Ill MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



noticed. The attention of Professor Henry was turned to the 

 topic (as we happen to know) by an abstract which was given to 

 him of Dumas' celebrated lecture, in 1 s 1 1 , on the Chemical Statics 

 of Organized Beings. If he had published in 1844, with some 

 fullness, as he then wrought them out, his conception and his attract- 

 ive illustrations of the sources, transformation, and equivalence of 

 mechanical power,and given them fitting publicity, Henry's name 

 would have been prominent among the pioneers and founders of 

 the modern doctrine of the conservation of energy. 



In the year ls:J7 Professor Henry first visited Europe, and 

 came into personal communication with the principal men of science 

 of England, Scotland, and France. One of us had the pleasure, a 

 few years afterward, of hearing Faraday speak of Henry in 

 terms of hearty regard and admiration. The two men were in 

 some respects alike, wholly alike in genuine simplicity of character 

 and in disinterested devotion to scientific discovery. They were 

 then rival investigators in the same line; and the race for a time 

 was not unequal, considering how Henry was weighted with 

 onerous professional work. For Faraday, while that most acute 

 mind retained its powers, there was the congenial life of pure 

 research, undistracted by cares of administration or of instruction, 

 beyond a t\'\v popular lectures; supplied with every means of 

 investigation; stimulated by the presence or proximity of many 

 fellow-workers; rewarded by discovery after discovery, and not 



unconscious of the world's applause such was the enviable life 



of the natural philosopher favorably placed. But in this country, 

 where fit laborers are few, duty rather than inclination must deter- 

 mine their work. Midway in his course Professor Henry was 

 called to exchange a position which allowed the giving of consider- 

 able time to original researches, for one of greater prominence, in 

 which these had practically to be abandoned. Not, indeed, that 

 this was assuredly expected, but it was contemplated as probable. 



