A system of natural philosophy: in which the principles of mechanics, hydrostatics, hydraulics ... are familiarly explained ... to which are added, questions for the examination of pupils ...

Front matter

V

A SYSTEM

OK j i *» \J fu; w.

Introduction To Botany, Outlines Of Geology, Outlines Of Physiology, Natural History Of Birds. &c

SEVENTY-NINTH EDITION.

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NEW-YORK:

PRATT, WOODFORD AND CO.,

Entered,

According to act of Congress, in the year 1844, b)

J. L. COMSTOCK,

in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of Connecti ,.»x.

STEREOTYPED BY PRINTED BY

HARTFORD, CONN. •

ADVERTISEMENT.

The publishers being again under the necessity of having a new set of stereotype plates cast for this work, the Author has taken this opportunity of making such additions and improvements as to make the work cor¬ respond with the present state of the Arts and Sciences, so far as they come within the scope of a School Book.

The whole has been carefully reviewed, and new mat¬ ter has been added wherever it was thought the book could thereby be improved.

The Author has intended to embrace every thing proper for his book, which has been invented, or brought forward since the last stereotype plates were cast.

The new matter covers more than 30 pages, and em¬ braces the subjects of Water Wheels, Gunnery, Elec¬ trotype, showing the manner of gilding, silvering, an 1 making copper casts, Photography, Daguerreotype, Rus¬ sel’s Planetarium, Morse’s Electro-Magnetic Telegraph, Horse Power, &c.

Hartford , August, 1844.

P RE FACIE.

While we have recent and improved systems, of Geogra phy, of Arithmetic, and of Grammar, in ample variety,—and Reading and Spelling Books in corresponding abundance, many of which show our advancement in the science of edu¬ cation, no one has offered to the public, for the use of our schools, any new or improved system of Natural Philoaopny. And yet this is a branch of education very extensively studied at the present time, and probably would be much more so, were some of its parts so explained and illustrated as to make them more easily understood.

The author therefore undertook the following work at the suggestion of several eminent teachers, who for years have regretted the want of a book on this subject, more familiar in its explanations, and more ample in its details, than any now in common use.

The Conversations on Natural Philosophy, a foreign work, now extensively used in schools, though beautifully written, and often highly interesting, is, on the whole, considered by most instructors as exceedingly deficient—particularly in wanting such a method in its explanations, as to convey to the mind of the pupil precise and definite ideas; and also in the omission of many subjects, in themselves most useful to the student, and at the same time most easily taught.

It is also doubted by many instructors, whether Conversa¬ tions is the best form for a book of instruction, and particu¬ larly on the several subjects embraced in a system of Natu¬ ral Philosophy. Indeed, those who have had most experi¬ ence as teachers, are decidedly of the opinion that it is not; and hence, we learn, that in those parts of Europe where the subject of education has received the most attention, and consequently, where the best methods of conveying instruc¬ tion are supposed to have been adopted, school books, in the form of conversations, are at present entirely < ut of use.

VI

Preface

The author of the following system hopes to have illus¬ trated and explained most subjects treated of, in a manner . so familiar as to be understood by the pupil, without requir¬ ing additional diagrams, or new modes of explanations from the teacher.

Every one who has attempted to make himself master of a difficult proposition by means of diagrams, knows that the great number of letters of reference with which they are sometimes loaded, is often the most perplexing part of the subject, and particularly when one figure is made to answer several purposes, and is placed at a distance from the expla¬ nation. To avoid this difficulty, the author has introduced additional figures to illustrate the different parts of the sub¬ ject, instead of referring back to former ones, so that the stu¬ dent is never perplexed with many letters on any one figure. The figures are also placed under the eye, and in immediate connection with their descriptions, so that the letters of refer¬ ence in the text, and those on the diagrams, can be seen at the same time. In respect to the language employed, it has been the chief object of the author to make himself under¬ stood by those who know nothing of mathematics, and who indeed had no previous knowledge of Natural Philosophy. Terms of science have therefore been as much as possible avoided, and when used, are explained in connection with the subjects to which they belong, and, it is hoped, to the com¬ prehension of common readers. This method was thought preferable to that of adding a glossary of scientific terms.

The author has also endeavored to illustrate the subjects as much as possible by means of common occurrences, or common things, and in this manner to bring philosophical truths as much as practicable within ordinary acquirements.

It is hoped, therefore, that the practical mechanic may take some useful hints concerning his business, from several parts of the work.