SKETCH OF EDWARD L. YOUMANS. 697 



ment of international copyright at the hands of Messrs. Appleton by a 

 systematic voluntary arrangement. 



" The Popular Science Monthly " was started by the Appletons, at 

 the suggestion of Professor Youmans, in 1872. The leaders of scien- 

 tific thought in Europe were actively publishing their views in period- 

 icals and in the transactions of learned societies, but the American 

 public were without any means of keeping up with the drift of the 

 new movement. Professor Youmans had persuaded Herbert Spencer 

 to write the volume of " The Study of Sociology " for " The Interna- 

 tional Scientific Series," and it had been arranged that the chapters 

 should first appear serially in "The Contemporary Review" in Lon- 

 don and in some American magazine. Professor Youmans made ar- 

 rangements for its publication in "The Galaxy," to which advance- 

 sheets were to be sent. But the first installment came too late, it was 

 said, for publication at the time agreed upon, and it was at this junct- 

 ure that the necessity of establishing a new scientific journal in this 

 country became apparent. In less than two weeks from the first con- 

 ception of the project, and two days before " The Galaxy " appeared 

 which was to have contained the delayed article, the first number of 

 "The Popular Science Monthly" appeared. Considering that it was a 

 scientific periodical, its success has been unprecedented. 



But in the height of its usefulness the busy life is ended. Profess- 

 or Youmans's constitution, originally robust, had been impaired by his 

 sedentary habits. Want of sight left no inducement to out-of-door 

 pursuits, while his chosen work always kept him in-doors ; and it was 

 not strange that, when exposure came, as it did in the winter of 

 1880-81, his system should yield to the strain. He suffered a severe 

 attack of double pneumonia earty in the season, and this was followed 

 by a succession of relapses, which left his lungs in a state so diseased 

 that they never recovered. He was told by his physician that his 

 chance for long life lay in the country and in open-air occupations ; 

 but conformity to these requirements seemed to him impracticable, and 

 he went on with his usual work, though failing gradually in strength. 

 In the late winter of 1885 he went South, but derived little benefit, 

 and the following season declined to repeat the journey. About a 

 year ago he was overtaken with loss of appetite, and consequent loss 

 of flesh and strength, and then realized that his days were nearly num- 

 bered. During the last six months he was very feeble and emaciated, 

 but his long sickness was borne without complaint, and his unself- 

 ishness and care for others were conspicuous to the last. 



