12 Life and Writings of Berzelius. 



tion, and who, when they have become general, have boaste<l 

 loudly of their foresight and perspicacity. It was natural 

 that a man so excessively careful and precise in his own re- 

 searches, should judge with severity of the labours, and espe- 

 cially the presumed discoveries, of others. Some have pre- 

 sumed to ascribe this tendency in our philosopher, when 

 acting as a critic, to a jealousy unworthy of his noble nature, 

 and have declined to regard it as a proof of the ardent love 

 he bore to the science which occupied every hour of his 

 existence. 



Berzelius was jealous only for chemistry. Considering his 

 extensive experience, he could not be otherwise than opposed 

 to the imaginary theories in which the ardent spirit of inno- 

 vators delights to indulge. If he clung eagerly to old truths, 

 his conduct shews most satisfactorily that such a disposition 

 was no way incompatible with persevering research for what 

 yet remained to be discovered. 



Berzelius' investigations on animal chemistry are likewise 

 very important ; we may mention particularly, those relating 

 to the blood, bile, and other parts of organism. He discover- 

 ed the presence of lactic acid in the different animal fluids, 

 such as blood, milk, urine, tears, &c., a discovery which 

 was of great importance for medical science, that is to say, 

 for the chemistry of life. 



Electricity, vegetable chemistry, and physiology, have been 

 enriched by the labours of this illustrious chemist. He im- 

 proved everything hi- touched, and we may say of him, with- 

 out fear of contradiction, that he was at once the most inde- 

 fatigable and most profitable labourer tliat ever appeared in 

 the field of science. 



After having spoken of Berzelius, in relation to his per- 

 sonal works, it remains for us to consider him as a critic. In 

 this respect, he has unquestionably exercised as much influ- 

 ence on the sciences as by his discoveries. 



The examination and criticism to which, for upwards of 

 twenty years, Berzelius submitted the works of chemists and 

 and natural philosophers in his Comptes Rendus anniiels, have 

 often excited against him the anger of authors, who some- 

 times thought that he spoke of them with too great freedom. 



