A Text-book of Physics

Abstract

THE late Prof. Poynting's qualities as a physicist are reflected in the volume on electrostatics and magnetism now before us, for he was always distinguished by soundness and clearness of thought, and care and accuracy of experiment rather than by showy brilliance. The book is very clearly written, and evidently no trouble was spared in the attempt to make it as easily understood as possible. A large part of it is in fact, a model of exposition, and could scarcely be improved upon. The chief value of the book, however, lies in the fact that it goes a little farther than the ordinary elementary textbook has done up to the present. Most English text-books deal in a very cursory way with both electrostatics and magnetism, and it is extremely useful to have a book which gives a somewhat more adequate treatment without at the same time becoming too difficult and exhaustive.

A Text-book of Physics.

By Prof. J. H. Poynting Sir J. J. Thomson. Electricity and Magnetism. Parts i. and ii. Static Electricity and Magnetism. Pp. xiv + 345. (London: Charles Griffin and Co., Ltd., 1914.) Price 10s. 6d.