PREFACE. 



The third volume of this work being now completed, all 

 concerned in its success will naturally wish some account of 

 its situation and prospects. The experiment of an original 

 American Journal of Science, is novel, and it is but reason- 

 able to allow sufficient time to the community to become 

 informed as to the nature of the enterprize before we can 

 expect them to feel interested in its prosperity. The ques- 

 tion whether it is to be supported by adequate pecuniary re- 

 muneration, is not one which can be hastily decided. It 

 must require several years from the commencement of the 

 work, and the Editor (if God continues his hfe and health,) 

 will endeavour to prove himself neither impatient nor queru- 

 lous, during the time that his countrymen hold the question 

 undecided, whether there shall be an American Journal of 

 Science and Arts. Another person may conduct it better, 

 and to such an one, the task would be, without hesitation, 

 resigned. But it is due to our numerous and highly respec- 

 table band of contributors to say, that no successor, however 

 meritorious, can hope to be better supported. That the 

 Journal is appreciated abroad, in a manner gratifying to its 

 friends, is sufficiently evinced by the numerous extracts 

 from it in- the periodical scientific works of Europe, by the 

 readiness to exchange, evinced by the Editors of foreign 

 Journals, and by letters on the subject, addressed to the edit- 

 or of the American Journal, from scientific and literary men 

 abroad. Among them are the names of the late Dr. John 

 Murray of Edinburgh, of Dr. Thomas Thomson, now Re- 

 gius-Professor of Chemistry, Sec. in the University of Glas- 

 gow, of Mr. Tilloch of London, editor of the Philosophical 

 Magazine, of Mr. Julien, editor of the Revue Encyclope- 

 dique, and of Mr. Brongniart, both of Paris ; of Professor 

 Germar and Sweiggerof the University of Halle in Germany, 

 and of Professor Berzelius of Stockholm. From one of 

 these private communications, we shall presume so far on 

 the indulgence of the author, and of the pubhc, as to cite a 

 single paragraph.* 



Dr. Thomson, speaking of the first five numbers of the 



* One other passage is selected from Mr. Brongniart's letter. [See p, 

 218 of this Vol.] 



