Chapter I: Front Matter

PHILOSOPHY IN SPORT

MADE

SCIENCE IN EARNEST;

BEING

AN ATTEMPT TO ILLUSTRATE THE FIRST PRINCIPLES
OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY

BY THE AID OF

POPULAR TOYS AND SPORTS.

FOURTH EDITION,
WITH CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONS.

LONDON:

HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECHURCH-STREET;
AND HIGHLEY, FLEET-STREET.
1839.

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TO

MISS MARIA EDGEWORTH.

MADAM,

To whom can a work which professes to blend amusement with instruction, be dedicated with so much propriety, as to one, whose numerous writings have satisfactorily demonstrated the practicability and value of such a union;--to one, who has stripped Romance of her meretricious trappings, and converted her theatre into a temple worthy of Minerva? Justly has it been observed, that to the magic pens of Madame D’Arblay and yourself we are indebted for having the Novel restored to its consequence, and, therefore, to its usefulness; and I may be allowed to add, that your Harry and Lucy has shown how profitably, and agreeably, the machinery of fiction may be worked for the dissemination of truth.

That a life which has been so honourable to yourself, and so serviceable to the commonwealth, may be long extended, and deservedly enjoyed, is the fervent wish of

THE AUTHOR.

_London,
February 1839._

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TO THE READER.

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Tell me, gentle Reader, whether thou hast not heard of the box of Pandora, which was no sooner opened by the unhappy Epimetheus, than it gave flight to a troop of malevolent spirits, which have ever since tormented the human race.--Behold!--I here present you with a magic casket, containing a GENIUS alone capable of counteracting their direful spells. Thou mayest, perhaps, say that its aspect but ill accords with the richness of its promised treasure; so appeared the copper vessel found by the fisherman, as related in the Arabian tale; but, remember, that no sooner had he broken its mystic seal, than the imprisoned genius spread itself over the ocean and raised its giant limbs above the clouds. But this was an evil and treacherous spirit; mine is as benevolent as he is mighty, and seeks communion with our race for no other object than to render mortals virtuous and happy. To be plain, for you must already, my young friends, have unriddled my allegory, his name is PHILOSOPHY.

In your progress through life, be not so vain as to believe that you will escape the evils with which its path is beset. Arm yourselves, therefore, with the talisman that can, at once, deprive adversity of its sting, and prosperity of its dangers; for such, believe me, is the rare privilege of philosophy.

I must now take leave of you, for a short time, in order that I may address a few words to your parents and preceptors; but, as I have no plot to abridge your liberties, or lengthen your hours of study, you may listen to my address without alarm, and to my plan without suspicion. Imagine not, however, that I shall recommend the dismissal of the cane, or the whip; on the contrary, I shall insist upon them as necessary and indispensable instruments for the accomplishment of my design. But the method of applying them will be changed; with the one I shall construct the bow of the kite, with the other I shall spin the top.

The object of the present work is to inculcate that early love of science which can never be derived from the sterner productions. Youth is naturally addicted to amusement, and in this item his expenditure too often exceeds his allotted income. I have, therefore, taken the liberty to draw a draft upon Philosophy, with the full assurance that it will be gratefully repaid, with compound interest, ten years after date. But to be serious; those who superintend the education of youth should be apprised of the great importance of the first impressions. Rousseau has said, that the seeds of future vices or virtues are more frequently sown by the mother than the tutor; thereby intimating, that the characters of men are often determined by the earliest impressions; and, of so much moment did Quintillian regard this truth, that he recommends to us the example of Philip, who did not suffer any other than Aristotle to teach Alexander to read. In like manner those who do not commence their study of nature at an early season, will afterwards have many unnecessary obstacles to encounter. The difficulty of comprehending the principles of Natural Philosophy frequently arises from their being at variance with those false ideas which early associations have impressed upon the mind; the first years of study are, therefore, expended in _un_learning, and in clearing away the weeds, which would never have taken root in a properly cultivated soil. Writers on practical education have repeatedly advocated the advantages of the plan I am so anxious to enforce; but, strange to say, it is only within a few years that any works have appeared at all calculated to afford the necessary assistance. In short, previous to the labours of Mrs. Marcet and Miss Edgeworth, the productions published for the purpose of juvenile instruction may be justly charged with the grossest errors; and must have proved as destructive to the mind of the young reader, as the book presented by the physician Douban is said to have been to the Grecian king, who, as the Arabian tale relates, imbibed fresh poison as he turned over each leaf, until he fell lifeless in the presence of his courtiers; or, to give another illustration, as mischievous as the magic volume of Michael Scott, which, as Dempster informs us, could not be opened without the danger of invoking some malignant fiend by the operation. How infinitely superior in execution and purpose are the juvenile works of the present century!--to borrow a metaphor from Coleridge, they may be truly said to resemble a collection of mirrors set in the same frame, each having its own focus of knowledge, yet all capable of converging to one point.

