandes cele-side. The Law of Creeds in Scotland,'
Philistia—and a Soul : a Wander Book. '
The poem is in dialogue form, and traces
an event which will be celebrated in still recognized as an authoritative work,
various in Denmark.
ways
the progress of a soul, disturbed and
and was freely quoted by Bench and Bar
fascinated by the intellectual restlessness
His publishers, Messrs. Gyldendal, are
in the great Church controversy of a few
of the age, along some of the dark avenues issuing an illustrated édition de luxe of years back. His other published writings
of thought until it emerges in the light his William Shakespeare,' and the various included Church and State : a Historical
of simple Christianity.
Scandinavian magazines and literary Handbook ' (1890); Studies in Scottish
The same firm will publish next Tuesday weeklies are all publishing special numbers History' (1892); John Knox' in the
“ Famous Scots” series (1896); and
* Ruins of Desert Cathay,' a personal
The Scottish Church and the Crisis of
narrative of explorations in Central Asia At the National Library in Copenhagen 1907. '
and Westernmost China, by Dr. M. Aurel a collection of literary objects dealing
Stein.
with him will be formed into a Brandes week at the age of 80 removes almost the
THE death of Vernon Lushington last
A NEW book which Messrs. Smith & Archiv, to which the Professor has pro- last surviving contributor to The Oxford
Elder promise, · Morocco in Diplomacy,' | editions and translations of his works, I William Morris, Burne-Jones, and their
mised to present all MSS. , the various
and Cambridge Magazine of 1856, which
is from the pen of Mr. E. D. Morel.
The author's objects are to present to
letters, &c.
companions carried on for a single year.
the public a connected narrative of ANOTHER eminent Danish scholar, Vil. He won the lifelong gratitude of Burne-
Morocco's relations with the Powers helm Thomsen, celebrated his 70th birthday Jones by introducing him to Rossetti.
in the course of the last twenty years, on the 25th ult. Besides congratulatory The event meant so much more to the
with special reference to the events telegrams from many universities and introduced than to the introducer that,
of the last decade ; and to convey a students of languages in many countries, while Burne-Jones could never forget
juster view of German action and policy a number of international scholars pre- the occasion, Lushington was wont to
than has obtained hitherto. A search- sented through a deputation a special confess that he had no recollection of it
ing analysis of the respective parts'estival work written by them; and the whatever,


## p. 133 (#115) ############################################

No. 4397, FEB. 3, 1912
THE ATHENÆUM
133
un-
of such schools, the present writer believes published his observations (made in a deep
that the influence of the teacher and of pit at Potsdam) that the daily bending of
SCIENCE
school-life is all for the good of the child- the earth's crust was measured with any
much more so than that of many homes. precision. According to his calculations,
The authors suggest that home-training for the earth at Potsdam yields apparently
the growing girl is more essential than that more readily to forces acting north and
OUR LIBRARY TABLE.
of the school: their system would make the south than to forces acting east and west.
merry-hearted child, who likes school and Prof. Love's investigations of possible causes
IN Heredity and Society (Longmans) loathes the toil of domestic duties, a house of this phenomenon, the ellipticity of the
Mr. and Mrs. W. C. D. Whetham return to hold drudge from twelve years old.
meridians and the turning of the earth,
the theme which they dealt with in 'The There is no doubt that the tendency of do not provide any satisfactory explanation,
'
democracy is to legislate for the benefit of It is to be hoped that the experiments will
concern our falling birth-rate, especially the the existing individual, careless or ignorant be repeated in many places distributed over
fact that the fall is most marked amongst whether the results are for the good of the earth, so that local peculiarities may be
the more desirable part of the community. the race.
But we know that this has been eliminated.
They remark that, in order to maintain the the fate of all civilizations when power
Another line of attack on the problem
pumbers of any section of our population has passed from the hands of the cultured of the earth's constitution is provided by
in similar circumstances in future genera few into those of the toiling millions. The observations of the modes of propagation
tions, a minimum of four children per family latter, with a wider outlook on life's possi- of earthquake shocks. Seismology is a
is requisite, and an analysis of statistics bilities for themselves and an increasing science of considerable complexity, and it
shows that “ ' the thrifty skilled artisan, knowledge of their strength, determine to is interesting to notice that there is reason
the prominent professional man, the land relieve themselves of the narrow bonds to believe that some of the tremors which
owner of good family, have all halved their within which their existence has been con- reach an observatory must have been con-
output of children in the course of the last fined. Who can gainsay them ? No ques. fined in their passage to the crust of the
forty years. " In fact, the increase that tion of the effects of such action on posterity earth, the isostatic layer, whereas others,
does take place in our present popula- has hitherto stayed their efforts to utilize the quick-moving ones, pass through the
tion comes mainly from the worst part of their power for what they believe to be for core.
