Known as the Early Journal Content, this set of works include research articles, news, letters, and other writings published in more than 200 of the oldest leading academic journals. The works date from the mid--seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. We encourage people to read and share the Early Journal Content openly and to tell others that this resource exists. People may post this content online or redistribute in any way for non--commercial purposes. Read more about Early Journal

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... ntent at http://about.jstor.org/participate--jstor/individuals/early-journal--content. JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary source objects. JSTOR helps people discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not--for--profit organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER I I, I 887. THE ANNOUNCEMENT which has been going the rounds of the press, of the perfecting by Mr. Edison of his phonograph, certainly seems startling, and one which might be denied without arousing surprise; but it now appears as if the world were soon to be treated to another great fruit of inventive genius, and that one of the great R's may soon be displaced. Mr. Edison, in a letter to the editor of TSe EngZneer2ng and Afzn2ng Jo?MrnaZ, has expressed in his frank and usual hearty way such utter conlSdence in the successful performance of all, or even more than all, that is hoped for, that we look forward to the receipt of our first phonograph with anxious curiosity. Those who remember the phonograph of ten years ago will recall that it was next to impossible to reproduce tones that were absolutely distinct; that is, sufficiently distinct to be recognized without difficulty or mistake by some person who had not heard the original utterance. To-day these dif-Sculties have been overcome; and the sender of a message, after setting the machine in motion, need only talk into the machine ^rith his rlatural and usual voice, then withdraw the phonogram, which corresponds to the old sheet of tinfoil, which could not be arithdrawn, and mail to his friends in this way his verbatim utterances. These phonograms will cost but little more than an ordinary sheet of letter-paper, and will be made in various sizes to accommodate messages varying in length from eight hundred to four thousand words. On the receipt of such a phonogram, it can readily be placed in $he apparatus of the receiving instrllment, and it will at once speak out with distinctness and clearness equal to that of the human voice at the same rate of speed at which it was originallydictated. These phonograms will not be obliterated by the first use, but may be kept on file, ready for reproduction rhenever necessary.