Elements of natural philosophy : being an experimental introduction to the study of the physical sciences.

  • Bird, Golding, 1815-1854.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of natural philosophy : being an experimental introduction to the study of the physical sciences. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    13/458
    needs no apology for not in every case mentioning the name of their authors in a strictly elementary work. I have been greatly indebted to several writers in the French and German languages, for many suggestions and illustrations, of which I have never hesitated to avail myself whenever they appeared to divest any subject of obscurity, or to add to its interest. To the Precis de Physique of Biot, the Elements de Physique of Pouillet, the Traitede Physique of Hauy, the Positions de Physique of Quetelet, and the Grundriss der Experimental-Physik of Kastner, I have been peculiarly indebted for several illustrations, some of which have not, I believe, previously appeared in an English dress. Having thus explained the object and unpretending cha- racter of this volume, 1 trust enough has been said to blunt the edge of criticism, should such, perchance, be levelled against it. The critic himself, I would beg to remind of the celebrated observation of Horace— Sunt delicta quibus non ignovisse velimus, Nam neque chorda sonum reddit quam vult manus et mens; Nec semper feriet quodcunque minabitur arcus.'' Those readers who desire further information on the subjects treated of in this work, and have not the assistance derived from attendance on lectures, may, if only a popular acquaint- ance with them be required, refer to the very elegant, although as yet unfinished, Elements of Physics of Dr. Arnott, or to Sir David Brewster's edition of Euler's Letters to a German Princess. Those who require a more profound acquaintance with these important subjects, should consult the books re- ferred to in the body of this volume, as well as to the treatises