SKETCH OF EDWARD L. YOUMANS. 693 



When asked to make a book himself, however, he did not at first 

 entertain the idea ; but the thought grew upon him, and by degrees 

 took definite shape. Acquainting himself with all the standard text- 

 books, and, clearly perceiving what he wished to accomplish, he set 

 about the preparation of the " Class-Book of Chemistry," giving all 

 his time to the work. When it became a question of finding a pub- 

 lisher, preceding events had much to do in deciding his course. He 

 was already indebted to Mr. W. H. Appleton for many kindnesses in 

 the loan of valuable books, and for sympathetic interest in his under- 

 takings. It was, therefore, most natural that the manuscript of his 

 book should first be offered to D. Appleton & Co. Their reader, Mr. 

 Tenney, a stranger to the author and his circumstances, gave the work 

 his unqualified approval, and used afterward to refer to the fact in 

 proof of his good critical judgment. The " Class-Book " appeared in 

 1851, and its clear, lively style, its brevity, freedom from technicali- 

 ties, and continual reference to the important practical applications 

 of chemistry, soon made it a favorite with beginners in the science. 

 It has been twice rewritten, and its enduring popularity is shown by 

 the fact that the sale of its three editions has reached the number of 

 144,000 copies. 



The " Chemical Atlas," published in 1854, was an extension of the 

 method employed in the " Chart." The scale of illustration was much 

 reduced, and it contained maps portraying elementary chemistry, the 

 chemistry of geology, homologous series of compounds, nitrogenized 

 and non-nitrogenized principles of food, and giving examples of isomer- 

 ism, and the theory of compound radicals. The great natural pro- 

 cesses of combustion, respiration, fermentation, and the chemistry of 

 light or solar dynamics, were also pictorially presented. The accom- 

 panying text was carefully written, and marked by the same qualities 

 of style as the " Class-Book." But all these publications were based 

 upon the binary theory of the composition of matter, and when this 

 gave place to the new chemistry, the " Atlas " and " Chart " were no 

 longer of use, but the "Class-Book" was rewritten. 



After the publication of the " Class-Book," Edward's health under- 

 went a marked improvement. He gained in weight, his face became 

 round and ruddy, and at thirty-five he looked much younger than at 

 twenty-five. His countenance gradually lost the introverted expres- 

 sion of the blind, so marked in his portraits between the ages of 

 twenty and thirty, and his eyes became so much stronger that he 

 could now say farewell to the doctor. While his eyes would bear 

 a great deal of use, he was often tempted to overwork them, when 

 they would give out for a time, but by rest and other means they were 

 soon at his service again. He was, however, distressingly near-sighted ; 

 so that except his familiar friends, whom he recognized by traits of 

 form or movement, he did not know people unless they were within a 

 foot or two of him. This circumstance was a great bar to his enjoy- 



