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This distinguished American savant departed this life in Philadelphia on the 15th inst., at the advanced age of 77 years. His name has been before the scientific world since the beginning of the present century on account of his chemical acquirements anS discoveries in that science, and several mechanical inventions of great importance. His invention of the oxy-hydrogen blow-pipe has rendered his name familiar as a " household word" in every chemical laboratory, as by it platina and other fractious metals previously infusible by other means were fused by him with ease. For this invention he was awarded the Rum-ford medal by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences at Cambridge, Mass. He was for thirty years Professor of Chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania, and though by no means a brilliant, he was a very sincere and instructive lecturer. Rather controversial in his nature, he was more ready to use strong than elegant language in defending his opmlOns. In his younger days he was a very close and devoted student, and on this account, we think, his mental powcrs were more impaired than those of his body for some years prior to his decease. This, we believe, was the cause of his exceeding credulity in the delusions of spiritualism,. a belief which he embraced upon grounds which, from their very trivialities, filled us with sorrow as we listened to his lecture on the subject in the old Tabernacle of this city, three years ago. In appearance he resembled 'a stern old Roman of the Regulns stamp, as represented by painters.
