purchase their experience at great cost. Why should not all these start where their predecessors ended, and not where they began? Education can enable them to do so. The application of science to the useful arts has changed, in the last half century, the condition and relations of the world. It seems to me that we have been somewhat neglectful in the cultivation and encouragement of the scientific portion of our national economy.

"Our country is rapidly increasing in population and wealth, and is probably destined in another quarter of a century to contain nearly as many inhabitants as now exist in France and England together.

"We have already in the United States a large body of young men who have received a classical education, many of whom find it difficult to obtain a livelihood in what are termed the learned professions. I believe the time has arrived when we should make an effort to diversify the occupations of our people, and develop more fully their strong mental and physical resources, throughout the Union. We have, perhaps, stronger motives in New England than in any other part of our country, to encourage scientific pursuits, from the fact that we must hereafter look for our main support to the pursuit of commerce, manufactures, and the mechanic arts; to which it becomes our duty, in my humble judgment, to make all the appliances of science within our power. We inherit, and are forced to cultivate a sterile soil; and what nature has denied, should be as far as possible supplied by art. We must make better farmers, through the application of chemical and agricultural science.

"We need, then, a school, not for boys, but for young men whose early education is completed, either in college or elsewhere, and who intend to enter upon an active life as engineers or chemists, or in general, as men of science, applying their attainments to practical purposes; where they may learn what has been done at other times and in other countries; and may acquire habits of investigation and reflection, with an aptitude for observing and describing.

"I have thought that the three great practical branches to which a scientific education is to be applied amongst us, are, 1st, Engineering; 2d, Mining, in its extended sense, including meteorology; 3d, the invention and manufacture of machinery. These must be deemed kindred branches, starting from the same point, depending in many respects on the same principles, and gradually diverging to their more special applications. Mathematics, especially in their application to the construction and combination of machinery, and chemistry, the foundation of knowledge and an all-important study for the mining engineer, and the key to the processes by which the rude ore becomes the tenacious and ductile metal. Geology, mineralogy, and the other sciences, investigating the properties and uses of materials employed in the arts, carpentry, masonry, architecture and drawing, are all studies which should be pursued to a greater or less extent in one or all of these principal divisions.

"To establish such a school as I have endeavored to describe in connection with the University, and under the care and general guidance of its government, requires buildings with suitable lecture-rooms and philosophical apparatus, with models and plans, and a place for their deposit and safe keeping, together with a Cabinet, where every de

scription of wood, ores, metals, &c. &c., may be deposited for the use of the students. Without the above appliances the professors would be workmen without tools. The University has already appointed Mr. Horsford, Rumford Professor, who proposes to give instruction upon an enlarged plan in the science of chemistry. I have often heard Professor Horsford spoken of in terms of high commendation, and as in all respects competent to take charge of this important department of science, and to bring out the most favorable results. The testimony rendered at home to Mr. Horsford's capacity has been very agreeable to me, and had satisfied me that the selection made by the government of the college was fortunate; but I have lately learned in addition to the high character given him by his friends here, that the great practical chemist of the age, (Liebig,) has given his most unqualified testimony to the ability and fidelity of Professor Horsford, who was the pupil of Baron Liebig for two years.

"I deem it of the highest importance, and in fact essential, that none but first rate men should occupy the Professors' Chairs in this School. Its success depends upon the characters of the instructors. They should be men of comprehensive views, and acknowledged talents, possessing industry and integrity, with an enthusiastic devotion to the great interests of science. They should love their profession, and work in it day by day. Such teachers will soon gather around them a large number of pupils.

66

To carry out this course of education in its practical branches, there should be the most thorough instruction in engineering, geology, chemistry, mineralogy, natural philosophy, and natural history. Chemistry is provided for, and in the last two branches, instruction might perhaps be given by the present College Professors. In addition to these, it would be necessary to obtain the services at stated periods of eminent men from the practical walks of life. The law school is taught by distinguished lawyers of the highest reputation. The medical school by distinguished physicians. In like manner, this school of science should number among its teachers men who have practiced, and are practicing the arts they are called to teach. Let theory be proved by practical results.

