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the stone is so heavy that the horse cannot move it, this is due to weight exclusively; previous cases having been mentioned in which friction was allowed to have a share. We are immediately told that all this is inconsistent with the third law of motion; hence the latter also falls, along with the unfortunate Vis Inertiæ. In all this, at least so far as we can see, there is nothing advanced but hypothesis and assertion, not always quite concordant. Did Mr Reddie ever try to open a massive iron gate, or to deliver a large curling stone? Had the weight of either body anything to do with the difficulty he experienced in handling it? Did he ever try to stop a large grindstone set in rapid rotation, or was he ever struck by a cricket-ball? We fear he has not been, or he would reverence the recollection of the Vis Inertia. Does our instructor believe in the mass of the earth, or does he speak of its weight, and if so, how is he to determine it? Would a stone be a whit less massive if there were no earth to attract it? But we fear we are assuming the function of mentor, instead of imbibing meekly and gladly the great lesson he is teaching. And this is its moral, so far as we are able to judge :—" Learn natural philosophy from the popular scientific works of the day, Mechanics for Schools, Hydrostatics and the Use of the Globes for her Young Friends, by an Old Lady, &c. &c. They swarm every counter-buy them and learn. Newton, Laplace, and Faraday, though clever men on the whole, came to the study of the simplicity of nature with minds biassed and distorted by untrustworthy mathematics, or the still more dangerous snares of hypothesis. Till they lay aside what has been heretofore supposed to constitute their especial fitness for the work, all that they may do or say must be erroneous.” Great art thou,

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O Reddie! and in thee is no deceit at all.

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We have not spaće to examine much more of the new theory. Centripetal force has been utterly misunderstood till now (§ 80). We find that we were blindly mistaken when, a few years ago, we heaped a "torrent of ridicule" on the ingenious discoverer of the moon's having no rotation about her axis (§ 77). The note to § 112 we were almost tempted to extract in full; such a mass of astounding novelty it would perhaps be difficult to find elsewhere in so small a space. But we prefer extracting, from the note to § 100, a trembling anticipation of a possible law of hydrostatics which even we must allow is likely to be true, though we imagine we have read it elsewhere, and fancy Archimedes had something to do with it; but we are in all probability mistaken : "If a stone be weighed with a spring-balance in water, and in air, I apprehend its normal weight would differ!!" Why the springbalance is required Mr Reddie does not think it necessary to inform us; and we cannot gather it from the rest of his note, which, like the first mention of almost all great discoveries, is singularly obscure.

A body acted on by gravity moves in a parabola (or, as it is sometimes called (§ 106), a paraboloid). Hence it is impossible that it could move in a circle about the earth's centre (§ 105). § 144, "There is much to be said in favour of reverting to the old notion of a central earth, surrounded by its glorious canopy and hosts of revolving lights, as after all most probable." Central earth -revolving lights! Shades of Copernicus and Lighthouse Commissioners! Peace to your honoured manes; let no earthly or spiritual considerations tempt you to revisit the glimpses of the moon, for she revolves not, neither does the earth, and even the catadioptric apparatus is superseded by blinking stars. Advance, ye legions of the apostolic M'Hale, an era of superstition is again at hand; and, after all, we may find that the moon is no bigger and no rounder than a loo table.

One extract more, and we finish. § 30, "There is a great temptation to generalise still further, and assume that COLD and gravitation are in their essence and ultimate principle the same!" We have recently been reperusing, for the twentieth time, a remarkably clever but disagreeable novel-one written many years ago, but still, we are happy to think, affording both pleasure and profit to a host of readers. We close with a paragraph from it, which has somewhat more than a mere resemblance to the above § 30 of Mr Reddie's treatise :

"Researches into Physical Science, with a view to the Establishment of a New Principle, LIGHTNESS. By Diabolus Gander, Esq., Ph.D, &c. &c."

Let the candid reader make a mental comparison, and may it tend to his enlightenment, helping him to estimate at their true value the class of works of which that we have before us is a very favourable specimen.

De Candolle, Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis, sive Enumeratio contracta ordinum, generum, specierumque plantarum hucusque cognitarum, juxta methodi naturalis normas digesta. Editore et pro rata parte auctore ALPHONSO DE CANDOLLE. Pars decima quinta, sectio posterior. Fasc. 1, 8vo. Parisiis. Masson et Filii. Januario, 1862.

The present part of this valuable work contains descriptions by Boissier of some of the plants belonging to the natural order Euphorbiacea. It embraces, Tribe I, Euphorbieæ, in which the male flowers are not calyculate. Of the genus Pedilanthus 15 species are noticed, of the genus Euphorbia 723 species, and 2 species of Synadenium. The genus Euphorbia is divided into 27 sections. There is an excellent and useful index of the names and synonymes of this extensive genus. We sincerely trust that

M. Alphonse De Candolle may be spared to complete this important work, which was commenced by his illustrious father. We learn, however, that the distinguished author has no intention of entering on the Monocotyledonous orders. It may be hoped that his son Casimir, who has already published some good botanical papers, will continue the "Prodromus," with the assistance of able botanists.

