JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 273 



that we might not only secure the advantages already 

 gained, but make advances of still more importance. After 

 much consideration and mature advice, I reluctantly con- 

 sented to make the attempt. It was not done, however, 

 without showing due deference to Dr. Bruce. It was in 

 the autumn of 1817 that I called upon him at his house 

 and asked his opinion, which was given at once in favor of 

 the effort, and moreover in approbation of the plan, which 

 included the entire circle of the physical sciences and their 

 applications. The first number appeared in July 1818, and 

 the Journal, under many discouragements and through some 

 perils, has survived until this time, February 3, 1859, hav- 

 ing already had a life of forty and a half years ; and the 

 labors of its editors and contributors are recorded in the 

 seventy-sixth volume. 



The Journal was often obliged to maintain a 

 dubious struggle for existence; but, when it was 

 most endangered, the friends of Mr. Silliman and 

 the friends of science rallied to its support. This 

 was particularly the case when a discreditable effort 

 was made by an individual to destroy it and to sup- 

 plant it by a rival publication. Mr. George Gris- 

 wold, and other liberal-minded gentlemen of New 

 York, came forward at that time with their generous 

 patronage. A few years after the Journal was started, 

 it was recommended to the public by Mr. Edward 

 Everett in an article in the " North American Re- 

 view," (for July, 1821,) of which he was then the 

 editor. He speaks of it as " a work which does 

 honor to American science," and as " a vehicle of 

 imparting to the world the scientific speculations 

 and discoveries of our countrymen, which is held in 

 honorable esteem by the philosophers of Europe." 

 This last remark truly describes a most important 



VOL. I. 18 



