Life
He was born at Warrington, Lancashire into a distinguished literary family of prominent Unitarians. He was born into a family of writers, the best known of whom was his paternal aunt, Anna Letitia Barbauld, a woman of letters who wrote poetry and essays as well as early children's literature. His father, Dr John Aikin, was a medical doctor, historian, and author. His grandfather, also called John Aikin (1713–1780), was a Unitarian scholar and theological tutor, closely associated with Warrington Academy. His sister was Lucy Aikin (1781–1864), a historical writer.
Arthur Aikin studied chemistry under Joseph Priestley in the New College at Hackney, and gave attention to the practical applications of the science. In early life he was a Unitarian minister for a short time. Aikin lectured on chemistry at Guy's Hospital for thirty-two years. From 1803 to 1808 he was editor of Annual Review. He was one of the founders of the Geological Society of London in 1807 and was its honorary secretary in 1812–1817. He contributed papers on the Wrekin and the Shropshire coalfield, among others, to the transactions of that society. Later he became Secretary of the Royal Society of Arts. He was founder of the Chemical Society of London in 1841, being its first Treasurer and second President.
He was highly esteemed as a man of sound judgment and wide knowledge, he was also elected as FRSA, having served as its Secretary. Aikin died at Hoxton in London.
Read more about this topic: Arthur Aikin
Famous quotes containing the word life:
“The ancients adorned their sarcophagi with the emblems of life and procreation, and even with obscene symbols; in the religions of antiquity the sacred and the obscene often lay very close together. These men knew how to pay homage to death. For death is worthy of homage as the cradle of life, as the womb of palingenesis.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“In the two centuries that have passed since 1776, millions upon millions of Americans have worked and taken up arms, when necessary, to make [the American] dream a reality. We can be proud of what they have accomplished. Today, we are the world’s oldest republic. We are at peace. Our nation and our way of life endure. And we are free.”
—Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)
“The more the development of late capitalism renders obsolete or at least suspect the real possibilities of self, self- fulfillment and actualization, the more they are emphasized as if they could spring to life through an act of will alone.”
—Richard Dean Rosen (b. 1949)