"To defray the expenditures, means must be procured for the erection of suitable buildings, (not including dwelling houses) the purchase of apparatus, furniture, &c. &c., and provision must be made for the comfortable support of the professors and other teachers employed. For this purpose, let the students be invited freely from all quarters, at a moderate charge for tuition. Let the numbers be only limited by the size of the lecture-rooms, and I cannot entertain a doubt that a large revenue would be derived from tuition fees. I would suggest three permanent professors, viz: one of chemistry (already appointed), one of engineering in its various branches, and one of geology. The support of the first is for the present provided for. For the other two a moderate fund must be obtained, as a nucleus of a farther sum which should be added to it, to make the capital equal to that of the Rumford Professorship. The professors in this school should depend, to a considerable extent, upon fees: it is the best guaranty to exertion and fidel. ity, and the permanent prosperity of the institution. I will, therefore, further suggest, that each of the above professors shall receive, after

all ordinary expenses shall have been paid, one half of the tuition fees till they amount to a sum annually not exceeding three thousand dollars, including their stated salaries; and that the government of the college pay such sums to other teachers, whether temporary or permanent, as they may deem expedient, and that the other half of the said tuition fees be reserved and added to any fund that may be hereafter contributed to establish and found the two professorships before mentioned.

"I have now, my dear sir, given you a brief and very imperfect sketch of such a school of science as I believe the condition of our extensive and growing country requires, and you will ask how the means are to be obtained to carry out the plan, when we shall soon have an appeal made to our liberality, as well as to the sense of our best interests, to contribute a large sum of money for the purpose of finishing the astronomical department so auspiciously commenced in Cambridge. This department of science has already engaged the public sympathy, and will, I doubt not, be taken up at an early day, and placed in an independent and useful position. I cherish a wish to see the observatory, the telescope, and every instrument required to prosecute the heavenly science, ready for use, and do not intend to interfere with the claims the world has upon our community to accomplish this great and important object. Nor do I mean to occupy the ground of another branch of science that will, I suppose, at a future time, present strong claims upon the public bounty. I allude to natural history now in charge of that accomplished naturalist, Dr. Gray. I wish to see all these branches of science prosecuted with vigor, and moving forward in perfect harmony at Cambridge.

"I therefore propose to offer, through you, for the acceptance of the President and Fellows of Harvard College, the sum of fifty thousand dollars, to be appropriated as I have indicated in the foregoing remarks. The buildings, I have supposed, without having made estimates, could be erected, including an extensive laboratory, for about thirty thousand dollars. If so, there will remain the sum of twenty thousand dollars; and I suggest, that whatever sum may remain, after the erection and furnishing of the buildings, should form the basis of a fund, which, together with one-half of the tuition fees, till the amount shall yield the sum of three thousand dollars annually, shall be equally divided between the professor of engineering and the professor of geology, and be made a permanent foundation for these professorships. The object is, to place the three professors in this school in the same pecuniary situa tions. I beg to suggest further, that the whole income of this school be devoted to the acquisition, illustration, and dissemination of the practical sciences forever.

"The details, however, and conditions of this donation, may be hereafter arranged between the Corporation and myself. I now leave the whole subject in the hands of the gentlemen composing the Corporation, in the hope and faith that the plan may be adopted, and executed with as much expedition as may be consistent with economy; and that it may prove to be honorable to the University, and useful to the country. "I pray you, dear sir, to believe I remain, most faithfully, your friend, ABBOTT LAWRENCE."

Boston, June 7, 1847.

SECOND SERIES, Vol. IV, No. 11.-Sept., 1847.

38

6. On some New Researches in Animal Chemistry, (extracted from a letter from Professor LIEBIG to Dr. A. W. HOFMANN, Phil. Mag., xxx, 412, June, 1847.)-I am at present occupied with the investigation of the constituents of the animal fluids which are found without the blood and lymphatic vessels. The fluid from flesh, for example, reacts strongly acid, and the question was, whence arose this acidity? After overcoming more difficulties than I have ever experienced in any investigation, I have for the first time indisputably proved that free lactic and phosphoric acid exist in the whole organism wherever muscle is found. How curious, that in the absence of all proofs on the part of the opponents of lactic acid, I should now demonstrate to them its existence in the flesh of oxen, fowls, calves, and sheep, by preparing and analyzing the most beautifully crystallized zinc and lime salts! How wonderful, that in the animal organism, acids and alkalies are found separated by a membrane, constituting myriads of little galvanic circles, which, as such, must produce chemical and electrical effects! To the latter class I refer all the observations of Matteucci, which can now be easily explained.

