FORCE. 383 



that essay, though from a recent article in ' Macmillan's 

 Magazine ' I infer that he is now aware of it. Mayer's 

 physiological writings have been referred to by physi- 

 ologists by Dr. Carpenter, for example in terms of 

 honouring recognition. We have hitherto, indeed, ob- 

 tained fragmentary glimpses of the man, partly from 

 physicists and partly from physiologists; but his total 

 merit has never yet been recognised as it assuredly 

 would have been had he chosen a happier mode of 

 publication. I do not think a greater disservice could 

 be done to a man of science, than to overstate his 

 claims: such overstatement is sure to recoil to the dis- 

 advantage of him in whose interest it is made. But 

 when Mayer's opportunities, achievements, and fate 

 are taken into account, I do not think that I shall be 

 deeply blamed for attempting to place him in that 

 honourable position, which I believe to be his due. 



Here, however, are the titles of Mayer's papers, the 

 perusal of which will correct any error of judgment 

 into which I may have fallen regarding their author. 

 ' Bemerkungen iiber die Krafte der unbelebten Natur,' 

 Liebig's ' Annalen,' 1842, Vol. 42, p. 231; ' Die Organ- 

 ische Bewegung in ihrem Zusammenhange mit dem 

 Stoffwechsel,' Heilbronn, 1845; ' Beitrage zur Dynamik 

 des Himmels,' Heilbronn, 1848; 'Bemerkungen iiber 

 das Mechanische Equivalent der Wanne/ Heilbronn, 

 1851. 



IN MEMORIAM. Dr. Julius Robert Mayer died at 

 Heilbronn on March 20, 1878, aged 63 years. It gives 

 me pleasure to reflect that the great position which he 

 will for ever occupy in the annals of science was first 

 virtually assigned to him in the foregoing discourse. 

 He was subsequently chosen by acclamation a member 



