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The Wonders of Optics

Marion, Fulgence

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THE WONDERS OF OPTICS.





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[Illustration:

  Spectrum showing the absorptive power of Sodium vapour (Fig. 6).
]

[Illustration:

  Solar Spectrum (Fig. 5).
]

[Illustration:

  Action of a prism on a ray of light (Fig. 7).
  Eng.^d by A. Robin N.Y.
]


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                                  THE

                           WONDERS OF OPTICS.




                                   BY

                               F. MARION.



               TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH, AND EDITED BY

                        CHARLES W. QUIN, F.C.S.




      ILLUSTRATED WITH SEVENTY ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD, AND A COLOURED
                             FRONTISPIECE.




                             --------------



                               NEW YORK:
                        CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS,
                             SUCCESSORS TO
                       SCRIBNER, ARMSTRONG, & CO.


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                                PREFACE.

                             --------------


THE present work needs but little introduction to the English public.
The author, M. F. Marion, who holds a high official scientific position
in Paris, is well known, especially in Europe, as a popular writer on
the “Wonders of Optics,” and kindred subjects. As a rule, the original
text has been strictly adhered to by the Translator, but in a few
instances certain anecdotes of a local character have been altered so as
to be more generally applicable, or condensed to make room for the
chapter on the Spectroscope, which is entirely original.


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                               CONTENTS.

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                                PART I.

                        THE PHENOMENA OF VISION.


                               CHAPTER I.

                                                       PAGE
            THE EYE                                      15


                              CHAPTER II.

            THE STRUCTURE OF THE EYE                     22


                              CHAPTER III.

            THE ERRORS OF THE EYE                        30


                              CHAPTER IV.

            OPTICAL ILLUSIONS                            36


                               CHAPTER V.

            THE APPRECIATION OF COLOUR                   44


                              CHAPTER VI.

            ILLUSIONS CAUSED BY LIGHT ITSELF             53


                              CHAPTER VII.

            THE INFLUENCE OF THE IMAGINATION             60


                             --------------


                                PART II.

                           THE LAWS OF LIGHT.


                               CHAPTER I.

            WHAT IS LIGHT?                               73


                              CHAPTER II.

            THE SOLAR SPECTRUM                           84


                              CHAPTER III.

            OTHER CAUSES OF COLOUR                       94


                              CHAPTER IV.

            LUMINOUS, CALORIFIC, CHEMICAL, AND          100
              MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF THE SPECTRUM


                               CHAPTER V.

            THE LAWS OF REFLECTION.—MIRRORS             106


                              CHAPTER VI.

            METALLIC BURNING MIRRORS                    117


                              CHAPTER VII.

            LENSES                                      127


                             CHAPTER VIII.

            OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS.—THE SIMPLE AND         141
              COMPOUND MICROSCOPE. THE SOLAR AND
              PHOTO-ELECTRIC MICROSCOPE


                              CHAPTER IX.

            THE TELESCOPES OF GALILEO, GREGORY,         150
              NEWTON, HERSCHEL, LORD ROSSE, AND
              FOUCAULT


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                               PART III.

                             NATURAL MAGIC.


                               CHAPTER I.

            THE MAGIC LANTERN                           173


                              CHAPTER II.

            THE PHANTASMAGORIA                          183


                              CHAPTER III.

            OTHER OPTICAL ILLUSIONS                     196


                              CHAPTER IV.

            THE PROPERTIES OF MIRRORS                   216


                               CHAPTER V.

            CHINESE SHADOWS                             223


                    

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