

M. Hess on the Scientific Labours of Richter. 83 



If in general, gentlemen, it is a duty to render justice to 

 merit, in the present case it is at the same time a right; for 

 J. B. Richter, almost unknown by the rest of Europe, was 

 elected a correspondent of this Academy on the 1 4th of May 

 1800. Let us examine his title to our esteem. It is the best 

 homage we can render to his memory. 



Richter published in 1792 and 1793, a work in three vo- 

 lumes under the title of Anfangsgrunde der Stochiometrie, 

 oder Messkunst chemischer Elemente, in which he sets forth 

 his ideas in the form of a systematic treatise. But this form, 

 you know, is little suited for spreading new ideas. How can 

 a reader be expected to gather five hundred known ideas in 

 order to discover one that is original ! Has not each professor 

 his treatise, and would it not be a punishment to have to study 

 nearly the greater part of it? This mode of publication does 

 not promise success to any but authors who have already ac- 

 quired great celebrity, and with whose works we are obliged to 

 become acquainted. So Richter, beginning by a work in three 

 volumes, was not read. Seeing that the great truth which he had 

 in view was not appi'eciated, that he was exposed to unjust cri- 

 ticisms, whilst his work was not read, he resolved to publish 

 his researches separately, which he did under this title, Ueber 

 die neueren Gegenstdnde der Chemie, in eleven small volumes 

 of from 100 to 250 pages each. They appeared from 1793 

 until 1802. "I should (says Richter in 1799) certainly not 

 have followed up these two first volumes (Stiicke) by seven 

 others, if too severe a criticism of the antiphlogistic school 

 did not endeavour to put under the bann of sound reason all 

 those who think differently from it, and if to this was not added 

 the annoying circumstance that my Stochiometrie, although 

 endowed with a sound constitution, is nevertheless consigned 

 to the shelf of the shop-keeper." 



In the introduction to the first part, Richter tells us he 

 hopes that the part of chemistry which treats of affinities and 

 quantities will soon become a part of applied mathematics. 

 Here then is the preconceived idea, the point whence Richter 

 set out; — weigh even the form of his expressions, and you 

 divine nearly all his life. " Some experiments which I have 

 just made, having the same aim in view (says Richter, vol. i. 

 § 121), make me think that if we could employ suitable 

 expedients, we should find that the neutrality of pure ele- 

 ments, setting out from one amongst them which is taken as 

 unit, increases in a positive progression." We see the idea 

 was truly philosophical ; it was necessary to develop it and to 

 become assured whether such a relation existed or not. It 

 was a source of serious errors to him, and drew upon him too 

 severe judgements. He devoted a part of his works to fathom 



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