HISTORY OF THE ATOMIC THEORY. 253 



it also a right to be heard, even when it uttered only its sus- 

 picions. In these memoirs we find prominently brought for- 

 ward that intense faith in his own previous results, constantly 

 quoting what was obtained in his own mind in preference to 

 the results obtained by the whole world besides. This gradu- 

 ally led to a certain amount of egotism, and a conservative 

 belief that all work in that direction was completely finished, 

 so that he does not seem to look forward sufficiently to any 

 improvement or modification. 



Instead of reviewing his later writings, I shall add here a 

 list more complete than has been yet given, although all the 

 papers were not viewed by him as important, and some were 

 merely given in all probability to supply an occasional want 

 of material at the meetings of the Literary and Philosophical 

 Society ; by a perusal of the titles some idea will be given of 

 his great fertility and diligence. These titles are taken from 

 the books of the Society. On reading them over, one is 

 compelled to wonder at the newness and youth of much of 

 our modern science, and to doubt, on that account, the 

 stability of not a few of its maxims; for we find that although 

 it is intended to represent the thoughts of nature, it is of itself 

 not older than "a man that shall die." After Dalton read his 

 first paper, Mr. Robert Owen read one on March 6th, 1795, 

 entitled " Thoughts on the connection between universal 

 happiness and practical mechanics;" and in 1797, " On the 

 origin of opinion with a view to the improvement of the 

 social virtues." Mr. Owen is still alive. 



LIST OF DALTON'S PAPERS. 



Read before the Members of the Manchester Literary and 

 Philosophical Society, 



1. October 31st, 1794. Extraordinary Facts relating to 

 the Vision of Colors, with Observations. 



2. November 27th, 1795. On the Color of the Sky, and 

 the relation between Solar Light and that derived from Com- 



