Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 15.djvu/580

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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

lence; Chapter VI. to maxims of justice; and Chapter VII. is a kind of essay on the ancient philosophy. The compiler has raked together from all sources a mass of fragmentary proverbs, aphorisms, sentiments, and wise sayings, which are no doubt quite as sound and instructive, but not half as pungent and readable, as the saws of Sancho Panza. On the whole, we think that Mill is about right, and that people will appreciate this wisdom a great deal higher after they have mastered a couple of languages in order to get at it.

The Temperaments; or, The Varieties of Physical Constitution in Man considered in their Relations to Mental Character and the Practical Affairs of Life. By D. H. Jacques, M. D. New York: S. R. Wells & Co. 1878. Pp. 239. $1.50.

The editor of this volume, in the introduction, remarks that the "literature of the temperaments is very scanty." The reason of this doubtless is, that scientific investigators have not hitherto regarded the temperaments as a very fruitful field of study. According to Dr. Jacques, however, there is no study, not even, perhaps, phrenology itself, which can be of greater service to us in acquiring a knowledge of ourselves and our fellow men. Those who may happen to coincide with this view, and suppose that they can gain "practical guidance in the affairs of life" by closely observing differences of temperament, will do well to consult Dr. Jacques's well-written little work.

Color-Blindness, its Dangers and its Detection. By B. Joy Jeffries, A. M., M. D. Boston: Houghton, Osgood & Co. Pp. 312. Price, $2.

This subject, which is one of much scientific interest and practical importance, has engaged the attention of many inquirers during the past and present generations. That defect of vision by which certain colors can not be discriminated, and by which one is mistaken for another, and which is now well established as congenital and as very common, has no doubt existed at all times, though its detection is modern and its scientific elucidation comparatively recent. The first well-authenticated case of color-blindness was of an English shoemaker, named Harris, one hundred years ago. But the first marked instance attracting general attention was that of the English chemist, Dalton, who described his own case in 1794, so that this chromatic defect went for some time under the name of Daltonism. The tests of this deficiency have now been carefully worked out and observations made in different countries upon great numbers of persons, bringing out the general result, that about four per cent, of the persons inspected suffer from this defect in a greater or less degree, some being incapable of recognizing one color, and some another. Dr. Jeffries treats the subject systematically and fully in his volume, giving great numbers of cases and digesting all the results of the investigation in different countries. It is found that this failure of vision is so frequent that it has been necessary to institute government inspection of men in all those public employments where erroneous vision might lead to danger, as where colored signals are employed upon railroads and in navigation. In Chapter XXIII. of his book, Dr. Jeffries gives an account of the European and Massachusetts legislation which has been resorted to, to obtain security from errors of this kind.

Money, Trade, and Industry. By Francis A. Walker, Professor of Political Economy and History in the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale College. New York: Henry Holt & Co. Pp. 339. Price, $1.25.

We have here from the pen of the Superintendent of the United States Census, and author of "The Statistical Atlas of the United States," a very important contribution to certain aspects of political economy that are of the highest moment to the people of the United States. Professor Walker published a work on "Money" last year, written from the historical standpoint, and designed to introduce the student to the literature of the subject. The present work aims to make a direct popular statement of principles, without giving the history of their derivation; and it differs from the other book also by taking in the relations of money to trade and industry. The volume is therefore practical in its scope, and has been adapted, with excellent judgment, both to the popular capacity of apprehending economical inquiries and to the most urgent