DR. HENRY MOYES, SCOTCH CHEMIST' His Visit to America, 1785-1786 EVA V. ARMSTRONG and CLAUDE K. DEISCHER University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
0 s the banks of n strenm in the Scottish e,~tt~~rrysidt~, al~outrhe year 1752, a cl~ildpluywl among the ferns u l ~ l l f r h'uxainated by the swift Howi~~g \wtrl-s, the boy's attention was rnught by a waterwheel oi u n r d > y mill. IIis infant mind puzzl~dover thr fact that wl~ile rhe wheel turned one way, the water flowed in A I I 011posite direction. It was u scmr which remained in his mind vividly for thr rest of his life, 1)eraur;eit was one of the last tlings 1ic ever saw. A fen months latcr, . ,... . approximately a t the age of three years, he was blinded i as a result of smallpox. . ...* To his grief-stricken parents comfort might have .. , :?:,, come could they have foreseen that 30 years later, the , ::;: :' .: .. eminent Dr. Joseph Priestley, in introducing their son to Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, , . would refer to him as "an excellent lecturer in phiios- . : I , . ophy, and himself a phenomenon.. .being quite blind, and vet su~eriorto most who see." %nry ~ o y e sthe , subject of this sketch, was born in 1750, a t Kirckcaldy in thecounty of Fife, Scotland. Of his parents little is known beyond the fact that they , ' ~
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brilliant student, and there acquired a knowledge of music, lansua~es, - - . mathematics. and chemistrv. as well a s othkr branches of the so-called Newtonian pIiiiosophy. H e played the flute, harpischord, and other instruments and "sang agreeably." His first venture in Edinburgh after graduating was a course of lectures upon the theory and practice of music, an undertaking which he soon abandoned for chemistry. At the University, Moyes was inspired by the lectures of the eminent Dr. Joseph Black, professor of chemistry, and i t was to chemistry and natural philosophy that his future efforts were devoted. In 1779 Dr. Moyes went to England and during the next six years lectured on chemistry and natural philosophy in London and other principal cities. He met 1 Presented before the Division of History of Chemistry a t the 110th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Chicago, .September S 1 3 , 1946.
with immediate success. George Bew, a member of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, published in the Memoirs of the society (1789) an article entitled "Observations on blindness and on the employment of other senses to supply the loss of sight." The brief sketch of Henry Moyes contained in this paper supplies some of the available data in regard to him. We quote:
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As he was the first blind man . t o lecture on chemistry, the His novelty of this proposal excited curiosity and attention. voice was good, his articulation excellent. He spoke without affectation or conceit. His art in performing experiments excited great interest. His lectures attracted the most eminent seholms of the realm.. . When introduced to a company, for a time he remained silent. The sound directed him to judge of the dimensions of the room, the different voices and number of He was a striking instance of the power the people present. human soul possesses of finding resources of satisfaction even
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under the most rigorous calamities.. . Destitute of other support than his genius, and doomed to "enduring darkness," he remained cheerful and happy.
