Biography of Berzelius. 111 
sometimes, on the contrary, especially in the physical part, scanty 
and imperfect. This is certainly true: but it was very natural 
that Berzelins should have a partiality for the treatment of those 
subjects in which he especially interested himself and of which 
€ was most master; but as he was almost equally at home in all 
parts of chemistry, this objection cannot be made to the strictly 
chemical parts of the reports. With regard to the physical part 
of the reports, Berzelius had only undertaken it because no other 
member of the Academy would or could do so. It was only in 
the years 1838 and 1839 that the report was written by Von 
Wrede. As Berzelius had only occupied himself with those parts 
of physics which were intimately connected with chemistry, it is 
almost only these parts which are touched upon in his reports. 
ence in his reports, and otherwise noticed only the geological re- 
searches referring to Sweden. In the latter volumes reports upon 
geology are altogether omitted. 
{ have thus attempted to furnish a sketch of the comprehensive 
Scientific activity of Berzelius. It is probably seldom that science 
is so greatly advanced through the labors of one man, and there 
is scarcely any chemist who has furnished such admirable and 
sound contributions. 
This representation of his scientific merits would, however, 
give only a feeble idea of the whole greatness of the man, were 
we to judge from it alone. It is rare that so perfect a corres- 
pondence of mind and character is found in any man. That 
those characters which placed him so high as a man; it was the 
consideration for others, the noble friendship which he evinced 
towards all whom he considered worthy of it, the lofty disinter- 
estedness, the extreme conscientiousness, the perfect and just re- 
cognition of the merits of others; in short, it was all those traits 
together which spring from a worthy and honorable character. 
hese were the sentiments which inspired all those who for a 
longer or shorter time came into contact’ with him, and especially 
his pupils—of whom our Academy contains more than all the rest 
of Germany—with the most pious respect for his memory. 
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