A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar
Encyclopedia
A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar, also known as The Guide to Science or Brewer's Guide to Science, is a book by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
presenting explanations for common phenomena. Although presented as an accurate science text, the book actually promotes religious ideas, including divine design
.
First published in the United Kingdom
around 1840, the book was very popular with 47 editions being printed by 1905 in English alone, and this popularity enabled Brewer to gather material for his Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
which remains a classic reference work.
such as thunder
and lightning
(including a mention of ball lightning
), cloud
s, dew
and rainbow
s. Brewer intended that his book should be intelligible to a child, since children might often ask the questions he was seeking to answer, but without being so foolish as to offend the scientific.
The book is separated into two or three parts, depending upon the edition, each part having several chapters. Part one deals with questions relating to heat
such as the sources of heat and its effects on humans and animals, while Part two deals with questions relating to air
, explaining why metal rusts in air, the operation of barometers and the transmission of sound. A Miscellaneous sectionThe Miscellaneous section is included as a third part in the 1864 US edition, but is presented as a further chapter of the second part in the 1880 edition. deals with several more nebulous questions, including questions about sleep and dreaming. Within each part, the different chapters break the questions and answers up into subject areas organised thematically.
or catechism
style, leaving a space for answers when they were obtained. Brewer bound his book into a volume and, disregarding advice from one man of science to burn it, sought to have it published
. His initial offer to Thomas Jarrold to sell the copyright
for 50 pounds
was rejected. Instead, Jarrold agreed to publish the book under a profit sharing
arrangement. The ultimate success of the book meant that this arrangement proved to be very profitable for both Brewer and Jarrold with Jarrold later refusing to sell his share back to Brewer even when offered 4000 pounds.
The exact date of the book's first publication is uncertain. Brewer believed it was 1840 but other sources suggest 1841 or as late as 1847. A second edition of the book was published in 1848 and two more in 1849. A total of 47 editions were published with the 47th edition appearing in 1905. The print runs were among the highest of any scientific book published in the second half of the 19th century, and Brewer said the success of the book was almost unparalleled at the time. Several translations of the book were made including a Spanish
translation in 1858 and two French
translations. The French translations were themselves translated into Swedish
in 1858 and 1890 and into Portuguese
in 1900.
An edited version of the book by Robert Evans Peterson was published in the United States
in 1851 as Familiar Science; or, the Scientific Explanation of Common Things, with a revised edition following in 1863. These versions were edited and rearranged in order to make them more suitable for American pupils and were used as a text-book by schools in Pennsylvania
and Brooklyn
. Brewer wrote to Peterson expressing his satisfaction at the rearrangement but nevertheless prepared a revised edition of his own which was published in the US in 1864. This edition was digitised and republished by the University of Michigan Library
in 2005 following a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
as part of Making of America
IV: the American voice, 1850-1877.
. For example, although modern theories of ice
formation show that most of its unusual properties result from the hydrogen bond
between neighbouring water molecules, Brewer suggested that the reason ice is lighter than water, expanding as it freezes, is because it has been "wisely ordained by God that water shall be an exception to a very general rule".
magazine in 1850. The book was seen to be a "very useful little work". However, in typical Punch satirical
style, the reviewer disagreed with one answer that we "feel a desire for activity in cold weather" due to "fanning combustion in the blood" by instead insisting that we feel a desire "to sit cosily over a fire in cold weather".
The success of The Guide to Science convinced Brewer, who was ordained as a deacon
and later as a priest
, that his readers still accepted religious explanations rather than evolutionary theory. Following the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859, Brewer wrote Theology in Science; or The Testimony of Science to the Wisdom and Goodness of God (published in 1860) in order to demonstrate that evolution had not destroyed theological tradition and to continue The Guide to Sciences promotion of natural theology
. The book's popularity also resulted in Brewer being sent "a large number of questions on all imaginary matters". These questions and their answers became the nucleus of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
, first published in 1870. This latter book has long outlived all of Brewer's other publications and remains a classic reference work.
Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
The Reverend Dr. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer , was the compiler of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, and The Reader's Handbook, Victorian reference works.-Education and travels:E...
presenting explanations for common phenomena. Although presented as an accurate science text, the book actually promotes religious ideas, including divine design
Teleological argument
A teleological or design argument is an a posteriori argument for the existence of God based on apparent design and purpose in the universe. The argument is based on an interpretation of teleology wherein purpose and intelligent design appear to exist in nature beyond the scope of any such human...
