THE QUARTERLY 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
JANUARY, 1864. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Tux readers of a new Periodical are fairly entitled to receive at the 
hands of its projectors, not only a statement of the grounds upon which 
it has been established, but also some exposition of its intended scope 
and objects. 
The word “some” is here designedly used, for it is not improbable 
that a work of this description, professing to keep pace with the ad- 
vancing intelligence of mankind, and even, should opportunities pre- 
sent themselves, to serve as a pioneer of progress, may in the course of 
time become so modified as materially to change its character. And 
as we are fortunately not trammelled by those conditions which in the 
commercial world frequently place limits upon a project when it is 
first set on foot, we shall reserve to ourselves the right of introducing 
amendments, or of supplying deficiencies as our work proceeds, adopt- 
ing the old proverb that “ Times change, and with them we shall change 
also.” As this may appear a somewhat vague announcement of our 
plans, we will shortly conduct our readers to a standpoint from whence 
they may obtain a survey of the field of our intended labours, and in 
the meantime we would invite them to follow us in a few reflections 
which have been the cause of our venturing, at this particular period, 
into the ranks of literature. 
How does it happen that from the earliest ages of the historic record, 
Art has been a favoured offspring of the human intellect, the spoiled 
child of man, whilst to Science he has been but a sorry stepfather ? 
In his rudest stages, he wooed her favour, painting his own skin if he 
could paint nought else, and in the palmy days of his early civilization 
he raised her upon a pedestal from which she never descended, although 
in the dark ages that followed, her figure was for the time obscured. 
Not so with Science. Her youthful steps have always been watched 
with jealousy and suspicion, and instead of guidance and support, every 
obstacle has been thrown in her path, her grandest revelations being 
VOL. I. B 
