JF Ptak Science Books   Quick Post

I found this delightful article while browsing volume 11 of Nature (1874)–J.D. Everett’s On Mirage. It actually appears in parts over two issues (November 19 and 26) and I’ve got to admit that I was attracted to it from the illustrations–the wood engraving appearing in the concluding part having neo-proto-Absurdist qualities six decades before that would become recognized as an art form.  I’ve included the image below from my copy as it is very sharp and crisp–I’ve also included links for the texts from the University of Wisconsin (though their scans of the images are not quite so fresh as the one below).  

[Everett (1831-1904) was a distinguished physicist and is perhaps best remembered for his translation of a wonderful textbook by Augustin Privat-Deschanel, Elementary Treatise on Natural Philosophy: Physics (1882), a book I’ve found useful over time (along with Ganot’s Physics) for identifying period scientific instruments as both books are absolutely filled with images.]