Chapter 4
From this day natural philosophy, and particularly chemistry, in
the most comprehensive sense of the term, became nearly my sole
occupation. I read with ardour those works, so full of genius and
discrimination, which modern inquirers have written on these
subjects. I attended the lectures and cultivated the acquaintance
of the men of science of the university, and I found even in M.
Krempe a great deal of sound sense and real information, combined,
it is true, with a repulsive physiognomy and manners, but not on
that account the less valuable. In M. Waldman I found a true
friend. His gentleness was never tinged by dogmatism, and his
instructions were given with an air of frankness and good nature
that banished every idea of pedantry. In a thousand ways he
smoothed fo
