CURRENT LITERATURE.
A Dictionary of Chemistry. Second Supplement. By Henry Watts. (Longmans.)—A Dictionary of Chemistry presents a task that must be the most laborious even of its kind. A dictionary of language once done is in a sense done for ever, though of course reading and observa- tion will be perpetually suggesting additions and improvements, while there is even a certain growth, though but a very slow and small growth, of new material in the language itself. But where is the end to a Dictionary of Chemistry? Here is a volume of more than twelve hun- dred large and closely-printed octavo pages, which brings down the record of chemical progress to the end of 1872, while it includes some of the more important discoveries belonging to the years 1873 and1874- This enormous mass of matter more or less new has been gathered from an almost boundless variety of publications, and extends to an almost infinite variety of subjects. For Chemistry is taken to include "the Allied Branches of other Sciences " in Mr. Watts's plan. Medicine of course is closely connected with it, and we have valuable articles accord- ingly from Dr. Martin on such subjects as " Muscular Tissue," Gastric Juice," &a. Professor Foster, again, writes on "Magnetism," and Mr. Warrington on various topics connected with agricultural chemistry. The chief burden of the work of course has fallen on Mr. Watts, and it has been done in the way that becomes the high reputation he has acquired by his previous labours.
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