By what tardy steps has Naval Architecture advanced from the time that the first Savage ventured upon a plank across the brook, until, in our day, the Navies of the Nations are spreading their canvas up the oceans of the world? It is now, in the fulness of our knowledge, difficult to go back, in idea, from the recent launch of the “Great Britain,” to the remote period when, the power of Steam was first observed, by some old Lady, when boiling her kettle on the kitchen fire. We are told, by Mr. Cotton, of several individuals, deservedly eminent in literature, who have discarded the new Science; but, if Mr. C. be on that account entitled to any advantage, might not Mr. Brookes retort upon him, “You have all the advantage of their researches, and surely, if it be imposture, they could have discovered it; I now bring my facts before you, and, after all your experience, challenge your investigation?” and I cannot but think the labour of the learned has been ill employed, for so many years, if they have been able, after all, to lay down no plan by which to detect this presumed imposture. It is argued also, _That_, _if Mesmerism be true it can be of no real use in Society_; _and that it may possibly be ill employed_. The answer to this objection I hold to be, that at present, we have nothing to do with the use or abuse of the assumed power; our only object is, to inquire into its existence; that must necessarily be ascertained before it can, in any way, be employed: I feel assured, that, if the power, claimed by Mesmerism, do really exist, it, in common with all the powers of Nature, is capable of producing good; and I would caution Objectors against the reflection upon Providence obviously implied in the opposite idea. If the real use of a discovery were required, before it could be advanced to the world, it would operate most fatally to the interests of Science. Had Dr. Franklin been called upon to prove the use of Electricity, before he was allowed to exhibit his discoveries, he would have been stopped on the very threshold of his experiments, and much of his ingenious discovery would have been lost to the world. I am here speaking of Mesmerism, alone, as I shall hereafter have to speak of Phrenology. As to any remedial effect to be expected from the practice of Mesmerism, in cases of physical or of nervous disease, it would be quite out of my province, publicly, even to conjecture: I can only state, that I have heard, on most unquestionable authority, of cases of cure, of a most important kind; but, that, in the estimation of Medical men, the result would have been, fairly attributable to the operation of Mesmerism I presume not to determine.