In England, Moyes' success as a lecturer was so outstandmg that he was elected an honorary member of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester. Others so honored were Thomas Cooper, Erasmus Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Lavoisier, Priestley, Benjamin Rush, Josiah Wedgwood, and Alexander Volta. The famous Lunar Society a t Birmingham welcomed Dr. Moyes as an honored guest. This society, founded in 1766, consisted of a group of scientists who met once a month a t the homes of the members on the Monday nearest to the full moon, "in order," remarked Dr. Priestley, "to have the benefit of its light upon returning home." Among its members were fellows of the Royal Society: Matthew Boulton, partner of James w&, ~ i c h a i dLovell Edgeworth, author and philosopher, Dr. William Withering, ,physician and chemist, James Watt, chcmist and engmeer, Erasmus Darwin, physician and poet,Mr.SamuelGalton,chemicalphilosopher, John Baskerville, inventor of the type which bears his name, and William Murdock, inventor of a gas-lighting system. Then, as now, scientists were required upon occasions to appear before legislative committees for questioning. Murdock was so summoned. "Do you mean to tell us," asked a member of the Parliamentary Committee, "that i t will be possible to have a light without a wick?" "I do, indeed," answered Murdock. "Ah, my friend," said the legislator, "you are trying to prove too much!" Dr. Moyes' introduction to the Lunar Society apparently began about 1780. His associates were Joseph Priestley, James Watt, Edgeworth, Dr. Withering, Boulton, Galton, and Erasmus Darwin. Mary Ann, dauehter of Mr. Galton (later Mrs. Schimmel Pennick). .. in her autobiography gives interesting descriptions of the in her fatherJshouseforameeting, Lunarians as they Dr. Priestley she describes as a man "of admirable simdicitv. " , eentleness and kindness of heart.. . . He, presentwith ~~d by recollection, indeed, with man by cheerfulness." James Watt is portrayed as a "deeply introverted and patiently observant philosopher.. .of a melancholic temwerament. His head. . .bent forward. . .his shoulders stooping, and his chest falling in; his limbs lank and unmuscular and his complexion sallow. His intellectual development was magnificent.. . . His with a lltterance was and Scottish accent; his manner gentle, modest, and unassuming.. . . In company where he was not known, spoken to,he might have passed the whole tirne in pursuing his own meditations." "Quite different was the aspect of Dr. Witheringgreat were his powers of active investigation and ac. curate detail. He was kind but. . .his caution made his manner less owen." Mary ~ n n g i v e sa vivid picture of a visit of Dr. Darwin to her home:
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Dr. Darwin drove up to our door in a "sulky." The carriage was worn and bespattered with mud. Lashed on. . was a pail for watering the hones, and some hay and oats beside it. I n the top of the carriage was a sky light, with an awning which could be drawn over; this was to give light to the Doctor, who wrote most of his works an scraps of paper with a pencil as he travelled. The front of the carriage.. .was occupied hy a receptacle for paper and pencils, likewise for a knife, fork, and spoon; on one side was a pile of books reaching from the floor to the front window of the carriage; an the other a hamper, We all containing fruit, sweetmeats, cream, and sugar.. hastened to the parlour window to see Dr. Damin of whom we What was my a~tonishmentas he had heard so much.. slowly got out of the carriage. His figure was vast and massive, his head almost buried in his shoulders. He wore a scratch wig tied in a little bob-tail hehind. A habit of stammering made the closest attention n e c e s s q . The Doctor's eye was most sagaHis horror of fermented cious. his observation most keen.. liqnur-, his belief in tln. udruntagr-: of w t h g 1:wgt ly, and rztinr, h n HIIIIOSI imnwilmrt.itl,lr a l n m d m ~ rof sweet lhrgs, n-a* s-r!! known to his friends.
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A picture of initiation of members into the Lunar Society is given by Richard Lovell Edgeworth in his "Memoirs" : We practiced every means in our power, except personal insult, to try the temper and understanding of each candidate for admission. Every prejudice, which his profession or situation in life might have led him to cherish, was attacked, exposed to argument, and ridiculed. The argument was always ingenious, and the ridicule sometimes coarse.
Dr. Priestley wrote: We had nothing to do with the religious or political principles of each other; we were united by a common lave of Science, which we thought sufficient to bring together persons of all distinctions, Christians, Jews, Mohomotans and Heathens, Monarchists and Republicans.
