Lives of the Electricians. By W. T. Jeans. (Whittaker and
Co.)— This, the first volume of the series, contains the biographies of Pro- fessor Tyndall, Wheatstone, and Morse. It would be difficult to select three greater examples than these giants of science to illustrate a wonderful power of grasping natural laws, and a magnificent courage and energy that is able to overcome popular ignorance and prejudice. Professor Tyndall, who appears first, as being probably the most popular of scientific men, is known to the world as an expert ex- perimenter and as an intrepid mountaineer ; his numberless re- searches, particularly on radiant heat and diamagnetism, will never lose their charm, and his Alpine experiences help greatly to enhance the hold be has on the mind of the public. Mr. Jeans'e account of him will give pleasure to many of his admirers. We can hardly, again, conceive a more interesting tale than the biography of Wheatstone, whose genius embraced such various inventions as the concertina and the submarine cable. Sorely there are momenta in an inventor's life which, for real excitement, mast yield to none. When we actually realise the value of these priceless gifts (among others the stereoscope), it seems as if our gratitude could never be but a poor recognition for them. The story of Morse's life is one of a long and weary struggle, the reading of which would become painful if it were not for the knowledge of his ultimate success. Mr. Jeans has treated a subject always interesting in a pleasing and graceful way, while the approaching jubilee of the electric telegraph gives a special interest to his volume.
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