Snyder, Carl. World machine: the first phase, the cosmic mechanism. *$2.50. Longmans.
W 7–93.
When complete there will be three volumes under the general title, “The world machine.” The first phase, “Cosmic mechanism” is the one treated in the present volume, the two following are to be “The mechanism of life,” and “The social mechanism.” This volume “shows how the modern conception of the Cosmos was worked out from the crude fancies of primitive men, through ages of observation and reflection, into the immense range and detail of accurately systematized knowledge. The chief contributors, ancient and modern, to the grand result receive due commemoration.” (Outlook.)
| A. L. A. Bkl. 3: 129. My. ’07. | ||
| + − | Ath. 1907, 1: 477. Ap. 20. 560w. |
“It is a useful book for the public library, because it gives to the general reader more information on the history of science than he can find anywhere else in a readable form.”
| + + | Ind. 62: 563. Mr. 7, ’07. 440w. |
“He gets his information mostly at second or third hand and gives few references by which his sources can be traced. Besides the liability to historical errors due to this, he is fond of exaggeration and rash prophecy.”
| − | Nation. 84: 595. Je. 27, ’07. 650w. |
“The narrative is very verbose, and does not clearly show how one idea or group of ideas has been developed from previous ones. The author has evidently not studied the original works of the heroes of science whose judge he has constituted himself, as he is anything but a trustworthy guide in the history of astronomy.” J. L. E. D.