CHEMISTRY. 127 



LESSON 58. .. 

 Cliemistry. 



Chemistry is an instructive, interesting, and valuable 

 science. Within the last sixty years its empire has been 

 wonderfully extended. There is scarcely an art of human 

 life which it is not fitted to subserve ; scarcely a department 

 of human inquiry or labour, either for health, pleasure, orna- 

 ment, or profit, which it may not be made in its present im- 

 proved state, eminently to promote. To the husbandman 

 this science furnishes principles and agents of inestimable 

 value. It teaches him the food of plants, the choice and 

 use of manures, and the best means of promoting the vigour, 

 growth, productiveness, and preservation of the various vege- 

 table tribes. To the manufacturer chemistry has lately be- 

 come equally fruitful of instruction and assistance. In the 

 arts of brewing, tanning, dyeing, and bleaching, its doc- 

 trines are important guides. In making soap, glass, pottery, 

 and all metallic wares, its principles are daily applied, and 

 are capable of a still more useful application, as they be- 

 come better understood. Indeed, every mechanic art, in 

 the different processes of which heat, moisture, solution, mix- 

 ture, or fermentation is necessary, must ever keep pace in 

 improvement with this branch of philosophy. To the phy- 

 siciar/ this science is of still greater value, and is daily grow- 

 ing in importance. He learns from it to compound his me- 

 dicinesi, to disarm poisons of their force, to adjust remedies 

 to diseases, and to adopt general means of preserving health. 



To the student of natural history chemistry furnishes in-^ 

 struction at every step of his course. To the public econo* 

 mist it ^resents a treasure of useful information. By means of 

 this science alone can he expect to attack with success the de- 

 stroy in ${ pestilence, and to guard against other evils to which 

 the state of the elements gives rise. And to the successful 

 prosecution of numberless plans of the philanthropist, some 

 acquamtance with the subject in question seems indispensably 

 necessary. Finally, to the domestic economist this science 

 abounds with pleasing and wholesome lessons. It enables 

 him to make a proper choice of meats and drinks ; it di- 

 rects h>m to those measures with respect to food, clothing, a»d 



