The Intellectual Rise in Electricity: a History

Abstract

SINCE the days of the distinguished Joseph Priestley, no physicist has ventured to give us series of lessons on the history of the origin and progress of electrical science. In a large and admirable volume entitled “Priestley on Electricity” the author of it tried to introduce everything that was known up to his own time, and he is a poor electrician who is not fully conversant with this gigantic labour. At last another author has risen who has undertaken to supplement preceding authors, and to put before the world in one volume the subject of “the evolution of electricity”; that is to say, to describe the history of electrical science from its origin up to the present day. The author who has undertaken this task is Dr. Park Benjamin, L.L.B., a writer from the other side of the Atlantic, who, it must be said, has made himself fairly acquainted with the many electricians who have preceded him, and who makes an excellent effort to instruct the world at large by bringing into what may be called a nutshell the many pieces of information which he has been able to collect and put together in a readable form. The work is a large octavo, and consists of 611 pages, the whole being written in a style which is as commendable to the general scholar as to the particular electrician. The greatest care has been taken, step by step, to supply such illustrations as shall make the text comparatively easy. There are also portraits of men who have been engaged in the practical work of electricity; and although we would not compare the book with that written by Priestley, we must candidly say of it that all teachers, especially physical teachers, are certain to be benefited by its perusal and intimate study.