Organic chemistry has made great progress since the commencement of the present century, and the facts upon which it is constituted have been sufficiently known and accurately studied, to elevate it to the rank of an exact science. Numerous applications have been made, with immense advantage to the arts and sciences; but the great light it has shed in such numerous directions, has but feebly enlightened the art of embalming, and we will say, with M. Pelletan, that we cannot but be astonished to observe, that the same processes are continued in our day which were only predicated on the description of Herodotus upon points evidently defective, and that without any kind of discernment or analysis, in a manner entirely routine. No regard has been taken to the enormous difference which the dissimilitude of exterior conditions must establish between our practices and those of the Egyptians. It is, nevertheless, an art thus constituted, which will invoke the aid of three learned professions. It was, indeed, a grave subject of discussion to determine, whether the physician, the surgeon, or the apothecary, ought to take precedence in the honours of this operation. A conciliatory spirit once arose in one of these disputes; after long consideration and mature examination, it was concluded, that the three professions rendered such services in these circumstances, that they should march in a line, and that they ought, in consequence, to render each other aid and support in a common cause. Nevertheless, judging from the great incisions, perforations, the flesh hacked and stuffed with perfumes, the arbiter would have been justified in deciding that the hog-butcher possessed superior claims to any of his competitors for practising embalming. We shall be convinced, in reading the following notice, that the pretensions which we claim in favour of an honest artist, are neither ridiculous nor extravagant. M. Boudet, charged with the embalming of the senators, gives us a faithful account of the method which he followed to preserve the magnates of the empire. There was prepared for this operation:-- 1. A powder composed of tan, decrepitated salt, quinquina, canella, and other astringent and aromatic substances, Jew’s pitch, benzoin, &c.; the whole mixed and reduced to a fine powder, and sprinkled with essential oils: the tan forms one-half the weight, the salt one-fourth. 2. Alcohol saturated with camphor. 3. Camphorated vinegar, with spirits of camphor. 4. A varnish, composed of the balsam of Peru, and balsam of copaiba, fluid styrax, oil of nutmeg, lavender, and thyme, &c. 5. Alcohol saturated with hyper-oxygenated muriate of mercury.