iNOVEMBER 13, I9I9J 



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manner which has won the confidence and elicited 1 

 the help of every department of science. Moreover, 

 its reputation is as solid abroad as at home. Its long 

 series of volumes is indispensable in every university 

 library and in every scientific institution or labora- 

 tory. The attainment of its jubilee, therefore, is an 

 occasion for cordially congratulating the Editor and 

 publishers on their long and successful labours, and 

 for wishing them a future" as fertile as the past. 



Sir Philip Magnus, M.P. — As one of the 

 early contributors to Nature, I welcome the cele- 

 bration of its jubilee as indicating its value to 

 an ever-increasing number of readers, and the : 

 permanent place it- has made for itself in the scien- 

 tific world. During the past half-century the pro- 

 gress of science has been even more rapid than the 

 most sanguine of its devotees could have anticipated. 

 Towards that progress the publication of Nature has 

 largely contributed. It has stood in close touch with 

 the results of the most recent scientific investigations, 

 and one may truly say that no journal has been more 

 ably conducted ; none has been more successful in 

 realising and satisfying the requirements of those who 

 are actively engaged in scientific work. To the Editor 

 of Nature and his staff I venture to offer my sincere 

 congratulations. 



Right Hon. Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., F.R.S. 

 — Asi one of what must be but a small remnant of 

 those who remember the birth of Nature, let me offer 

 humble, but cordial, tribute to the great service it has 

 rendered to science throughout half a century. Born 

 in a period of fierce controversy, it has proved faithful 

 to the purpose of its sponsors, shedding a clear and 

 steady light on the pathway of research, maintaining i 

 a lucid record of modern discovery, and stimulating 

 the appetite for knowledge in many minds. The i 

 hand of its veteran Editor, Sir Norman Lockyer, has \ 

 indeed been steady on the helm. May Nature long 

 retain its pre-eminence among English scientific 

 journals ! 



Right Hon. Sir Alfred Mono, M.P., First i 

 Commissioner of Works. — I heartily congratulate i 

 the Editor of Nature on the fact that his j 

 periodical, which has done so much to awaken 

 and foster interest in science, should now be 

 celebrating its jubilee. It has always presented the 

 progress of scientific activities in a readable, popular, '. 

 and accurately scientific manner. The readers of , 

 Nature have been enabled to keep abreast of scien- ! 

 tific progress, and always knew that they could rely 

 upon the soundness of the information to be found in 

 its pages. I hope that the general recognition of the 

 importance of science to the progress of humanity 

 which is now manifesting itself will extend still further 

 in the future the valuable work and influence of this 

 excellent journal. 



Prof. John Perry, F.R.S. — I congratulate 

 Nature on its jubilee. I have read with 

 interest the greater part of almost every copy 

 issued in the fifty years, and this interest has not 

 been confined to my own subjects, for Nature is con- 

 stantly enticing me across the borders into biology. I 

 cannot recollect a single copy which has been much 

 below the standard which the paper has established 

 NO. 261 1, VOL. 104] 



for itself, and I can recollect many which exceeded 

 even Ihat very high standard. If England were 

 idealistic, it would bestow a decoration much higher 

 than O.M. upon Nature. 



Sir William J. Pope, K.B.E., F.R.S.— During the 

 last fifty years the great truth that all human pro- 

 gress is dependent upon scientific knowledge has 

 gained much more general recognition than it 

 previously enjoyed. The life-work and the writings 

 of our foremost men of science of the last half- 

 century — Huxley, Tyndall, Kelvin, Roscoe, Meldola, 

 and a host of others — have been largely instrumental 

 in clarifying popular opinion as to the value and 

 significance of scientific research. Throughout this 

 period Nature has devoted itself persistently to the 

 task of presenting the case for science, both by sys- 

 tematically recording the conclusions of scientific men 

 and by editorial elucidation and comment. Although 

 much has been achieved, far more remains yet to be 

 done. We look to Nature in the future, as in the 

 past, to impress public opinion with the necessity for 

 giving scientific methods and results a prominent place 

 among the activities and in the councils of the nation. 



Sir David Prain, C.M.G., CLE., F.R.S.— Among 

 the services rendered by Nature to science during the 

 half-century which has passed since its foundation, 

 one of the greatest will appear to the thoughtful to 

 have been the adoption of the attitude consistently 

 maintained in its pages towards the application of 

 natural knowledge to everyday affairs. Launched at 

 a dismal time when the philistinism of the nineteenth- 

 century attitude of men of affairs towards science was 

 only equalled by that of men of science towards 

 affairs. Nature had the courage to revert and adhere 

 to that more humane perception of the seventeenth 

 century : that the first duty of Science herself is to 

 improve her new knowledge for use. The wider 

 acceptance of this old doctrine which we welcome 

 to-day Nature may fairly claim as an abiding reward. 



Sir Harry R. Reichel. — Hearty greetings to Nature 

 on its fiftieth anniversary ! Science is now becoming 

 the guiding principle of material progress, and its 

 pursuit is justified and recommended to the public by 

 the promise of material returns. Among those who 

 still regard science as a branch of philosophy and 

 worthy for its own sake. Nature will always hold 

 its own peculiar and honourable place. In its pages 

 the worker whose horizon is not restricted by exclusive 

 devotion to his own subject can follow the lines of 

 advance along other paths of inquiry. A jourhal 

 which can serve such a wide range of interests with- 

 out falling into "popular" science must always 

 occupy a unique place in the intellectual life of the 

 nation. 



Prof. J. Emerson Reynolds, F.R.S.— I beg to 

 offer my hearty congratulations to the Editor of 

 Nature on the jubilee of that valuable journal. 

 Nature has long filled so important a position in 

 British scientific journalism, and reflected scientific 

 progress so fully in the past, that I doubt not it will 

 continue to do so in the future with even greater 

 success. 



Prof. W. Ripper. — I desire to add my tribute 

 of congratulation and thanks to the many which 



