^o6 Edivard Livingston Yoimians. 



i>- 



career as a lecturer was ended, we may quote his own 

 words in the Editor's Table of the opening number, in 

 which he defined its scope and aim : 



The Popular Science Monthly has been started to help 

 on the work of sound public education, by supplying in- 

 structive articles on the leading subjects of scientific in- 

 quiry. It will contain papers, original and selected, on a 

 wide range of subjects, from the ablest scientific men of 

 different countries, explaining their views to non-scientific 

 people. A magazine is needed here which shall be devoted 

 to this purpose, for, although much is done by the general 

 press in scattering light articles and shreds of information, 

 yet many scientific discussions of merit and moment are 

 passed by. It is therefore thought best to bring this class 

 of contributions together for the benefit of all who are in- 

 terested in the advance of ideas and the diffusion of valu- 

 able knowledge. 



The increasing interest in science, in its facts and prin- 

 ciples, its practical applications, and its bearings upon opin- 

 ion, is undeniable ; and, with this augmenting interest, 

 there is growing up a new and enlarged meaning of the 

 term which it is important for us to notice. By science is 

 now m«ant the most accurate knowledge that can be ob- 

 tained of the order of the universe by which man is sur- 

 rounded, and of which he is a part. This order was at first 

 perceived in simple physical things, and the tracing of it 

 out in these gave origin to the physical sciences. In its 

 earlier development, therefore, science pertained to certain 

 branches of knowledge, and to many the term science still 

 \n\\)\\^'T> physical science. 



But this is an erroneous conception of its real scope. 

 The growth of science involves a widening as well as a pro- 

 gression. The ascertainable order of things proves to be 

 much more extensive than was at first suspected; and the 

 inquiry into it has led to sphere after sphere of newinvesti- 



