THE CHEMIST; OR, REPORTER OF CHEMICAL DISCOVERIES AND AND PROTECTOR OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHEMIST EDITED BY CHARLES AND JOHN WATT. VOL. VI. VOL. III. NEW SERIES. LONDON: GEORGE PEIRCE, 310, STRAND. 1845. INTRODUCTION TO THE SIXTH VOLUME. NUMEROUS as the laborers in the Science of Chemistry have become, little, if anything, of considerable importance has been done during the past year. Indeed, we may safely affirm, that this year, of the whole period during which we have conducted this journal, has been the least productive of valuable additions to our knowledge in any department of Chemistry. This fact, however, is by no means matter of surprise, when we reflect on the circumstance that the rich mine has been zealously and industriously worked, to such an extent, indeed, as to leave much less to be done. But we think that Chemists have taken too much for granted; they have given an almost blind acquiescence to theories, in some instances, little better than dogmas, because, to verify or contradict them, involved much laborious and patient investigation, and because they had received the sanction, or had even emanated from, authority more brilliant than profound-more dazzling than luminous. They have, too, labored in a given direction; they have not troubled themselves much with ascertaining the correctness of that direction. Liebig's theories have been assumed to be correct; most experiments in organic chemistry have been based on that assumption. It has also been taken for granted, that the analyses of organic substances at present published are correct. Has this correctness been sufficiently demonstrated? Of the correctness of the bases on which many of these analyses are founded, we are extremely doubtful; a doubt shared by many esteemed and eminent scientific friends. Here is matter for labor; a direction in which the indus $25008 |