STUDIES CHEMISTRY. 287 



author* of the Calligraphia Grseca. He was not long, 

 however, in perceiving the immense superiority of one of 

 his pupils, and he recognized, with praiseworthy modesty, 

 that in their common studies the true tutor was not 

 always he who bore that title. At this period Young 

 drew up, continually referring to the original sources, a 

 detailed analysis of the numerous systems of philosophy 

 which were professed in the different schools of Greece.f 

 His friends spoke of this work with the most lively ad 

 miration. I know not whether the public is destined 

 ever to see it. At all events it was not without influence 

 on the life of its author, for in giving himself up to an 

 attentive and minute examination of the singularities 

 (to use a mild term) with which the conceptions of the 

 Greek philosophers teemed, Young perceived the attach 

 ment which he retained to the principles of the sect in 

 which he was born became weakened. However, he did 

 not separate entirely from it till some years afterwards, 

 during his sojourn in Edinburgh. 



The little studious colony at Youngsbury quitted the 

 country during some months in the winter to reside in 

 London. During one of these excursions Young met 

 with a teacher worthy of him. He was initiated into 

 chemistry by Dr. Higgins, } whose name I can the less 

 dispense with mentioning since, in spite of his earnest and 

 frequent remonstrances, there was an obstinate disincli 

 nation to acknowledge the share which legitimately be 

 longed to him in the establishment of the theory of 

 * Mr. Hodgkin. 



f This work is not mentioned by Dr. Peacock. Translator. 

 % The share borne by Dr. Higgins in the suggestion or discovery of 

 the atomic theory has been variously estimated. For an apparently 

 perfectly fair view of the case, the reader is referred to Dr. Daubeny s 

 Atomic Theory, p. S3. Translator. 



