Chap. II.] Chemical Philosophy. 135 



Wenzeljienkel, Jacquin, Meyer, Crell, and Hermb- 

 stadt, of Germany j to say nothing of many others, 

 equally entitled to praise, in almost every cultivat- 

 ed part of Europe*. 



From the above general statement, it appears 

 that within the last half century the empire of 

 chemistry has been wonderfully extended. It is 

 but a short time since this science recognised, as 

 the subjects of her sway, only a few vie tab and 

 medicines. She has lately subjected to her sceptre 

 the various kinds of earths found in the composi- 

 tion of our globe; the different //^/(/^^ with which 

 we are conversant, whether of the aqueous or gase- 

 ous form; the various kinds of vegetable, animal^ 

 and mineral bodies which surround us -, and almost 

 every substance capable of composition or analj^sis. 

 In short, she has extended her claims to every 

 species oi animate and inanimate matter, and main- 

 tains authority over a territory of physical science 

 w^hich may be called immense, when compared 

 with her former dominions. 



But chemistry has not only gained, during the 

 eighteenth century, a great extent of empire ; it is 

 also distinguished for having acquired, in the same 

 period, a more practical and useful cast than 

 ever before. By its ancient cultivators chemistry 

 was chiefly regarded as an object of curiosity, or 

 as a source of amusement. But in the hands of 

 later chemists it has been converted into a very 



* The contributions made to chemical knowledge by most of 

 i\\e above named gentlemen may be found either in distinct 

 works, published by themselves, or in the Philosophical Irnnsac- 

 tions, the Journal dc PhyuquCy the Annates dc Chimie, or other 

 scientific journals. 



