Dr. Turner'5 Elements of Chemistry, 65 



exploded opinions; instances of which will occur to the 

 reader under the subject of the composition of nitrogen, 

 and the constitution of the atmosphere. We further caution 

 our author against admitting hints, allusions, and inuendos 

 as to the possibility of future inventions and discoveries, 

 as claims upon the merits of such discoveries, when they are 

 actually made. Berzelius has talked a vast deal of non- 

 sense about the composition of nitrogen ; and should that 

 discovery ever be made, he will doubtlessly assume the credit 

 of having suggested the steps which led to it. Some foolish 

 persons are apt to think that the Marquis of Worcester was 

 the inventor of Watt's steam-engine, because he said he 

 had means of raising water by steam, in his Century of 

 Inventions; and we have heard that an eminent chemist of 

 the present day considers himself entitled to all the merit 

 that may belong to Mr. Brunei's carbonic acid engine, be- 

 cause he had previously stated the possibility of such an 

 application of Mr. Faraday's important discoveries. The 

 fact is, that these are woeful days for science ; all the good 

 feeling and free communication that used to exist among its 

 active cultivators in this country, has given way to petty 

 jealousies and quibbling scandal ; one person is exalted for the 

 purpose of depreciating another ; and those causes of disgust, 

 which some years ago induced one of our most amiable and 

 able men of science to quit the field, and even leave the coun- 

 try, are becoming daily more prevalent. Were it not an invi- 

 dious task, we could easily explain and unfold the sources of 

 all this mischief, and shall indeed feel it our duty so to do, 

 should not matters in due time take a more favourable turn ; 

 but the task is at once serious and disagreeable, and we 

 therefore postpone it, in the hope of more favourable events. 

 We really believe that, had it not been for the scientific con- 

 versationes held during the last seasonat the houses of a few 

 private gentlemen connected with the learned societies, and 

 more especially the weekly meetings at the Royal Institution, 

 which kept up a friendlv intercourse among those who were 

 willing to profit by it, tliat the whole scientific world would 

 have been at loggerheads, and in that state of anarchy of 

 which the evils may be learned by a short residence at a 

 •* northern seat of learning." 



The main object of this digression is to deprecate party in 

 science ; and we were led to it by observing, or thinking 

 that we observe, something of such a tendency in the writer 

 whose book is before us — we hope we are mistaken. 



The next section comprises <* the compounds of the simple 

 JULY— OCT. 1827. F 



