Chemists and Chemistry in Nature and Society 1770-1878 (Variorum Collected Studies)

In the 18th century, chemistry established itself as both an autonomous and a public science. This volume examines the theoretical and practical aspects of the chemical revolution in France, the Netherlands and Britain, where Thomas Beddoes mixed French chemistry, medicine and democratic politics. It also recalls how in the 19th century Humphrey Davy took public chemistry to London; how Coleridge incorporated chemistry into a romantic philosophy of nature; how Faraday extended Davy's work in electrochemistry, matter theory and a theology of nature; and how even Hegel's philosophy of geology was based on chemistry.