8

I have further found that the flesh of the muscles of oxen, fowls, sheep, calves, and the carnivorous pike, contain creatin, prepared by Chevreul eleven years ago, and which, from Berzelius's not being able to reproduce it, has since then, in a measure, disappeared from the field of science. Creatin is a beautiful substance, having the formula CN3H1106. At the temperature of 100° C. it loses 2 equivs. of water, and becomes C,N,H,O= glycocoll+ammonia or caffein+amidogen and water. Heated in a stream of hydrochloric acid, creatin loses four equivs. of water and takes up one of hydrochloric acid. By this treatment, however, its nature is entirely altered, being now converted into a beautiful organic base, the properties of which are totally different from those of creatin. It becomes now soluble in water, and forms with bichlorid of platinum a fine crystallized double salt.

8 3 9 4

I have, finally, discovered two other new bodies in the same fluids, of which one crystallizes in needles, the other in plates of the lustre of mother-of-pearl. Unfortunately, I have obtained scarcely sufficient for two analyses from forty lbs. of the flesh of oxen and twenty of that of fowls.

I see a boundless field before me, and doubt not that for every quality of the animal body, something which can be estimated quantitatively, will also be discovered to which it is indebted for its properties.

I have also satisfied myself as to the part which common salt plays in the bodies of animals. I have found that the fluids without the blood and lymphatic vessels contain only potash-salts, viz. chlorid of potas sium and phosphate of potash, with phosphate of magnesia, whilst the blood and lymph contain merely those of soda, (phosphate of soda.) If, therefore, the latter are indispensable to the formation of blood and the processes of life, it is evident that an animal on the continent, which finds in plants only potash-salts, should have chlorid of sodium given to it, by means of which the phosphate of potash of the seeds and the rest of the plant is transformed into chlorid of potassium and phosphate of soda. I found further that the salt brine which flows from salted meat contained certainly alkaline phosphates, and that scurvy is hence easily

explained by the deficiency in the salted meat of the alkaline phosphates necessary to the formation of blood. The soup from boiled meat contains the soluble phosphates of the flesh, and the meat itself the insoluble. Neither the soup nor the flesh alone can maintain the processes of life, but both must be taken together. The English have in this respect hit upon the proper practice. In a theoretical point of view their food is more correctly combined than that of the Germans.

Still more wonderful results have been obtained by the oxydation of casein by means of peroxyd of manganese and sulphuric acid, by M. Gugelberger. Three products are obtained: the first of which is aldehyde, the second oil of bitter almonds, and the third a fluid ethereal body with a composition similar to metacetone. The aldehyde was analyzed as aldehydite of ammonia, of which a considerable quantity was obtained. From oil of bitter almonds the most beautiful benzoic acid was produced by the action of chlorine.

From these results a sort of conception may be obtained how and wherefore many medicines have a certain deleterious or useful action. Urea, creatin, glycocoll, leucin, cystin, &c., are organic bases, and only products of the animal body or its elements, and organic bases are partly poisonous, partly beneficial in their action. I have caused the new experiments of Mulder on his protein to be repeated. The substance prepared by Fleitmann in this laboratory, according to his new method, and supposed to be free from sulphur, still contains 1.5 per cent., as does likewise a similar preparation by Laskowski.

7. Palæontographical Society of London.-The Palæontographical Society has been instituted the present year, and as organized, Sir Henry T. De La Beche, is President, and Prof. Bell, Prof. Forbes, Charles Lyell, Esq., Prof. J. Phillips, and other men of distinction are the Council.

From the Prospectus we observe that it is the object of the Society to figure and describe as complete a stratigraphical series of British fossils as can be accomplished, including both the published and the unpublished species. It is proposed that the work shall be quarto, and that each plate shall, on the average, contain about twenty figures, illustrating half as many species, or more, according to circumstances. The work will be produced in the form of monographs, by various authors. As a commencement of the series, the whole of the British tertiary fossils are in course of being described and figured, under the superintendence of Mr. Searles Wood, Mr. F. E. Edwards, Mr. Flower, Mr. Smith, of Jordan Hill, and other gentlemen of well known geological experience. No precise order of publication will be adhered to, but it is proposed that monographs of portions of the secondary series shall also be produced as early as the nature of such undertakings will permit. The copper-plates are being executed by the Messrs. Sowerby, and other artists of eminence in this department of engraving.

Calculations have been carefully made, which show, that if 1000 members be acquired, and 1250 copies be printed, sixty plates and letter-press may be given annually to each member for his subscription of £1 18.