it—the diseased, the thriftless, and the their own advantage. Many are now found This book will be a revelation to any
feeble-minded stocks. Their conclusion is who believe in the dawn of a new era, when reader who may be inclined to think that
that our social legislation and philanthropic such individualism will not hold the field; there is no more room for mathematical
endeavours are directed on wrong lines ; but the present reviewer does not expect to research of the first order.
that by the ever-increasing burden of local live to see such a day.
and general taxation we are crushing out
those whose energies are most needed by
the nation, and unduly shielding the weak Some Problems of Geodynamics. By
SOCIETIES.
and the unsound, who, instead of being A. E. H. Love. " (Cambridge University
encouraged to live and perpetuate their Press. /The most romantic episode in the
BRITISH ACADEMY. -Jan. 24. —Sir C. P. Ilbert
kind, would be better eliminated altogether. history of mathematical science is
in the chair. -Prof. F. C. Burkitt read a paper on
There is truth in these words of warning, Neptune, the fruit of the investigations of Namorsa
doubtedly the discovery of the planet The Syriac Tradition of New Testament Proper
He first considered the forms of
and the arguments by which they are sup-
ported are advanced in an attractive fashion; founded to commemorate the name of John Forms bring us at once into questions of the
Adams and Leverrier. The Adams Prize, personal and geographical names in the ancient
but, as we pointed out in noticing the
Couch
authors' former work, the disease is, in a
sense, incurable, and the trend
of civilization, Cambridge University who make contribu- their identification. Even to render correctly the
tions of sufficient value in the subjects into Syriac is impossible without being acquainted
as shown by history, is by many regarded as which
inevitable. States are no more immortal list of winners includes
are periodically announced. The
with the way they were spelt in the original
some of the
Hebrew. The fact that the Syriac versions of the
than individuals. Thoughtful members of
the community, however, should be grateful ticians. The subject for 1910 was 'Some
most distinguished of living mathema- New Testament spell such names correctly is
therefore a proof that the translator was already
to those who point to the “. .
' handwriting
on the wall. ” Unfortunately, it is easier to Constitution or Motion of the Earth, and
Investigation connected with the Physical familiar with them in a source derived from
Hebrew; in other words, he was familiar with
dotect the tendency than to suggest a remedy. Prof. Love's essay, to which the prize was
the Old Testament in Syriac. The difficulty lies
in those names that do not occur in the old
Mr. and Mrs. Whetham devote two adjudged, deals with a great variety of Testament : how does the Syriac translator
chapters to the position of women in social problems with the powerful analysis of render them?
life. They draw attention to their nume- which he is a master,
The lecturer said that, while these
rical increase and the apparent disinclina- The connecting thread in the whole dis-
are in many cases spelt intelligently, yet there are
instances of downright blunders, which show that
tion of those who marry to undertake the cussion is the isostatic theory. It is well the translator could have had no special source
duties of motherhood : in their view the known that the simple hypothesis that the of tradition or information to go upon. Such
woman should be concerned with the future earth is a fairly uniform sphere, with
is “ Joarash " for Jaïrus, where the translator
of the race, the man with the maintenance mountains plastered on in some places and
failed to see that the name intended was Jair.
of the present generation; and, if the woman ocean basins dug out in others, is not con-
Certain names, such as “ Catne " for Cana of
has to enter into competition with the sistent with observations of the value of
Galilee, seem to rest upon local identifications.