The informal character of the meetings of the Society is indicated in a letter from James Watt to Erasmus Darwin (January 3,1781): I beg that you would impress upon your memory the idea that promised to dine with sundry men of learning a t my house an Mondav next.. . . For vour encouraeement there is a new hook to be"cnt nu, and it is tb be determined whether or not heat is a compound of phlogiston and empyred air, and whether a mimor can reflect the heat of the k e . I give you B friendly warning that you may he found wanting whichever opinion you adopt in the latter question, therefore, be cautious. If you are meek and humble, perhaps you may he told what light is made of, and also how to make it, and the theory proved both by synthesis and analysis. YOU
Tothis invitation Dr. Darwin replied: You know there is a perpetual war carried on hetween the devil and dl holy men, Sometimes one prevails in an odd skirmish or so, and sometimes the other. Now, you must know that this said devil has played me a slippery trick, and, I fear, prevented me from coming to join the holy men a t your house, by ~ e n d i i gthe measles. . . amongst nine beautiful children of Lord Paget's. For I must suppose it is the work of the devil! Surely the Lord would never think of amusing himself by setting nine innocent little animals to cough their hearts up!
Later, after Darwin removed to Derby, he wrote to. the Society: I am here cut off fmm the milk of science, which flows in such redundant streams from your learned Luniticks, and which, I
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During the years of Moyes' association with the Society, pneumatic chemistry was a favorite topic for discussion, with Priestley and Watt as chief contributors. Moyes was given to argument, a trait which pleased Priestley hut annoyed Watt. At a meeting a t Watt's house John Smeaton,a civil engineer,was a guest. Watt, writing to Boulton, commented:
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. We were receiving an account of his (Smeaton's) experiments on rotatives and some new ones he has made, when unluckily his facts did not agree with Dr. Moyes' theories, which made Moyes contradict Smeaton, and brought on E dispute which lost us the information we hoped for, and took away all the pleasure of the meeting, as it lasted two hours without coming half an inch nearer the point. Stimulated by his success in England, Dr. Moyes decided to visit America. He set out on the long and arduous voyage across the Atlantic, and it is recorded that he arrived in Philadelphia on February 3, 1785. Announcement of his first lecture was made in The Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, February 23, 1785: On Monday, the 14th instant, the learned and ingenious Dr. Mayes issued the &st tickets for his Course of Lectures on the Philosophy of Chemistry and Naturd History; on Friday the 18th he delivered his 6rst introductory lecture in the hall of the University, to an attentive audience of above 600 persons, the largest he has addressed in any one place. The friends of science and of this country will feel the highest satisfaction in seeing a reception so respectful given to a, ohmacter of such extraordinary merit.
The University referred to was the University of Pennsylvania, then located a t Fourth and Arch Streets. The course consisted of 21 lectures, illustrated by a variety of experiments "which exhibit a full view of all those astonishing discoveries which must forever distinguish the 18th century." Three lectures were delivered every week at sevenin the evening. The charge for gentlemen was a guinea, for ladies a half guinea, and for a single lecture, fifty cents. The syllabus of Dr. Moyes' lectures was divided into eight major parts. The first two partecovering heat, light, air, sound, and electricity-comprised nine lectures and appears as an abbreviated elementary course in physics. Inorganic chemistry discussions were given in Parts I11 to VI, inclusive. The first two lectures in this series included the corpuscular and elective attraction ideas, a comprehensive discussion of solutions, crystallizations, acids (both mineral and vegetable), the alkalies (fossil, vegetable, and volatile), and salts. The twolectures constituting Part IV covered the earths (animal, vegetable, and mineral). The next four lectures covering Part V appear to be the most remarkable and complete, being devoted entirely to the metals, their metallurgy, properties, and uses. The metals are classified as follows: semi-metals (arsenic, mercury, antimony, bismuth, zinc, cobalt, nickel), the imperfect metals (lead, tin, copper, iron), and the perfect metals (silver, gold, platinum). Dr. Moyes discussed 14 of
the 18 metals known a t that period. Thrw out of the 18 (molybdenum, tellurium, and tungsten) no doubt were unknown to Dr. Moyes as their dates of discovery are 1781, 1782, and 1783, respectively. In spite of this excellent series of lectures on the metals, one cannot help but notice the absence of a similar detailed outline oftheeight known nonmetals (carbon, chlorine, fluorine, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur). In Part VI we find the general topic to be water. In one lecture he gave the opinions of philosophers concerning it, discussed hard and soft water, mineral and sea water, their analyses and purification. What might be classified now as some stray facts in organic chemistry were given by Dr. Moyes in two lectures in Part VII, on the gums, oils (essential and unctuous), sugars and their fermentation, coal, balsam, camphor, and tea. The concluding Part VIII consists of one lecture dealing wholly with animal substances and includes some physiological chemistry. A brief listing includes digestion, digestive juices, nutrition, blood, milk, honey, and beeswax. Dr. Moyes' success in Philadelphia was phenomonal. By the first of March, his audiences had grown in number to one thousand. Any present-day chemist, condescending to discuss the principles of modern chemistry before a popular gathering, might be surprised to receive a paying audience of a thousand people; hut one can imagine his consternation were he to read sub-
