158 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



COMMEMORATION OF THE CENTENARY OF THE BIRTHDAY OF 



PRIESTLEY. 



In the fourth volume of the Philosophical Magazine and Annals 

 (page 379) we announced the intention of the cultivators of Na- 

 tural History to commemorate by a public meeting the second cen- 

 tenary of the birthday of Ray, whose extensive and accurate 

 labours laid the foundation for the philosophical study of organic 

 nature in this country; and in the following volume we had 

 the pleasure of recording the highly satisfactory accomplishment 

 of that intention. We have now equal pleasure in announcing that 

 the cultivators of Chemical Science are about to commemorate in 

 a similar manner, the centenary of the birthday of that distin- 

 guished Philosopher of a later period, to whom — whether we re- 

 gard the invention of the apparatus requisite for researches on 

 aeriform fluids, the investigation of the action of those fluids upon 

 each other, or the number of them actually first discovered by him, 

 and his determination of their relation to the functions of animal 

 and vegetable life — must be awarded the merit of being the Founder 

 of Pneumatic or Gaseous Chemistry. The object of this notice is to 

 give additional publicity to the following circular: — 



" Commemoration of Priestley. — A hundred years having elapsed 

 since the Birth of the Philosopher whose extensive and successful 

 researches entitle him to be considered as the Founder of Pneumatic 

 Chemistry, it has been resolved that the event shall be commemo- 

 rated by a Public Dinner on the 25th of March; and the Committee 

 appointed upon the occasion, express a hope that all those who 

 justly appreciate the high importance of Priestley's Discoveries, 

 their influence upon the progress of Science, and the honour which 

 they have conferred upon his Country, will heartily cooperate with 

 them in carrying so desirable a plan into effect." 



The following gentlemen have undertaken the office of Stewards: 



Arthur Aikin, Esq. F.L.S. ; John P. Atkins, Esq. F.S.A. ; William 

 Babington, M.D. F.R.S. ; William Thomas Brande, Esq. F.R.S. ; 

 John Bostock, M.D. F.R.S. ; J. G. Children, Esq. Sec. R.S. ; Rev. 

 J. Corrie, F.R.S. ; J. F. Daniell, Esq. F.R.S.; Michael Faraday, 

 Esq. D.C.L. F.R.S, ; C. Hatchett, Esq. F.R.S.; Richard Knight, 

 Esq. F.G.S.; J. Ayrton Paris, M.D. F.R.S.; W. H. Pepys, Esq. 

 F.R.S.; Richard Phillips, Esq. F.R.S. ; George Rennie, Esq. F.R.S.; 

 Peter M. Roget, M.D. Sec. R,S. ; John Taylor, Esq. F.R.S. ; 

 Richard Taylor, Esq. F.L.S. ; E.Turner, M.D. F.R.S.; together 

 with other Gentlemen attached to scientific pursuits who have been 

 invited to join them. 



It is gratifying to find in the list the names of men who are best 

 qualified to estimate the value of Priestley's discoveries : and con- 

 sidering how much some of these are connected with physiology, — 

 considering also his labours in various departments of physical 

 science, it may be expected that the lovers of every branch of Na- 

 tural Philosophy and Natural History will join the Chemists in do- 

 ing honour to his memory, and asserting for our country the in- 

 dubitable claim of being that in which were made « the first de- 

 cided advances in the knowledge of elastic fluids." 