Allow me, friendly Reader, before I conclude my address, to say a few words upon the plan and execution of the work before you. It is not intended to supersede or clash with any of the elementary treatises to which I have alluded; indeed its plan is so peculiar, that I apprehend such a charge cannot be brought against it. The author originally composed it for the exclusive use of his children, and would certainly never have consigned it to the press, but at the earnest solicitations of those friends upon whose judgment he places the utmost reliance. Let this be received as an answer to those, who, believing that they can recognise the writer, may be induced to exclaim with Menedemus in Terence,--“_Tantumne est ab re tuâ otii tibi aliena ut cures, eaque nihil quæ ad te attinent?_” [1]

It is scarcely necessary to offer any apology for the conversational plan of instruction; the success of Mrs. Marcet’s dialogues has placed its value beyond dispute. It may, however, be observed, that this species of composition may be executed in two different ways, either as direct conversation, where none but the speakers appear, which is the method used by Plato; or as the recital of a conversation, where the author himself appears, and gives an account of what passed in discourse, which is the plan generally adopted by Cicero. The reader is aware, that Mrs. Marcet, in her “Conversations on Philosophy,” has adopted the former, while Miss Edgeworth, in her “Harry and Lucy,” has preferred the latter method. In composing the present work I have followed the plan of the last-mentioned authoress. Its advantages over the more direct conversational style appear to consist in allowing occasional remarks, which come more aptly from the author than from any of the characters engaged in the dialogue.

If scientific dialogues are less popular in our times than they were in ancient days, it must be attributed to the frigid and insipid manner in which they have too frequently been executed; if we except the mere external forms of conversation, and that one character is made to speak, and the other to answer, they are altogether the same as if the author himself spoke throughout the whole, instead of amusing with a varied style of conversation, and with a display of consistent and well-supported characters. The introduction of a person of humour, to enliven the discourse, is sanctioned by the highest authority. Cæsar is thus introduced by Cicero, and Cynthio by Addison. In the introduction of Mr. Twaddleton and Major Snapwell, I am well aware of the criticisms to which I am exposed; I have exercised my fancy with a freedom and latitude, for which, probably, there is not any precedent in a scientific work. I have even ventured so far to deviate from the beaten track as to skirmish upon the frontiers of the Novelist, and to bring off captive some of the artillery of Romance; but if, by so doing, I have enhanced the interest of my work, and furthered the accomplishment of its object, let me intreat that mere novelty may not be urged to its disparagement. The antiquarian Vicar, however, will, I trust, meet with cordial reception from the classical student. As to Ned Hopkins, although he may not bear a comparison with William Summers, the fool of Henry VIII.--or with Richard Tarlton, who “_undumpished_ Queen Elizabeth at his pleasure;” or with Archibald Armstrong (vulgo _Archee_) Jester to Charles,--yet I will maintain, in spite of the Vicar’s censure, that he is a right merry fellow, and to the Major, and consequently to our history, a most important accessary.