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sequently in the newspapers intimate details of his electricity had his like been seen. On the other hand, taste in food and drink, annecdotes of his early child- Philadelphia was the center of science in America. It hood, analyses of his mental attainments, and above all, was t h e site of Benjamin Franklin's experiments in laudatory poems addressed to him by ardent ladies electricity, the home of the American Philosophical and enthusiastic gentlemen. It was of public interest Society founded in 1744, and of the University of Penn. that he ate no meat and drank only "cyder," beer, and sylvania, the first college in America to give chemistry wine mixed with water. His views on religion and an o5cial place in the curriculum by appointing Benmetaphysics were quoted. Staid Philadelphia Quaker- jamin Rush to an independent chair in that subject in men were moved to vie with the ladies in poetic praise 1769. Here Moyes met William Smith of Aberdeen, of Dr. Moyes, as the following examples indicate: first Provost of the University, John Morgan, a founder of the first medical school in our country, Benjamin These simple lines proceed from one, Rush, and many others. These were men to test his Who, tho to dootor Moyes unknown, Yet wisheth him delight; intellectual mettle. Beniamin Rush became his firm In his researches into things, friend and supporter. i n Burlington, New Jersey, That useful information brings, Moyes was entertained at the home of Dr. de NorWhen help'd by inward light. mandie, who is credited with being the author of the Tho' of these scenes, to be partaker, first chemical paper printed in America (1768). It reI am too much the retired quaker, lated to an analysis of waters of a spring a t Bristol, Far public crowds t' invite, Yet 'tis my hearty wish and pray'r, made with the use of the balance. Thou may'st he heav'n's peculiar care, Henry Moyes made no chemical discoveries, and his Thy guide, the inward light! name is obscure in the history of the science. Yet i t is And from a lady: significant that less than six years later, James Woodhouse founded in Philadelphia the first chemical society Blind was the bard, but to his soul was given, A light as clear as is the face of Heaven, in the United States, a society which immediately made And still, though darkness clouds his visual ray, itself useful to the citizens of the countryby offering to On his enlightened mind is pour'd the day. analyze minerals and other substances free of charge. A Newton's genius aids the poet's soul, Under the sponsorship of the Chemical Society of PhilaInforms his spirits, and directs the whole delphia, Robert Hare published his classic paper on Of his improving philosophic plan, Of piety to God, and love to Man. the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe (1802). Benjamin Silliman, Henry Moyes was 35 years of age when he visited newly appointed professor of chemistry a t Yale UniPhiladelphia. A gentleman writing from this city to a versity, journeyed to Philadelphia to study chemistry friend in Charleston, gave this description of him: under James Woodhouse, with Robert Hare as a fellow "His person is graceful, his voice strong and musical, student. Joseph Priestley's advent in Philadelphia in and his manner in every respect agreeable. He con- 1794 and Thomas Cooper's activities here as author and ceals the loss of his eye-sight, by wearing a pair of spec- teacher contributed to the city's prestige in the field of tacles." His popularity with the ladies is evidenced in a chemical science. I n the spring of 1785 Moyes left Philadelphia, and letter written May 2,1785, by Susanna, called "Sukey," from Baltimore, on May 29th, wrote to Rush: Dillwyn, from Burlington, New Jersey, to her father in London : Last night I delivered my tenth lecture at Baltimore to an Thee has doubtless heard of, and perhaps seen the celebrated blind philosopher Doctor Moyes-celebrated he is in our p a h of the World-more so I imagine than he was in England.. He has given a course of 24 lectures on Natural Philosophy in the Hall of the Academy of Philadelphia. I attended the two l a s h n e on air illustrated with several experiments, the other on echo and sound. They were very clever particularly the last so far as I could understand them which I must own to Thee my dear Father was not very fully tho I tried to give all He has been greatly admired in this country my attention.. . .its amazing when he dines or drinks tea abrosd what a crowd he draws after him. Sally Fisher or Daws-had I heard one afternoon 70 or 80 to drink tea with her when it was known that he was to be there--hut he wss not pleased and so went away and disappointed all of them..
