PNEUMATIC INSTITUTION. 439 



aside, endeavoured to upset, deserves to be registered in 

 the history of science as a great discovery, whatever 

 opinion we may entertain of it at the present day, owing 

 to knowledge that has become common.* 



The art of bleaching by means of chlorine, that beau- 

 tiful invention of Berthollet's, was introduced into Eng- 

 land by James Watt, after the journey he made to Paris 

 about the end of 1786. He constructed all the requisite 

 apparatus, directed its establishment, presided at the first 

 trials ; and then confided to Mr. Macgregor, his father- 

 in-law, the management of the new art. Notwithstanding 

 the solicitations of the illustrious engineer, our celebrated 

 countryman had obstinately refused^ to become a partner 

 in an enterprise which offered no unfavourable chance, 

 and the profits of which, it seemed, must become very 

 great. 



Scarcely had they discovered, during the second half 

 of the last century, the numerous gaseous substances, 

 which now act so important a part in the explanation of 

 chemical phenomena, when they thought of rendering 

 them useful in medicine. Dr. Beddoes followed up this 

 idea with sagacity and perseverance. Private subscrip- 

 tions even enabled him to establish a Pneumatic Institu- 



* Lord Brougham was present at the public meeting, where, in the 

 name of the Academy of Sciences I paid this tribute of gratitude and 

 admiration to Watt's memory. On his return to England he collected 

 some valuable documents, and again studied the historical question to 

 which I have devoted so much space, with the superiority of percep- 

 tion which is familiar to him, with the scrupulousness, in some meas- 

 ure justiciary, which might be expected from a former Lord Chancellor 

 of Great Britain. I owe to a degree of kindness, of which I feel the 

 full value, the advantage of being able to offer the public the hitherto 

 unpublished researches of my illustrious co-academician. See the end 

 of this eloge. 



I This expression is correct, however fabulous it may now appear. 



