EARLY PORTRAITS OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN* LYMAN C. NEWELL, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, BOSTON, MASSACAUSETTS
Of the jive k n m enrly portraits of Benjamin Silliman, Sr., two, recently found, are described in thk artuk.
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Benjamin Silliman was a commanding figure in American science during the first half of the nineteenth century. From his appointment as profes-sor of chemistry a t Yale College in 1802 till his retirement in 1853 he spent an exceedingly active life as a teacher, public lecturer, writer, and editor. His field was not limited t o chemistry. He was proficient and productive in geology, mineralogy, a n d pharmacy. As a writer and editor he will always be remembered for his American Journal of Science, first known as Silliman's Journal, which was established in 1818, coutinued u n s e l f i s h l y throughout his life, and passed along to eflicient successors who still foster its regular appearance. The public lectures delivered by Silliman were At this time SiIliman was giving his first course of thousands of public lectures in Boston. intellimt uersons. For many years courses in chemistry and in geology were given in the large cities in the United States. Through his lectures and his journal, extensive travel in this country and Europe, conspicuous service as an expert in industrial projects, and his long service as a teacher of chemistry, S i l l i a n became widely known and highly respected. We would naturally conclude that many early portraits
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Read before the Division of History of Chemistry at the 80th meeting of the American Chemical Society, Cincinnati. Ohio, September 8 to 12. 1930. 240
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PORTRAITS OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN
I ,'I< r n > ?" PORTRAIT oa BENJAMIN SILLIMAN PAINTED BY FLAAGG IN 1832-33
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At this time Silliman was 53 years old.
of such a well-known man would have been made. Such, however, does not seem to have been the case. Until recently the earliest known portrait was the one painted by Willard when Silliman was lecturing in Boston in 1835. In his diary we find this entry: March ?-Called on Willard the painter, who wished to paint my partrait, and I am to sit for him on Monday, March 9th.
The Willard painting (see illustration on page 240) is well known through excellent steel engravings. It shows Silliman in the characteristic
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FEBRUARY, 1931
costume of that periodstiff collar and ample neckcloth. The face is that of a young man, though Silliman a t this time was fifty-six years old. I found an engraving of the Willard painting in Boston about thirty years ago. Subsequently, reproductions of portraits of a later date were also found and added to a growing collection of portraits of famous American chemists. But i t seemed rather unusual that portraits of an earlier date than the Willard painting could not be found. At this time Silliman was 39 years old. Such a conspicuous puhlic man as Silliman, I argued, must have been painted long before he was fifty-six years old. So I began to look for the early portraits of Silliman. Diligent search and inquiry in this country and in Europe were not rewarded until a few months ago. Silliman not only kept a dairy, as implied above, but he also made and saved notes and memoranda about himself and his work. One of his descendants, still living (1930) in New Haven, found a paper containing a list of portraits, busts, etc., in Silliman's own handwriting. Here is a list of the portraits: A pencil sketch by Tisdale of Lebanon, 1804-5, retained by the artist. A miniature by Tisdale, winter of 1805--I believe it is at my brother's (G.S. Silliman) in Brooklyn. Another picture painted at the request of John Griscom and probably in possession of the family. Portlait by Flagg, 1832-1833, sent to Dr.Mantell of England. A large miniature by Rogers in New York, in 1818.
Only two of these five early portraits are available a t present-the Flagg painting and the Rogers miniature. Through the kindness and
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help of a graduate* of Boston University, I have been fortunate in obtaining photographs of both of these. The Flagg painting (see illustration on page 241) was sent to a Dr. Mantell in England, bequeathed by him to a descendant in New Zealand, and recently acquired by the Gallery of Fine Arts of Yale University. It is only a few years earlier than the Wiiard painting though it depicts Silliman as an older man-perhaps more nearly lifelike than the Willard painting. The Rogers miniature (see illustration on page 242) is a gem. It belongs to a distinctly earlier period. Its whole aspect is different from any other portrait of Silliman. I compared the costume with miniatures of that period and found that it agrees perfectly. The date, 1818, is significant. This is the year Silliman started the American Journal of Science. We are fortunate in possessing a portrait of him a t this time of life and Yale University is likewise fortunate in acquiring the painting by Flagg.
* Warren R. Reid, Boston University. 1929, a graduate student in the department of history a t Yale under the Professor Augustus Howe Buck Fund of Boston University.
Smelly Gas Made Standard as Mine Warning. A disagreeable odor. resembling that of decayed cabbage, rancid butter, or banana oil, will be used to warn workers in metal mines of fire. It will be shot to threatened miners a t the rate of thousands of feet a minute mixed with oncoming fresh air in the ventilating shafts. Recognizing this method of warning as the most effective, the American Standards Association has made it a part of the American Standard code for fire fighting in metal mines. As a result of its hecoming a part of the national code, the method will undoubtedly be employed in many mines. I n addition t o the use of a disagreeable odor as a warning signal, the standard also provides that in mines equipped with electric lights the engineers shall also flash all electric lights nine times in three series of three flashes each. Since trouble may develop in the electrical system, however, the odor signal is considered to be the most reliable warning. While pleasant odors have been experimented with, disagreeable odors have been found preferable because of the more positive effect which they exert. The U. S. Bureau of Mines, which played an important part in the establishment of the standard, found that when miners smell the disagreeable odors used, they instinctively desire to obtain pure air a t once. If the miners are unable to reach the surface for any reason, however, it has been found that they are able to tolerate the odors without much discomfort. The odors are injected in liquid form into the compressed air line supplying air to the mines. Little liquid is required, the odors being detectable a t concentrations of only a few parts per million parts of air. At higher concentration the odor becomes strong enough to make the warning positive. None of the odors can exert any harmful influence even if inhaled for a long period. Some of the substances used are known technically as butyl mercaptan, ethyl mercaptan, butyric acid, and amyl acetate.Scimrce Service
