From wishing he brought himself to think that it was not only possible but actually plausible; from thinking it could be done, he resolved it should be done.
He was, however, wholly ignorant of even the first principles of chemistry and natural philosophy, and all the knowledge he obtained from his teachers was of very little use to him in this matter. In addition, whenever he mentioned his hopes to his parents, they laughed at him, told him attend to his studies, and encouraged him to dismiss such fantasies. Still, he persevered, though secretly, and he met with the success his perseverance deserved.
The following sketch of Mr. Wattles' experiments and their results will, undoubtedly, be interesting to every American reader and although some of the profound philosophers of Europe may smile at his method of proceeding, it will in some measure show the innate genius of American minds, and prove that we are not far behind our trans-@Atlantic brethren in the arts and sciences.
Mr. Wattles says, "In my first efforts to effect the desired object, they were feeble indeed, and owing to my limited knowledge of chemistry -- wholly acquired by questioning my teachers -- I met with repeated failures but following them up with a determined spirit, I at last produced, what I thought very fair samples -- but to proceed to my experiments.
"I first dipped a quarter sheet of thin white writing paper in a weak solution of caustic (as I then called it) and dried it in an empty box, to keep it in the dark; when dry, I placed it in the camera and watched it with great patience for nearly half an hour, without producing any visible result; evidently from the solution being too weak. I then soaked the same piece of paper in a solution of common potash, and then again in caustic water a little stronger than the first, and when dry placed it in the camera.
