1818.] M. de Morveau. 405 



arithmetical notation to the relative forces of chemical attraction. 

 For this purpose equal plates of the different metals were pro- 

 cured ; and being in turn suspended to the arm of an assay 

 balance and counterpoised, were in this state applied to the 

 surface of fluid mercury ; and weights were added to the other 

 arm till each disk was separated from its adhesion to the mer- 

 cury. Each metal was thus found to adhere with a different 

 force ; the adhesion of gold equalled 446 gr. and that of iron 

 only 115 gr. the other metals arranging themselves in the fol- 

 lowing order from gold downwards, viz. silver, tin, lead, bismuth, 

 zinc, copper, antimony. The above order corresponds so nearly 

 with that of the relative affinity of the several metals for mercury, 

 as found by other means, as to render it highly probable that 

 the chief part of the adhesive force thus found by experiment, 

 is owing to chemical affinity, and, therefore, that the numerical 

 series of the weights required to overcome the adhesion is an 

 approximation towards the ratio of the respective affinities for 

 mercury of the metals operated on. The two upper terms, how- 

 ever, of the series are manifestly more incorrect than the others, 

 for mercury will adhere more or less to disks of these two 

 metals, and, therefore, when, in consequence of the counter 

 weight, the separation is effected, it will have taken place not 

 between the gold and the mercury, but between the mercuiy 

 adhering to the gold and the rest of this fluid. 



The above-mentioned investigations had begun to extend the 

 fame of Morveau to England, Germany, Sweden, and Italy, and 

 to procure for him the correspondence of Bergman, Kirwan, and 

 other illustrious foreigners ; and the discoveries of Scheele, of 

 Black, and of Priestley, had already begun to attract an unusual 

 share of public attention to the science of chemistry. For these 

 reasons it is not to be wondered at that those pursuits which were 

 at first only the amusement of his leisure, should rapidly acquire 

 in the mind of Morveau the predominance of a ruling passion. 

 Hence in 1776 we find him taking the somewhat unprofessional 

 step of delivering a series of public gratuitous lectures, in illus- 

 tration of his favourite science, before the Academy of Dijon, 

 the substance of which was printed in four successive volumes 

 in the course of the next two years, and added considerably to 

 the public reputation already enjoyed by their author. 



The name of Morveau now stood so high for extensive know r - 

 ledge and philosophical views on the subject of chemistry, with 

 most of the men of science at Paris, that when the New r Ency- 

 clopedia was projected, an offer of the chemical department was 

 made by the proprietors to Morveau. The solicitations of the 

 booksellers being warmly seconded by BufFon and others of his 

 scientific friends, M. Morveau was induced Xf> undertake the 

 laborious and important office of drawing up the chemical and 

 mineralogical dictionary, forming part of this great work, having, 

 however, secured a most able coadjutor for the metallurgical 



