Knowledge for the people, or, The plain why and because |
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Page 138 - Soon shall thy arm, unconquered steam, afar Drag the slow barge, or drive the rapid car; Or on wide waving wings expanded bear The flying chariot through the fields of air, — Fair crews triumphant, leaning from above, Shall wave their fluttering kerchiefs as they move, Or warrior bands alarm the gaping crowd, And armies shrink beneath the shadowy cloud.
Page 114 - The sentence, no doubt, was thus intended: 'In less than half a minute, the respiration [being continued, these feelings] diminished gradually, and were succeeded by [a sensation] analogous to gentle pressure on all the muscles.
Page 16 - Welsh kings, where he enjoyed many privileges, and his weregeld was much higher than that of any other artificer. In the Welsh court the king's smith sat next to the domestic chaplain, and was entitled to a draught of every kind of liquor that was brought into the hall...
Page 58 - Lee, Master of Arts, of St. John's College, Cambridge, devised this profitable art for stockings (but being despised went to France) ; yet of iron to himself, but to us and others of gold, in memory of whom this is here painted.
Page 53 - ... matter : and the fact is proved, by holding a taper or a piece of burning phosphorus within a large flame, made by the combustion of alcohol, the flame of the candle or of the phosphorus will appear in the centre of the other flame, proving that there is oxygen, even in its interior part...
Page 14 - Why does the pendulum move faster in proportion as its journey is longer ? Because, in proportion as the arc described is more extended, the steeper are its beginning and ending ; and the more rapidly, therefore, the pendulum falls down at first, sweeps along the intermediate space, and stops at last.
Page 21 - Hence the common error in supposing that they generate force, or have a sort of innate power for saving labour ; whereas, neither simple machines nor mechanic powers save labour, in a strict sense of the phrase. Why, then, are these machines advantageous ? Because they allow a small force to take its time to produce any requisite magnitude of effect. Thus, one man's effort, or any small power, which is always at command, by working proportionally longer, will answer the purpose of the sudden effort...
Page 76 - ... form. From the extreme hardness of the diamond, a stronger degree of heat is required to inflame it, when exposed merely to air, than can easily be applied in close vessels, except by means of a strong burning lens ; but with nitre its combustion may be effected in a moderate heat.
Page 114 - Toward the last inspirations, the thrilling increased, the sense of muscular power became greater, and, at last, an irresistible propensity to action was indulged in : I recollect but indistinctly what followed ; I know that my motions were various and violent.
Page 53 - These results are best explained by considering the nature of the flame of combustible bodies, which, in all cases, must be considered as the combustion of an explosive mixture of inflammable gas, or vapour and air ; for it cannot be regarded as a mere combustion at the surface of contact of the inflammable matter...