14 Biography of Berzelius. 
of want, and without public support, which, considering the is0- 
lated situation of Sweden, must have been especially depressing 
and unfavorable. The difficulties against which he had then to 
rzelius, in the first place, altered the methods of Klaproth, 
_ which at that time were the best, in so tar especially that he em- 
ployed considerably smaller quantities. The usual quantity ope- 
rated upon by Klaproth and other chemists was rather more than 
five grammes; Berzelius never took more than two or three 
grammes, generally less, determining this quantity, of course, ac- 
cording to the nature of the constituents of the body to be exam- 
ined. By employing more delicate balances, which Berzelius 
first introduced into use in chemistry, and by adequate care, re- 
ad the good fortune during my youth to assist the merito- 
rious Klaproth in his chemical investigations, though only during 
f 1816, when his labors were 
to each other as the respective accuracy of their results. 
The spirit-lamp, with double draught, was likewise introduced 
into use by Berzelins. Formerly the ignition even of the smal- 
lest quantities of a substance was effected over a charcoal fire. 
He was also the first to make use of the small platinum crucible, 
