Dr. Franklin once received a very useful lesson from the excellent Dr.
Cotton Mather, which he thus relates in a letter to his son:--"The
last time I saw your father was in 1724. On taking my leave, he showed
me a shorter way out of the house, by a narrow passage, which was
crossed by a beam over head. We were still talking, and as I withdrew,
he accompanying me behind, and I turning towards him, he said hastily,
"Stoop, stoop!" I did not understand him till I felt my head hit
against the beam. He was a man who never missed an opportunity of
giving instruction; and upon this he said to me: 'You are young and
have the world before you. _Learn to stoop_ as you go through it, and
you will miss many hard thumps.' This advice, thus beat into my head,
has frequently been of use to me.
And I often think of it when I see pride mortified, and misfortune
brought upon people by their carrying their heads too high."
* * * * *
"An ambassador" is defined as a man sent abroad to lie for the good of
his country. To compensate them for the wear and tear of conscience,
the country allows him a larger salary than any other subordinate they
employ.
* * * * *
_Communicated_
THE EUREKA: OR JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF INVENTORS.
(We had not intended to say any thing on the subject of the "Eureka"
in this number, nor until the second number of the work should have
been issued: but finding that a great degree of dissatisfaction exists
in the minds even of those who are represented in that paper to be the
supporters and conductors thereof; and having received an implied
request for the insertion of the following communication, we would not
refuse it, although we doubt whether the Eureka will ever reach its
third number, whether its contents are subjected to public criticism
or not.)
_Mr. Editor:_ I had a little curiosity to hear what the press said of
this periodical; but as yet I have not seen any notice, except the
brief one in your columns. As a general rule, it is inexpedient for an
association to publish a periodical. Instead of being an expression of
the society, it almost unavoidably becomes the organ of a clique, and
renders the patronage of an otherwise liberal organization subservient
to private interest. In the columns of the "N. York Farmer" was first
advocated the formation of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society. Among
the first acts of this society was the issuing of an agricultural
paper at _twenty-five cents_ per annum. This was scattered over the
whole country to the injury of those who had been pioneers in
publishing agricultural papers. The Society could not sustain it
without loss. It was sold to an individual on condition that he would
publish the proceedings of the Society. The price was quadrupled. It
was soon found that a periodical having a general circulation, could
not devote much space to a local society, however noble and
prosperous. Necessity led to the columns of the daily press, and to
the issuing of a yearly volume of Transactions. This will be the
result of every prosperous association. If the proceedings are worth
publishing, the press will spread them over the whole face of the
civilized world. A collection of the most important and well-digested
papers in a yearly volume, is more in accordance with the dignity and
usefulness of a national association. Besides the injustice done to
other periodicals previously in existence, the association adds
nothing to its reputation by the undertaking. There are three or four
individuals at the American Institute who have a hankering for the
control of a paper. It is very easy to see that the publishing of a
weekly paper by the Institute would be a suicidal act. All the
Institute has to do is to make its proceedings interesting, and the
widest publicity will be given as a matter of course.
It was natural to suppose that with such an array of editors,
editorial committee, and of associate professors, the "Eureka" would
have done credit to the age, and claimed a rank, in point of
literature, with other monthlies. But candor leads me to say, I do not
recollect of having read a select journal with so many violations of
correct writing. With the exception of two or three articles, the
whole number abounds with school-boy violations of the English
language. Redundancy and the want of appropriateness in the use of
words are the most common errors. Circumlocution and want of precision
are common; and in many sentences all these and other violations
occur, rendering it almost impossible to guess at the meaning.
Independent of "_inflexibly_ in advance" on the cover, the first
sentence in the announcement on the first page is an instance of
ambiguity and careless construction. In the first article, on the same
page, are several sentences indicating the same carelessness. The
article describing Hoe's cylinder press is a collection of
badly-constructed sentences. If your limits permitted I would give a
whole column of illustrations. The following sentences have so many
faults I cannot Italicise. They may serve to exercise your juvenile
readers.
"We intend to pursue the publication of the list hereafter, future and
past; that is in our next number will appear those of August 20, and
follow for one month; also the list for one month prior to the 21st of
June."
"A material or composition, of a very cheap character, has been
invented, and hard, strong and compact as flint." "From this, streets
of any grade may be formed, and in such a way as to entirely to secure
a permanent and level surface to its proper grade and arch".
