40 A CENTURY OF SCIENCE 



Editorial and financial. The editorial labors on the 

 Journal were carried by the elder Silliman alone for 

 twenty years from 1818 to 1838. As has been clearly 

 shown in his statements, already quoted, he was, after the 

 first beginning, personally responsible also for the finan- 

 cial side of the enterprise. With volume 34 (1838) the 

 name of Benjamin Silliman, Jr., is added as co-editor on 

 the title page. He was graduated from Yale College the 

 year preceding and at this date was only twenty-one 

 years old. His aid was unquestionably of much service 

 from the beginning and increased rapidly with years and 

 experience. The elder Silliman introduces him in the 

 preface to vol. 34 (1838) and comes back to the subject 

 again in the preface to vol. 50 (1847). The whole edi- 

 torial situation is here presented as follows : 



"During twenty years from the inception of this Journal, the 

 editor labored alone, although overtures for editorial co-opera- 

 tion had been made to him by gentlemen commanding his con- 

 fidence and esteem, and who would personally have been very 

 acceptable. It was, however, his opinion that the unity of 

 purpose and action so essential to the success of such a work 

 were best secured by individuality; but he made every effort, 

 and not without success, to conciliate the good will and to secure 

 the assistance of gentlemen eminent in particular departments 

 of knowledge. On the title page of No. 1, vol. 34, published in 

 July, 1838, a new name is introduced: ttie individual to whom 

 it belongs having been for several years more or less concerned 

 in the management of the Journal, and from his education, 

 position, pursuits and taste, as well as from affinity, being almost 

 identified with the editor, he seemed to be quite a natural ally, 

 and his adoption into the editorship was scarcely a violation of 

 individual unity. His assistance has proved to be very import- 

 ant: his near relation to the senior editor prevents him from 

 saying more, while justice does not permit him to say less." 



As is distinctly intimated in the preceding paragraph 

 the elder Silliman was fortunate in obtaining the assist- 

 ance in his editorial labors of numerous gentlemen inter- 

 ested in the enterprise. Their cooperation provided 

 many of the scientific notices, book reviews and the like 

 contained in the Miscellany with which each number 

 closed. It is impossible, at this date, to render the credit 

 due to Silliman 's helpers or even to mention them by 



