Introductory Remarks. 3 
been established, professed/y deriving their materials princi- 
pally from foreign sources; that our various literary Maga- 
zines and Reviews have given, and continue to give, some 
notices of physical and mathematical subjects, and some of 
them seem even partial to these branches of knowledge: that 
various limited efforts have been made, and are still making, 
to publish occasional or periodical papers, devoted to mathe- 
matical or physical subjects, and that even our newspapers 
_ Sometimes contain scientific intelligence. We are aware, also, 
that some of our academies and natural history societies, either 
in Journals of their own, or through the medium of existing 
magazines, communicate to the public the efforts of their mem- 
bers in various branches of natural science. 
But all these facts go only to prove the strong tendency 
which exists in this country towards the cultivation of physical 
science, and the inadequacy of the existing means for its effec- 
tual promulgation. 
Although our limits do not permit us, however much in- 
clined, to be more particular in commemorating the labours 
and in honouring the performances (often marked by much 
ability) of our predecessors and cotemporaries, there is one 
effort which we are not willing to pass by. without a more par- 
ticular notice ; and we are persuaded that no apology is neces- 
sary for naming the Journal of the late Dr. Bruce, of New- 
York, devoted principally to mineralogy and geology. 
No future historian of American science will fail to com- 
memorate this work as our earliest purely scientific Journal, 
supported by original American communications. 
Both in this country and in Europe, it was received in a very 
flattering manner; it excited, at home, great zeal and effort in 
support of the sciences which it fostered, and, abroad, it was 
hailed as the harbinger of our future exertions. The editor 
was honoured with letters on the subject of his Journal, and 
with applications for it from most of the countries in Europe ; ; 
but its friends had to regret that, although conducted in a man- 
ner perfectly to their satisfaction, it appeared only at distant 
intervals, and, after the lapse of several years, never pro- 
ceeded beyond the fourth number. 
