Liebig's Organic Chemistry applied to Agriculture. 541 



ingenious production, and as a torclf, calculated to spread light over 

 the darkest mazes and labyrinths of science ; but at the same time 

 voices were heard from all sides contradicting its principles. As the 

 number of the latter is daily increasing, it is to be apprehended that 

 the book will fall into discredit with the same rapidity with which it 

 has risen above the common level. In investigating the real value 

 of this work it is not difficult to point out that part by which it ob- 

 tained the approbation of so many persons in so short a time. It is 

 much less easy to lay open with precision and clearness those nu- 

 merous errors and deficiencies, which no doubt will soon produce a 

 decided alteration, and cause it to fall as quickly as it has risen. A 

 work may easily get into favour with the public, which is written in 

 lively and bold language, full of confidence and certainty, and which 

 lays down in a few principles, expressed with perspicuity and pre- 

 cision, those scientific results which have been obtained by many 

 tedious and laborious researches during many centuries, and which 

 besides boldly establishes new laws, by which it seems easy to solve 

 with certainty the most difficult problems, and to explain the most 

 complicated phenomena. Such a book is sure to get into favour 

 with that portion of the public which, incapable of forming its own 

 opinion on the matter, wishes to be put in possession of the results 

 of scientific researches, if that end can be obtained without follow- 

 ing the deep investigations of scientific naturalists ; and especially 

 if the book be written in a language adapted to moderate talents 

 and pretty free from technical terms. Had the book appeared under 

 a different title, nobody would have found fault with its author or 

 entered into a dispute with him ; for no doubt agriculturists, and 

 other practical men, may learn many useful things from it, which 

 they must otherwise have collected from many works with great 

 labour. But the title of the book, and still more the account the 

 author gives in the introduction (p. ix.) of what induced him to 

 undertake it, has subjected his publication to strict criticism, in 

 order to ascertain its real value in a scientific point of view. The 

 title of the book alone shows, that a single person is not able to 

 form a just idea of the value of its contents in all their bearings, and 

 that the opinion of the chemist, of tjie agriculturist, and the phy- 

 siologist, may differ much respecting that point. Up to this time 



