A Short History of Natural Science and of the Progress of Discovery from the Time of the Greeks to the Present Day

PREFACE

It is not without some anxiety that I offer this little work to the public, for it is, I believe, the first attempt which has been made to treat the difficult subject of the History of Science in a short and simple way.'

Its object is to place before young and unscientific people those main discoveries of science which ought to be known by every educated person, and at the same time to impart a living interest to the whole, by associating with each step in advance some history of the men who made it.

During the many years that I enjoyed the privilege of acting as secretary to the late Sir Charles Lyell, and was thus brought in contact with many of the leading scientific men of our day, I often felt very forcibly how many important facts and generalizations of science, which are of great value both in the formation of character and in giving a true estimate

1 Mr. Baden Powell's excellent little History of Natural Philosophy,' published in Lardner's 'Cyclopædia' in 1834, is scarcely intended for beginners, and does not extend farther than the seventeenth century. This is the only work of the kind I have been able to find.

of life and its conditions, are totally unknown to the majority of otherwise well-educated persons.

Great efforts are now being made to meet this difficulty, by teaching children a few elementary facts of the various branches of science; but, though such instruction is of immense value, something more is required in order that the mind may be prepared to follow intelligently the great movement of modern thought. The leading principles of science ought in some measure to be understood; and these will, I believe, be most easily and effectually taught by showing the steps by which each science has attained its present importance.

It is this task which I have endeavoured to accomplish; and if teachers will make their pupils master the explanations given in these pages and, wherever it is possible, try the experiments suggested, I venture to hope that this little work may supply that modest amount of scientific information which everyone ought to possess, while, at the same time, it will form. a useful groundwork for those who wish afterwards to study any special branch of science.

The plan adopted has been to speak of discoveries in their historical order, and to endeavour to give such a description of each as can be understood by any person of ordinary intelligence. This has made it necessary to select among subjects of equal importance those which could be dealt with in plain language, and to avoid passing allusions to such as did not admit of such explanation.

The history of the nineteenth century has been a very difficult and I fear scarcely a successful task; for, while those who know anything of the subjects mentioned, will feel that the account is very defective owing to so much being left out, the beginner will probably find it difficult owing to so much being put in. The reproach on both sides would be just, yet it seemed better to give even a few of the leading discoveries and theories of our own time than to leave the student with such crude ideas of many branches of science as he must have had if the history had ended with the eighteenth century.

When treating of such varied subjects, many of them presenting great difficulties both as regards historical and scientific accuracy, I cannot expect to have succeeded equally in all, and must trust to the hope of a future edition to correct such grave errors as will doubtless be pointed out, in spite of the care with which I have endeavoured to verify the statements made.

As the size of the book makes it impossible to give the numerous references which would occur on every page, I have named at the end of each chapter a few of the works consulted in its preparation, choosing always in preference those which will be useful to the reader if he cares to refer to them. I had also prepared questions on the work; but those competent to give an opinion, tell me that teachers in these days prefer to prepare their own lessons. I have therefore substituted, at p. 439, a chronological table of the

various sciences, by means of which questions can be framed, either upon the discoveries of any given period, or on the progressive advance, through several centuries, of any of the five main divisions of science. which are dealt with in this volume.

In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge my obligations to many kind friends, and especially to Mr. A. R. Wallace and Mr. J. C. Moore, F.R.S., who have rendered me very material and valuable assistance. I am also much indebted to the Rev. R. M. Luckock, of the Godolphin Grammar School, who read the whole work in manuscript, with a view to pointing out any portions which might be unintelligible to schoolboys.

LONDON: December 1875.