PUBLISHED BY LIGHT & STEARNS,

1 Cornhill, facing Washington Street.

14926

07-18-46 J.R.P

CONTENTS.

Ren

PHILOSOPHY OF SELF-EDUCATION, BY B. B. THATCHER.-

Age of associations. Result of civilization. The social power-abuse

of it. Schemes of education. The education of the age. All mankind

educated. The principle of self-education. Social education. Self-

study. A complete education unknown. Neglect of the moral powers.

The physical department. Literary part of education. Facilities-use

of them-how to do without them. Education too easy. Philosophy of

means. Essential principle of self-improvement.

9

OUTLINE OF PHILOSOPHY, BY LIEUT. ROSWELL PARK.-Phi-

losophy defined. Use of books. Largest libraries. Statistics of books.

Books in our language. Tree of philosophy, or classification of the

branches of human science and art. Connection of the branches. An-

cient and modern branches. Avenues to the pursuit of knowledge.

Extent and choice of studies. Choice of books.

41

ADVANTAGES OF EARLY RISING, BY WM. A. ALCOTT.——

Antiquity of early rising. Testimony in its favor. Its pleasures. Early

rising for the purposes of labor-study-health. Sleeping in the day-

time. Eminent early risers. Longevity of early risers. Economy of

early rising. Franklin's estimate. Artificial light-its effects. Time

wasted in sleep. Calculations. Means of early rising. Motives. In-

fluence of mothers. Preparation of body and mind for rest. . . 65

MAY-FLOWERS, BY D. H. HOWARD.-The flowering season in this

country. Foreign flowers and names. The violet. Houstonia. Ane-

mone. Cowslip. Columbine. Buttercup. Flowering Dogwood.

Swamp honeysuckle. Poisonous honey. Apple flower. Strawberry.

Lily of the valley. Bellwort. Geranium. Barberry. Lady's slipper.

Lupine. Disregard of flowers. Their future honors.

89

NATURAL HISTORY OF WATER, BY. C. T. JACKSON, M. D.—

Water essential to organized beings. It belongs to the mineral king-

dom. Expansion of freezing water. Hail. Icebergs. Snow. The

ocean. Substances dissolved in it. Lakes. Rivers. Cascades. Im-

portance of pure water. Sources of impurity. Impure waters predis-

pose to disease. Tests of impurity. Different kinds of springs. State

of wells in Boston. Testimony of physicians. Analysis of well water

in Boston and vicinity.

113

PLEASURES OF SCIENCE, BY W. M. ROGERS.-The blessings sci-

ence bestows. Aid of science to commerce. Science conduces greatly

to happiness. Objects of interest abound in the universe. Curious

facts respecting ants. Popular and scientific reading. Incident in the

life of Mungo Park. Instinct and science. Remarks of Kepler. . 145

HISTORY OF PEACE SOCIETIES, BY WILLIAM LADD.-Different

views on war. Waste of war. First tract on peace. First peace socie-

ties. American Peace Society. War antichristian. Defensive war.

Hopes of the friends of peace. Constitution of the American Peace

Society. Prize dissertations on a congress of nations. Periodicals of

the society. Preaching against war.

. . 169

SCIENCE OF HUMAN LIFE, BY SYLVESTER GRAHAM.-Preva-

lence of error. Fixed laws in nature. Supposed uncertainty of health.

Artificial wants. Origin of the study of medicine. Physicians only ex-

pected to cure diseases. Appetites unrestrained in health. Common

reasoning. Feeling. Experience of mankind. Self-deception-how

only avoided. Our duty in respect to this subject.

193

HISTORY OF TELEGRAPHS, BY J. R. PARKER.-Rapidity of the

telegraph. Antiquity. Introduction into England. Shutter telegraph.

Semaphoric telegraph. Numerical system. Marine telegraph. Ad-

vantages and future extension of telegraphs. Telegraphing by means of

torches, described by Polybius.

217

COMBUSTION, BY R. A. COFFIN.-Phlogistic theory. Supporters of
combustion. Electrical theory of heat. Why ashes preserves fire. Burning
of anthracite coal. Spontaneous combustion. Kinds of fuel. Nature of
flame. Comparative cost of light. Gas from whale oil. Carbonic acid
gas. Smoke. Explosions. Extinguishing fires. Chimneys. Prevent-
ing fire-places from smoking. Count Rumford's rules.

233

GRANITE ROCK, BY SAMUEL FISH.-Stones used in building. Geo-
logical classification. Theories of the earth. History of the creation.
Fiery abyss. Changes which the earth has undergone. Primary rocks.
Granite the most abundant. Publie buildings of granite. Elementary
composition of granite. Other similar rocks.

265

THEORY OF THE EARTH, BY SAMUEL FISH.-Duration of mat-

ter. Relation of planets and comets. Four states of matter. Scripture

epochs of creation. Geological epochs. Primary, transition, secondary,

tertiary and alluvial formations. Analogy of light to other substances.

Caloric its relation to light. Ponderosity of light.

271