Fireside Science. By James R. Nicholls. (New York: Hurd and
Houghton. London: Sampson Low and Co.)—Dr. Nicholls discusses a variety of subjects, such as the "Chemistry of a Hen's Egg," the "Chemistry of a Cigar," "the Human Hair," "Diamonds and Diamond- cutting," making in all upwards of twenty essays, all written with liveliness and force, and all sufficiently interesting, even to those who take no especial interest in scientific subjects. The choice offered to the reader is considerable. Chemistry, as ordinarily understood, would be very tedious to some whose attention would be strongly excited by recipes for dyeing the hair. Of these, Dr. Nicholls presents us with a considerable variety, specifying those which are hurtful and those which may be used without fear of injury. He should have quoted the simplest of all, the waters of the river Crathis, near Sybaris, which, as Ovid says,
Electro faclunt similes auroque capillos:" " Make like the hair to amber or to gold,"
—exactly the colour which is or was so fashionable. " Water of Crathis" would be a good name for a learned hairdresser, that is to say, if the public were equally learned; we make a present of the name to the profession. The only fault that we see in the book is an occasional effort to say striking things. What is the good of saying "water is rust," the rust, that is, of a metal called " hydrogeniutu," because a com- bination of hydrogen and oxygen constitutes water? This, we take, is more likely to confuse than to instruct a learner.
Previous page
