NATURAL SCIENCE 



A Monthly He view of Scientific Progress 



No. 80— Vol. XIII— OCTOBER 1898 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 



Wanted, an Editor! 



It is with the deepest regret that we find ourselves compelled to 

 announce a step which may, we fear, result in the cessation of this 

 Review at the close of the present year. For a time that, as the 

 history of journals goes, is short, but that, when taken from the life 

 of individuals in its most active period, appears long indeed, we have 

 endeavoured to maintain the fortunes of Natural Science. The 

 labour that this has entailed has undoubtedly been one of love ; 

 but, as years advance, responsibilities increase, and the time at the 

 disposal of those who conduct this Review becomes less. We have 

 therefore decided to discontinue the editing of Natural Science after 

 the next December number. 



It may be imagined that we do not take this step without 



anxious deliberation. We believe ourselves, and we are told by 



others, that Natural Science has filled a place in scientific journalism 



occupied by no other periodical, at least in this country. We have 



endeavoured to be independent, an aim that it is often difficult to 



.■accomplish. We have sought to praise the good because it was 



good, and to censure the bad because it was bad. And if censure 



has sometimes seemed to overbalance praise, let the truism be 



remembered that there is far more bad than good in the world. 



We have endeavoured to be impartial and to bow to no authority 



save justice and reason ; but we have also tried to recognise that 



our ideas of justice and reason might not always be those of other 



people. Hence we have allowed a free field to the champions of 



views unorthodox as well as orthodox. The reproach of omniscience 



and infallibility has, it is true, been laid to our charge. But these 



■sins of a private individual are the virtues of an editor. They may 



rje accounted for by the fact that we have had freely placed at our 



disposal the pens of many, if not most, of the eminent biologists 



•and geologists of the day, without distinction of nationality. To all 



our contributors, those whose names have been published, and those 



who have helped in the less grateful task of furnishing unsigned 



comments, we tender our heartfelt thanks. 



We have said this much in praise of Natural Science, because 

 we believe that a journal of this nature should not be allowed to 

 drop altogether. We are prepared to hand it over, with all stock, 

 appurtenances, and goodwill, to any scientific man who is prepared 



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