edited by
JOHN H. WOTlZ Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois62901
Mrs. Marcet's "Conversations on Chemistry" J o h n K. Crellin Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC 27710 The popularity and influence of Mrs. Marcet's "Conversations on Chemistry" first published anonymously in 1806 (and subsequently in innumerable English, European, and American editions) can hardly he overestimated. It contributed much to the field of popular education, and not only for women to whom it was primarily directed. Michael Faraday, when a bookseller's errand bov. first became familiar with chemistry through reading thehook.1 Furthermore, medical annrentices sometimes used it to beain their studv of chem.. i~try.~ T h e reasons for the popularity of the hook are not hard to see. It is written attractively in dialogue form between Emily and Caroline (the ideal pupils full of sensible questions) and Mrs. B. (the excellent teacher always ready to illustrate apoint with an experiment). The writing technique facilitates ready correction~oftime-honored, incorrect ideas. For instance, Caroline asked: "but do not fire, air, earth, and water, consist, each of them. but of one of substance?" T o this Mrs. B. rer, now reckun plied: "No my dear . . . . Inittwd o t f ~ ~chvmisti upwards of forty elementary sul~stances.'l'hesewe shall first examine separately, and afterw:~rri~ wn.;i(lcr in their rumbinntioni with twch
