532 BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT 



It was now proposed to publish these lectures ; but this requi- 

 red that they should be put into the hands of some one able to 

 perform the part of an editor, and to prepare for the press the 

 notes from which the Doctor used to read his lectures. The 

 person naturally thought of was Mr Robtson, one of Dr 

 Black's oldest friends, and so well skilled in chemistry, that 

 no one could be supposed to execute the work with more zeal 

 or more intelligence. The task, however, was by no means 

 easy. Dr Black with a very large share of talent and genius, 

 with the most correct taste and soundest judgment, with no 

 habits that could dissipate his mind, or withdraw it from the 

 pursuits of science, was less ardent in research, and less stimu- 

 lated by the love of fame, than might have been expected from 

 such high endowments. A state of health always delicate, and 

 subject to be deranged by slight accidents, was probably the 

 cause of this indifference. Hence the small number of his 

 writings, and his sudden stop in that cai'eer of discovery on 

 which he had entered with such brilliancy and success. Of 

 much that he had done, the world had never heard any thing, 

 but from verbal communication to his pupils, and on the sub- 

 ject of latent heat, no written document remained to ascertain 

 to him the property of that great discovery. The onl}' means of 

 repairing this loss, and counteracting the injustice of the world, 

 was the publication which Professor Robison now undertook 

 with so much zeal, and executed with so much ability. Dr 

 Black had used to read his lectures from notes, and these of- 

 ten but very imperfect, and ranged in order by marks or 

 signs only known to himself. The task of editing them was 

 therefore difficult, and required a great deal both of time and 

 labour, but was at last accomplished in a manner to give great 

 satisfaction. The truth, however, is, that the time was past 

 when this work would have met in the world with the recep- 

 tion 



