72 



SCJE.HXIFIC PUBLICATIONS, 



xvr. 



modern inven- 

 tion 



entiftc Jaurnals. 



On the Utility of fcientif.c periodical Publications. In u Letter 

 from Mr. R r c h a r d W i n t e R . To which are added, fame 

 Experiments of Heat produced by a Blajl of Air frqm ReU 



Ions. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 



Dear Sir, 



periodica! -i- HE advantages derived from fcientific periodic publics* 



works are of^ tions, are an acquifition whicli former philofophers were not 

 polTefled of; and it was not until the laft century (hey were 

 firft inftituted. The rapid progrefs of fcience and information 

 fince that period, would be a fufficient argument in favour of 

 -their decided utility, without any reference to fyftematic Irea- 

 tifes pubhfhed, of undoubted merit, and fanclioned by uni^ 

 •verfal approbation. 

 Advantages de- To the af^ive and ingenious mind in early life this mode of 

 ^'^^ZH'^i^.Jfl'^ information is invaluable. Befides furniftiing new ideas to 

 the young ftudent, they point out the precife fiale of the dif^ 

 ferent branches of buman knowledge ; they teach him the 

 necefiary caution for condudting experiments with vigour an<\ 

 accuracy, icftead of drawing conclufions from a few infulated 

 analyfes, or imagining that his data are fufficienliy perfe(Sl for 

 eftablilhing new fyflems. By reading thefe publications it is 

 that he will enlarge his general conceptions, and will learn 

 to emulate the various illullrious chara<^ers of all the enlight^ 

 ened countries of the world. In thefe treatifes his views will 

 not be confined to one obje<5l, but he will contemplate a fcerte 

 continually varying. The phyfiology and phenomena of the 

 animal and vegetable kingdoms ; the actions and re-aftions of , 

 the diflFerent elemenlary fubflances in nature, and their com- 

 binations with each other, will pafs in fucceffion under his 

 obfervation. 



The great phyfical laws which conftitute and maintain (he 

 equilibrium of the world, are infcrted in refpeftable works of 

 this nature as they are difcovered and demonflraled, while 

 the errors of former philofophers are detected and expofed ; 

 ■by which means he has an opportunity of afcertaining the va- 

 lue and coire61nefs of thofe works he may be already in pof^ 

 l&0ion of, 

 'V To 



