Dr. Lardner has just published the third and concluding course of his
_Handbook of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy_. The subjects treated of in
the present volume are _Meteorology and Astronomy_, and they are
illustrated with thirty-seven lithographic plates, and upwards of two
hundred engravings on wood. The work was undertaken with the very popular
object of supplying the means of acquiring a competent knowledge of the
methods and results of the physical sciences, without any unusual
acquaintance with mathematics; and in the methods of demonstration and
illustration of this series of treatises, that principle has as far as
possible, been adopted so that by means of the present volumes, persons who
have not even a superficial knowledge of geometry and algebra may yet
acquire with great facility a considerable acquaintance with the sciences
of which they treat. The present volume contains a very elaborate index,
which, {528} combined with the analytical tables of contents, give to the
entire series all the usefulness of a compendious encyclopædia of natural
philosophy and astronomy.
_Willich's Income Tax Tables, Fourth Edition, 1853-1860_, price _One
Florin_, show at one view the amount of duty at the various rates fixed by
the late act, and are accompanied by a variety of statistical information,
tending to show that the wealth of the nation has increased in as great, if
not a greater, ratio, than the population. The price at which the work is
issued serves to lead our attention to a little pamphlet, published at
sixpence, or 25 _mils_, by Mr. Robert Mears, entitled _Decimal Coinage
Tables for simplifying and facilitating the Introduction of the proposed
new Coinage_.
_The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy by Ordericus Vitalis,
translated with Notes, and the Introduction of Guizot_, by Thomas
Forrester, M.A. Vol. I., is a new volume of the interesting Series of
Translations of the early _Church Historians of England_ publishing by Mr.
Bohn, to which we propose calling the especial attention of our readers at
some future period. The importance which our French neighbours attach to
the writings of Ordericus Vitalis is shown by the fact that the French
Historical Society, after publishing a translation, are now issuing an
edition of the original text, from a laborious collation of the best MSS.,
under the editorship of M. Auguste le Prevost. The present translation is
based upon that edition.
We have on several occasions called the attention of our readers to the
Collection of Proclamations in the possession of the Society of
Antiquaries, and to the endeavours making by that learned body to secure as
complete a series as possible of these valuable but hitherto little used
materials for English History. Some contributions towards this object have,
we believe, been the results of our notices; and we have now to state, that
at the opening meeting on Thursday the 17th, it was announced that William
Salt, Esq., F.S.A., had presented to the library two volumes of
Proclamations of the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. Great as is the
pecuniary value of this munificent donation, it is far exceeded by its
importance in filling up a large gap in the existing Series. A _Catalogue
Raisonnée_ of the whole collection is in preparation by Robert Lemon, Esq.,
of the State Paper Office, a gentleman well qualified for the task, and its
early publication may, we trust, be received as an evidence of the
beneficial influence which the Society of Antiquaries is hereafter destined
to exercise on the historical literature of England.
* * * * *