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The appeal of Dr. Moyes to the general public as well as to the intellectuals in Philadelphia was understandable. Here he found a city weary of politics and the aftermath of war, where intellectual stimulus for the masses was wanting. Not since the days of 1764 when Ebenezer K i e r s l e y , coworker with Benjamin Franklin, went up and down the laud giving popular lectures on
audience of ahont 200 persons and at the conclusion of the present course I shall immediately repair to Princetown, near here. I hope to avoid in some measure the intense heat of July and August..
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Apparently a t the request of Professor Rush of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Moyes included in this letter "a list of apparatus, as seem to me to be indispensably necessary in every University." Some of the 18 items listed were: A model of 8. Waggon, with several sets of wheels of diierent sizes to show advantages and disadvantages of each set; a Machine to estimate force of falling bodies; Air Pump; An Electrical Pump with Battery, Luminous; a Whirling table; Hydrostatic Balance; Suck'mg, Lifting, Forcing Pumps of Glass; Single and Double Mycroscope; Reflecting and Refractory Telescope; A Concave and Convex M i o r ; Magic Lanthorn; Set of Artificial Magnets.
Dr. Moyes suggested that some of this apparatus. "might be conveniently made in Philadelphia." How long Moyes remained in "Princetown" after
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leaving Baltimore and where he spent the remainder of the year, we do not know definitely. His next appearance in Philadelphia is indicated in a notice contained in The Pennsylvania Packet and Advertiser, December 30,1785: Impressed with a true sense of that unparalleled attention he last winter received from the citizens of Philadelphia. Dr. Moyes has returned from the Eastern States, t o offer Lectures The Course will conupon the subject of Natural History.. sist of Twenty lectures, and comprehends the Natural History of the Celestial Bodies, of the Earth, the Atmosphere, the Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms, with the History of Man, Pamand the most effective Means of preserving Health.. phlets, containing the Heads of the Course, may be had gratis, a t Mr. Crukshank's, Printer. and at Mr. Dohson's, Bookseller. . and at Rev. Mr. Marshall's in Fourth St. (next door to the Indian-Queen).
