Volume 1

Elements of physics, or, Natural philosophy : general and medical, explained independently of technical mathematics, and containing new disquisitions and practical suggestions / by Neil Arnott.

  • Arnott, Neil, 1788-1874.
Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of physics, or, Natural philosophy : general and medical, explained independently of technical mathematics, and containing new disquisitions and practical suggestions / by Neil Arnott. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    is now rapidly becoming tlie governing influence in all the ftfFaii's of man. In Great Britain, partly perhaps as a consequence of its insular peculiarity of situation, the pi-ogress of enlightened public opinion has been more decided than in any other state. The early consequences were more free political institutions; and these have gradually led to greater and greater impi'ovements, until Britain is become truly the Queen of the Nations. A colony of her children, imbued with her spirit, now occu- pies a magnificent territory in the new world of Columbus; and although it has been independent as yet for only half a century, it already counts more people than Spain, and will soon be second to no nation on earth. The ex- ample of the Anglo-Americans has aided in rendering their western hemisphere the cradle of many other gigantic states, all free, and following the like steps. In the still more recently discovered continent of Australasia, which is larger than Europe, and empty of men, colonization is spreading with a rapidity never before witnessed; and that beautiful and rich portion of the earth will also soon be covered with the descendants of free-born and enlight- ened Englishmen. From thence still onward, they or their institutions will naturally spread over the vast archi- pelago of the Pacific Ocean, a track studded with islands of paradise.—Such, then, is the extraordinary moment of revolution or transit, in which the world at present exists !—And where, we may ask again, has the Creator predestined that the progress shall cease ?—Thus flir, at least, we know, that he has made our hearts rejoice to see the world filling with happy human beings, and to observe that the increase of the sciences can make the same spot maintain thousands in comfort and godlike elevation of mind, where with ignorance even hundreds had found but a scanty and degrading supply. The progress of knowledge which has thus led from b