Though the whole of Bergman's life was devoted chiefly to experimental chemistry, and to the- disco very of facts, yet he did, not scruple to venture into the regions of hypothesis. The combination of loose and unconnected facts by an hypothesis, however arbitrary may be its assumptions, is a great step to a legitimate theory ; and, during the last century, has been of immense service, to the progress of - science. In former ages, when the method of induction was unknown, and when facts were accommodated to pre conceived notions, hypothesis was', fatal to the pro -*gess of discovery ; but we have lately what valuable accessions mineralogy has received from the contentions between the Huttonians and Wernerians. ,The -theory of the earth which has been given by BergMan, supposes that the globe was originally a nucleus, probably magnetie,'surrounded with, a fluid, suspension or solution all the elements of bodies. In consequence. of, its rotatory motion, the equatorial parts swelled out from its centre : the denser and less soluble materials formed the first ele vations upon the nucleus : the saline and metallic sub stances insinuated themselves into the crevices : the crystallizations were formed and deposited according to their affinities and densities : the waters, condensed towards the poles, became solid masses, constantly increasing ; and being thus diminished in volume, they run into the hollows among the mountains that gradually rose from below, and obeyed the force of universal gravitation : the lighter bodies floated on the surface, while others of greater density sunk to the bottom : gases of different kinds were disenga ged from the earth, and meteors were generated in the atmosphere.
In 1773, Bergman published a Memoir on the principal characters of earths, which carried off the prize given by the Royal Society of Sciences at Montpellier ; and some years afterwards his research es on the analysis of indigo were well received by the Academy of Sciences at Paris.
• The short history which we have now given of the discoveries and writings of Bergman, includes the principal events of his life, which was marked by few incidents that can gratify the curiosity of his ad mirers. He was raised to the dignity of rector of the university of Upsal ; and in this important office he maintained peace and tranquillity between the two parties into which the p?ofessors were divided.
. In the year 1776, the king of Prussia invited Bergman to settle at Berlin among the illustrious characters, with whom that monarch had encircled his throhe ; but though a regard for his health might have incited him to remove to a warmer climate, yet the kindness which he had received from the King of Swcden over every personal considera• tion, and induced him to remain in his native coun try. The constitution of I3er&man was now on the.
decline. Palpitations of the heart, and violent head interrupted his labours ; and his physicians ad vised him to abandon all his studies. He obtained great relief • from natural and artificial mineral wa ters • and in the hopes of receiving more effectual benefit, lie went to drink the waters at Medwi in '1784, but his strength was insufficient for the fa tigues of the journey, and he expired soon after his arrival, on the 8th of July 178••, in the 50th year of his age.
In estimating the merits of this illustrious philo sophcr, we are not entitled to apply the standard by which talents are generally measured. When we consider only the extent of his labours, and the num ber and importance of his discoveries, we cannot fail to form the highest opinion of his industry and ge nius but when we reflect, that all these labours were performed, and all these discoveries made, in the short space of 17 years, the talents of Bergman shine with new splendour, and we can scarcely find a place too high for him in the rank of chemical phi: losophers. Had Bergman entered upon the study of chemistry at an_early age, and prosecuted it with vi gour- through the ordinary term of human life, what a vast-accession rof new facts would chemistry have received from his .labours, and what a commanding station would' he have held in the lists of genius ! During his short life, Bergman was created a knight of the royal order of Vasa ; a member of the Academy of Sciences at Upsal ; an associate of the Academy of Sciences at Paris; a fellow of the Royal Society of London, and a member of the academies of Berlin, Stockholm, Dijon Montpellier, Gottingen, Turin, Gottenburg, and Lund ; and after his death, the university of Upsal paid the highest honours to his memory, and a medal was stuck by order of the Academy of Stockholm, to perpetuate the sorrow which they felt for his loss.
In the year 1771, Bergman married a Miss Ca therine Trast, an accomplished and amiable lady, with whom he enjoyed all the happiness of domestic life but that 'which arises from a family. She was fond of botany and natural history, the studies which Bergman had unwillingly forsaken ; and he derived great pleasure from seeing before him the plants and insects which she reared, and which had been the ob-. jects of his former researches.
The principal works of Bergman are his Opusada Physiea ct Chendea, pleraque seorsint antea edita jam ab auetore collecta revise ct aueta, 3 vols 8vo, 1779, 1780, 1783. This work was translated into Eng lish by Dr Cullen of Dublin, in 2 vols 8vo, with notes and illustrations ; and also into French by M. Morveau. Physik Beskrifnung offocr Jordklotel, or Physical Description of the Earth, in 2 vols. Es jay on the utility of Chemistry, which originally ap peared in 1779 in Swedish, and was translated into English in 1783. Meditationes de Systemate Fossi liern naturali, published in the. Act. Upsal. 1784, vol. iv. and translated into English in 1788. De Primordds Chenthr, 1777. Chemicc Progresses a medio, Src. vii. ad med. Snc. xvii. 1782. Sciagra phia illineralis Lips. 1782, translated into French. by Mongez, and into English by Withering. Sec_ CIIEMISTItY, and SCILELLE. (0)