.
First published in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
around 1840, the book was very popular with 47 editions being printed by 1905 in English alone, and this popularity enabled Brewer to gather material for his Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, sometimes referred to simply as Brewer's, is a reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions and figures, whether historical or mythical.-History:...
which remains a classic reference work.
Content
The object of The Guide to Science was to present answers to over 2000 questions about common phenomena. There are questions dealing with the man-made objects such as candles, stoves and chimneys as well as answers seeking to explain natural phenomenaNatural phenomenon
A natural phenomenon is a non-artificial event in the physical sense, and therefore not produced by humans, although it may affect humans . Common examples of natural phenomena include volcanic eruptions, weather, decay, gravity and erosion...
such as thunder
Thunder
Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener, thunder can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble . The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within...
and lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
(including a mention of ball lightning
Ball lightning
Ball lightning is an unexplained atmospheric electrical phenomenon. The term refers to reports of luminous, usually spherical objects which vary from pea-sized to several metres in diameter. It is usually associated with thunderstorms, but lasts considerably longer than the split-second flash of a...
), cloud
Cloud
A cloud is a visible mass of liquid droplets or frozen crystals made of water and/or various chemicals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. They are also known as aerosols. Clouds in Earth's atmosphere are studied in the cloud physics branch of meteorology...
s, dew
Dew
[Image:Dew on a flower.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Some dew on an iris in Sequoia National Park]]Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening...
and rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
s. Brewer intended that his book should be intelligible to a child, since children might often ask the questions he was seeking to answer, but without being so foolish as to offend the scientific.
The book is separated into two or three parts, depending upon the edition, each part having several chapters. Part one deals with questions relating to heat
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
such as the sources of heat and its effects on humans and animals, while Part two deals with questions relating to air
Earth's atmosphere
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
, explaining why metal rusts in air, the operation of barometers and the transmission of sound. A Miscellaneous sectionThe Miscellaneous section is included as a third part in the 1864 US edition, but is presented as a further chapter of the second part in the 1880 edition. deals with several more nebulous questions, including questions about sleep and dreaming. Within each part, the different chapters break the questions and answers up into subject areas organised thematically.
History
The Guide to Science had its origin in a habit of Brewer's of making and saving notes from his reading. He set his notes out in a question-and-answerFAQ
Frequently asked questions are listed questions and answers, all supposed to be commonly asked in some context, and pertaining to a particular topic. "FAQ" is usually pronounced as an initialism rather than an acronym, but an acronym form does exist. Since the acronym FAQ originated in textual...
or catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
style, leaving a space for answers when they were obtained. Brewer bound his book into a volume and, disregarding advice from one man of science to burn it, sought to have it published
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. His initial offer to Thomas Jarrold to sell the copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
for 50 pounds
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
was rejected. Instead, Jarrold agreed to publish the book under a profit sharing
Profit sharing
Profit sharing, when used as a special term, refers to various incentive plans introduced by businesses that provide direct or indirect payments to employees that depend on company's profitability in addition to employees' regular salary and bonuses...
arrangement. The ultimate success of the book meant that this arrangement proved to be very profitable for both Brewer and Jarrold with Jarrold later refusing to sell his share back to Brewer even when offered 4000 pounds.
| Publication history | ||
|---|---|---|
| Edition | Date | Print size |
| 1 | 1840-1847? | 2000 |
| 2 | 1848 | 3000 |
| 3 | January 1849 | 5000 |
| 4 | July 1849 | 7000 |
| 5 | 1850 | 8000 |
| 11 | 1857? | 8000 |
| 12 | 1858 | 8000 |
| 13 | 1859 | 4000 |
| 16 | 1862 | 4000 |
| 22 | 1866 | 4000 |
| 32 | 1874 | 4000 |
| 38 | 1880 | |
| 44 | 1892 | |
| 47 | 1905 | |
The exact date of the book's first publication is uncertain. Brewer believed it was 1840 but other sources suggest 1841 or as late as 1847. A second edition of the book was published in 1848 and two more in 1849. A total of 47 editions were published with the 47th edition appearing in 1905. The print runs were among the highest of any scientific book published in the second half of the 19th century, and Brewer said the success of the book was almost unparalleled at the time. Several translations of the book were made including a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
translation in 1858 and two French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
translations. The French translations were themselves translated into Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
in 1858 and 1890 and into Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
in 1900.
