PREFACE. 



He went, he lectured, he was generously, and even enthusiastically 

 received by the warm-hearted Australian Colonists in South Australia, 

 Victoria, and New South Wales. He has returned with refreshed 

 mental and bodily vigour. 



But, meantime, a well-known correspondent of this magazine, Mr. 

 J. W. Buck, B.Sc, &c, was kind enough to act as Editorial locum- 

 tenenSy and he performed his work so well that the Editor feels he 

 could not honestly write this Preface to the Annual Volume without 

 recognising it. 



The mere fact that we are now chronicling our " Coming of 

 Age," reminds us of the almost numberless competitors for public 

 favour which " twenty-one " years of active Scientific and Literary life 

 in England must necessarily develop. Consequently, it is a proud 

 thing to say, on the part of the Editor, that our Magazine was never 

 so popular, never so much appreciated, never so widely circulated all 

 over the world — in all the eventful years of its history — as it is at 

 the time of publication of its Twenty-first Volume. 



Nothing shall be wanting on the part of the Editor to enlarge 

 the sphere, and intensify the operations of this Magazine for the 

 future. His office is smoothed by the generous patience and kindness 

 of his multitudinous Correspondents, who are aware that all their 

 communications cannot appear in the next number — as well as by 

 those patient students who understand the difficulty of answering 

 hard questions in a moment. 



We commence a New Era with our next volume. We are taking 

 out a new Lease of Life. The last twenty-one years has seen a good 

 deal of the effect of natural selection. Hosts of magazines with a 

 similar scope to ours have appeared — and ^-appeared. We recognise 

 the vital fact that for a magazine to live, it must prove itself worthy 

 of life ! 



Our intentions for the next volume arc that our literary manhood 

 shall be fully maintained. Will our numerous readers, all over the 

 world, help us to carry out our intentions, by also aiding in the cir- 

 culation of Science-Gossip ? 



