Conversations on Natural Philosophy, in which the Elements of that Science are Familiarly Explained   By: Mrs. (Jane Haldimand) Marcet (1769-1858)

IN WHICH THE ELEMENTS OF THAT SCIENCE ARE FAMILIARLY EXPLAINED.

Illustrated with Plates.

BY THE AUTHOR OF CONVERSATIONS ON CHEMISTRY, &c.

WITH CORRECTIONS, IMPROVEMENTS, AND CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONS IN THE BODY OF THE WORK;

Appropriate Questions, and a Glossary:

BY DR. THOMAS P. JONES, PROFESSOR OF MECHANICS, IN THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Philadelphia: Published and Sold by John Grigg, No. 9 North Fourth Street. Stereotyped by L. Johnson. 1826.

Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to wit:

Be it remembered, that, on the twenty fourth day of April, in the Fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1826, John Grigg, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit:

"Conversations on Natural Philosophy, in which the Elements of that Science are familiarly explained. Illustrated with Plates. By the Author of Conversations on Chemistry, &c. With Corrections, Improvements, and considerable Additions, in the Body of the Work; appropriate Questions, and a Glossary: By Dr. Thomas P. Jones, Professor of Mechanics, in the Franklin Institute, of the State of Pennsylvania."

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times therein mentioned;" And also to the Act, entitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, 'An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching, historical and other prints."

D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

PREFACE.

Notwithstanding the great number of books which are written, expressly for the use of schools, and which embrace every subject on which instruction is given, it is a lamentable fact, that the catalogue of those which are well adapted to the intended purpose, is a very short one. Almost all of them have been written, either by those who are without experience as teachers, or by teachers, deficient in a competent knowledge of the subjects, on which they treat. Every intelligent person, who has devoted himself to the instruction of youth, must have felt and deplored, the truth of these observations.

In most instances, the improvement of a work already in use, will be more acceptable, than one of equal merit would be, which is entirely new; the introduction of a book into schools, being always attended with some difficulty.

The "Conversations on Chemistry," written by Mrs. Marcet, had obtained a well merited celebrity, and was very extensively adopted as a school book, before the publication of her "Conversations on Natural Philosophy." This, also, has been much used for the same purpose; but, the observation has been very general, among intelligent teachers, that, in its execution, it is very inferior to the former work.