Mr Johnston's Visit to Berzelius. 



in genei-al, he has the singular good fortune to be if possible 

 still more highly esteemed at home. The honours which his 

 labours have merited, his amiable manners have disposed every 

 one to heap unanimously upon him, so that almost every edu- 

 cated Swede will tell you he is proud of him. On this sub- 

 ject men of all parties agree, unless a solitary exception to this 

 otherwise universal opinion may be found in the members of 

 the rival medical school at Upsala, who are said not to speak 

 of him at all times in the very highest terms. Conversing one 

 day of Berzehus with a distinguished opposition leader in the 

 Swedish house of Peers, " I know him," he said, " and esteem 

 him, and as a Swede am proud of him. He differs from me 

 in politics, always voting for ministers when he comes to the 

 house ; but he treats all parties with great respect, and then 

 he holds no pension, — so that with all his claims upon my re- 

 gard, I know of nothing that should diminish the very high 

 respect I entertain for him."" On another occasion, speaking 

 to a gentleman in Stockholm of the works and mines I thought 

 of visiting in different parts of Sweden, he remarked of cer- 

 tain proprietors, that they were shy in admitting strangers, 

 but added, " a word from Berzelius will open to you every 

 door in Sweden.'"* Though a member of the house of Peers 

 and an elector, Berzelius takes little share in political affairs, 

 and hence avoids all contact with party spirit, which prevails 

 in Sweden as in other countries. 



The King of Sweden has not been slow in bestowing suit- 

 able marks of distinction upon one whom the general voice 

 had already pointed out as most worthy. He has conferred 

 upon him the cross of the order of Vasa and the grand cross 

 of the Polar star, besides the almost entire patronage of the 

 chemical and medical chairs in Sweden, whenever he chooses to 

 interfere or to recommend. This influence he exercises in the 

 most liberal manner, for if there be any trait in his character 

 for which he is more remarkable than another, it is his zeal in 

 the cause of science. He will do much to secure to it a faith- 

 ful and laborious cultivator. Of one individual to whom he 

 had procured a chemical chair, but who for several years had 

 done nothing, he said to me " He makes many excuses of his 

 want of time, but I told him it was easy to see he did not need to 



