Thus situated, Dr. Black was obliged to be a contented spectator of the rapid progress which chemistry was making, without venturing himself to engage in any of the numerous investigations which presented themselves on every side. Such indeed was the eagerness with which chemistry was at that time prosecuted, and such the passion for discovery, that there was some risk that his undoubted claim to originality and priority in his own great discoveries, might be called in question, and even rendered doubtful. His friends at least were afraid of this, and often urged him to do justice to himself, by publishing an account of his own discoveries. He more than once began the task; but was so nice in his notions of the manner in which it should be executed, that the pains he took in forming a plan of the work never failed to affect his health, and oblige him to desist. It is known that he felt hurt at the publication of several of Lavoisier’s papers, in the Mémoires de l’Académie, without any allusion whatever to what he himself had previously done on the same subject. How far Lavoisier was really culpable, and whether he did not intend to do full justice to all the claims of his predecessors, cannot now be known; as he was cut off in the midst of his career, while so many of his scientific projects remained unexecuted. From the posthumous works of Lavoisier, there is some reason for believing that if he had lived, he would have done justice to all parties; but there is no doubt that Dr. Black, in the mean time, thought himself aggrieved, and that he formed the intention of doing himself justice, by publishing an account of his own discoveries; however this intention was thwarted and prevented by bad health. No one contributed more largely to establish, to support, and to increase, the high character of the medical school in the University of Edinburgh than Dr. Black. His talent for communicating knowledge was not less eminent than his faculty of observation. He soon became one of the principal ornaments of the university; and his lectures were attended by an audience which continued increasing from year to year for more than thirty years. His personal appearance and manners were those of a gentleman, and peculiarly pleasing: his voice, in lecturing, was low, but fine; and his articulation so distinct, that he was perfectly well heard by an audience consisting of several hundreds. While in Glasgow, he had practised extensively as a physician; but in Edinburgh he declined general practice, and confined his attendance to a few families of intimate and respected friends. He was, however, a physician of good repute in a place where the character of a physician implied no common degree of liberality, propriety, and dignity of manners, as well as of learning and skill.