The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants

CHEMISTRY AND PERFUMERY.[Q] Sir, If the author of the Letter on Chemistry and Perfumery, published in No. 50 of your Journal, and intended as a reply to mine--though none was needed--which appeared in No. 49, really be a perfumer, as his signature implies, he would know that I could not, though ever so inclined, "confine the term perfumery" to various odoriferous substances, and exclude scented soaps; because he would be aware that one-third of the returns of every manufacturing perfumer is derived from perfumed soap. I do however emphatically exclude from the term perfumery, "groceries, &c.," the et cætera meaning, I presume, "confectionery," because perfumery has to do with one of the senses, SMELLING, while groceries, &c., are distinguishable by another, TASTE; and had not our physical faculties clearly made the distinction, commerce and manufactures would have defined them: I therefore repeat, that the artificial essences of fruits are not used in perfumery, as stated in No. 47, from the quoted authorities. If any man can deny this assertion, let him now do so, "or forever after hold his peace," at least upon this subject. The "Journal of the Society of Arts" is not a medium of mere controversy. If a statement be made in error, let truth correct it, which, if gain-sayed, it should be done, not under the veil of an anonymous correspondent, but with a name to support the assertion. Science has to deal with tangible facts and figures, to the political alone belongs the anonymous ink-spiller.