96 



To Readers and Correspondents. 



TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. 



We are indebted to a friend for pointing out to us, almost at the moment of closing our 

 number, an exparte statement, which the committee on publications of the Franklin Insti- 

 tute have inserted at page 7 of their Journal for July, 1831. This statement, made by one 

 of their members, and on a subject very foreign to the useful arts, is directed against an 

 individual who is not a member of their society, and who, never doubting of such an attack, 

 was precluded from the refutation of it, either by himself or his friends. That Journal 

 having thus, by the act of the committee, become the vehicle of defamation in its most 

 insidious form, it has become necessary to notice so unexpected a departure from propriety 

 on the part of the committee. That the members of the Franklin Institute may under- 

 stand how little we have deserved such unjust treatment from their society — for it is the 

 editor of this journal who is falsely accused of having attacked the reputation of their de- 

 ceased member Dr. Godman, — we proceed to state : that it was our good fortune to make 

 pubUcly known for the first time, a beautiful and useful invention of Mr. John Price 

 Wetherill, to create flame in the combustion of anthracite coal. As the public caught 

 rapidly at this valuable improvement, we agreed with Mr. W. to make it more exten- 

 sively known, and to insert a paper with appropriate plans concerning it, in the first num- 

 ber of this Journal. When the preparations were about completed, Dr. Isaac Hays took 

 an opportunity of requesting the editor not to insert the plans, &c. of Mr. W's furnace, 

 stating, that it might seriously injure the circulation of the Journal of the Franklin Insti- 

 tute, if the Monthly American Journal, were also to draw upon that branch of natural 

 science for support. We told him without hesitation, that our respect for the founders 

 and supporters of the Franklin Institute was imfeigned, that we should upon all occasions 

 give it our entire and unequivocal support; and that, if it was the wish of the society to 

 avail itself of Mr. W's invention, we would cheerfully withdraw our paper, and release 

 Mr. W. from his agreement with us. We accordingly called upon Mr. Wetherill the 

 same day, explained to him what had passed, and requested him to transfer his drawings 

 to the use of the Franklin Institute. We regret having done so — we have, from generous 

 motives, been the cause of their being withheld from the public, and have received but a 

 sorry return for our kindness. Our good wishes, however, for the success of the Franklin 

 Institute are not abated ; smd whilst we are surprised at the authorized publication of what 

 was intended to injure us, we would by no means revenge upon the interests of a valuable 

 society, the act of one of the most insignificant of their members. We know how diflficult 

 it is for a numerous society to prevent an intriguing, pharisaical individual firom committing 

 them occasionally. 



As to Dr. Isaac Hays' statement, as found at page 7, we have only room to say, we shall 

 hereafter show it is a deliberate falsehood from the beginning to the end. We have been 

 strongly solicited to expose the previous moral obliquities of that mendacious little indivi- 

 dual, and we have hitherto withheld our hand. But all consideration for him is now at 

 an end. We carmot be silent when low contrivances, aiming! to bring us into discredit, 

 and to impair our usefulness, are resorted to, for no purpose but to bring into notice a 

 parasite who lives by dishonouring the labours of others. 



The promised paper on Big bone lick, has, for reasons beyond our controul, been delayed 

 until the next number. 



It is very true, as our correspondent G. observes, that we were in possession of his paper 

 in season for our first number. Our answer is, that when papers equally meritorious come 

 into our possession at the same time, the editor must claim the privilege of selection, and 

 that his preference may be governed by considerations, it would be quite inexpedient to 

 enter into with every correspondent. It is of importance that the contents of the Journal 

 should be various. 



The three interesting papers on the origin of the Indian languages of this continent are 

 under consideration. 



We hope soon to have an interview with the distinguished naturalist, who has favoured 

 us with a paper on " the domestic animals of the Indians of this continent." 



The editor^ will transmit a note to Rusticus, if he will leave his address at the Literary 

 Rooms. 



The plate of this number, representing fragments of the jaw and teeth of the Mega- 

 lonyx laqueatus, should have been numbered III. 



In a few copies of this number, the asterisk on page 55 is misplaced. It refers to the 

 period of Herodotus, in the line below where it stands. 



