King Frederick and suggested him to recruit Scheele as Margraff’s successor. It
turned out, however, that the King had no intention to replace Marggraf.
In 1776, when Marggraf promoted his assistant, Franz Karl Achard
(1753–1821), to collaborator and made it clear that he wanted him as his successor,
the King reacted. He remembered d’Alembert’s recommendation, but had forgotten
Scheele’s name, so when he contacted the Academy, he just said that there was a
well-known chemist in Sweden that was to be recruited. The Academy turned to the
Prussian embassy in Stockholm for advice. The embassy secretary, Jouffroy, wrote
back to Merian
1 in Berlin with the answer that the two most important chemists in
Sweden were Bergman and von Engeström, but that there was also a less
well-known chemist named Scheele. Bergman was, according to Jouffroy, best
known for his analysis of mineral waters and the artificial production of Spa and
Pyrmont water, while von Engeström was described as more specialised in mineralogy and metallurgy. The Academy turned to Bergman in April 1776 and invited
him to Berlin. Bergman politely declined due to his poor health. This was not the
first time Bergman had been offered positions abroad; he had previously declined
invitations to St Petersburg in 1768 and Spain in 1771 [4]. Lagrange then wrote to
Merian suggesting him to wait for more information about von Engeström, and in
particular Scheele. When d’Alembert learned that the Academy was about to offer
the position to von Engeström, he wrote back and explained that it was Scheele who
should be recruited. Nevertheless, the Academy once again contacted Bergman in
February 1777. Bergman was now inclined to accept; the milder climate in Berlin
would probably do him good and he thought the position in Berlin would give him
more time for research, instead of teaching basic chemistry to students; apparently,
he also saw the position in Berlin as a way to escape his enemies Wallerius and von
Engeström [5]. He received little help from and distrusted his assistants, Tidström
and Wibom, whom he had inherited from Wallerius, [6] so his working environment may have been rather strained, especially since Tidström had competed with
him for the professorship. On the other hand, he was unsure how King Gustav III
would react. He wrote to Count Nostiz, the new Prussian ambassador in Stockholm
for more information, but he also turned to Wargentin for advice. Wargentin
strongly recommended Bergman to stay, and so did Academy members Count Carl
Fredrik Scheffer (1715–1786) and Johan Alströmer (1742–1788).
2 The information
now leaked from the Academy in Stockholm to the Court, and on March 28 the
University Chancellor, Carl Rudenschöld (1698–1783), wrote to Bergman and
informed him that the King was deeply worried, and had asked whether something
could be done with regard to Bergman’s economic situation [5]. Bergman replied
that he had struggled in Uppsala for 19 years, half of that time without salary and
ruined his health on doing so. He had not even been able to put aside any money for
his wife in the case of his death. Rudenschöld returned to Bergman on April 21 with
the King’s reply. The King regarded the Prussian offer as a personal insult, and
1
Johann Bernhard Merian (1723–1807). Swiss philosopher.
2
Scheffer was an influential diplomat and politician; Alströmer was son of industrialist Jonas
Alströmer and brother of Patric Alströmer, whom Bergman was acquainted to.
232
16 The Invitation to Berlin
turned out, however, that the King had no intention to replace Marggraf.
In 1776, when Marggraf promoted his assistant, Franz Karl Achard
(1753–1821), to collaborator and made it clear that he wanted him as his successor,
the King reacted. He remembered d’Alembert’s recommendation, but had forgotten
Scheele’s name, so when he contacted the Academy, he just said that there was a
well-known chemist in Sweden that was to be recruited. The Academy turned to the
Prussian embassy in Stockholm for advice. The embassy secretary, Jouffroy, wrote
back to Merian
1 in Berlin with the answer that the two most important chemists in
Sweden were Bergman and von Engeström, but that there was also a less
well-known chemist named Scheele. Bergman was, according to Jouffroy, best
known for his analysis of mineral waters and the artificial production of Spa and
Pyrmont water, while von Engeström was described as more specialised in mineralogy and metallurgy. The Academy turned to Bergman in April 1776 and invited
him to Berlin. Bergman politely declined due to his poor health. This was not the
first time Bergman had been offered positions abroad; he had previously declined
invitations to St Petersburg in 1768 and Spain in 1771 [4]. Lagrange then wrote to
Merian suggesting him to wait for more information about von Engeström, and in
particular Scheele. When d’Alembert learned that the Academy was about to offer
the position to von Engeström, he wrote back and explained that it was Scheele who
should be recruited. Nevertheless, the Academy once again contacted Bergman in
February 1777. Bergman was now inclined to accept; the milder climate in Berlin
would probably do him good and he thought the position in Berlin would give him
more time for research, instead of teaching basic chemistry to students; apparently,
he also saw the position in Berlin as a way to escape his enemies Wallerius and von
Engeström [5]. He received little help from and distrusted his assistants, Tidström
and Wibom, whom he had inherited from Wallerius, [6] so his working environment may have been rather strained, especially since Tidström had competed with
him for the professorship. On the other hand, he was unsure how King Gustav III
would react. He wrote to Count Nostiz, the new Prussian ambassador in Stockholm
for more information, but he also turned to Wargentin for advice. Wargentin
strongly recommended Bergman to stay, and so did Academy members Count Carl
Fredrik Scheffer (1715–1786) and Johan Alströmer (1742–1788).
2 The information
now leaked from the Academy in Stockholm to the Court, and on March 28 the
University Chancellor, Carl Rudenschöld (1698–1783), wrote to Bergman and
informed him that the King was deeply worried, and had asked whether something
could be done with regard to Bergman’s economic situation [5]. Bergman replied
that he had struggled in Uppsala for 19 years, half of that time without salary and
ruined his health on doing so. He had not even been able to put aside any money for
his wife in the case of his death. Rudenschöld returned to Bergman on April 21 with
the King’s reply. The King regarded the Prussian offer as a personal insult, and
1
Johann Bernhard Merian (1723–1807). Swiss philosopher.
2
Scheffer was an influential diplomat and politician; Alströmer was son of industrialist Jonas
Alströmer and brother of Patric Alströmer, whom Bergman was acquainted to.
232
16 The Invitation to Berlin