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At this time Dr. Moyes petitioned the General Assembly of Pennsylvania for permission to use the Assembly Chamber for his lectures, during the recess of the House, adding that he "is a t a loss to obtain an apartment sufficiently large, warm, and commodious for that purpose." The Assembly, apparently less science conscious than the people, ordered his petition to lie on the table. o n ~an'a&7,1786, Moyes r&umed his lectures a t the hall of the University of Pennsylvania which was but a stone's throw from his lodgings a t Fourth and Market Streets. In February, 1786, a public dispensary was estahlished in Philadelphia under the auspices of Rev. Dr. William White, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Dr. Caspar Wistar, William Shippen, and others, and Dr. Moyes accepted an invitation from the Board to deliver two lectures "for the benefit of this new charity" a t 3 shillings, ninepence for each lecture. Dr. Moyes bade farewell to Philadelphia in March, 1786, and on May 5, wrote to Dr. Rush from Charleston, South Carolina:
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of my success in Charleston. On the 16th of March we sailed from Philadelphia, & after a most tremendous passage we arrived here on the 10th of April. A large packet of Introductory Lettem procured me a polite recep tion, & altho' in the language of the Town every body is a t present enjoying the Country Air, yet my Lecture Room is much frequented, & often displays around Three Hundred. In the Harbour of Charleston there is now a British Vessel fitted up with peculiar attention for the accommodation of Passengem. It is expected she will sail upon the 22nd inst. & as my present Course of Twelve Lectures will be concluded upon the 15th I intend to take my passage on board of her. Let me therefore request that ere long you will favor me with a Letter addressed to the Care of the Revd. Mr. Moyes Edinburgh North Britain. A few days ago the Thermometer rose to 85 degrees, & this morning we found ourselves very comfortably situated by a good Cod h e . It is these & similar changes in the Atmosphere that destroy the health of the Southern Stales. With best Compliments to Mrs. Rush, Mrs. Stockton, & her family, Dear Sir, I am with all respect, Your very much obliged & faithful Friend. P.S. I have just received the acceptable present of your ingenious oration, but being obliged to Embark tomorrow morning I have only time to thank yon for this additional proof of your polite attention to me. Remember me kindly to Mrs. Rush, & to Miss Polly Stockton. Tell the latter that I can scarcely forgive her for so cruelly disappointing me at Philadelphia. Charleston May 24th, 1786.
One cannot refrain from wondering in what way Polly disappointed Henry. Could it be that he left his heart in Philadelphia? Moyes' farewell lecture a t Charleston was "On the history of factitious gasesnamely, iixable air, inflammable air, nitrous air, phlogisticated air, and dephlogisticated air," later known as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and nitric oxide. Of Dr. Moyes' departure from America, we have thisrecord from Charleston, May 29,1786: This afternoon went over the bar, the ship Amelia, Captain Caldcleugh, for London-Went passengers-Mr. Wilkinson, lady and family, Mr. Blsckford, Mr. Peppin jun., Dr. Moyes and attendant. and several other cebbin and steerage p w It Dr. Moyes returns to Albion's s n o w cliffs. sengers. is hoped that he carried with him something like a competencya proof that although America, is drained of cash, she still possessed sufficient liberality to reward a man whose abilities have been so eminently exerted to expand and improve the human mind.
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Upon his return to England, Dr. Moyes resided a t Edinburgh. He visited Ireland in 1790, lecturing a t Dublin and other cities. Eventually he settled a t Manchester, where he died on the 10th of August, 1807, a t the age of 57. He bequeathed his estate to his brother, a clergyman a t Cowgate, who in discussing the happiness of the life to come, is said to have remarked that one great benefit was "an easy introduction to the acquaintance of those very respectable persons, the angels." BIBLIOGRAPHY (1) KAY,J., "A Series of Original Portraits," Volume 1, Black, Edinburgh, 1877. (2) BET, G., "Ohser~ations on blindness;' Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Soeiety of Mancheder, 1 (1789). (3) EDGEWORTA, R. L., "Memoirs," London, 1820. (4) PENNICR. M. A,. "Life of Mam Ann Schimmel Pennick." London, 1859.
174 (5) BOLTON,H. C., "Scientifio Correspondence of Joseph Priestley. 11. The Lunar Society," privately printed, New York, 1892,250 copies printed. (6) L A N G ~ E J. D ,A., "A Century of Birmingham Life," Birminghsm, 1868. (7) CARSON,J., "History of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania," Lindsay & Bhkiston, Philadelphia, 1869.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION (8) Pennsylvania Packet & Daily Advertiser, Feb., 1785; May, 1786. (9) Pennsylvania Journal & Weekly Advertiser, Feb. 23, 1785. (10) Nezu Ymk Maqazine or Literary Repository, April, 1794, 5 . (11) New York Weekly Magazine, July, 1795. (12) Manuscript correspondence: Mayes to Benjamin Rush,
Susanna Dillwyn to her father. The Library Company of Philadelphia. Ridgway Branch.
