Despre această carte
Biblioteca mea
Cărți pe Google Play
CONTENTS.
draws up the Rudolphine Tables-Galileo discovers the principle
of the Pendulum-Calculates the velocity of Falling Bodies, and
shows why it increases-Shows that Unequal Weights fall to the
Ground in the same time-Establishes the relations of Force and
Weight-Stevinus on Statics - Summary of the Science of the
sixteenth century
xiii
PAGE
74
CHAPTER XI.
SCIENCE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
Astronomical discoveries of Galileo-The Telescope--Galileo ex-
amines the Moon, and discovers the Earth-light upon it-Dis-
covers Jupiter's four Moons-Distinguishes the Fixed Stars from
the Planets-The phases of Venus confirm the Copernican theory
-Galileo notices Saturn's Ring, but does not distinguish it
clearly-Observes the spots on the Sun-The Inquisition force
him to deny the movement of the Earth-Blindness and Death
of Galileo
87
CHAPTER XII.
SCIENCE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY (CONTINUED).
Kepler the German Astronomer-Succeeds Tycho as Mathema-
tician to the Emperor Rudolph-His description of the Eye-
He tries to explain the orbit of the planet Mars-And by com-
paring Tycho's tables with observation discovers his First and
Second Law of the movements of the Planets-His delight at
Galileo's discoveries-Kepler's Third Law-Comparison of the
labours of Tycho, Galileo, and Kepler ⚫ 95
CHAPTER XIII.
Francis Bacon, 1561-1626-He teaches the true method of
studying Science in his 'Novum Organum'-René Descartes,
1596-1650--He teaches that Doubt is more honest than Ignorant
Assertion-Willebrord Snellius discovers the Law of Refrac-
tion, 1621-Explanation of this Law
103
CHAPTER XIV.
Fabricius Aquapendente discovers Valves in the Veins-Harvey's
discovery of the Circulation of the Blood-Discovery of the
Vessels which carry nourishment to the Blood-Gaspard Asellius
notices the Lacteals-Pecquet discovers the Passage of the fluid
to the Heart-Rüdbeck discovers the Lymphatics
CHAPTER XV.
Torricelli discovers the reason of Water rising in a Pump-Uses
Mercury to measure the Weight of the Atmosphere-Makes the
First Barometer-M. Perrier, at Pascal's suggestion, demon-
strates variations in the pressure of the atmosphere—Otto
Guericke invents the Air-pump-Working of the Air-pump-
Guericke proves the Pressure of the Atmosphere by the experi-
ment of the Magdeburg Spheres-He makes the first Electrical
Machine-Foundation of Royal Society of London and other
Academies of Science
116
CHAPTER XVI.
Boyle's Law of the Compressibility of Gases—This same Law dis-
covered independently by Marriotte-Hooke's theory of Air
being the cause of Fire-Boyle's experiments with Animals
under the Air-pump-John Mayow, the greatest Chemist of the
Seventeenth Century-His experiments upon the Air used in
Combustion-Proves that the same portion is used in Respira-
tion-Proves that Air which has lost its Fire-air is Lighter-
Mayow's 'Fire-air' was Oxygen, and his Lighter Air Nitrogen
-He traces out the effect which Fire-air produces in Animals
when Breathing
128
XV
CHAPTER XVII.
Malpighi first uses the Microscope to examine Living Structures
-He describes the Air-cells of the Lungs-Watches the Circula-
tion of the Blood -Observes the Malpighian Layer in the Human
Skin-Describes the structure of the Silkworm-Leeuwenhoeck
discovers Animalcules-Grew and Malpighi discover the Cellular
Structure of Plants-The Stomates in Leaves-They study the
Germination of Seeds-Ray and Willughby classify and describe
Animals and Plants-The Friendship of these two Men
CHAPTER XVIII.
1642, Birth of Newton-His Education-1666, His three great
Discoveries first occur to him-Method of Fluxions and Dif-
ferential Calculus-First Thought of the Theory of Gravitation
-Failure of his Results in consequence of the Faulty Measure-
ment of the size of the Earth-1682, Hears of Picart's new
Measurement-Works out the result correctly, and proves the
Theory of Gravitation-Explanation of this Theory Establishes
the Law that Attraction varies inversely as the squares of the
distance-1687, Publishes the 'Principia'-Some of the Pro-
blems dealt with in this Work.
