EPOCH OF THE THEORY OF OXYGEN. 153 



possessing clearly the idea of quantitative composi- 

 tion, applied it steadily to a great range of well- 

 ascertained facts. This is, as we have often had to 

 observe, precisely the universal description of an 

 inductive discoverer. It has been objected, in like 

 manner, to the originality of Newton's discoveries, 

 that they were contained in those of Kepler. They 

 were so, but they needed a Newton to find them 

 there. The originality of the theory of oxygen is 

 proved by the conflict, short as it was, which ac- 

 companied its promulgation ; its importance is 

 shown by the changes which it soon occasioned in 

 every part of the science. 



Thus Lavoisier, far more fortunate than most 

 of those who had, in earlier ages, produced revolu- 

 tions in science, saw his theory accepted by all the 

 most eminent men of his time, and established over 

 a great part of Europe within a few years from 

 its first promulgation. In the common course of 

 events, it might have been expected that the later 

 years of his life would have been spent amid the 

 admiration and reverence which naturally wait upon 

 the patriarch of a new system of acknowledged 

 truths. But the times in which he lived allowed 

 no such euthanasia to eminence of any kind. The 

 democracy which overthrew the ancient political 

 institutions of France, and swept away the nobles 

 of the land, was not, as might have been expected, 

 enthusiastic in its admiration of a great revolution 

 in science, and forward to offer its homage to the 



