_Oct. 20, 1800._
This morning dear Henry [Footnote: Eldest son of Mrs. Elizabeth
Edgeworth.] took leave of home, and set out for Edinburgh. "God prosper
him," as I in the language of a fond old nurse keep continually saying
to myself.
Mr. Chenevix, a famous chemist, was so good as to come here lately to
see my father upon the faith of Mr. Kirwan's assurance that he would
"like Mr. Edgeworth." I often wished for you, my dear Sophy, whilst this
gentleman was here, because you would have been so much entertained with
his conversation about bogs, and mines, and airs, and acids, etc. etc.
His history of his imprisonment during the French Revolution in Paris, I
found more to my taste. When he was thrown into prison he studied
Chaptal and Lavoisier's _Chemistry_ with all his might, and then
represented himself as an English gentleman come over to study chemistry
in France, and M. Chaptal got him released, and employed him, and he got
acquainted with all the chemists and scientific men in France. Mr.
Chenevix has taken a house in Brook Street, London, and turned the
cellar into a laboratory; the people were much afraid to let it to him,
they expected he would blow it up.