Popular Lectures on Science and Art; Delivered in the Principal Cities and Towns of the United States

New York: Greeley & McElrath, Tribune Buildings, 1848. Two volumes. 8vo. 230 x 145 mm., [9 x 6 inches].  608pp;, 568 pp., plus 8 pp. ads.  Illustrated with two lithographic plates and woodcut illustrations throughout the text.  Publisher's embossed cloth, author and title gilt on spine; minor fraying to heads of spines, otherwise a very good set. Third edition, originally published in 1845 and 1846 by Greeley and McElrath.  Dionysius Lardner was Dublin born, Trinity College educated and employed at the University College London as professor of natural philosophy and astronomy.  To escape a scandal and a judgement for adultery, he first moved to Paris and then began a public lecture series in the United States focusing on a variety of scientific subjects.  Over the course of three years (1841-44) he spoke to thousands of Americans and was very well received in cities and towns around the country. Some of the subjects he lecture on and were edited for this book include, The Sun-- Eclipses-- The Aurora Borealis-- Electricity-- The Minor planets-- Weather almanacs-- Halley's Comet-- The Atmosphere-- The New planets-- The Tides-- Light-- The Major planets-- Reflection of light-- Prospects of steam-navigation-- The Barometer-- The Moon-- Heat-- The Atlantic steam question-- Galvanism-- The Moon and the weather-- Periodic Comets-- Radiation of heat-- Meteoric stones and shooting stars-- The Earth-- Lunar influences-- Physical constitution of comets-- Thunder-storms-- The Latitudes and longitudes-- Theory of colors-- The Visible stars-- Watersprouts and whirlwinds. A prolific author, Lardner died in Paris in 1859.Allibone.  A Critical Dictionary of English Literature and British and American Authors, I, p. 1058.