Biography of Berzelius. 17 



lius treated of bodies which, with the same composition, have 

 dissimilar characters, Dumas went so far as to put forward 

 the bold question, Whether many elementary bodies were 

 not allotropic conditions of one substance, especially such as 

 have the same, or very nearly the same, atomic weight, as 

 nickel and cobalt, platinum and iridium, &c, ? Berzelius fa- 

 voured this hypothesis, and regarded it as befitting, that new 

 ideas should be followed up in all directions, even when it is 

 not possible at the same time to adhere strictly to that which 

 is, for the moment, to be regarded as probable ; for truth 

 sometimes appears inconsistent at the first glance, and in 

 any case this was a way to arrive more rapidly at the results 

 which might follow from a new idea. Certainly, upon the 

 other hand, it cannot be denied that the question respecting 

 a relation similar to isomerism between elements which have 

 analogous but still distinctly different chemical characters, 

 belongs to a domain, where perhaps our conjectures will never 

 admit of being put to the proof. 



The next paper by Berzelius was upon Vanadium. Sefstrbm 

 had found a new metal in the bar-iron of Taberg, which he 

 called by this name. He had, however, restricted his in- 

 vestigation to the preparation of the oxide, or rather the 

 acid of this metal, from the finer slags of the Taberg iron, 

 and the determination of its distinguishing characters. He 

 then transferred his stock of Vanadic acid to Berzelius, in 

 order that he might investigate the characters and history of 

 the new metal. This investigation is a very extended one, 

 and through it we have become acquainted with the new 

 body in all its relations ; whilst, as these are manifold and 

 interesting, and as the acid has but little resemblance to 

 other acids, it was difficult to assign to it its true position 

 among them. In this respect the paper of Berzelius on va- 

 nadium may almost be compared with that upon selenium ; for 

 both have this peculiarity in common, that by them we have 

 become so thoroughly acquainted with new and hitherto en- 

 tirely unknown bodies, although in both instances but very mi- 

 nute quantities of rare material could be employed, that sub- 

 sequent investigations have added but little more at all, and 

 nothing essential. Vanadium was afterwards found at several 

 VOL. LIV\ NO. CVII. — JANUARY 1853. B 



