Festival in honour of Berzelius. 397 



Arrangements were accordingly made for a grand dinner in the 

 house of the Academy, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, 

 being first honorary member of the Academy, accepted graciously the 

 invitation to honour the company with his presence on this occasion. 

 The dinner-table was placed in the spacious hall, which was fitted 

 up in a very handsome style, with various decorations and other ar- 

 rangements. The portrait of Baron Berzelius, painted by the well- 

 known artist, Lieut. -Col. Sodermark, and presented to the Academy 

 by their present members, in commemoration of this jubilee, was 

 placed in a conspicuous position, most splendidly illuminated, and 

 surrounded by palms and some rare and beautiful plants, which made 

 the appearance very brilliant. His Royal Highness having arrived, 

 attended by Count Brahe and several other distinguished noblemen, 

 the numerous assembly sat down to dinner, Baron Berzelius being 

 placed at the right of His Royal Highness. When the dinner was 

 over, and the usual loyal toasts being drunk with due honour, His 

 Royal Highness rose to propose the health of Baron Berzelius, say- 

 ing in very warm and affectionate terms, that there was none more 

 entitled to their esteem and admiration than the celebrated Baron, 

 whose services to science in general, to their native country, and to 

 this Academy in particular, were beyond all praise, and had already 

 made his name immortal. His Royal Highness expressed also his 

 grateful acknowledgement of his own obligations to Baron Berzelius 

 for the private instruction he had received by him in younger days. 

 Baron Berzelius returned thanks at great length, and sat down amidst 

 loud and repeated cheers. 



As the name of Berzelius is known over all the world, it may be 

 of some interest to many of his friends in foreign countries, to have 

 a short outline of his life. He was born on the 20th August, 1779, 

 in Ostergothland in Sweden. His father was a clergyman. In com- 

 mon with Linnaeus, and many other stars in the horizon of science, 

 it fell also to the lot of Berzelius to struggle against poverty and 

 many adversities in the earlier part of his life ; but his ardent spirit 

 and indomitable desire for knowledge overcame all hindrances. At 

 the age of seventeen he came to the university of Upsala, where he 

 made very rapid progress in his learning, particularly in his favourite 

 study, — chemistry. After having passed his examinations he was 

 promoted Doctor in Medicine, 1804. Having been appointed Medi- 

 cinal et Pharmacia? Adjunctus at the Collegium Medicum at Stock- 

 holm, he continued for several years to give public and private in- 

 struction in chemistry to young students ; and besides, he was 

 obliged, on account of his small income, to practise occasionally as a 

 physician. In 1807 he was appointed Medicinae et Pharmacia? 

 Professor, and in the same year he instituted, in company with seven 

 other eminent men, the Swedish Medical Society at Stockholm, 

 which is now highly flourishing, and constitutes the very heart of 

 the medical profession in Sweden. In 1808 he was called a mem- 

 ber of the Royal Academy of Science, and officiated as president in 

 1810. In the same year he was appointed a member of the Royal 

 Sanatory Board, of which he is now the senior member. In 1818 

 he was appointed secretary of the Royal Academy of Science. He 



