Conversations on Chemistry: In Which the Elements of that Science are Familiarly Explained and Illustrated by Experiments (Classics in Chemistry)

Marcet, Jane

ISBN 10: 1546639608 / ISBN 13: 9781546639602

Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 1546639608-3-37015103

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Conversations on Chemistry: In Which the Elements of that Science are Familiarly Explained and Illustrated by Experiments (Classics in Chemistry)
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication Date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1546639608
• ISBN 13: 9781546639602
• Binding: paperback
• Condition: Good
• Weight: 28 ounces

About this title

Synopsis

Conversations centers on the maternal Mrs. Bryant (referred to in the text as “Mrs. B”) and her two students, Caroline and Emily. This is the backdrop providing a snapshot of the general understanding of chemistry in the early 1800s. The sharing of scientific content through such dialogue was important to Marcet’s readers; indeed, she came to write not only Conversations on Chemistry but also Conversations on Political Economics as well as Conversations on Natural Philosophy.As she stated in her preface to Conversations on Chemistry, she took on the question of whether such material was suitable for women and knew there would be objections, but she also knew public opinion was on her side. She published the first edition of Conversations anonymously in 1805.Her Conversations was intended for the “Female Sex” and became her most popular and famous work. It was one of the first elementary science textbooks and contained Jane’s own drawings of chemical apparatuses. Throughout the text she emphasized the importance of both demonstration by experiment and theoretical rigor.

About the Author

Jane Marcet (1769-1858) was born in London and educated at home in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. She married Alexander Marcet and came in contact with numerous professional scientists. She went on to write books in an astonishing range of areas including chemistry, botany, economics, and religion.