At that time Linnaeus, after having surmounted obsta cles sufficient to have crushed a man of ordinary energy, was in the height of his glory, and was revered every where as the patriarch of natural history. He had infus ed the enthusiasm which actuated his own breast into the minds of his pupils, and at Upsal every student was a natural historian. Bergman, in particular, attached him self to Linnaeus, and bestowed much pains on botany and entomology. This last branch of natural history is deep ly indebted to him. Ile first displayed in it those powers of arrangement which constitute the charm of his works, and that penetration which produced afterwards such im portant fruits. On his return to the university, he im parted his discoveries to Linnaeus, who sent them with a very flattering panegyric to the Academy of Stockholm, Vidi et obstuptti !'' In the year 1761, Bergman was appointed teacher of mathematics and natural philosophy at Upsal. lie was in this situation in 1767, when Wallerius, at that time professor of chemistry at Upsal, resigned his chair. Bergman offered himself as a candidate for the vacant professorship. But \Vallerius bad other plans. There was a relation of his own whom he wished to succeed b?rn, and the professors at Upsal had so much influence, that few doubted but he would accomplish his plan. Bergman, to shew himself qualified for the place to which he aspired, published two dissertations on alum, which were attacked by Wallerius in a style of acrimo ny altogether unworthy of his reputation. Gustavus IV. late king of Sweden, was at that time Prince Royal, and chancellor of the university. The character and abili ties of this extraordinary man, and the zeal with which he sometimes supported men of science, arc well known. Fortunately for chemistry, and for the reputation of Swe den, Gustavus took the part of Bergman, on the recom mendation, it is said, of Von Swab, who pledged himself to be answerable for his qualifications ; and he was so keen on the subject, that lie supported his cause in per son before the senate. \Vallerius and his party were of course baffled, and Bergman got the chair. He filled it with the greatest glory for seventeen years ; and, during that period, his numerous publications entirely altered the appearance of chemistry. He introduced an order, a perspicuity, an exactness, which were unknown be fore, and which were certainly one of the great causes of the subsequent rapid progress of the science. Their in fluence was universally felt ; and, as long as Bergman lived, he stood unrivalled on the continent at the head of the science.
But it was not his publications alone which constituted his merit. His lectures were no less valuable ; and many of the pupils whom lie educated, contributed, in no small degree, to spread his reputation. Galin, Hielm, Gadolin, the Elhuyarts, and many others who afterwards acquired celebrity, were educated by him. His first care, after obtaining the chair, was to collect all the different chemical substances, and their products, and to form them into a cabinet. Another cabinet contained the mi nerals of Sweden, arranged according to the places from which they were obtained ; and a third consisted of mo dels of the different instruments employed in chemistry and in chemical manufactures. These were designed for the instruction of his pupils, whom lie encouraged and inspired with that confidence and enthusiasm which is necessary for appearing with respectability in the repub lic of letters. One day he was told by one of his pupils of a young man who resided in the house of an apothe cary at Upsal, and who was reproached for neglecting his duties, that he might employ the whole of his time in the study of chemistry. Bergman's curiosity was ex
cited. He paid the young man a visit, and was astonish ed at the knowledge which he displayed, and the pro found researches which he had undertaken, notwithstand ing the poverty under which he laboured, and the re straint under which his situation placed him. He encou raged his ardour, and made him his favourite pupil and friend. This young man was Scheele, one of the most extraordinary chemists that ever existed.
Ile was born in 1742, at Stralsund, the capital of Swe dish Pomerania, where his father was a tradesman. Young Scheele, at a very early period of his life, shelved a strong inclination to learn pharmacy, and wasaccordingly bound apprentice to Mr Bauch, an apothecary at Gottenburgh, with whom he lived eight years. Here he first found the impulse of that genius which afterwards made him so conspicuous. Ile durst not, indeed, devote himself open ly to chemical experiments, but he contrived to make himself master of the science, by devoting those hours to study which were assigned him for sleep. A7cording to the testimony of Mr Grunberg, his fellow apprentice, be was of a very reserved and serious disposition, but uncommonly diligent. Ile attended very minutely to all the processes,—reflected on them while alone, especial ly during the night-time,—and read every thing relating to the subject in the writings of Neuman, Lemery, Kun kel, and Stahl. Kunkel's Laboratory was his favourite book. Ile used secretly, during the night-time, to re peat experiments out of it. On one of these occasions, as he was employed in making pyrophorns, another ap prentice, without his knowledge, put some fulminating powder into the mixture. The consequence was a loud explosion : the whole family was thrown into confusion, and our young chemist was severely chastised.
From Gottenburg, Scheele went to Malmo, and two years after to Stockholm. In 1773 he went to Upsal, and resided for some time in the house of Mr Luock. Here Bergman first found him,—saw his merit, and en couraged it,—adopted his opinions,—defended him with zeal, and took upon himself the charge of publishing his treatises. Ile gave him free access to his laboratory, and procured him a salary from the Swedish Academy. Encouraged by this magnanimous conduct, the genius of Scheele, though unassisted by education or by wealth, burst forth with astonishing lustre ; and, at an age when most philosophers are only rising into notice, he had completed a career of discoveries which have no parallel in the annals of chemistry. His treatises are perfect models of chemical research, and display an ingenuity, knowledge, and address, which is altogether astonishing. Nothing was capable of baffling his patient industry, or of escaping his penetrating eye.
Scheele and Bergman cannot well be compared toge ther. Their zeal, indeed, for the science, their candour, their love of truth, and their industry, were equal ; but Bergman was distinguished by the extent of his views, and by the plans which he formed for the improvement of the science ; Scheele, by the skill with which he con ducted particular analyses, and the acuteness with which he distinguished substances by their properties. Berg man's views were general ; Scheele's were particular. Bergman was the man for drawing the outline ; but Scheele understood best how to fill it. up. On one occa sion, indeed, (we allude to his treatise on fire,) he at tempted a general subject, but his success was not great. However, the acuteness with which he treated it must be admired; and the vast number of important facts which he brought forward to support his opinion, are truly astonishing, and perhaps could not have been brought together by any other man than Scheele.