The past century has been emphatically distinguished by very great activity in the inventive powers of the human mind. Vast and wonderful improvements have been made in the application of certain newly-discovered scientific principles to the modification of matter. Steam, which sets at defiance the power of both wind and tide, has, during the last century, been gradually taking the place of the sail, in the propulsion of the vessel the almost winged locomotive, darting and thundering along its iron track, has left the laggard stagecoach far in the rear, among the obsolete ideas of the past, and the fierce and subtle elemental fires of the clouds, upon whose destructive energy in tearing asunder the tough heart of the gnarled oak, past ages have looked with shivering dread, has been tamed to docility, and harnessed for commercial purposes, and now obediently and surely carries the messages with which it is entrusted, from city to city, and from sea-coast to sea-coast, almost with the quickness of thought.

While, however, such vast and astonishing improvements have, during the past century, been made in physical science and in the modification of matter, for the promotion of commerce and the accumulation of wealth, very little progress, comparatively, has, at the same time, been made in the modifications, if we may so speak, of the human intellect, notwithstanding the latter are vastly the most important. But, as there is a limit to the extent of the former, and as they have doubtless almost reached the acme of attainable perfection, the coming century will, if we can rightly interpret the signs of the times, be as emphatically distinguished for great and successful exertions to develop intellect, and draw out its hidden resources, as the past has been for turning to practical use the giant energies of steam, and for making the lightning a passive, and harmless, and wonderfully-efficient messenger for the rapid transmission of intelligence. Besides, here is a far wider field of improvement, and an immensely larger scope for the exertion of the intellectual powers, for the extent to which mind can be cultivated and expanded is nearly limitless. The acme of perfection is not easily or quickly attainable here. It is possible forever to approximate toward it, but never to reach it. As one advances in the exploration of this field

"Th' increasing prospect tries his wondering eyes

Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise."

Well, then, does education deserve to occupy a prominent place in the regard of a journalist of the nineteenth century. Like the screw of Archimedes, it is destined to elevate the entire world, and have an efficient agency in bringing up the whole mass of mind to its proper dignity. Mainly, upon popular intelligence are based the welfare and order of society. Without its existence there can be nothing stable or reliable in the political or social condition of a people. Without it, one of the two extremes of either despotism or anarchy must, sooner or later, or to a greater or less extent, prevail. Without it, community will everywhere be divided either into small classes of aristocratic, "purse-proud, elbowing" independents, on the one hand, or, on the other, into large masses of cringing, serflike, spiritless menials, who have neither decision of character enough to assert their inalienable rights, nor courage enough to maintain them, should they even be asserted. Without it, either spiritual tyranny will lord it over men's consciences, or else the wildest vagaries of superstition and fanaticism will prevail.

Believing, then, as we do, that the proper education of the people is the palladium of right and liberty, and the responsible guarantee of order and prosperity, we shall advocate all feasible measures for the elevation, improvement, and proper endowment of schools.

SCIENCE,

Opens before the eye of the mental vision an almost boundless field, affluent everywhere with costly and varied treasures of knowledge, wherewith to enrich the columns of a journal. Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Mathematics, Astronomy, Geology, and Minerology, are each the fertile source of interest to the careful investigator. The treasures of each are almost exhaustless, and as valuable as they are extensive. One might dig in the mines of either of them for a whole life, and instead of a failure in the productiveness of their veins, he would find them growing wider and richer in ore, the deeper he penetrated.

Upon the varied and valuable resources of each of those branches of science, we intend to make large drafts. The substance of whatever is new or interesting, or important in discovery, will be inserted in our pages, as well as whatever can be elicited by our own personal investigations, as we have opportunity. We shall freely examine and compare the various and often-conflicting theories, which prevail — bring their correctness or falsity to the test of argument and experiment, and thus sift out truth from error, and establish it upon the firm basis of demonstration.

ART

And science are intimately associated, and are mutual auxiliaries of each other. Rarely, if ever, do they exist separately — never certainly to any extent, for never was there skill and refinement in Art without science, neither was there ever an advanced state in science without Art. While the one originates inventions in theory, the other makes a practical application of them to the purposes of life, and thus are they equally important co-workers for the benefit of man. Our columns will, therefore, be made, as far as possible, the vehicle of valuable information for the Artist and Artizan, as well as the scientific.

