Philosophical Transactions, &c. 361 
Arr. XIV.—Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of 
London, for the year 1829: Part Ist, London, R. 'Taytor, 1829, 
4to. pp. 238. 
Tur Royal Society of London, has lost within a short period, three 
of its most distinguished members. These are Dr. Hyde Wollaston, 
Sir Humphry Davy, and Dr. Young. The first unquestionably held 
the highest place among the scientific men of England; the second, 
who was for several years President of the Society, is too well known 
for his important chemical discoveries, to require more than the men- 
tion of his name, to recall all his merits to the recollection of our 
readers ; while the third was long the only person whom Great Britain 
could hold up by the side of the continental school of mathematicians, 
and who, if perhaps eclipsed of late by younger men in this depart- 
ment of science, is still worthy of remembrance, in consequence of 
his having kept up the succession of the pure sciences, at a time when 
the narrow policy of Banks has almost caused. their total oblivion. 
The mathematical attainments of Young, were not, however, his sole 
merits ; literature is indebted to him for the first important step in the 
study of hieroglyphics, and from him Champollion was Jed to that in- 
strument of discovery by which he promises to throw the most impor- 
tant light upon the history of our races ca Sagat ta 
Wollaston and Davy have occupied a great space in many previous 
volumes of the Philosophical Transactions, and the part which is be- 
fore us, contains several papers of the former, that, from their date of 
publication, may be called posthumous, together with one by the lat- 
ter. Ithas been’ urged as a reproach against men of science, that 
they seldom apply their knowledge to the advancement of valuable 
practical ends, but content with the simple pleasure of their research- 
es, leave their uses out of view, and abandon the profit of their dis- 
coveries to be reaped by those of less knowledge, but of more perse- 
verance. Such was not the case with Wollaston, who not only made 
many important discoveries in science, but in its application to the 
arts accumulated what, even in England, was an ample competence, 
and in our country would be consi ered a large fortune. 
The first paper in the half volume before us contains a complete 
account of Wollaston’s method of rendering Platina malleable, a pro- 
cess founded on the most nice and delicate chemic investigations, 
and which not only secured a fortune to the inventor, but has re- 
dounded in innumerable ways to the interests of science. 
Vou. XVIL.—No. 2. 19 