An edited version of the book by Robert Evans Peterson was published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1851 as Familiar Science; or, the Scientific Explanation of Common Things, with a revised edition following in 1863. These versions were edited and rearranged in order to make them more suitable for American pupils and were used as a text-book by schools in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Brewer wrote to Peterson expressing his satisfaction at the rearrangement but nevertheless prepared a revised edition of his own which was published in the US in 1864. This edition was digitised and republished by the University of Michigan Library
University of Michigan Library
The University of Michigan University Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is one of the largest university library systems in the United States. The system, consisting of 19 separate libraries in 11 buildings, altogether holds over 9.55 million volumes, with the collection growing at the rate of...
in 2005 following a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York City and Princeton, New Jersey in the United States, is a private foundation with five core areas of interest, endowed with wealth accumulated by the late Andrew W. Mellon of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the product of the 1969...
as part of Making of America
Making of America
Making of America is a digital archive hosted by Cornell University and the University of Michigan. The Making of America collection at the University of Michigan consists primarily of books published in the United States between 1850 and 1877. The Making of America collection at Cornell contains...
IV: the American voice, 1850-1877.
Religious perspectives
Brewer said that he consulted "the most approved modern authors" and submitted additions to "the revision of gentlemen of acknowledged reputation for scientific attainments". Nevertheless, religious rather than scientific answers to certain questions are prevalent in the book, particularly answers inferring divine designTeleological argument
A teleological or design argument is an a posteriori argument for the existence of God based on apparent design and purpose in the universe. The argument is based on an interpretation of teleology wherein purpose and intelligent design appear to exist in nature beyond the scope of any such human...
. For example, although modern theories of ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
formation show that most of its unusual properties result from the hydrogen bond
Hydrogen bond
A hydrogen bond is the attractive interaction of a hydrogen atom with an electronegative atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine, that comes from another molecule or chemical group. The hydrogen must be covalently bonded to another electronegative atom to create the bond...
between neighbouring water molecules, Brewer suggested that the reason ice is lighter than water, expanding as it freezes, is because it has been "wisely ordained by God that water shall be an exception to a very general rule".
Reception and legacy
A review of the second edition of The Guide to Science was published by PunchPunch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
magazine in 1850. The book was seen to be a "very useful little work". However, in typical Punch satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
style, the reviewer disagreed with one answer that we "feel a desire for activity in cold weather" due to "fanning combustion in the blood" by instead insisting that we feel a desire "to sit cosily over a fire in cold weather".
The success of The Guide to Science convinced Brewer, who was ordained as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
and later as a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, that his readers still accepted religious explanations rather than evolutionary theory. Following the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859, Brewer wrote Theology in Science; or The Testimony of Science to the Wisdom and Goodness of God (published in 1860) in order to demonstrate that evolution had not destroyed theological tradition and to continue The Guide to Sciences promotion of natural theology
Natural theology
Natural theology is a branch of theology based on reason and ordinary experience. Thus it is distinguished from revealed theology which is based on scripture and religious experiences of various kinds; and also from transcendental theology, theology from a priori reasoning.Marcus Terentius Varro ...
. The book's popularity also resulted in Brewer being sent "a large number of questions on all imaginary matters". These questions and their answers became the nucleus of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, sometimes referred to simply as Brewer's, is a reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions and figures, whether historical or mythical.-History:...
, first published in 1870. This latter book has long outlived all of Brewer's other publications and remains a classic reference work.
External links
- Sound and Its Phenomena By Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, written following success of the Guide
- Evenings at home, or, The juvenile budget opened By John Aikin, pages 453-454 (one of many available copies of an advert with accompanying reviews)
- A Handy-book of the Law of Copyright By Frederick Patey Chappell, John Shoard, page 34-35
- Sources expressing dissatification with cramming facts
- The Missionary herald By American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, page 327
- Last Laughs By Regina Barreca, page 142, quoting A London Family 1870-1900: A Trilogy by Mary Vivian Hughes