33 
The March of English Chemistry. 
We are satisfied less with the state than with the prospects of 
chemistry. British chemists of late have done and are doing little; 
yet by them—near them—perhaps through them—the elements of 
much future doing are being eliminated and organized. The good 
times of chemistry r like those of politics in the idea of some people, 
are not come, but “ coming.” Medicine, manufactures, agriculture, 
many arts, and most sciences, are lending the work powerful, if 
not noisy, and efficient, if not connected, agencies: like the Popish 
army trained underground in the days of Titus Oates, unnumbered 
troops of chemists are everywhere preparing, or in preparation, for 
us (like them, too, many of them without their own knowledge), in 
workshops and hills, in schools and farm-houses, in pharmacies and 
mechanics’ institutes—the mute Miltons and inglorious Hampdens 
of a science which, through their unheeded labours, will one day 
break through the haze like a sun, pouring advantage over all. 
Literature was not more the passion of the last generation, nor are 
mechanics and engineering of the present, than will be chemistry 
of the next. With no pretension, it will discover that philoso¬ 
pher’s stone which alchemy failed to do with much; for the source 
of increased wealth in modern times—physical agencies at once 
cheapened and augmented, labour encouraged and energized, 
power made available to its last fraction—must be discovered here 
or nowhere. When chemistry shall do by wholesale and in public 
view what she now does in patentee-stealth and by retail, then, 
and not till then, will the mercantile people of England begin duly 
to appraise her importance, and give her the benefit of that torrent 
passion which, intermittingly visiting us, is spent in turns on 
crooked politics and direct roads, war with continental neighbours 
and humanity, with tropical strangers, machine labour at home and 
emigration in the colonies! 
Much as Liebig has been ill-treated in England—by partisan 
friends worse even than by jealous foes—it must be confessed that 
we shall owe to him and his school much of chemistry’s coming 
development. Great Britain, like Germany, is beginning to be 
dotted by chemical luminaries sent out from his German propa¬ 
ganda; men ardent as martyrs in the cause, and believing in their 
science with the fanaticism of faith and practice that belongs to a 
new revelation. Edinburgh has the indefatigable and zealous 
Gregory, who has already published as many chemical books as 
his master has made chemical discoveries. From Arthur’s Seat 
he scatters down the seeds of Giessen chemistry over the whole 
VOL. XXII. F 
