States, through a medium somewhat similar to the one now proposed. It is therefore meant to give an extract so copious of their contents, as not only to exhibit the progress of the physical sciences abroad, but to do away, in a great degree, the necessity of recurring to the works themselves.

This journal however is not wholly to be restricted to the province of selection. A department, sufficiently spacious will be reserved for original contributions. But as eclectics, the editors must be permitted here also to exercise the right of choice, and without arrogance or captiousness, of excluding such articles as they may deem unworthy of preservation. They will cordially receive, and conspicuously insert, reports of interesting cases of disease, well written histories of epidemics, accurate meteorological observations, experimental inquiries, ingenious disquisitions, notices of new discoveries, acute but temperate analysis of books; and in short, whatever in their estimation, may have a tendency to enlarge the sphere of science; and more particularly, to rectify the errors, amend the practice, and increase the usefulness of that branch to which they are professionally devoted.

The contents of the journal will be arranged under the subsequent divisions: 1. Selected Papers. 2. Selected Reviews. 3. Medical and Philosophical Intelligence. 4. Original Papers. 5. Original Reviews. 6. List of New Publications, foreign and domestic.

CONDITIONS.

I. The work will be printed on good paper, and with distinct type, in quarterly numbers, each to contain about one hundred and twenty pages, to be delivered to subscribers in the city, and to be forwarded without delay to those at a distance. II. The price of the work to be three dollars a year, to be paid on delivery of the second number. III. No subscription to be discontinued, except at the end of a year, nor without at least two months' notice to the publisher, and payment of what may then be due.

IV. The usual allowance will be made to booksellers, and such others as obtain subscriptions for ten copies and become answerable for the whole.

V. The initial number of the work will appear on the first of October next.

N. B. Subscriptions received by EDWARD EARLE, the publisher, and by all the principal booksellers throughout the United States.

Philadelphia, August 1, 1810.

Scarcely had we finished the perusal of the preceding article, when we were honoured with a letter from Dr. POTTER of Baltimore, inclosing a Prospectus of a work upon principles, not at warfare with those exhibited in the outlines of the Eclectic Repertory. Dr. Potter has so many literary and scientific pretensions, that, far from thinking his Prospectus unworthy a place in the Port Folio, we should be ashamed of ourselves, if we did not cheerfully comply with his modest request. It requires no indulgence on our part, and no apology on the part of a liberal scholar. We hope to hear from Dr. P on the subject which he has indicated, or on any other topic, which his taste may select or his genius adorn.

PROSPECTUS OF THE BALTIMORE MEDICAL LYCEUM.

In a science like that of Medicine, where the wisest votary lives only to learn, it would, at first sight, seem superfluous to assign the motives for attempting to reflect light upon any one of its various departments. Book-making, however, has become a trade so common, that the world has been led to suspect most literary proposals, as projects to extract money. Under this impression, it becomes necessary, for those actuated by the purest motives, to cover themselves from the shafts of criticism and censure by the fashionable ægis, an apology.

None but a coincidence of circumstances peculiar to myself, could have impelled me to embark in so hazardous an enterprize, as the publication of a Medical and Philosophical Journal in this city. As it is problematical whether the subscription will ever

be sufficient to encounter the expense, my efforts can be considered only as an experiment; and the possibility of a failure, must exonerate me from the imputation of pecuniary views. I am exquisitely sensible of the arduous duties the office of an editor imposes, and arrogate to myself no pretensions but an ardent zeal to subserve the interests of science and humanity.

When we reflect on the antiquity of the settlement of Maryland, the distinguished rank she has ever maintained in a civil and political view, the population of the city of Baltimore, and the felicity of her situation in the center of the United states, it becomes a subject of equal admiration and regret, that in literature she has made no figure in the bright constellation of her sister states. In no department of science is this dearth of intelligence more to be deplored, than in that profession to which I have the honour, and perhaps the misfortune to belong. Notwithstanding the widely extended territory of the United States and vast number of excellent literary institutions so young a country can boast, Newyork and Philadelphia only have succeeded in establishing the periodical depositories of medical information. While far the greater portion of the Union affords nothing more permanent than the transitory ephemeries of a news-paper, the southern and middle states exhibit the most ample field for observation, and abound with distinguished philosophers and physicians, whose talents are rusting in obscurity for want of use. To such, it is to be presumed, an invitation only is wanting to excite a spirit of emulation, and to induce them to assert their just claims to literary pre-eminence.

