ESSAY I.

ON

THE IMPORTANCE AND UTILITY

OF

CHEMISTRY.

THE discovery of the loadstone and its important application in the construction of the mariner's compass were the means of producing a general intercourse among nations. The subsequent invention of printing1 occasioned a rapid progress in that ci

'The mariner's compass was discovered early in the fourteenth century by Flavio Gioia of Amalfi in the kingdom of Naples. Printing with metallic types was invented by Peter Scheffer of Mentz in the year 1450: but it is probable, that printing with separate wooden types had been practised seven or eight years earlier. See the preface to Ames's Typographical Antiquities, vol. i. 4to. 1785.

"The storied pyramid, the laurel'd bust,

The trophied arch had crumbled into dust;
The sacred symbol, and the epic song,
(Unknown the character, forgot the tongue,)
Till to astonish'd realms Papyra taught
To paint in mystic colours Sound and Thought,
With Wisdom's voice to print the page sublime,
And mark in adamant the steps of Time."

vilization which had thus been much promoted by the increase of commerce, and by the consequent interchange and general dissemination of the useful arts.

These arts consisted, however, of mere traditional processes which had been communicated, like the secrets of the alchemists, from generation to generation, without science, or any theory on which the true knowledge of them might be founded; nor was it until Lord Bacon had shown the necessity of interrogating nature by experiment, that any rational system of philosophical inquiry was pursued or promulgated.

This illustrious philosopher was indeed the first writer who seems to have had a just view of the character and labours of the Alchemist. By showing how little can be done by reasoning on the works of Nature, until a inass of facts is obtained by experiment, he benefited the world more than a host of his predecessors had done by their conjectures and conceits.

From this period, however, general science made rapid advances in improvement; and if one branch be more indebted to this great but unfortunate philosopher than another, it unquestionably is that of Chemistry, which has eminently availed herself of his grand precept, and continued her unremitting researches until nothing will now satisfy the curious inquirer, but plain facts and lucid deductions from experiment or analogy.

In this state of the public mind, what can be expected throughout Europe but a rapid succession of

improvements in the arts and manufactures, and in the personal comforts and conveniences which are so much dependent on chemical knowledge? Hence it appears desirable, that every individual employed in the superintendance of a manufactory should become acquainted with the general principles of Chemistry, in order that he may more successfully apply the great truths of this important science to the various processes which may at any time require his

direction.

With this view I cannot but conceive that very important benefits would accrue to these kingdoms, if Chemistry were made a regular branch of education; and I have imagined that I should render an acceptable service to society by showing the advantages which result from the acquisition of this kind of knowledge; for, until its utility be demonstrated to a large proportion of the community which is not yet apprized of its real value, that general attention to it which it deserves cannot be expected.

It would, however, be no difficult matter to prove that the world might derive great advantages even from the diffusion of a theoretical knowledge of Natural philosophy and chemistry. An instance or two will place this assertion in a clear point of view. Two thousand years ago Archimedes 2 was ridiculed for his attention to mathematics and the abstruse

"There is no evidence that Archimedes had any knowledge of chemistry; for although the transmutation of metals was attempted three or four hundred years after Christ, Geber, who was a Greek physician of the eighth century, was the first chemical writer whose works were of any value.

sciences; yet by this knowledge he was enabled to invent such mechanical engines as were sufficient to resist the whole Roman army.

many

To how accidents is the general of an army or the admiral of a fleet liable, if he have not a comprehensive knowledge of the laws of nature! Julius Cæsar himself relates, that his army was so dismayed on approaching our shores, at the ebbing of the sea from their vessels, supposing it to have been occasioned by a stratagem of the native Britons, that the circumstance had nearly occasioned his total overthrow. In like manner, if Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, had not been acquainted with the effect of acetous acid on calcareous earth, the crag of rock which obstructed the passage of his army through the Alps, would in all probability have remained an insurmountable obstacle.

Not that it can for a moment be believed that he applied the solvent to the whole mass of rock; but, as appears from the account given by Livy, that he merely poured the acid into certain crevices in the limestone; and that after this, the soldiers by means of iron instruments readily broke down a part of what had stood in their way, and thus obtained a sufficient opening for the passage of the grand army.

A further proof of the importance of the dissemination of useful knowledge may be taken from the construction of the Steam Engine. Mr. Watt often acknowledged that his first ideas on this subject were acquired by his attendance on Dr. Black's Chemical Lectures, and from the consideration of