yearly scholarship of 150 riksdaler from a donation by Niklas Sahlgren to finance
his experiments and in particular his geological work [17]. The initiative for this
scholarship came from Wargentin [18], and was probably a way to compensate
Bergman for the missed opportunity to go to Berlin.
19.5 Bergman’s Lecture on the Progress in Chemistry
On November 12, 1777, Bergman held a lecture in the Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences, as his term as president ended. The lecture, entitled On the Latest Progress in Chemistry, was printed the same year including an answer from the secretary, Wargentin [19]. The printed version is 48 pages long, but the lecture that
Bergman actually held was probably an abbreviated version. It was not uncommon
that the lectures were extended by the author before printing [20]. Bergman’s
lecture was very different from the lectures delivered by Wallerius and von
Engeström (Sect. 9.6), and as usual he did not fall for the temptation of criticising
his competitors or their work in public. The first page of Bergman’s printed lecture
is a tribute to the King, Gustav III, were Bergman assured that the Academy would
do everything, not only to maintain the Swedish scientific level, but to double it.
After a general introduction focused on the unique ability of human beings to
examine nature and communicate their opinions to each other, Bergman gave a
historical background to chemistry. He traced the history back to ancient Egypt and
attributed the Egyptians a deep knowledge in chemistry, a knowledge that they kept
secret and which was now largely lost. Next, chemistry saw a period of darkness, an
insane quest for gold. This was a common view at the time, a view that is not
uncommon to hear even today, but which finds little support among modern historians [21]. Bergman acknowledged that the alchemists’ strive to make gold could
not be proven to be impossible and that they accidentally made many important
discoveries. During the reformation, a new light spread over science, Bergman
continued. Chemistry, however, had only in recent years made significant progress.
Bergman’s intention with the lecture was to focus on the recent development in
chemistry, and for the audience to get an overview, it was important, Bergman said,
to realise that bodies on Earth were mainly of two kinds. The largest class was
composed of aggregated particles without any internal system of tubes. Bergman
called these inorganic bodies, they included salts, earths, minerals, air, water and
fire.
6 The second group—the organic bodies—had internal systems of tubes to
transport fluids. This group included animals and plants. This was long before
chemistry became divided into organic and inorganic chemistry.
First Bergman discussed the earths. In this context, he discussed minerals and
crystalline substances. He stressed that the study of earths had been valuable for
agriculture and in the manufacture of brick, glass and porcelain. Next, Bergman
6
It is very remarkable that Bergman includes fire as an example of a substance. Later in the lecture,
he clearly states that fire is not matter but a state when a substance loses phlogiston.
19.4 Scheele’s Stockholm Visit
263
his experiments and in particular his geological work [17]. The initiative for this
scholarship came from Wargentin [18], and was probably a way to compensate
Bergman for the missed opportunity to go to Berlin.
19.5 Bergman’s Lecture on the Progress in Chemistry
On November 12, 1777, Bergman held a lecture in the Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences, as his term as president ended. The lecture, entitled On the Latest Progress in Chemistry, was printed the same year including an answer from the secretary, Wargentin [19]. The printed version is 48 pages long, but the lecture that
Bergman actually held was probably an abbreviated version. It was not uncommon
that the lectures were extended by the author before printing [20]. Bergman’s
lecture was very different from the lectures delivered by Wallerius and von
Engeström (Sect. 9.6), and as usual he did not fall for the temptation of criticising
his competitors or their work in public. The first page of Bergman’s printed lecture
is a tribute to the King, Gustav III, were Bergman assured that the Academy would
do everything, not only to maintain the Swedish scientific level, but to double it.
After a general introduction focused on the unique ability of human beings to
examine nature and communicate their opinions to each other, Bergman gave a
historical background to chemistry. He traced the history back to ancient Egypt and
attributed the Egyptians a deep knowledge in chemistry, a knowledge that they kept
secret and which was now largely lost. Next, chemistry saw a period of darkness, an
insane quest for gold. This was a common view at the time, a view that is not
uncommon to hear even today, but which finds little support among modern historians [21]. Bergman acknowledged that the alchemists’ strive to make gold could
not be proven to be impossible and that they accidentally made many important
discoveries. During the reformation, a new light spread over science, Bergman
continued. Chemistry, however, had only in recent years made significant progress.
Bergman’s intention with the lecture was to focus on the recent development in
chemistry, and for the audience to get an overview, it was important, Bergman said,
to realise that bodies on Earth were mainly of two kinds. The largest class was
composed of aggregated particles without any internal system of tubes. Bergman
called these inorganic bodies, they included salts, earths, minerals, air, water and
fire.
6 The second group—the organic bodies—had internal systems of tubes to
transport fluids. This group included animals and plants. This was long before
chemistry became divided into organic and inorganic chemistry.
First Bergman discussed the earths. In this context, he discussed minerals and
crystalline substances. He stressed that the study of earths had been valuable for
agriculture and in the manufacture of brick, glass and porcelain. Next, Bergman
6
It is very remarkable that Bergman includes fire as an example of a substance. Later in the lecture,
he clearly states that fire is not matter but a state when a substance loses phlogiston.
19.4 Scheele’s Stockholm Visit
263