1868. ] Sap y gas 
IV. THE PAST AND PRESENT OF CHEMISTRY. 
By Dr. Herrmann Kopp, 
Professor of Chemistry in the University of Heidelberg. 
CuEmistry is generally regarded as one of the youngest of the 
sciences, and as exhibiting most unmistakably several characteristics 
of youth. Some think that, whilst she has made rapid progress of 
late, her development has achieved, in some aspects at least, but 
little of a solid and lasting character. Others allege, as a charac- 
teristic of her youth, that she often presumptuously gives her 
opinion and advice. She brings her judgment, supported by know- 
ledge only just acquired, to bear upon older sciences, whilst she 
claims to be heard in the discussion of subjects with which her elder 
sisters have earnestly occupied themselves for centuries. In fact 
the venerable science of medicine, with her continually changing 
aspect, the somewhat younger natural philosophy with her glorious 
modern developments,—these and many other sciences long held 
in respect, may assert that they were already well grown when 
chemistry was still in her babyhood, talking nonsense, and mani- 
festing the most perverse tendencies,—that they can remember the 
time when they took the infant under their fostering care, and led 
her by the hand. 
Chemistry cannot deny this. She even gratefully acknowledges 
it, notwithstanding that, under their care, she was at times some- 
what grossly maltreated. She cannot avoid the confession that, in 
her present aspects and pursuits, she is still very young; on the 
other hand, however, she may fairly plead that she does not quite 
date from yesterday. She can prove by documents, which, though 
not altogether indisputable, have yet considerable claims to authen- 
ticity, that she was at least im existence 1,500 years ago. It must 
be admitted that this is a respectable age, although insignificant 
as compared with that of some other sciences whose birthdays are 
lost in the gray mists of antiquity. 
How can this ripe age of chemistry be reconciled with the 
youthfulness to which she generally confesses, and on account of 
which she has not unfrequently to submit to many reproaches ? 
The mystery is explained when we take into consideration that the 
science which was known as chemistry to the ancients occupied 
itself with the solution of problems of an entirely different nature 
from those which engage the attention of chemists at the present 
day. For a long period chemistry, with childish illusion, pursued 
a phantom, and attempted the solution of an insoluble problem. 
Comparatively recent is her occupation with the task which we 
now consider to be her legitimate employment, and which as re- 
gards her way of dealing with it, we now look upon as the correct 