MORALS.

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That morality is both the ornament and political safeguard of any people, we believe most firmly. Without it, no individual nation- no community on earth can permanently prosper. When the passions of men are aroused, as they are in some sudden emergency, at times, and the waves of excitement run high, and dash, and foam, and roar around, this, like an immovable rock in the center of the ocean, will alone sustain the shock of the contending elements. All that is virtuous, and honorable, and praiseworthy in human character or political institutions is jeoparded without its general prevalence. Nothing, therefore, within the whole range of the appropriate duties of a public journalist will be performed by us with greater cheerfulness and alacrity, than the uncompromising advocacy of good morals.

THE VALLEY OF SWEET WATERS.

Compiled.

BY THE EDITOR.

(See Engraving.)

A GRAPHIC account of the scenes in "The Valley of Sweet Waters," which the accompanying engraving is designed to illustrate, is contained in a work entitled, "Constantinople and its Environs," by an American, supposed to be Commodore Porter. We extract the

the following:

The Armenian women, in their houses, dress much as ours do, or something between the Greek costume and ours; but when in the street, they conceal their faces, all but the eyes, and muffle themselves up much like the Turkish women, between the dresses of whom there is little difference, except in the color of their slippers. The Turkish women wear yellow, and the Armenians red or black.

Talking of women reminds me of a scene I witnessed last Friday, the Turkish Sunday. I will try to describe it, but I fear that I shall not succeed better than I did in my description of the Bosphorus. But take it, such as it is.

An old gentleman, who lives at a village about five miles below me, on the other side of the Bosphorus, called Candalir, asked me to come over to take breakfast with him, and promised me a distant view from the top of the hill of an assemblage of the females of the Turkish families of Constantinople and the neighboring towns, as they gather together in the valley of the Sweet Waters of Asia, every Friday, and there pass the day amusing themselves variously. He said we could not approach them, but that the sight at a distance was worth seeing. I accordingly went to his house, where I was introduced to his wife, his eight or ten married daughters, and their children; and after enjoying the magnificent view from the hill at the back of his garden, proceeded to my kaick, and embarked for the valley of Sweet Waters, about a mile above us.

A kaick is a long, narrow, light-built boat, like an Indian canoe, but turning up at each end, highly ornamented by carved work and gilding, and rowed, (that is, the. diplomatic ones,) by three sturdy Mussulmen dressed in white, coarse shirts and trowsers, a small, red skull-cap, with a blue tassel on their heads, and each rowing two pair of oars.

The larger kind carry from four to five passengers, seated on carpets in the bottom of the after part of the boat, and they skim along at a velocity almost incredible. They are beautiful things, and perfect in their kind. At Buyucderè, a man's rank is as well known by the number of his oars, as by the number of strokes on the bell.

On our way to the valley, we were joined by numberless kaicks, filled with women, and, in addition to the usual complement, as many children as they could stow away among them, and they appeared to take very good care that no room should be lost. Women are generally economical, and are so in Turkey, at least when boat hire is in question, so far as I could judge by appearances.

We entered, with them, a narrow fresh-water river, up which we proceeded for about a mile, when we came to a light and airy wooden bridge, thrown across the stream, near which was a landing place, and at it a multitude of kaicks, from the rank of three banks down to one.

A string of carriages, filled with women and children, was, at the moment, crossing the bridge to the place where we had landed, which was the entrance to an extensive grove, consisting of trees of the largest kind; some in clusters of three, four, and five; others spreading their branches to an immense distance, affording ample space and shelter from the sun for thousands. Here and there were seats, and a marble fountain of clear and cold water, supplied the means of refreshment.

The Turkish carriage is a curious vehicle. It is something, in shape, like our Jersey wagons, without springs or seats, and is drawn by two fat and beautiful light gray oxen, most gorgeously decorated on their flanks, backs, and shoulders, with gold and a fringe work made of silk. On the face, from the horns to the nose, is a piece somewhat in the form of a shield, composed of innumerable small