2 Life and Writings of Berzelius. 



The death of Berzelius has been considered by Sweden as 

 a national grief. All the learned societies of the country, 

 which may still be said to be new, have declared their in- 

 tention of wearing mourning for two months. The Senate, 

 the National Assembly, all the officers of state, of their own 

 accord, joined the numerous assemblage which accompanied 

 the remains of this incomparable chemist to their last rest- 

 ing-place. 



To appreciate the scientific life of Berzelius, and analyse his 

 works, which are as numerous as they are varied, would not 

 only be a task of great difficulty, but would likewise require 

 a considerable time. This arduous task, however, we should 

 have ventured to undertake, if this master had not left be- 

 hind him a brilliant constellation of zealous disciples, who now 

 rank among the most celebrated names of scientific Europe, 

 and who, no doubt, will not fail to pay this pious debt of 

 gratitude, and fulfil the duties of friendship. My object will 

 therefore be confined to laying before you a concise account of 

 the course of a life as glorious as it was active and laborious. 



Jean-Jacob Bekzelius was born on the 29th August 

 1779, at Vasersunda, a village nearLinkceping, in the ancient 

 province of Ostrogothia. His fatlier was the teacher of a 

 parish school in tliat place, — an employment of some consi- 

 deration in Sweden. We have no information respecting 

 Berzelius' early years ; it appears to have been his father 

 who taught him the first elements of knowledge. At the 

 age of seventeen he entered the University of Upsal, with 

 the intention of studying medicine. Afzelius, nephew of 

 Bergmann, was Professor of Chemistry in that University, 

 with Ekeberg as his assistant. 



Poor as science was at this period, the lectures were not 

 arranged in such a manner as to present the existing know- 

 ledge in a form which might enable the student to under- 

 stand it readily ; they were simply read, without being illus- 

 trated bv experiments or demonstrations. Afzelius and 

 Ekeberg appear to- have given very little interest to their 

 courses. A few tolerable analyses which they executed 

 constitute their only title to the honour of having guided the 



