BEGINNINGS OF MODERN CHEMISTRY 



plicable. But so it was. To the very last, after all his 

 friends had capitulated, Priestley kept up the fight. 

 From America he sent out his last defy to the enemy, 

 in 1800, in a brochure entitled " The Doctrine of Phlo- 

 giston Upheld," etc. In the mind of its author it was 

 little less than a paean of victory ; but all the world be- 

 side knew that it was the swan-song of the doctrine 

 of phlogiston. Despite the defiance of this single war- 

 rior the battle was really lost and won, and as the cen- 

 tury closed "antiphlogistic" chemistry had practical 

 possession of the field. 



