11.2 Instructions to the Lectures on the Nature
and Benefit of Chemistry
Bergman’s book The Chemical Lectures of H.T. Scheffer is not an introduction to
chemistry, but requires some knowledge of the foundations of chemistry. The
reader is, for example, assumed to be familiar with the concept of phlogiston, which
is not explained anywhere in the text. To give the students an introduction to
chemistry, Bergman published an additional 63-page text in 1779, Instructions to
the Lectures on the Nature and Benefit of Chemistry and the General Differences
Between Natural Bodies [20]. It was included as an appendix to the 1779 edition of
The Chemical Lectures of H.T. Scheffer, but also published separately. It is not
included in the 1796 edition of Scheffer’s Lectures. Wallerius claimed in his
autobiography that Bergman’s text was based on his own Letter, on the True
nature, Benefit and Value of Chemistry, [21] but the similarities of the two texts are
only superficial. Wallerius, in his text, divided chemistry in Chemia pura and
Chemia applicata, and although he stated that the objectives of Chemia pura is to
determine the elements and principles of natural bodies, [22] he did not give any
clue to what these elements would be. Instead, he devoted the whole text to applied
chemistry. He was also less critical of his sources than Bergman. For instance, he
attributed the discovery of wine fermentation to Noah, and also referred to the
Egyptian deities Osiris and Isis, claiming they had invented some sort of alcoholic
beverage [21, 23].
Of all Bergman’s texts, his Instructions gives the best overview of his chemical
views.“Natural science”, Bergman begins, “in the most general sentence, means all
our knowledge about bodies, collected through observations and experiments” [24].
Bergman divided natural science into three fields. The first was Natural history (this
would include, biology and geology in modern terminology) which focused on the
outer shape of bodies. When a scientist from this field examined a plant, he would
determine its genus and species and investigate its preferred environment. Natural
research (physics), in Bergman’s definition, investigated the nature of bodies more
deeply and examined the laws controlling their properties. If a physicist examined a
herb, he would measure the weight-loss due to evaporation, its vascular system, and
the effects of sunlight:
Chemistry constitutes the third degree and somehow the core, since it determines their [the
bodies] composition and the reasons for their different nature. When a plant is examined
chemically, we learn how much salt, oil, water, earth, etc., is found therein; one learns
which parts causes its taste, smell and other properties. [25]
Bergman finally concluded: “Chemistry is thus a science that determines the
elements of bodies to their nature, amount and combination”.
In another text, Bergman gives another, more poetic introduction to chemistry:
Nature may be compared not improperly to an immense book, written in an unknown
language. In order to understand the text of which, it is necessary that the letters should be
known, so that by attentively observing the resemblance and disparity of bodies, their
distinguishing characters, and natural qualities, may be discovered. – This constitutes
166
11 Bergman as a Teacher
and Benefit of Chemistry
Bergman’s book The Chemical Lectures of H.T. Scheffer is not an introduction to
chemistry, but requires some knowledge of the foundations of chemistry. The
reader is, for example, assumed to be familiar with the concept of phlogiston, which
is not explained anywhere in the text. To give the students an introduction to
chemistry, Bergman published an additional 63-page text in 1779, Instructions to
the Lectures on the Nature and Benefit of Chemistry and the General Differences
Between Natural Bodies [20]. It was included as an appendix to the 1779 edition of
The Chemical Lectures of H.T. Scheffer, but also published separately. It is not
included in the 1796 edition of Scheffer’s Lectures. Wallerius claimed in his
autobiography that Bergman’s text was based on his own Letter, on the True
nature, Benefit and Value of Chemistry, [21] but the similarities of the two texts are
only superficial. Wallerius, in his text, divided chemistry in Chemia pura and
Chemia applicata, and although he stated that the objectives of Chemia pura is to
determine the elements and principles of natural bodies, [22] he did not give any
clue to what these elements would be. Instead, he devoted the whole text to applied
chemistry. He was also less critical of his sources than Bergman. For instance, he
attributed the discovery of wine fermentation to Noah, and also referred to the
Egyptian deities Osiris and Isis, claiming they had invented some sort of alcoholic
beverage [21, 23].
Of all Bergman’s texts, his Instructions gives the best overview of his chemical
views.“Natural science”, Bergman begins, “in the most general sentence, means all
our knowledge about bodies, collected through observations and experiments” [24].
Bergman divided natural science into three fields. The first was Natural history (this
would include, biology and geology in modern terminology) which focused on the
outer shape of bodies. When a scientist from this field examined a plant, he would
determine its genus and species and investigate its preferred environment. Natural
research (physics), in Bergman’s definition, investigated the nature of bodies more
deeply and examined the laws controlling their properties. If a physicist examined a
herb, he would measure the weight-loss due to evaporation, its vascular system, and
the effects of sunlight:
Chemistry constitutes the third degree and somehow the core, since it determines their [the
bodies] composition and the reasons for their different nature. When a plant is examined
chemically, we learn how much salt, oil, water, earth, etc., is found therein; one learns
which parts causes its taste, smell and other properties. [25]
Bergman finally concluded: “Chemistry is thus a science that determines the
elements of bodies to their nature, amount and combination”.
In another text, Bergman gives another, more poetic introduction to chemistry:
Nature may be compared not improperly to an immense book, written in an unknown
language. In order to understand the text of which, it is necessary that the letters should be
known, so that by attentively observing the resemblance and disparity of bodies, their
distinguishing characters, and natural qualities, may be discovered. – This constitutes
166
11 Bergman as a Teacher