PURPLE DYEING, ANCIENT AND MODERN. 387 



course of his researches and experiments, a discovery has been made which may- 

 he rendered available for utilitarian purposes, forbears to make a secret of it, 

 publishes it without reserve, and leaves the pecuniary harvest, large or small, to 

 be reaped by others. Is this because the enthusiastic savant has so little worldly 

 wisdom, or so exclusive a desire of reputation ? Gmclin's oAvn words may, per- 

 haps, help the reader in forming a reply to this question, lie says : " I have 

 thus mentioned all the circumstances which must be kept in view in the man- 

 ufacture of artificial ultramarine, and I have also added some hints for the use 

 of those who may make it their object to manufacture this color on a larger 

 scale. J have now only to desire that others in like manner may unreservedly 

 publish their experience on the subject, so that the production of this article 

 may, as early as possible, attain to the highest degree of perfection. We can- 

 not, it is true, when an important technical discovery has been made, which 

 promises large profits, foirly blame any one for keeping it a secret until he has 

 achieved that great and justifiable aim of all mankind, security against want ; 

 but beyond this, no one has a right to maintain secrecy that he may secure 

 gain. And it is very much to be regretted that by the withholding of so many 

 discoveries (often buried with those who make and conceal them) science has 

 been hindered in its progress, and an obstacle thrown in the way of the noblest 

 object of man, that, namely, of increasing knowledge and diffusing civilization." 

 Such, literally, was the practice of Gmelin. While at Paris, in 1827, and pre- 

 vious to the publication of his discovery, he xinreservedly communicated his 

 ideas on the artificial production of ultramarine to several chemists, especially 

 to Gay Lussac. And, behold ! on the 4th of February, 1828, Gary Lussac made 

 a report to the French Academy that Guimet, at Toulouse, had succeeded in 

 manufacturing ultramarine of all kinds. Did the discovery originate in the open 

 and disinterested communication of Gmelin, or did it not 1 Who shall decide ? 

 Guimet, it is but just to say, warmly defended himself against such a suspicion ; 

 he affirms that he was prompted to his experiments by the examinations of 

 Lapis lazuli, made by Desormes and Clement, and claims that he had produced 

 artificial ultramarine before Gmelin's visit to Paris. 



W^hether the method of Guimet is essentially different from that of Gmelin 

 cannot be determined, for, while the latter published his discoveries with every 

 particular, Guimet, on the contrary, has kept his method a secret to the present 

 day. In so far as profit is concerned, Guimet, it must be confessed, has main- 

 tained the advantage over Gmelin, and France OA'er Germany ; for Guimet forth- 

 with made his discovery lucrative to himself and others. As early even as the 

 same year, 1828, he had erected a manufactory at Paris for the production of 

 artificial ultramarine, which he sold at two dollars and sixty-six and a half cents 

 per pound, while the natural article was a little more than double that price. 

 Guimet succeeded in having his product adopted for the painting of the beau- 

 tiful ceilings of the museum of Charles X, and thenceforth his fortune Avas made. 

 In 1834 the price had risen to from four to five and one-third dollars per pound, 

 but in 1844 had again fallen, and ranged from two and one-sixth to two and one- 

 third per pound, though the best quality for oil painting was still sold at six 

 dollars and forty cents. The cheapness of the ordinary article enhanced the 

 demand, and the product of Guimet's factory speedily rose from twenty thou- 

 sand to one hundred and twenty thousand pounds, of which twenty thousand 

 pounds were exported to foreign countries. Not only did Guimet amass im- 

 mense wealth ; he was the recipient also of many public honors. From the 

 French "Society for the Encouragement of Industry" he received a premium 

 of 5,000 francs, and medals from various French industrial exhibitions ; and 

 this as early as 1834, when the real importance of this eminent discovery could 

 have been scarcely appreciated. In 1851, at the London exhibition, Guimet 

 received the large gold medal. 