The establishment of a Medical School in this city, the high temperature of the climate and the shortness of the winters, which must ever preclude the possibility of a complete course of dissection further south, inspire the most sanguine expectation, that the rays of medical light scattered over our southern country, will finally converge in the city of Baltimore.

The relinquishment of the Medical Recorder by Dr. Watkins, in consequence of his occupations at the Marine Hospital, and a desire of invigorating the spirit of inquiry it had excited, added to the solicitation of some of the most respectable of the faculty in the United States, suggested to me the necessity of a periodi

cal work. At this moment'the utility of such a work is greatly enhanced, by the exorbitant price of imported books. The physician who is determined to move in concert with the improvements of his profession, cannot accomplish his wishes without incurring a heavy expense; more especially when located at a distance from public libraries, only to be found in our most populous cities. Impressed with the importance of this fact, arrangements have been made for procuring from Europe the best periodical works, and a summary of their contents will be exhibited in the Lyceum as succinctly and promptly as possible.

It will be proper to make some remarks on the more immediate objects of the work.-The science of physic is the science of all nature. The physician who confines himself to

the dead letter of medicine, cannot be enabled to take a liberal or expanded view of his profession. The sphere of such a miscellany must therefore, be co-extensive with all the collateral branches of philosophy. Independent of the ordinary topics of medical discussion, there are others deeply interesting, and some of them peculiarly so to an American.

Dissections hold the first place among medical disquisitions. They not only teach us the cause and seats of diseases, but often lead us to the important determination how far the causes are general or local in their operation. Perhaps one of the most important questions in medicine is, whether the cause of diseases be local or general in the first instance: probably they are most of them primarily local. This important question must be determined by dissection and experiment.

Experiments conducted agreeably to the principles of sound logic, must ever interest the medical philosopher. There are many controverted points still left to visionary hypotheses and conjecture, that ought to have long been decided by experiment.

The intimate connection between chemistry and agriculture has hitherto attracted too little attention, especially in America. The nature of every soil must be ascertained through the medium of chemistry, for unless the husbandman understand the principle, he is an empyrick, and instead of certainty in his results, he is left to chance and the casualties of the elements.

Diseases are as necessarily the offspring of certain soils as the verdure by which they are clothed. The question how far certain diseases are attached to particular soils, as well as the means of obviating or destroying an inquinated atmosphere, are equally the business of the physician, the philosopher and the citizen.

The strong affinity between chemistry and manufactures, is at this moment a subject of peculiar interest to every patriotic American. The art of dying, the most difficult attainment of our most important manufactures, depends essentially upon a knowledge of chemistry.

The animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms of our country, are all objects of the first importance to the manufacturer, the naturalist and the physician. We have yet to learn how far our own country is capable of furnishing the various materials employed in medicine and the arts, for most of which we are still dependant on other nations. From the almost infinite variety of our soil and the progress made of late years in mineralogical researches, it is fair to conclude, that there lies hid in the bosom of our earth the richest abundance.

The variety of Mineral Springs that have lately been discovered in our country, especially in Maryland, and the almost irresistible popular current in their favour, render chemical analysis indespensable. Until their properties shall have been perfectly ascertained, their most transcendent virtues must be used empyrically.

The vegetable kingdom, viewed either in its connection with the arts generally, or medicine more particularly, holds out the most inviting attractions. Many of our most energetic remedies are derived from it, and the vast unexplored wilds of our continent, probably offer to the botanist the richest repast now left upon the globe.

NATHL. POTTER.