If it be argued that several of my comic representations are calculated, like seasoning, to stimulate the palate of the novel-reader, rather than to nourish the minds of the younger class, for whom the work was written, I might, were I so disposed, plead common usage; for does not the director of a juvenile fête courteously introduce a few piquant dishes, for the entertainment of those elder personages who may attend in the character of a chaperone? You surely could not deny me the full benefit of such a precedent; and so, Gentle Reader, I bid thee--Farewell!

-----

Footnote 1:

“Have you such leisure from your own affairs
To think of those that don’t concern you?”

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CONTENTS.

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CHAPTER I. Page 1

Tom Seymour’s arrival from school--Description of Overton Lodge--The Horologe of Flora--A geological temple--A sketch of the person and character of the Reverend Peter Twaddleton--Mr. Seymour engages to furnish his son with any toy, the philosophy of which he is able to explain--Mr. Twaddleton’s arrival, and reception--His remonstrances against the diffusion of science amongst the village mechanics--A dialogue between Mr. Seymour and the Vicar, which some will dislike, many approve of, and all laugh at--The plan of teaching philosophy by the aid of toys developed and discussed--Mr. Twaddleton’s objections answered--He relents, and engages to furnish an antiquarian history of the various toys and sports

CHAPTER II. Page 25

On gravitation--Weight--The velocity of falling bodies--At what altitude a body would lose its gravity--The Tower of Babel--The known velocity of sound affords the means of calculating distances--An excursion to Overton well--An experiment to ascertain its depth--A visit to the vicarage--The magic gallery--Return to the lodge

CHAPTER III. Page 48

Motion--absolute and relative--Uniform, accelerated, and retarded velocity--The times of ascent and descent are equal--Vis inertiæ--Friction--Action and reaction are equal and in opposite directions--Momentum defined and explained--The three great laws of motion

CHAPTER IV. Page 65

A sad accident turned to a good account--One example worth a hundred precepts--The centres of magnitude and gravity--The point of suspension--The line of direction--The stability of bodies, and upon what it depends--Method of finding the centre of gravity of a body--The art of the balancer explained and illustrated--Various balancing toys

CHAPTER V. Page 85

The Chinese tumblers, illustrating the joint effects of change in the centre of gravity of a body, and of momentum--Mr. Twaddleton’s arrival after a series of adventures--The dancing balls--The pea-shooter--A figure that dances on a fountain--The flying witch--Elasticity--Springs--The game of “Ricochet,” or duck and drake--The rebounding ball--Animals that leap by means of an elastic apparatus--A new species of puffing, by which the Vicar is made to change countenance

CHAPTER VI. Page 102

The arrival of Major Snapwell, and the bustle it occasioned--The Vicar’s interview with the stranger--A curious discussion--A word or two addressed to fox-hunters--Verbal corruptions--Some geometrical definitions--An enigma

CHAPTER VII. Page 117

Compound forces--The composition and resolution of motion--Rotatory motion--The revolving watch-glass--The sling--The centrifugal and centripetal forces--Theory of projectiles--A geological conversation between Mr. Seymour and the Vicar

CHAPTER VIII. Page 136

The subject of rotatory motion continued--A ball, by having a peculiar spinning motion imparted to it, may be made to stop short, or to retrograde, though it meets not with any apparent obstacle--The rectilinear path of a spherical body influenced by its rotatory motion--Bilboquet, or cup and ball--The joint forces which enable the balancer to throw up and catch his balls on the full gallop--The hoop--The centre of percussion--The whip and peg-top--Historical notices--The power by which the top is enabled to sustain its vertical position during the act of spinning--The sleeping of the top explained--The force which enables it to rise from an oblique into a vertical position--Its gyration

CHAPTER IX. Page 151

Trap and ball--Gifts from the Vicar--An antiquarian history of the ball--The see-saw--The mechanical powers--The swing--The doctrine of oscillation--Galileo’s discovery--The pendulum--An interesting letter--Mr. Seymour and the Vicar visit Major Snapwell

