Life of Sir W. Siemens. By W. Pole, F.R.S. (John
Murray.)— The early life of Sir W. Siemens was a somewhat harsh struggle with those difficulties that always beset inventors. But those troubles seemed to have disappeared on the founding of the Siemens and Halske firm, though, indeed, in connection with the steel trade, some heavy losses were suffered. Thus, we may con- sider, from what Mr. Pole tells us, that the " English " Siemens was prosperous, and during the latter years of his life, the receiver of many honours. He did not, indeed, enjoy them long, dying as he did at the age of sixty. We get a very strong picture in this " Life " of a great inventor, a man of resolute and untiring energy, and a good brother. Of his domestic life we have a very scant allowance indeed. Mr. Pole appears to have had little thought of that interest which most people feel in a great man's home-life. A truer title for this volume would have been "The History of Sir W. Siemens's Inventions," for it has been devoted to the purely scientific interest of the man's works, and neglects that human interest which we have a right to expect when perusing a "Life."
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