LAUGEL'S PROBLEMS OF NATURE AND LIFE. 331 



tion of matter ; and bringing this knowledge into prac- 

 tice, is able, by chemical processes, to extricate the 

 most brilliant dyes from common coal-tar ; and to 

 derive from the nauseous dregs of distillation various 

 compounds gifted with fruit odours fragrant enough 

 to serve for the most delicate confectionery. 



These topics, however, involve too many details to 

 allow of our following them farther. But having named 

 analysis and synthesis, the terms which summarily 

 denote the processes nature employs, or man devises, to 

 bring about the changes in question, we will briefly 

 advert to the new channels, as they may fitly be called, 

 which have recently been opened out to analytic 

 chemistry. A new method of research may well take 

 rank among the highest discoveries, when, as often 

 happens, it is the prolific parent of them. 



The first of these methods is that of the Spectrum 

 Analysis, already abounding, as many of our readers 

 are aware, in wonderful results, though but a dozen 

 years ago the bare suggestion of a few men of genius 

 who looked forward in advance of their time. The 

 discoveries due to it are cosmical in the largest sense. 

 They directly associate chemistry with astronomy, and 

 give us a new knowledge of the sun and fixed stars 

 which it might well seem beyond human compass to 

 attain ; but, being attained, becomes the best augury 

 of what may hereafter be reached by similar research. 

 Descending from celestial to earthly analysis, we may 

 affirm it as probable that the four new metals caesium, 

 rubidium, thallium, and iridium would never have be- 

 come known to man but for those delicate spectrum 