CHAPTER XIX.
SCIENCE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY (CONTINUED)
Transits of Mercury and Venus-Kepler foretells their occurrence
-1631, Gassendi observes a Transit of Mercury-1639, Hor-
rocks foretells and observes a Transit of Venus-1676, Halley
sees a Transit of Mercury, and it suggests to him a method for
Measuring the Distance of the Sun-1691-1716, Halley de-
scribes this method to the Royal Society-Explanation of
Halley's method
137
147
• 156
CHAPTER XX.
Newton's Discovery of the Dispersion of Light-Traces the
amount of Refraction of each of the Coloured Rays-Makes a
Rotating Disc turning the colours of the Spectrum into White
Light-Reason why all Light passing through glass is not
Coloured-Mr. Chester More Hall discovers the Difference of
Dispersive Power in Flint and Crown Glass-Newton's Papers
destroyed by his pet dog-Last years of Newton's life
CHAPTER XXI.
164
Roemer measures the Velocity of Light-Newton's Corpuscular
Theory of Light-Undulatory or Wave Theory proposed by
Huyghens-Invention of Cycloidal Pendulums by Huyghens-
Discovery of Saturn's Ring-Sound caused by Vibration of Air-
Light by Vibration of Ether-Reasons why we see Light—
Reflection of Waves of Light-Cause of Colour-Refraction
explained by the Undulatory Theory-Mr. Tylor's Illustration
of Refraction-Double Refraction explained by Huyghens-
Polarisation of Light not understood till the nineteenth century 172
Great spread of Science in the Eighteenth Century-Advance of
the Sciences relating to Living Beings-Foundation of Leyden
University in 1574-Boerhaave, Professor of Medicine at Ley-
den, 1701-Foundation of Organic Chemistry by Boerhaave—
Influence of Boerhaave upon the study of Medicine-Belief of
the Alchemists in Vital Fluids'-Boerhaave's Experiments on
the Juices of Plants-Dr. Hales's Experiments on Plants-Boer-
haave's Analyses of Milk, Blood, &c.-Great popularity of his
Chemical Lectures .
189
xvii
CHAPTER XXIV.
SCIENCE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY (CONTINUED).
Childhood of Haller--Foundation of the University of Göttingen
in 1736-Haller made Professor of Anatomy-Haller's Ana-
tomical Plates-He discovers the power of Contraction of the
Muscles-Rise of Comparative Anatomy-John Hunter's in-
dustry in Dissecting and Comparing the Structures of different
Animals-His Museum and the arrangement of his Collection-
Bonnet's Experiments on Plants-Experiments upon Animals by
Bonnet and Spallanzani-Regrowth of different parts when cut
off-Bonnet's theory of Gradual Development of Plants and
Animals-Anatomical Works of Haller-He discovers the
power of the Muscles to contract
CHAPTER XXV.
. 195
Birth and Early Life of Buffon and Linnæus compared-Buffon's
Work on Natural History-Daubenton wrote the Anatomical
Part-Buffon's Books very interesting, but not always accurate-
He first worked out the Distribution of Animals-Struggles of
Linnæus with Poverty-Mr. Clifford befriends him-He becomes
Professor at Upsala-He was the first to give Specific Names to
Animals and Plants-Explanation of his Descriptions of Plants
-Use of the Linnæan or Artificial System-Afterwards super-
seded by the Natural System-Linnæus first used accurate terms
in describing Plants and Animals-Character of Linnæus-- Sale
of his Collection, and Chase by the Swedish Man-of-war.
204
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Study of the Earth neglected during the Dark Ages-Preju-
dices concerning the Creation of the World-Attempts to Ac-
count for Buried Fossils-Palissy, the Potter, first asserted that
Fossil-shells were real Shells-Scilla's Work on the Shells of
Calabria, 1670-Woodward's Description of Different Forma-
tions, 1695-Lazzaro Moro one of the first to give a true expla-