CHAPTER XII. 



APPLETONS' JOURNAL. 



1868-18^0. Age 47-49. 



FROM the beginning of his connection with the 

 Appletons my friend had looked forward to a time 

 when he might enlarge the scope of his labours by 

 publishing a magazine which should deal with scien- 

 tific subjects in such a way as to educate the people. 

 It was a steady purpose of his, and he never neglected 

 a chance of bringing the subject forward and urging 

 its importance. In 1868 the opportunity seemed to 

 have arrived, but the case was complicated by the fact 

 that the Appletons wished to establish a weekly paper 

 of a literary and artistic character, which might have 

 some such business value for its publishers as Har- 

 per's Weekly, or as Every Saturday, then published 

 by Ticknor & Fields. After long consultation it was 

 decided to combine the two schemes and issue an 

 illustrated weekly paper that should be devoted at 

 once to popular science and to art and letters. It was 

 intended to secure contributions from the most emi- 

 nent writers in Europe as well as America ; and with 

 this end in view Mr. Youmans, as editor, sailed for Eng- 

 land. On the eve of sailing he wrote to his mother : 



NEW YORK, September 15, 1868. 



MY DEAR MOTHER : I cannot leave without dropping 

 you a line, for although little is made of crossing the At- 



(255) 



