Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 46.djvu/427

 suffices to satisfy us that any one who was really in possession of an additional sense could not fail to be believed in, seeing that he could at any moment prove his possession of that sense by exercising it, and prove it to the utter confusion of those who denied his special powers. The Dalai may have surprised his visitor by his knowledge of various sciences; but whence has come the scientific knowledge which the world to-day possesses save from the untiring labors of men possessing simply the ordinary equipment of senses and faculties? But what is the use of arguing with those who wish to be deceived? For such the worn-out sophistries of a mystery-monger will carry more weight than all the lessons of human experience, and a few oracularly delivered commonplaces assume the guise of a more than earthly wisdom. But common sense and our common senses win in the long run.



the scope of this volume, we may well believe the opening statement of its preface that the difficulties of condensation involved in its preparation have been extreme. Yet there is none of the aridity of condensation noticeable in its pages. It has been the aim of the author "to tell the story of the progress of plastic art clearly, vividly, and accurately, with entire correctness so far as possible, but without needless technicalities"—to give "not only the strict history of sculpture, but some glimpses of the fresh vistas of description lately opened up, of the strange illuminations cast by modern discovery, and of the new promise discernible in modern achievement. Successive schools of sculpture are therefore shown by the flashlight of single chapters, and the personality of the great masters is brought briefly before us." The Egyptian, Assyrian, and Asiatic types of sculpture are treated before the wonderful works of the Greeks are taken up. In no case does the author rest content with a bare enumeration and description of the works named, but adds facts concerning discoveries of ancient sculptures, and bits of mythology or notes on customs connected with them. Five chapters are devoted to Greek sculpture. Its nature and subjects are first discussed, after which the chief known examples of successive periods are described. A single chapter suffices for Roman sculpture, and the same for the early Christian and the Mediæval Cathedral groups. The works of modern times are taken up by countries. Those of Italy are described under the two divisions, the age of the Renaissance and the age of Michael Angelo and his successors. Then follow accounts of the sculptors and sculpture of France, Germany, and England, and of the nineteenth century in general, the last period being brought down to include the exhibits at the Columbian Exposition. Two closing chapters on the study of sculpture in the museums of Europe and in those of America, together with the one that precedes them, are of especial value in pointing out where the masterpieces of art are now to be found, and how we may grow familiar with them. The author's style is concise yet picturesque, and the vivid panorama that is afforded by the text is splendidly re-enforced by the illustrations. There are forty-two full-page engravings, representing all the schools described, and including works by the Americans D. C. French, W. W. Story, and Thomas Crawford.

the translator and editor states, few industries have changed more during the past twenty years than has that of the production of milk and its manufacture into butter and cheese. The shallow-setting system of cream-raising has been superseded by the deep-setting system, and the latter by hand or power separators. Better knowledge of butter manufacture and milk preservation have been acquired, together with a fuller understanding of the nature and properties of dairy products and the changes to 