GERMAN SCIENCE 103 



There yet remains to record of Liebig the chief service 

 which induces me to lay such stress upon his influence on 

 German science. He was the first man not only in Germany 

 but in the world to found a great school of instruction 

 in experimental chemistry. His laboratory at Giessen and 

 his methods of teaching were the model on which all chemical 

 instruction, and scientific instruction in general, have since 

 been based, and for many years Giessen was the Mecca to 

 which all chemical pilgrims wended their way. It was there 

 that were trained the first great modern teachers of chemistry 

 in Germany, France, and England. When systematic chemical 

 instruction for students was provided in England in the year 

 1845 by the establishment of the Royal College of Chemistry 

 in London, the first professor was one of Liebig's most 

 distinguished pupils, A. W. Hofmann. 



Again we must note that Liebig's laboratory was not a mere 

 mart of knowledge ; it was a centre of inspiration. The study 

 of chemistry was there nothing more or less than the impas- 

 sioned pursuit of truth. He was a teacher among teachers. 

 ' There was ', says Hofmann, ' an earnestness, an enthusiasm in 

 all he said which irresistibly carried away the hearer. Nor was 

 it so much the actual knowledge he imparted which produced 

 this effect, as the wonderful manner in which he called forth 

 the reflective powers of even the least gifted of his pupils. 

 And what a boon it was, after being stifled by an oppressive 

 load of facts, to drink the pure breath of science such as flowed 

 from Liebig's lips what a delight after having, perhaps, 

 received from others a sackful of dry leaves, suddenly by 

 Liebig's lectures to see the living, growing tree ! ' 



* We felt then, we feel still, and never while we live shall we 

 forget Liebig's marvellous influence over us ; and if anything 

 could be more astonishing than the amount of work he did 

 with his own hands, it was probably the mountain of chemical 

 toil he got us to go through. I am sure that he loved us in 