Such local identifications are referred to by
man for the latter object, both the family gravity in various places. Actually, the Origen about 250 A. D. , and, as the old Syriac
and the race suffer. They say truly that rocks which underlio the mountains are version agrees with Origen in certain identifications,
the demand for the equalization of the lighter than those under the plains, so that notably that of Bethabara, it has been held that
status of men and women seems to come the mountains may be thought of as floating upon, Origen. But the Syriac does not follow
invariably from the classes where the mar. up above their surroundings. The isostatic Origen's fanciful etymologies, and in other
riage and birth rates have become abnorm. theory starts with this idea, and makes it respects shows independence of him. Their
to the colonies or elsewhere for the large about 70 miles the pressure is uniform, the in other words, to the rising custom of pilgrimage
ally and dangerously low. But
is emigration definite
by assuming that at a depth of occasional agreement is therefore to be assigned
aumber of unmarried women of the English excesses of height in the superincumbent to the Holy Places. Illustrations of the influence
middle classes a practicable remedy ? The
mass being compensated by defects of of the Syriac versions are to be found in the
majority would decline to go, preferring density. Prof. Love shows that on this spelling Bethesda for Bezatha, and in the identifica-
the varied interests of spinsterhood in Eng. theory the strength of the crust necessary
tion of the Nazareth (or Nazara) of the Gospels
land to the drudgery of domestic life in
with a town called Nasrath. The Nazareth of the
to prevent the collapse of the continents into
distant corners of the world.
Gospels is really unidentified: there is actually
the oceans is well within the strength of
some reason to suppose that Chorazin is the
Mr, and Mrs. Whetham draw a distinction common rocks, and he makes it highly place meant.
between the terms training ” and “ educa- probable that the same remark applies to A brief discussion followed, in which the Rev.
tion, and bring a formidable indict. the strength of the sides of mountains. As
Dr. Gaster and Dr. Buchanan Gray took part.
ment against the present system of national it can be proved that the simple plastic
“training. ” Those responsible for it are theory which we have mentioned would
ROYAL. --Jan. 25. - Sir Archibald Geikie, Presi-
well aware of its faults, but we think the require impossibly strong rocks, the evi.
dent, in the chair. -Papers were read as follows :
authors are unduly pessimistic both in this dence in favour of the approximate truth Determination of the Coefficient of Interdiffusion
and other respects. "Nor do we agree with of the isostatic hypothesis is cogent.
of Gases and the Velocity of Ions under an
their strictures on the “ spinster influence The existence of tidal motions in the
Electric Force, in Terms of the Mean Free Paths,'
of the great majority of the teachers in our solid earth has been realizod for a long while,
by Prof. John s. Townsend. A method was de-
scribed by which an expression for the rate of
elementary schools. With a large experience ' but it was not until 1907 when Herr Hecker interdiffusion of gases may be easily found, either
names
>>


## p. 134 (#116) ############################################

134
No. 4397, FEB. 3, 1912
THE ATHENÆUM
-
BAT.
Science Gossip
(6
on the ordinary supposition that the effect of a neolithic flakes were found. These excavations WED. Entomological, 8. -'On the Comparative Anatomy of the
Gepital Tube in Male Coleoptera,' Mersra. D. Sharp and
collision makes all subsequent directions of motion at the Roman level were made by means of
Muir: On somo hitherto imperfectly known South
of the molecules equally probable, or without galleries, and were chiefly instructive in showing
African Lepidoptera,' Mr. Roland Trimen; Notes on Aus-
tralian and Tasmantan Seydmzenida, 'Mr. A. M. Lea.
specifying in any way the effect of a collision. how fruitless it would be to dig below the Norman
Geological, 8. -'On an Iplier of Longmyndian and Cambrian
*Note on the Scattering of a-Particles,' by Dr. level.
Rocks at Pedward wine, Herefordshire,' Dr. A. H. Cox.
H. Geiger. In a previous paper experiments Excavations meanwhile had been proceeding
Society of Arts, 8. -The Influence of Ozono in Ventilation,'
Messrs. L. Bill and M. Flack.
were described on the scattering of the a-particles in the south-east section of the area, and resulted Thurs. Royal Institution, 3 - The Phenomena of Splashes,' Lecture II. ,
by foils of various materials and thicknesses.
in the discovery of a building containing ovens,
Prof. A. M. Worthington.
Royal Academy, 4. -'Some Draughtsmen of the Sixteenth
The present note dealt with a theoretical examina- probably the bakery and brewhouse. Finally,
Century:
Bramante, Da Sangallo, Du Cerceau, De l'Orme,'
tion of the question. The scattering was con- those parts of the northern area left unexcavated
Prof. R. T. Blomfield.
