The life of the Hon. Henry Cavendish : including abstracts of his more important scientific papers, and a critical inquiry into the claims of all the alleged discoverers of the composition of water / by George Wilson.

  • George Wilson
Date:
1851
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life of the Hon. Henry Cavendish : including abstracts of his more important scientific papers, and a critical inquiry into the claims of all the alleged discoverers of the composition of water / by George Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Their dates (so far as they are dated) are 1782, 1787, and 1788. Many more passed between the fellow-chemists, but the greater number have perished.* From the collateral relatives of Priestley, likewise, resident in Leeds, I have obtained three letters written by him, of dates 1786, 179], and 1792. These were obtained for me by Mr. William O. Priestley, a student of great promise, who attended the University of Edinburgh last winter (1849-50), and in whose father's possession they now are. They were entirely on personal matters, and did not throw any light on the Water Controversy. The letters to the Wedgwoods, and those to Keir, but especially the former, are full of references to Priestley's views on the composition of water; and in them, if anywhere, might we expect to find some expression of opinion concerning the good faith of Cavendish and Lavoisier; but although their names, and those of Watt and Blagden, are referred to in con- nexion with the theory of the composition of water, not the slightest allusion occurs to any jealousy between the rivals.t Some extracts from them, including all the direct references to Cavendish, Watt, and Lavoisier, will best show what light they throw on the Water Controversy. The correspondence may be said to be almost entirely chemical. Mr. Wedgwood, with the liberahty which characterized him, supplied Priestley with as many clay and porcelain retorts, tubes, and other pieces of appa- ratus, as he chose to ask for, and made of the shapes and mate- rials which he prescribed. The burden, accordingly, of most of Priestley's letters is such as the first sentence of the first epistle may illustrate : 26th May, 1781. To Josiah Wedgwood, Esq. Dear Sir,—I must take the liberty to give you this trouble * For tlie knowledge that such letters existed, and the introductions which enabled me to procure them, I am indebted to my friend Dr. Percy, of Birmingham, who, besides his own active co-operations, secured me the good services of Dr. James Russell, of the same town, who spared no trouble in furthering my wishes. t A. warm and lasting friendship subsisted between Keir and Priestley, and the loss of any part of their correspondence is greatly to be lamented, especially that referring to water. My informant in reference to the Keir Correspondence, states that unfortunately, part of these letters, perhapst he most interesting in the col- lection, for they told of his experiments previous to the discovery of the decomposition of water, have, I fear, been consumed at the fire at Abberley Hall, having searched for them in vain. These letters showed how very nearly Dr. Priestley touched upon that important discovery.
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