136 BIOGRAPHIES OF SCIENTIFIC MEN 



by his views on the famous periodic law, and he says 

 in the preface to The Principles of Chemistry, " that the 

 entire scheme of the work is subjected to the law of 

 periodicity." 



Such is a short account of Russia's greatest chemist. 



The rivers of Siberia, the native country of Mendeleeff, 

 even in their lower latitudes, are ice-bound from the 

 beginning of November to the beginning of May; and 

 during the winter the smaller tributaries freeze to the 

 bottom. . . . The grim story of political persecution 

 and astounding cruelties as practised in " Holy Russia" 

 revolt against humanity. The fiendish cruelty of the 

 Russian soldier in flogging, kicking, and torturing 

 prisoners is proverbial. The officer in charge of a con- 

 voy of prisoners on their way to Siberia " expresses the 

 hope that the prisoners may suffer all the tortures of 

 Hades for ever, and taste a fair sample of them even 

 upon this earth." 



And don't you whine, that in your youth 



You had to bear the cold ; 

 For, when you go to hell, forsooth, 



You get it hot, I'm told. 



Maxim Gorky. 



This is the country where Mendeleeff was born, and 

 lived the earlier portion of his existence. It may have 

 had something to do in moulding his character " dediscit 

 animus sero quod didicit diu." 