Royal, 4. 30. -The Spectrum of Comet Brooks (1911 C). ' 81r N.
sidered as the result of a multitude of small in former seasons were dug out, thus completing
Lockyer; 'A Chemically Active Modification of Nitrogen
deflections of the a-particle by the individual the excavation of this part of the site of Old
produced by the Electric Discharge, III. , the Hon. R. J.
Strutt: The Atomic Weight of Radium, Mr. R. Whytlaw.
atoms of the matter traversed.
Sarum. Among the finds were a gold ring of
Gray and Sir W. Ramsay; and other rapers.
The Effect of Temperature upon Radio-active the Stuart period, a certain amount of pottery,
Society of Arts, 4. 30. - the
North-East Frontier of India,"
Col. Sir T. H. Holdich.
Disintegration,' by Mr. A. S. Russell. The effect of and a metal object, partly gilded, resembling the London Institution, 6. - Songs and Ballads of Sir Arthur
temperature upon the rate of decay, and the amount, handle of a drawer, though its use was uncertain.
Sullivan,' Mr. J. Booth,
of B and y ray activity, of radium emanation, Mr. Percy Stone read an * Account of the
Institution of Electrical Engineers, 8. - High Voltage Testa
and Energy Losses in Insulating Materials, Hr. R. H.
of active deposit, and of radium C has been Excavations of Pits in the Isle of Wight. ' In
Rayper
investigated. The results are entirely negative. 1856 the Rev. Edmund Kell, a well-known Society of Antiquaries, 8. 30. -Ordinary Meeting.
Fri. Institution of Civil Engineers, 8. - Steam. Turbiner: some
All abnormalities of activity of B rays obtained Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, carefully
Practical Applications of Theory,' Lecture IL, Capt. H. Riall
by previous authors, and by the author in this investigated the pits in the Rowborough Valley,
Bankey. (Students' Meeting. )
research, may be completely explained on two
on the south side of the main down traversing the
Royal Institution, 9. - Very High Temperatures,' Dr. J. A.
Harker.
Isle of Wight from east to west.
simple grounds. The first of these is a change of
Royal Institution, 3. - 'Franz Liszt (Centenary), Sir A.
Mackenzie.
distribution of radium C caused by its partial
If Kell's results are compared with those of
volatilization inside the quartz tube at tempera-
Mr. Stone, Mr. Reginald Smith, and Mr. Colenutt,
tures greater than 320°. The second is a change
it can only be said that his theory of pit villages
in the partition of radium C between the walls of
on the island downs must fail. Animal bones,
the quartz envelope and the space enclosed. which may be relied on as evidence, may be
At room temperature the greater part of the found broadcast on these downs. Fire traces
radium C is usually on the walls. At room
can be accounted for by lightning--as was
temperature, after the tube has been cooled
shown in many cases in the Newbarn pits,
THE GOLD MEDAL of the Royal Astro-
suddenly from high temperatures, it is entirely where under the burnt Aints were dug up lumps nomical Society has been awarded to Mr.
on the walls. Above 650° the radium is dis- of iron pirites. Kell's flint " floor. " in pit 45, A. R. Hinks for his determination of the
tributed homogeneously throughout the volume Rowborough Bottom, turned out on investigation solar parallax from observations of Eros.
of the tube. Each of these partitions gives a
to be absolutely natural; and his pond of " never-
different Bray ionization in
It will be remembered that, during a near
an electroscope, failing water " was found, in the October of last
because the average path of the rays through
year, dry as a bone.
approach of Eros to the earth in the winter
the walls of the quartz envelope depends upon
of 1900-1, a parallax campaign was under-
the partition. Under the conditions of experi-
ment, radium B and radium C, and very probably
ROYAL NUMISMATIC. -Jan. 18. —Sir Henry H.
taken by a number of co-operating observa-
Howorth in the chair. · Messrs. Cumberland
tories as a digression from their regular work
radium A, may be completely volatilized inside
sealed quartz tubes at a temperature of 650°.
Clark, Hubert A. Druce, and R. H. Forster were on the International Astrographic Star Map.
Radium
volatilize
B begins to
at room
elected Fellows.
The whole series of observations has been
temperature,
Mr. H. A. Grueber read, an account of the collated with great labour and skill by Mr.
