EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
49 
profession, or that of the kindred sciences, by which its 
onward progress may be promoted. We have, therefore, 
been prevented from becoming laggards; and culling from 
all, from month to month, our Journal has borne evidence 
of what is going on in the world of general science around 
us; and we trust our readers will at least give us credit for 
honesty of intention and endeavour, even should we have 
failed to accomplish all that they might have anticipated 
from us. They will kindly throw the mantle of charity over 
our many faults; thus shall we be stimulated to persevere, 
and, in the end, realise both their expectations and our own. 
It is satisfactory to find that a gradual increase in the 
number of our contributors has continued to take place. 
Even the present number records fresh adhesions on the 
part of those we have long known. This we rejoice at, 
because to them belongs the most important division of the 
Journal, and it is, therefore, just what they make it. Esto 
perpetua. Then will our pages become too few for the influx 
of matter— 
“ A consummation devoutly to be wished. 5 ’ 
Already, owing to pressure on our space, we have been 
obliged freely to resort to the use of small type, and to keep 
intact the divisions of the Journal we have been frequently 
compelled to abridge the selected articles. We trust, how¬ 
ever, that, in making these condensations, we have not les¬ 
sened their real worth, for we well know the difficulty this 
often presents. 
We have also continued to avail ourselves of the labours of 
those who have trodden the same path before us, not hesi¬ 
tating to act upon the advice —“ If you would save the 
tedious processes of study through which your forefathers 
have passed, accept the result of their scrutinising researches, 
and thus learn wisdom.” This because there is much in the 
two professions that is common to both; the one, therefore, 
can borrow from the other, and both be advantaged. 
Acknowledgments have been received by us that the sugges¬ 
tions made from time to time, founded on the introduction of 
7 
XXXII. 
