Attempt at an Overview of Chemical Literature and its Branches

6
Preface.

state must know the old and the new, the good, the mediocre, and also the bad writers. For one must also draw from bad sources when no good ones are available. Whether I have remedied this need to some extent through my present work, I leave to the judgment of the kind readers and experts, who will judge it fairly as an attempt. My intention has at least been good, and I wish that I could thereby encourage someone to gift us with a complete history of Chemistry from its origin onward.

In my plan, I have carefully extended myself to all parts of Chemistry, and in doing so, I have kept Professor Weigel and his handbook in mind. It is as follows: After I have previously indicated the sources for the history of Chemistry, there follow in alphabetical order: in the

Ist Chapter, the writers of general or pure Chemistry

IInd Chapter, of applied