28.3 Bergman’s Manuscripts and Collections
Bergman had paid much of his instruments with private money, and since they
constituted the main part of his assets, he could not afford to donate them to the
University, as he feared it would put his widow in a strained economic situation
[22]. When Bergman died, his widow initially refused to hand over Bergman’s
private collections and papers to the University [23]. In 1777, she had been granted
a pension of 150 riksdalers in the case of Bergman’s death (Chap. 16), but she now
requested the amount to be raised to 200 riksdalers and in exchange she would
transfer Bergman’s books and instruments to the University. The King approved
this arrangement in February 1785. The University Chancellor now gave the order
of an extensive inventory, but the committee found the task difficult to perform. For
example, the catalogue of the mineral collection was missing, and many samples
were unlabelled and some documents, e.g. those concerning gun powder manufacture, were categorised as classified by the widow. Clearly, Mrs. Bergman must
have had some insight into her husband’s work and documents, but one should not
from this conclude that she acted as his assistant or that she was a scientist on her
own rights. The hostility experienced by the committee was most probably in large
due to the fact that Bergman’s predecessor and sworn enemy Wallerius was one of
the appointed experts, which Mrs. Bergman regarded as an insult. The inventory
was finally finished in 1786. The book collection, comprising 1090 volumes, was
first kept at the chemistry department at the request of Bergman’s successor but was
later transferred to the University Library [23]. Bergman’s manuscripts were not
included in the deal but were presented to the University by the widow in 1793, on
the provision that his correspondence would remain unopened for 15 years [24].
Margareta Catharina Bergman died on April 22, 1800, in Uppsala, aged 64. She did
not remarry after Bergman’s death.
28.4 Bergman’s Successor
Unlike Bergman’s appointment as professor, the appointment of his successor was
a very swift process. In fact, the Chancellor made the extraordinary decision on
September 22 that the suggestion for the professorship had to be submitted without
delay in order not to disrupt the chemistry teaching. Thus, the successor was
appointed before the mandatory application time had run out. Bergman’s student
Johan Afzelius, who had been his assistant since 1780 and who had covered up for
Bergman as a lecturer for two years while Bergman was ill, was unanimously
suggested on October 8, and Afzelius was appointed professor by the King on
December 13, 1784. This hasty appointment actually seems to have been completely pointless, as Afzelius could not assume his professorship until nearly a year
later, October 4, 1785, due to poor health [25].
28.3 Bergman’s Manuscripts and Collections
379
Bergman had paid much of his instruments with private money, and since they
constituted the main part of his assets, he could not afford to donate them to the
University, as he feared it would put his widow in a strained economic situation
[22]. When Bergman died, his widow initially refused to hand over Bergman’s
private collections and papers to the University [23]. In 1777, she had been granted
a pension of 150 riksdalers in the case of Bergman’s death (Chap. 16), but she now
requested the amount to be raised to 200 riksdalers and in exchange she would
transfer Bergman’s books and instruments to the University. The King approved
this arrangement in February 1785. The University Chancellor now gave the order
of an extensive inventory, but the committee found the task difficult to perform. For
example, the catalogue of the mineral collection was missing, and many samples
were unlabelled and some documents, e.g. those concerning gun powder manufacture, were categorised as classified by the widow. Clearly, Mrs. Bergman must
have had some insight into her husband’s work and documents, but one should not
from this conclude that she acted as his assistant or that she was a scientist on her
own rights. The hostility experienced by the committee was most probably in large
due to the fact that Bergman’s predecessor and sworn enemy Wallerius was one of
the appointed experts, which Mrs. Bergman regarded as an insult. The inventory
was finally finished in 1786. The book collection, comprising 1090 volumes, was
first kept at the chemistry department at the request of Bergman’s successor but was
later transferred to the University Library [23]. Bergman’s manuscripts were not
included in the deal but were presented to the University by the widow in 1793, on
the provision that his correspondence would remain unopened for 15 years [24].
Margareta Catharina Bergman died on April 22, 1800, in Uppsala, aged 64. She did
not remarry after Bergman’s death.
28.4 Bergman’s Successor
Unlike Bergman’s appointment as professor, the appointment of his successor was
a very swift process. In fact, the Chancellor made the extraordinary decision on
September 22 that the suggestion for the professorship had to be submitted without
delay in order not to disrupt the chemistry teaching. Thus, the successor was
appointed before the mandatory application time had run out. Bergman’s student
Johan Afzelius, who had been his assistant since 1780 and who had covered up for
Bergman as a lecturer for two years while Bergman was ill, was unanimously
suggested on October 8, and Afzelius was appointed professor by the King on
December 13, 1784. This hasty appointment actually seems to have been completely pointless, as Afzelius could not assume his professorship until nearly a year
later, October 4, 1785, due to poor health [25].
28.3 Bergman’s Manuscripts and Collections
379