Three fourths of the sentences forming the article on Dr. Lewis'
Railroad are very faulty.
"Hutching's Propeller. It consists of forming a set of oars, and by
cams upon themselves, and a foundation-plate with cams to match, cause
the oars to revolve of themselves, when the main wheel, composed of
these oars, revolves."
"A patent is pending for the invention of a wheel, in which Mr. Wm.
Hulme, of Paterson, N. J, has made an invention."
"Russ's Pavement, There is no doubt it will make a good road in
comparison with our present streets, as far as surface goes; but we
must confess our incredulity of the entire success of this plan. We do
not like the ideal method of getting at the water-pipes, &c. of the
city."
The Report on Rider's Iron Bridge is by another and different pen. I
will pass by "_protracted_ from beneath upwards," &c., and give a few
more quotations.
"Inventors scarcely ever receive the compensation due their however
distinguished merit, either pecuniary or laudatory. The originators or
first conceivers of the most momentous plans of utility and comfort
are oftenest the most grossly neglected and overlooked."
"Shortly after these details reached the U. States, by Professor S. F.
B. Morse, of New York, who was at the time of the discovery residing
in Paris."
"This committee give their services for the promotion of good to the
cause of Invention and Science, without any consideration other than
this."
"Almost all other branches of knowledge have their magazines and
journals, and other means of diffusing information, so that in their
departments hardly a desideratum is left to be supplied; while the
Inventor, as such, has almost no channel through which he may
legitimately appear before the public." "An editorial committee was
accordingly appointed for the supervision of this department, and to
whose inspection all matter of the journal, previous to publication,
will be submitted."
All the previous articles have been descriptive. We now come to our
argumentative, on Novelty in Inventions. The reasoning powers of the
writer may be learned from the following:
"Thus we conclude that the _novelty_ of _an invention_ consists in
making something 'useful to society,' and that in an original and
novel way, so as to embody the great principle of invention." Or, as
far as the writer has informed us, the novelty is the useful, the
useful is the original and novel, and the original and novel are the
great principle, and the great principle is the novelty or something
else.
"We offer an explanation, not an apology for the want of a more full
variety of scientific matter."
"Fisher's Magazine publishes a complete list, comprising the Railroads
of the U. States, as far as they are completed, and as far as
particulars are known."
"The French government has patronized an exploration of the island of
Cyprus, for the purpose of exploring its architectural remains."
Under the head of "Editors' Table," I subjoin the principal and most
important sentence:
"In this department we have but little room, and in this case it is,
perhaps, well we have little, as it is seldom much in the way of
articles for notice, are placed before an editorial corps before the
appearance of the first number."
With the exception of three or four articles, the whole number is
discreditable to The National Association of Inventors. A second
number should not appear until the editors have had the benefit of at
least one term in the preparatory school of Columbia College.
Sept. 15, 1846. S. F.
* * * * *
A heron measuring over six feet from tip to tip of his wings, and
nearly four feet from beak to toe, was lately captured in Whately,
Mass. His beak was six inches in length.
* * * * *
The print works of East Greenwich, R. I. engaged in printing
mousseline-de-laines, are preparing to close business and shut up.
* * * * *
WORTHY OF ATTENTION.--"We wonder at the foolish practice of the
Chinese, in the uncomfortable form and pressure of their shoes, while
at the time, the construction of our own is often but little better.
If shoes were made in the shape of our feet so as to exert an equal
pressure on every part, corns and bunions would never exist."--[N. Y.
Organ, Sept. 19, 1846.
[Symbol: right Index] The above truthful and judicious remarks
emanating from the able editors of the above valuable Journal, should
strongly present itself to the minds of every person having an eye to
the comforts of life. To those who have given a trial of the Superior
Boots and Shoes manufactured with DICK'S Patent Elastic Metallic
Shanks, information would be needless; for they could not be induced
to purchase elsewhere. But we would respectfully ask attention of the
entire Boot and Shoe wearing community, to call at 109 Nassau street,
being assured that it gives the proprietors great pleasure to impart
every information for the ease and comfort of the UNDERSTANDING, and
also with regard to their entirely new mode of taking the measurement
of the foot, to give an equal pressure on every part.
* * * * *