character, in their ‘Freethought Directory’ of 1853, and was thus identified with Freethought literature at the then leading Freethought depot .  Mr. Austin Holyoake, working in conjunction with Mr. Bradlaugh at the National Reformer office, Johnson’s Court, printed and published it in his turn, and this well-known Freethought advocate, in his ‘Large or Small Families’. selected this pamphlet, together with R.D.  Owen’s ‘Moral Physiology’ and the ‘Elements of Social Science’, for special recommendation.  Mr. Charles Watts, succeeding to Mr. Austin Holyoake’s business, continued the sale, and when Mr. Watson died in 1875, he bought the plates of the work (with others) from Mrs. Watson, and continued to advertise and to sell it until December 23rd, 1876.  For the last forty years the book has thus been identified with Freethought, advertised by leading Freethinkers, published under the sanction of their names, and sold in the head-quarters of Freethought literature.  If during this long period the party has thus—­without one word of protest—­circulated an indecent work, the less we talk about Freethought morality the better; the work has been largely sold, and if leading Freethinkers have sold it—­profiting by the sale—­in mere carelessness, few words could be strong enough to brand the indifference which thus scattered obscenity broadcast over the land.  The pamphlet has been withdrawn from circulation in consequence of the prosecution instituted against Mr. Charles Watts, but the question of its legality or illegality has not been tried; a plea of ‘Guilty’ was put in by the publisher, and the book, therefore, was not examined, nor was any judgment passed upon it; no jury registered a verdict, and the judge stated that he had not read the work.

“We republish this pamphlet, honestly believing that on all questions affecting the happiness of the people, whether they be theological, political, or social, fullest right of free discussion ought to be maintained at all hazards.  We do not personally endorse all that Dr. Knowlton says:  his ‘Philosophical Proem’ seems to us full of philosophical mistakes, and—­as we are neither of us doctors—­we are not prepared to endorse his medical views; but since progress can only be made through discussion, and no discussion is possible where differing opinions are suppressed, we claim the right to publish all opinions, so that the public, enabled to see all sides of a question, may have the materials for forming a sound judgment.

“The alterations made are very slight; the book was badly printed, and errors of spelling and a few clumsy grammatical expressions have been corrected; the sub-title has been changed, and in one case four lines have been omitted, because they are repeated word for word further on.  We have, however, made some additions to the pamphlet, which are in all cases kept distinct from the original text.  Physiology has made great strides during the past forty years,