ent number of the JOURNAL is little more than a
promissory note for its future.

Even as a commentary on periodical literature, there will be a
countless number of the superficial theories of ignorance and haste
for it to examine, while there will be the more pleasing task of
noting the introduction of sound philosophy, the progress of careful
investigation, the uprising of common sense against hereditary
falsehood, and the gradual enlightenment of the clerical, medical, and
educational professions by the slow progress of new ideas, and the
unembarrassed progress of the physical sciences and inventions which
encounter no collegiate hindrance, excepting this, that the average
liberal education, as it is called, gives so little knowledge of
physical science, that the educated classes often fail to distinguish
between the real inventor and the deluded, or delusive, impostor.

The inventor is the emancipator of mankind from the oppressive burden
of toil, and hence the philanthropist should ever look with interest
to the progress of invention, should ever be ready to cooperate with
inventive genius. The JOURNAL should be the inventor's friend, and it
hopes to see the time when the national institution that I have
proposed shall be established, to bring blind, but all powerful,
capital into co-operation with the wise, but often powerless,
inventor.

Invention is the physical, as philosophy is the intellectual power, to
complete the emancipation of mankind from slavery and suffering. "No,"
would the theologian say, "your false philosophy ends in nothing. The
world has been full of philosophies from Democritus to Hegel, and they
have never lifted a single straw's weight from the burden that
oppresses all humanity. The real burden is sin, and religion alone can
remove that, and bring in the kingdom of heaven on earth."

Most true, Oh theologian, it is, that the false philosophies, from
Democritus to Hegel, have done nothing for mankind but to becloud,
bewilder, and enfeeble their intelligence, for the philosophies were
born of empty vanity, which essayed to conquer the universe by
cogitation without science, and not from any loving impulse to make
life wiser and better. But your theologies have been almost as false
as the philosophies. You have inverted the simple and pure religion of
Jesus. You have taught the world that its governing power was not an
infinite love, but an infinite hate, and that the chief purpose of
creat