A Manual of Natural Philosophy: Compiled from Various Sources and Designed for Use As a Text-Book in High Schools and Acadamies

A Manual of Natural Philosophy was a high-school textbook (physics) published in 1853 and includes 320 illustrations from engravings.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

The compiler of the following pages deems no apology necessary for offering to the public another work on Natural Philosophy. Of the several works on this subject now before the public, and with the same general design as the present, each one, no doubt, possesses its own peculiar excellencies, and is adapted, more or less, to aid in advancing the great cause of education; but in the multitude of seminaries of learning, of different grades, in our country, considerable variety in the text-books used is absolutely necessary. Without claiming for the pres ent work, therefore, superiority in every respect over others that have appeared before it, it is believed that an appropriate place will be found for it, as an assistant in promoting the cause of general education.

As the work professes to be only a compilation, little or nothing that is new or original is, of course, to be expected in it; but, while the compiler has freely used the works of others, he has generally given his own illustrations, seldom adopting their language, and never, except when it happened to accord perfectly with his own modes of thought and expression. This has been done, not from a desire of being unlike others, but with the hope of being able thus to condense more within the limits of the work, and to preserve a greater uniformity of style. During the preparation of the work, the peculiar want of those for whom it is specially designed have been constantly kept in mind; and the writer is not without hope, from his long experience in teaching, that it may not be found altogether unsuited for the use of those to whom it is more especially offered. At the same time it is believed that it will be found adapted to the wants of such general readers as are seeking solid instruction, rather than momentary gratification.

In the author's work on Chemistry, the subjects of Heat, Galvanism, and Electro-Magnetism are treated of at length; and it was, therefore, considered entirely unnecessary to introduce them into the present, which is designed to accompany the former, the two together forming a connected treatise. It may, indeed, be objected that these topics belong rather to Natural Philosophy than to Chemistry; but they are, in fact, so intimately related to both of these branches, that, to the student, it matters little with which they are more particularly associated, while the public lecturer, because of the constant use of acids required in performing the experiments in Galvanism and Electro-Magnetism, will find it much the most convenient to discuss these subjects, at least, in connection with his course of lectures on Chemistry. And if we were compelled to draw a line between these two branches of science, so as to make each as independent of the other as possible, we should be obliged to make the same division; since a course of study in Natural Philosophy will be quite complete, as far as it goes, without including the doctrines of Heat or Galvanism, both of which, however, lie at the very foundation of a Chemical course, and can not be dispensed with in the most elementary treatise on the subject. It is believed, therefore, that the division adopted is not only theoretically correct, but that it will be found, in practice, more convenient than any other to the teacher, and more advantageous to the student.

In the articles on Electricity and Magnetism, and perhaps in a few other instances, persons making use of both works will observe a little repetition, but not so much as to occasion any inconvenience....