Project Gutenberg 2013-09-28 Public domain in the USA. 305 Dircks, Henry 1806 1873 Dircks, H. (Henry) Scientific Studies; or, Practical, in Contrast with Chimerical Pursuits Produced by Simon Gardner, Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) "Scientific Studies; or, Practical, in Contrast with Chimerical Pursuits" by Henry Dircks is a series of lectures written in the late 19th century. The work primarily explores the life and inventions of Edward Somerset, the second Marquis of Worcester, who is credited with inventing the steam engine, while contrasting his practical scientific contributions with various chimerical pursuits such as astrology, alchemy, and the quest for perpetual motion. Dircks aims to illuminate the intersection of genuine scientific inquiry and historical contexts, particularly the challenges faced by innovators during times of political upheaval. The opening of the work sets the stage for a thoughtful exploration of these themes, beginning with an introductory discussion on the nature of popular lectures and the blend of knowledge required to engage audiences effectively. Dircks introduces the Marquis of Worcester, highlighting his exceptional life characterized by both scientific ingenuity and the trials of civil discord. The lecture addresses Worcestershire's inventive spirit and contrasts it with the superstitious pursuits that rose to prominence in his era. Dircks establishes a narrative that not only celebrates Worcester's contributions but also critiques the allure of dubious scientific claims, underscoring the essential nature of rigorous inquiry and practical application in the development of science. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 51.4 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Science Worcester, Edward Somerset, Marquis of, 1601-1667 T Text Browsing: Science - General Category: History - Modern (1750+) Category: Science - Physics 164542 2025-06-17T16:30:01.965782 text/html 161899 2013-09-28T13:10:20 text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 731499 2025-06-17T16:30:12.929775 application/epub+zip 728413 2025-06-17T16:30:07.362765 application/epub+zip 123207 2025-06-17T16:30:04.804815 application/epub+zip 1187125 2025-06-17T16:30:16.140732 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 1168270 2025-06-17T16:30:10.668793 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 341062 2022-09-20T04:27:10.774117 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 139637 2023-09-19T07:12:51.575374 text/plain 15697 2025-06-17T16:30:16.286759 application/rdf+xml 24732 2025-06-17T16:30:05.375812 image/jpeg 4553 2025-06-17T16:30:05.086821 image/jpeg 731736 2025-06-17T16:30:02.046820 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia