BENJAMIN SILLIMAN 



CHEMIST 



1779-1864 



BY DANIEL COIT OILMAN 



BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, for fifty years a leader among the sci- 

 entific men of the United States, has won the grateful remem- 

 brance of his countrymen by important services in four distinct 

 fields. 



He was an admirable teacher of undergraduates in Yale 

 College, and was an efficient aid in building up every department 

 of that famous institution during his long connection with it. 



He was a pioneer in providing advanced instruction for special 

 students of science. 



By his lectures delivered in every part of the country, he 

 contributed, in a large degree, to the promotion of a love of sci- 

 ence and to the foundation of scientific institutions. 



He began and maintained, with much sacrifice, the American 

 Journal of Science which has continued for nearly fourscore years 

 and ten to be a leading repository of American science. 



An extended memoir of Professor Silliman, including extracts 

 from his correspondence, was prepared and published soon after 

 his death by one of his younger colleagues, Professor George P. 

 Fisher. This work is so complete and is based on such trust- 

 worthy papers, that very little, if anything, can be added to it. 

 Moreover, the memoir is so readable that the present writer 

 would not venture upon the preparation of this paper, were it 

 not that younger generations, to whom "Professor Silliman" 

 is a name and but little more, may read a short article while a 



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