935
wnrld liis tlicory ~vns I~cing tnuglit to geticrntion nftcr generation of stuclcnts to wliom his nnmc was unkno\vn 1 1)id Iic follow tlic iniinctisc teclinicnl tlevelnpincnt of orgiinic clicinistry wlticli tins givcn its oiir niost brilliant coloiirs x n d dyestuffs, our most po\vcrfnl explosives, our :Lntiscptics mid syiit,lict.ic drngs ? Ilitl thc siiiolcy cloud Iintigiiig over clistnnt G1:isgow tiring to niintl tlic Iiitsy fnctorics crigiiged in tlic liitildiiig i t p nnil Imnlting tloivti of orgmiic niolccii Ics in proccsscs cont.rollct1 I)y thc theory tic 1i:id tlioitglit out ycnrs ldorc i n n sttidentis lodging in I'nris ? Did tic t,liink of tlic Fcllo\vsliip of t,hc 'lloynl Socicty, of mctlnls or.tlcgrccs, tlic Iiononrs wliicli fell to incn inore fort,itnrit.c I i i t t less worthy. . I :in1 sitre tic Iind no srrcli t~lioiiglits for to hiin clicniistry wns :I pliilosopliy tlic critl of wlticli ivns tlicory, nnd Iic lint1 no conccr~i with the Iiitsy world of industry. 13ut :it times lie niust Iirivc t.ltoiigIit of I<cIiitlit nntl of Wirrtx ; if so, lic Itcpt liis thoirglit,s to Iiinisclf. I cnnnot for n nioincnt iiiingiiic tlint tlic reflcctions of so piire n soiil \vcrc t,ingctl wit.li I)ittcriicsu or with rcgrct. I t iiiny lic t,lint his c:trly cspcriciiccs fntlctl froin his niintl, h i t , if tdicy siirvivctl atf 1111, n innn siicli ns Couper must Iinvc fottiitl sntisfnct,ioii iii tlie feeling tliiit, ns thc inst,ritinctit of I.'rovitIeiicc tic Iiiitl Iiccn privilegccl to give to tlic world n new Lriit,li tvliicli lint1 liornc :ilmntlnnt fruit-tlic Iwst, gift thiit :my III:III cnii give. I)o not Ict its tliiuli ol his life ns nn unlinppy story, for I Iwlievc were lie licrc Iic \voulcl shrink froin our syiipntliy :ind our Iioningc. Ihit iicvcrtlieloss in prnising fiiniotts iiicii let iis now (lo justice to t\rcliil)nltl Scott (!oiipcr wlio, in no less nieiisiirc t,linii tlic iiiorc fortu~itc August I<ckulO, laid t.lie fouiitliitions of inotlcrn orgfiiiic chc!inistry. .' !l!lie stone wliicli tlic Iiiiil(1crs rcjcctctl Iriis bccomc t.lte cliicf corner-stone.