MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. XVli 



other merit, but that of their master, and who 

 extend it even to external preparations, for ex- 

 ample, to single parts of his apparatus, &c. 

 But they may be excused, after the proofs he 

 has given, how fully equal he is to his task, 

 by a series of experiments always so chosen, 

 that they have aided in the promotion of his 

 general object, while he has aroused in so many 

 others the true spirit of research, already re- 

 warded by most valuable results. 



From among the many examples of the skill 

 and sagacity of Liebig, we may mention his 

 examination of the Platinum-black (Platin- 

 schwarz), of Chloral, of Aldehyde * ; his the- 

 ory of Alcohol and of Ether, and that of the 

 formation of Acetic Acid (Essigbildung), of 

 Alkaloids, of the analysis of Organic Elements 

 (Organische Elementar-Analyse), on all of 

 which he has left the impress of his analytical 

 tact. Nor should we overlook his investigation 

 of the products of the decomposition of the 

 Sulphocyanates (Schwefel-Cyan), of the con- 



* Though not the discoverer of Aldehyde, Liebig was the 

 first to insulate it, and describe its properties. 

 6* 



