AND SCHONBEIN 27 



is said to have the power of bringing iron into this 

 condition. It would be well worth while investigating 

 to what extent the other two magnetic metals, 

 nickel and cobalt, have this property ; even if they do 

 not possess it to the same degree, they may show 

 some indications of its existence. 1 



I hope you do not intend to abandon this work 

 just yet ; it is conceivable that you may be able to 

 discover a method for making iron in any quantity 

 retain this condition for any length of time : such 

 a discovery would be of the highest value. 



I have the honour to remain, 



With the profoundest respect, 



Yours obediently, 



JAG. BERZELIUS. 



In a letter, written in French, of the 12th of January 

 1838, Berzelius as permanent secretary of the Academy 

 acknowledges the receipt of the paper entitled : " The 

 behaviour of iron towards oxygen," 2 and to the printed 

 form adds a few words of thanks on his own behalf for 

 the copy sent to him personally. 



The letter, however, contains nothing worth reprinting. 



Jahrb., vol. xix. (1827) p. 470 ; vol. xx. (1827) pp. 88 and 129 ; 

 vol. xxv. (1829) p. 206 ; Fechner, ibid., vol. xxii. (1828) p. 27 ; 

 vol. xxiii. (1828) pp. 61, 129 and 429 ; vol. xxv. (1829) p. 223 ; 

 Fischer, Poggend. AnnaL, vol. vi. (1826) p. 43 ; Herschel, ibid.j 

 vol. xxxii. (1834) p. 211 ; cf. also Mousson, ibid., vol. xxxix. 

 (1836) p. 330. 



1 Cf. Schonbein, Phil. Mag., vol. xi. (1837) p. 544 ; and 

 Poggend. Annal., vol. xliii. (1838) p. 18. 



2 " Das Verhalten des Eisens zum Sauerstoff. Ein Beitrag zur 

 Erweiterung electro-chemischer Kenntnisse." Von Dr. L. [!] F. 

 Schonbein, Professor der Chemie in Basel. Basel, 1837. 



