8 Life and Writings of Berzelius. 



Beport on the Progress of Physics, Chemistry, and Mineralogy, 

 which he continued to the last, and which constitutes the 

 most valuable collection of chemical discoveries existing in 

 any language. We shall again revert to this work, re- 

 markable in so many respects. With respect to his chemi- 

 cal discoveries, it is sufficient to mention the titles of the 

 most important. Simple bodies, — thorinuni, cerium, sele- 

 nium, silicium, zirconium, and colombium, were discovered 

 by him. He likewise proved the metallic nature of ammo- 

 nium, or the radical composing ingredient of ammonia, as 

 well as the acid properties of silex, and the different degrees 

 in which sulphur combines with platina, phosphorus, &c. 

 He made numerous researches respecting the acid salts of 

 sulphur, hydrofluoric acid, and the fluorides. The new classi- 

 fications which resulted from some of these discoveries 

 have been of the greatest practical advantage. He felt the 

 necessity of creating new rules for defining all combinations, 

 so as to indicate the properties of each body, which was im- 

 possible by the ancient nomenclature, except in relation to 

 the compound oxids. His work on nomenclature commands 

 at once the admiration and gratitude of all who are occupied 

 with chemistry. It may be affirme<l, that Berzelius has laid 

 the foundations of organic chemistry. When the atomic 

 theory of Dalton, and the discovery of the alkaline metals by 

 Davy, produced a revolution in science, Berzelius immediately 

 applied the doctrines of the former to the constitution of 

 composite bodies, and to the order of combination of the 

 different elements. Revising all the works of his predeces- 

 sors, and conducting his experiments with a degree of accu- 

 racy hitherto unknown, he determined, by innumerable ana- 

 lyses, the laws which regulate chemical combinations, which 

 he reduced to a degree of simplicity, which rendered them 

 still more admirable. When these laws were once well 

 ascertained, it became possible to control the I'esults of ana- 

 lyses, — even to foresee a great number of combhiations then 

 unknown, and to carry into every operation an accuracy pre- 

 viously thought altogether unattainable. Not limiting their 

 application to the composites which might be formed by the 

 chemist, Berzelius soon procured for mineralogy the means 



