PREFACE. THE ESSAYS in the present volume have been selected from my contributions to serial literature during the past three or four years. Although I have for some time been urged to publish such a volume, I think I should not have ventured to do so but for the kindness with which my Other Worlds' and 'The Sun' have been received, both by the press and the public. In preparing these Essays, my chief object has been to present scientific truths in a light and readable form-clearly and simply, but with an exact adherence to the facts as I see them. I have followed-here and always-the rule of trying to explain my meaning precisely as I should wish others to explain, to myself, matters with which I was unfamiliar. Hence I have avoided that excessive simplicity which some seem to consider absolutely essential in scientific essays intended for general perusal, but which is often even more perplexing than a too technical style. The chief rule I have followed, in order to make my descriptions tear the meaning, mi ne ol Speaking as a reader, and agentally is a reader of snemde books. I 2500 ure to expres a amet va bu is simple rie were never ihångel em a meet the requirementa of eyle. It will hardly be necessary to mention that several of the forter Essays are rather intended to amuse than to insta The Eway on the influence which marriage has been supposed to exert on the death-rate is the one referred to by Mr. Darwin at page 176 (vol. i.) of his Descent of Man.' This and the other Essays from the Daily News’ are selected from a large number of articles which I wrote in the years 1868-70. It was by my kind friend Mr. Walker, formerly editor of the Daily News,' that I was first urged to collect my Essays into a volume. I have to thank the proprietors and the present editor of the Daily News,' and the proprietors and editors of the other journals from which the present series has been selected, for freely according me permission to reprint these Essays. RICHARD A. PROCTOR. LONDON: May 1871.. |