De la Production Naturelle et Artificielle du Liège dans le Chêne-Liège. Par M. CASIMIR DE CANDOLLE. Genève, 1860.

The cork of commerce is derived from two species of Quercus. 1. Q. occidentalis, Gay, which grows in the south-west of France and in Portugal, and which is recognised by its acorns taking two years to ripen; 2. Q. Suber, which grows in the south-east of France, in Italy, and in Algeria, as well as in the islands of the Mediterranean. M. Casimir De Candolle, representing the third generation of botanists of that name, paid a visit to Algeria, and examined the development of the cork in the latter species. He has given the results of his observations in this paper. There are four layers-the epidermis, the corky layer, the cellular layer, and the liber. The development of these layers is traced through their various stages in an able manner, and the remarks are illustrated by well-executed drawings. It appears that the corky layer formed naturally has little commercial value. It is removed, and then a new corky layer is formed, which is much finer and more elastic. This constitutes the cork of commerce. At the end of seven or eight years, this layer attains sufficient thickness, and it is then removed. The author gives full details of the mode of growth of the cortical layers; he describes their microscopical structure, and points out the mode in which the best qualities of cork are produced. The essay indicates botanical acumen and powers of microscopical observation which give promise of good fruit in future years.

NEW SERIES.-VOL. XV. NO. II.-APRIL 1862.

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PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Monday, 6th January 1862.-The HON. LORD NEAVES, Vice-President, in the Chair.

An address of condolence to Her Majesty, on account of the death of his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, was adopted by the Society; and the Secretary was directed to transmit it, after receiving the signature of the President, to Sir George Grey, Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.

The following Communications were read:

1. On the Climate of Palestine in Modern compared to Ancient Times. By Principal Forbes.

(This Paper appears in the present number of this Journal.)

2. Biographical Notice of Andrew Dalzel, Professor of Greek in the University of Edinburgh. By Professor Innes.

Professor Dalzel was born in 1742, at Gateside of Newliston. His father died while he was still an infant, and he was educated partly by his uncle, the minister of Stonykirk, in Galloway, and after his death, by his mother, at Newliston. He attended the parish school of Kirkliston, and from thence went to college at Edinburgh. His companion at both was Robert Liston, afterwards Sir Robert, the ambassador. The boys began life together. Liston was just two days younger than his friend, and the intimacy of school and college lasted through life. It is chiefly from the correspondence kept up between them from 1766 till 1805 that the present Memoir has been compiled.

On leaving college, Dalzel was for some time tutor in the family of Lauderdale, and the friendship so commenced also remained firm and unbroken through life.

In 1772-73, partly by an arrangement with his predecessor, partly through the influence of the Lauderdales with the Town Council, Dalzel became Professor of Greek in the University. The study of that language had fallen much into decay in Scotland, and Dalzel set himself zealously to the task of restoring and promoting it. He devoted himself to the duties of his class, and was soon

rewarded by its increase in numbers and improvement in study. Among other means for his object, he set about preparing some class-books for Greek students which were then unknown. His first publication was a little supplement to Moor's Grammar, under the title of Fragmenta Grammatices Græcæ in usum tironum in literis Græcis in Academia Edinensi. The prose volume of his wellknown Collectanea Majora was published in 1785, and got almost at once into favour with the best teachers here and in England.

In the immediate duties of his professorship Dalzel was indefatigable. Dr Monro said of him, that "he had more to brag of than any man in the college, for that Greek was going fast downhill till he revived it." His second volume, the poetical portion of the Collectanea Majora, cost him great labour, and obtained the assistance of friends among many the best scholars of England. Though long promised and urgently called for by the schoolmasters and "the trade," it was not published till 1797. It was then received with as much favour as its predecessor; and the two volumes rapidly came to supersede all other class-books for Greek students. Both volumes passed through many editions, and perhaps wanted nothing for permanent success and popularity, but that the valuable information conveyed in the notes should have been given in English instead of Latin, which the practice of the time seemed to require.

Dalzel married, in 1786, Anne, daughter of Dr John Drysdale, the well known clerk of the General Assembly, and one of the leaders of the Church. His marriage connected him with the Adams, Principal Robertson, the Kennedys of Dunure, the Broughams, Elliots of Minto, and the rest of that remarkable group of Edinburgh families. His professorial position brought him into intimate acquaintance with the philosophers and scholars who then made. our University famous. His labours in publishing books for his class, connected him with many distinguished scholars; and a good deal of his correspondence is preserved and used for this Memoir. It embraces letters from Heyne, Böttiger, Porson, Parr, Bishop Burgess, Dr Raine of the Charterhouse, Tate, the excellent master of Richmond school, Thomas Young, the scientific philosopher and universal scholar.

The Memoir has frequent notices of the commencement and progress of the University buildings, and other academic matters; including the first Symposium Academicum, the death and character of Principal Robertson, the commencement of the Society of Antiquaries, and in connection with it, the foundation of the Royal Society, of which Dalzel was an original and active member. It notices also some passing events; such as visits of remarkable persons to Edinburgh, the impression made by Burke, by Burns, by Mrs Siddons, &c.

But the chief object of the Memoir, as of Dalzel's whole life, is

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