CHAPTER X. Page 167

Marbles--Antiquity of the game--Method of manufacturing them--Ring-taw--Mr. Seymour, the Vicar, and Tom, enter the lists--The defeat of the two former combatants; the triumph of the latter--A philosophical explanation of the several movements--The subject of reflected motion illustrated--The Vicar’s apology, of which many grave personages will approve

CHAPTER XI. Page 180

Mr. Seymour and his family visit the Major at Osterley Park--A controversy between the Vicar and the Major--The Sucker--Cohesive attraction--Pressure of the atmosphere--Meaning of the term suction--Certain animals attach themselves to rocks by a contrivance analogous to the sucker--The Limpet--The Walrus--Locomotive organs of the house-fly--A terrible accident--A scene in the village, in which Dr. Doseall figures as a principal performer--The Vicar’s sensible remonstrance--The density of the atmosphere at different altitudes--Inelasticity of water--Bottle-imps--The Barometer--The pop-gun--The air-gun--An antiquarian discussion, in which the Vicar and Major Snapwell greatly distinguish themselves

CHAPTER XII. Page 202

The soap-bubble--The squirt--The bellows; an explanation of their several parts--By whom the instrument was invented--The sucking and lifting, or common pump

CHAPTER XIII. Page 215

The kite--Its construction--The tail--An author’s meditations among the catacombs of Paternoster-row--Works in their winding sheets--How Mr. Seymour strung puns as he strung the kite’s tail--The Vicar’s dismay--The weather, with the hopes and fears which it alternately inspired--Kites constructed in various shapes--The figure usually adopted to be preferred--The flight of the kite--A philosophical disquisition upon the forces by which its ascent is accomplished--The tail--A discourse on the theory of flying--The structure and action of the wings of birds--A series of kites on one string--A kite carriage--The messenger--The causes and velocity of wind explained

CHAPTER XIV. Page 247

A short discourse--The shuttlecock--The solution of two problems connected with its flight--The windmill--The smoke-jack--A toy constructed on the same principle--The bow and arrow--Archery--The arrival of Isabella Villers

CHAPTER XV. Page 262

A curious dialogue between the Vicar and Miss Villers--An enigma--The riddles of Samson and Cleobulus--Sound--How propagated by aërial vibration--Music--A learned discussion touching the superior powers of ancient music--The magic of music, a game which the author believes is here described for the first time--Adventures by moonlight--Spirits of the valley

CHAPTER XVI. Page 291

Origin of the crescent as the Turkish ensign--Apparitions dispelled by philosophy--Fairy rings--Musical instruments classed under three divisions--Mixed instruments--Theory of wind instruments--The Jew’s harp--The statue of Memnon--An interesting experiment--The flute--The whiz-gig, &c.--Echoes--The whispering gallery in the dome of St. Paul’s--The speaking trumpet--The invisible girl--Other acoustic amusements--Creaking shoes--Haunted rooms

CHAPTER XVII. Page 319

An interesting communication, from which the reader may learn that the most important events are not those which absorb the greatest portion of time in their recital--Major Snapwell communicates to Mr. Seymour and the Vicar, his determination to celebrate the marriage of his nephew by a fête at Osterley Park--An antiquarian discussion of grave importance--An interview with Ned Hopkins, during which the wit displayed both cunning and humour--The Thaumatrope--Its improved construction--Philosophy of its action--Another optical toy--The nature of optical spectra illustrated and explained--The spectral cross of Constantine

CHAPTER XVIII. Page 337

The Thaumatrope--A great improvement effected in its construction--Another toy upon the same optical principle

CHAPTER XIX. Page 364

Preparations for the approaching fête--The procession of the bridal party to Osterley Park--The Major and his visitors superintend the arrangements in the meadow--The curious discussion which took place on that occasion--The origin of the swing--Merry-andrews--Trajetours, &c.--The dinner at the hall--The learned controversy which was maintained with respect to the game of Chess

CHAPTER XX. Page 383

The arrival of the populace at Osterley Park--The commencement of the festivities--Dancing on the tight and slack rope--Balancing--Conjuring--Optical illusions--Various games--Penthalum--The banquet--Grand display of fire-works--Conclusion