25 MAY 1901, Page 25

The Romance of the Heavens. By A. W. Bickerton. (Swan

Sonnenschein and Co. 5s.)—Professor Bickerton's volume is "an application of chemistry and physics to celestial phenomena." Nothing has been more fruitful in modern science than the applications of one science to the interpretation of another. The astronomer must borrow from the chemist ; the chemist brings his lore to inspire the speculations of the astronomer. Our author builds much on the possible import of heavenly bodies, a subjectlately pressed upon our notice by the phenomenon of nova Aurigae. We cannot follow him into his speculations, but we may say that his volume will be found highly interesting.