Throughout, in
treating of these subjects, the author's felicity of exposition never
fails him. The most difficult phenomena are rendered perfectly easy of
comprehension, and their mutual relations are not left out of account.
Each set of facts is treated, not as forming an isolated body of truth,
but as an integral portion of the complex and logically indivisible
universe. In this respect Dr. Youmans's work is far superior to the
recent production of Dr. Hooker, in which, for example, the mere
existence of such a doctrine as that of the correlation of forces is
grudgingly noticed, and its ultimate significance entirely overlooked.
Far different is Dr. Youmans's treatment of the same doctrine. Indeed,
we think that the chapters on chemical physics form the most
interesting portion of his work, and their value consists chiefly in the
constant reference to the modern ideas of force which pervades them. In
a work intended for the education of youth, such a feature cannot be too
highly praised. It is time that the old material superstitions about
force were eradicated from men's minds, and as far as possible from
their language.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378