334 5ow^ Account of Richard Kirivan, "Efq, 



inquirer into the ph^erlomena of nature. Having devoted his 

 attention to chemiftry and natural philofophy, He fet out in 

 this new mode of hfe, in or near London, about the year 

 1^79 or i7;'o. He made his debut with fome papers read 

 in the Roval Society, for which he received the Copley 

 lYiedal, about the year 1781. The titles of thefe papers are 

 as follow : — Experiments and Obfervations on the Specific 

 Gravities and Attraftive Powers of various Saline Sub- 

 ftanccs: rend Nov, 16, 1780. — Continuation of thefe Experi- 

 ments and Obfervations: read April li, 1782. — Conclufion. 

 of the Experiments and Obfervations concerning the Attrac- 

 tive Powers of ihe Mineral Acids: read Dec. 12, 1782. — 

 Remarks on Mr. Cavcudifh's Experiments on Air: read 

 Feb. 5, 1784. — Reniarkson Specific Gravities, taken at differ- 

 ent Degrees of Heat; and an eafy Method of reducing them 

 to a common Standard : read Feb. 17, 1785. — Experiments 

 on Hepatic Air: read Dec. 22, 1785. 



Mr, Kirwan returned to his native country about the year 

 1789, and fome time after was appointed Prefident of the 

 Royal Irifh Academy ; a place which he continues to hold, 

 with honour to himfelf and advantage to the philofophical 

 •world. Tlie papers with which he has enriched the Tranf- 

 'aftions of the learned body over which he prefides are : An 

 Effay on the Variations of the Barometer : read March i, 

 1788. — Obfervations on Coal Mines: read Jan. to, 1789. — 

 Experiments on the Alkaline Subftances ufed in Bleaching; 

 and on the Colouring Matter of Linen Yarn : read April 4, 

 1789. — On the Strength of Acids and the Proportion of In- 

 gredients in Neutral Salts : read Dec. 24, 1790. — A Com- 

 parative View of Meteorological Obfervations made in Ire- 

 land fince the Year 1788, with fome Hints towards forming 

 Prognofticsof the Weather : read Feb. 2, 1793. — Reflcftions 

 on Meteorological Tables, afcertaiuing the precife Significa- 

 tion of the Terms Wet, Dry, and Variable : read July 23, 

 "1793. — State of the Weather in Dublin from the ifl of 

 June 1791 to the I ft of June 1793. — Examination of the 

 fuppofed IguGolis Origin of Stony Subllances: read Feb. 3, 

 1793. — I'.ifav in Anfwer to the following Queftion, propofed 

 by the Royal Irifli Academy : What are the Manures moft 

 advantageouflv applicable to the various Sorts of Soils, and 

 what arc the Caufes of their beneficial YJ^itSi in each parti- 

 cular Infiance? read Jan. 4, 1794. — Meteorological Obfer- 

 vatiins made in Ireland in the Year 1 793 : read Jan. 25, 1794. 

 — Experiments on a Ne\V Earth found near Stronthian in 

 Scotland : read Jan. 9, 1794. — Of the Coinpofition and Pro- 

 poriionof Carbon ift Bitumens andMineralCoal: read Dec. 19, 

 8 • I795-— 



