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general custom at that time prevailing in Sweden, he contented him- 

 self with reading his discourses, without attempting any experimental 

 illustrations. It was not until after his visit to England in the year 

 1812, during which he was present at some of the lectures delivered 

 by Dr. Marcet at Guy's Hospital, that he altered his style. It is 

 related, that at the request of Berzelius, Dr. Marcet furnished him 

 with a list of experiments adapted for exhibition in the class-room. 

 On his return he immediately adopted the demonstrative method of 

 teaching, and speedily improved upon and added to the hints which 

 he brought with him from England, and soon rendered his course 

 highly popular and attractive. 



From this time titles and decorations flowed in upon him ; he was 

 knighted, subsequently appointed Commander of the Order of Wasa, 

 and eventually was made a peer of the realm ; and although these 

 honours added nothing to the lustre of his name, they yet showed 

 that his countrymen could appreciate a man who, by his numerous 

 and important discoveries, so eminently adorned and dignified his 

 native land. In the year 1813 he was made a Foreign Member of 

 the Royal Society, and indeed he was elected before his death a 

 fellow of almost every scientific society in the world ; amongst others, 

 he became one of the eight Foreign Members of the French Academy 

 of Sciences. 



At the age of 33 he was elected President of the Stockholm Aca- 

 demy of Sciences, and it was as Perpetual Secretary to that body, a 

 post which he held till his death, that he published those valuable 

 yearly critical reports upon the progress of Physics and Chemistry 

 which he commenced in 1822, and which exercised so wholesome an 

 influence upon the progress of research. These reports combined a 

 masterly review of diflferent important theories as they arose, with a 

 clear and concise retrospect of the advances made in the science in 

 the intervals of their appearance. 



Berzelius did not marry till late in life. In 1832 he resigned that 

 Professorship which for six-and-twenty years he had held with such 

 renown ; he did not however relax in his zealous devotion to that 

 science, the advancement of which had formed the chief business of 

 his life, and was occupied till within a short period of his death in 

 preparing for the press the fifth edition of his ' System of Chemistry,' 

 a work in eight 8vo volumes, which displays in a striking manner 

 the laborious industry and minute accuracy which characterized him. 

 During the last two or three years of his life his bodily powers began 

 to fail, and about six or eight months before his death he was attacked 

 with paralysis of the lower extremities ; his mind however continued 

 active and vigorous, but his strength gradually sank, and he expired 

 tranquilly on the 1st of August 1848. 



In person Berzelius is described as of stout make and of middle 

 size, capable of much physical endurance ; he possessed a mild, agree- 

 able expression of countenance, and a peculiarly pleasing smile ; his 

 manners were extremely simple and unpretending, but at the same 

 time courteous and polished. It may be taken as a strong proof of 

 his generous and candid disposition, and of the high respect enter- 



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