《博物新编(二编)》初探

An elemetary reasearch on Bo Wu Xin Bian(second compilation)

通过文献调研和比较研究方法,考察清末人士容兆伦于1876年在日本出版的自然科学普及读物《博物新编(二编)》刊刻、内容来源等。结果表明,《博物新编(二编)》为补充英国传教士合信(B.Hobson,1816—1873)《博物新编》中未涵盖的自然科学基础知识而在日本出版的书籍。《博物新编(二编)》可能是满足了当时日本人借助汉译科学书籍学习西方科学的需求。容兆伦其人很可能是中国最早在海外出版科技类书籍之人,而该书则可能是中国人最早编著的普及近代科学知识的书籍。

Methods employed include documentation and comparative analysis. The writer investigated publia- tion and source of content and so on about Bo Wu Xin Bian （ second compilation） , which was natural science popular book in late Qing Dynasty, and written by Rong Zhaolun of late Qing Dynasty in 1876, published in Japan. The results suggest that Bo Wu Xin Bian （ second compilation） has provided us with supplemental bas- ic natural science knowledge that Bo Wu Xin Bian didn＇t cover, which was written by He Xin（B. Hobson, 1816---1873）. It was published in Japan. Maybe, it was to meet the demand of Japanese who learned west science knowledge by traslations from China. It was possible that Rong Zhaolun was the first one who published science books abroad. The book was the earliest compiled one by Chinese to popularize knowledge of modern science.