Philosophical Transactions, ^c, 361 



Art. XIV. — Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of 

 London, for the year 1829 : Part 1st, London, R.Taylor, 1829, 

 4to. pp. 238. 



The Royal Society of London, has lost within a short period, three 

 of its most distinguished members. These are Dr. Hyde WoUaston, 

 Sir Humphry Davy, and Dr. Young. The first unquestionably held 

 the highest place among the scientific men of England ; the second, 

 who was for several years President of the Society, is too well known 

 for his important chemical discoveries, to require more than the men- 

 tion of his name, to recall all his merits to the recollection of our 

 readers ; while the third was long the only person whom Great Britain 

 could hold up by the side of the continental school of mathematicians, 

 and who, if perhaps eclipsed of late by younger men in this depart- 

 ment of science, is still worthy of remembrance, in consequence of 

 his having kept up the succession of the pure sciences, at a time when 

 the narrow policy of Banks has almost caused their total oblivion. 

 The mathematical attainments of Young, were not, however, his sole 

 merits ; literature is indebted to him for the first important step in the 

 study of hieroglyphics, and from him ChampoUion was led to that in- 

 strument of discovery by which he promises to throw the most impor- 

 tant light upon the history of our race. 



Wollaston and Davy have occupied a great space in many previous 

 volumes of the Philosophical Transactions, and the part which is be- 

 fore us, contains several papers of the former, that, from their date of 

 publication, may be called posthumous, together with one by the lat- 

 ter. It has been urged as a reproach against men of science, that 

 they seldom apply their knowledge to the advancement of valuable 

 practical ends, but content with the simple pleasure of their research- 

 es, leave their uses out of view, and abandon the profit of their dis- 

 coveries to be reaped by those of less knowledge, but of more perse- 

 verance. Such was not the case with Wollaston, who not only made 

 many important discoveries in science, but in its application to the 

 arts accumulated what, even in England, was an ample competence, 

 and in our country would be considered a large fortune. 



The first paper in the half volume before us contains a complete 

 account of WoUaston's method of rendering Platina malleable, a pro- 

 cess founded on the most nice and delicate chemical investigations, 

 and which not only secured a fortune to the inventor, but has re- 

 dounded in innumerable ways to the interests of science. 



Vol. XVII.— No. 2. 19 



