Nature 's Aims

Editor's Note

The only existing published statement of Nature 's aims appeared here among the advertisements in the second issue of the journal. The illustration at the top was used until the late 1950s. It seems likely that printed copies of this announcement were used as publicity material before the journal appeared. The two lines of poetry at the top are by William Wordsworth, one of the foremost English poets of the early nineteenth century, and they hint at the associations then current between Romantic poets and early scientists such as Humphry Davy. This statement of intent shows how Nature intended from the outset to address both working scientists and the general public—an aim still observed today.

“To the solid ground
Of Nature trusts the mind that builds for aye.”

—Wordsworth

THE object which it is proposed to attain by this periodical may be broadly stated as follows. It is intended,

First, to place before the general public the grand results of Scientific Work and Scientific Discovery; and to urge the claims of Science to a more general recognition in Education and in Daily Life;

And, secondly, to aid Scientific men themselves, by giving early information of all advances made in any branch of Natural knowledge throughout the world, and by affording them an opportunity of discussing the various Scientific questions which arise from time to time.

To accomplish this twofold object, the following plan will be followed as closely as possible:

Those portions of the Paper more especially devoted to the discussion of matters interesting to the public at large will contain:

I. Articles written by men eminent in Science on subjects connected with the various points of contact of Natural knowledge with practical affairs, the public health, and material progress; and on the advancement of Science, and its educational and civilizing functions.

II. Full accounts, illustrated when necessary, of Scientific Discoveries of general interest.

III. Records of all efforts made for the encouragement of Natural knowledge in our Colleges and Schools, and notices of aids to Science-teaching.

IV. Full Reviews of Scientific Works, especially directed to the exact Scientific ground gone over, and the contributions to knowledge, whether in the shape of new facts, maps, illustrations, tables, and the like, which they may contain.

In those portions of “Nature” more especially interesting to Scientific men will be given:

V. Abstracts of important Papers communicated to British, American, and Continental Scientific societies and periodicals.

VI. Reports of the Meetings of Scientific bodies at home and abroad.

In addition to the above, there will be columns devoted to Correspondence.

Many eminent scientific men are among those who have already promised to contribute Articles, or to otherwise aid in a work which it is believed may, if rightly conducted, materially assist the development of Scientific thought and work in this country.

( 1 , 66-67; 1869)