On the Relation between Current, Voltage,
Quarter-Angel of James 1: This piece, which Hinks, First Assistant at the Cambridge
Pressure, and the Length of the Dark Space in
was recently presented to the British Museum,
Different Gages,' by Messrs. F. W. Aston and
is not merely the only quarter-angel known of Observatory, his final result for the solar
H. E. Watson
James I. , but is believed to be the only coin that parallax being 8*. 8067. The
official”
On the Viscosities of Gaseous Chlorine and
has survived of an issue of 36 pounds of value of this quantity adopted in the national
Bromine,' by Dr. A. O. Rankine. By means of
Angel coin (angels, half- and quarter-angels) ephemerides is 8*. 80, in accordance with the
issued in 1603-4.
a method resembling in some respects that de-
Mr. G. C. Brooke read a paper on The Tax
decision of the Paris Conference of May, 1896.
scribed by the author in earlier communications,
the viscosities of chlorine and bromine have been
called Monetagium and the Sequence of the Coin- THE ROYAL SOCIETY will this year cele-
compared with that of air. From these ratios
Types of William II. ' This tax had been made a
brate the 250th anniversary of its incorpora-
the absolute values are deduced.
basis for fixing the dates of issue of the types of
• The Testing of Plane Surfaces,' by Dr. P. E.
William I. and II. on the assumption that it was
tion, its first charter having passed the
Shaw.
a tax paid every three years, on condition that Great Seal on July 15th, 1862, Lord
' Antelope infected with Trypanosoma gambi-
the king did not change the money more than Brouncker being then created President.
ense,' by Capt. A. D. Fraser and Dr. H. L. Duke.
once in that period. Mr. Brooke, however, con-
I. Antelope may remain in apparently perfect
sidered that it was probably an imposition by
The year 1662 may thus be taken as the
health for a year after having been infected
William I. upon the shires and boroughs for the
date of official recognition ; but Weld, in
with a human strain of T. gambiense.
local mints which he allowed them to retain,
his ‘History' of the famous corporation,
II. One antelope was still capable of infecting change of coin-types.
and that it could have had no influence on the says that the year 1660 may be regarded as
clean laboratory-bred Glossina palpalis 315 days
the date of its establishment, though there
after it had been infected.
is no doubt that a society of learned men
III. A small quantity of blood taken from one
antelope 327 days after its infection was proved
INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. -Jan. 30. -
were in the habit of assembling to discuss
by inoculation into a white rat to be infective.
Mr. R. J. Durley read a paper on The Central scientific subjects for many years previously.
IV. As the interval after the infection of Heating, and Power-Plant of McGill University, The Committee of the Paris Academy of
antelopes increases, their infectivity, as tested by
Montreal. ' The paper described the arrange- Sciences have selected M. Lippmann, the
cycle transmission experiments, dissection
ment and equipment of a central heating plant, President, to represent their body at the
of flies which have fed upon them, and by the
combined with an electric light and power station,
celebration in England.
injection of the buck's blood into susceptible designed to serve the various buildings of McGill
animals, appears to diminish.
University. A brief discussion of the systems An interesting reference to the two star-
V. A duiker was infected with a human strain
of heating and ventilation in general use in
of T'. gambiense by feeding infected G. palpalis
Canada for large buildings, and a description time and attention of astronomers during
drifts that have occupied so much of the
upon it.
of the nature of the demand for steam and current
for University purposes, were followed by notes recent years occurs in Mr. George Peel's
as to some of the problems arising in the design "The Future of England,' reviewed by us
SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES. Jan. 25. - Dr.
and construction of underground piping systems
on December 16th, 1911. On p. 39 the
C. H. Read, President, in the chair. —Lieut. -Col.
for steam and hot water.
author writes :
Hawley read the ' Report on the Excavations in
Old Sarum in 1911. '
According to modern astronomy, the sky,
Work during the season was confined to com-
MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
as far as we can observe it, is filled by two currents
pleting the excavation of the castle area. The
Mox. Royal Academy, 4. -'Architectural Drawing and Illustration :
of worlds, of like chemical constitution and probe
results were in marked contrast to those of other
Villars d. Honecourt, Prof. R. T. Blomfield.
ably of like origin, moving in opposite direc-
years, as but few remains of masonry were dis-
London Institution, 6. –The Evolution of England. ' Prof. tions through space. "
A. F. Pollard.
covered. But the work has been interesting and Royal Institution, 5. -General Meeting
Though not stated in the precise language of
instructive, and has shown that the principal
Society of Engineers, 7. 30. -Presidential Address.