CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Life and Labours of John Mercer, by Edward A. Parnell (Longman), is an interesting biography of a self-made man, who, if he did not quite reach the stature of Mr. Smiles's heroes, certainly deserved to have his life recorded. John Mercer, whom Mr. Parnell describes as " the self-taught chemical philosopher," was born at Dean, a few miles from Blackburn, in Lancashire, being the son of a small farmer. When nine years of age, he became a bobbin-winder ; he subsequently took to the occupation of a hand-loom weaver. He was rather a quick boy, and early showed an aptitude for maths. matics and music. A bent was given to his life, however, in 1809, when, on a visit to his mother, he was so much struck with the beau- tiful orange colour of the dress of a step-brother that he determined to learn dyeing. With mach diffloulty, he learned the business, and after an experiment in the way of setting-op for himself, he was taken on at the Oakenshaw Print Works. Nine years later he was engaged as experimental chemist there ; finally, his success in discovering new colours, and in inventing new styles, led to his becoming a partner in this important concern. Ultimately, Mercer became known as a chemist outside the circle of his friends and his business. The acquaintance of Sir Lyon (then Dr.) Playfair, which he made in 1841, led to an interesting correspondence. Mercer was not only an enthusiastic chemist, bat a strong Liberal and Cobdenite, and, for a long period at all events, an attached Wesleyan. He died in the year 1866. The plain and honest, yet somewhat powerful face of Mercer, which looks at us from the portrait which Mr. Parnell gives us along with his biography, is just such as one would have expected him, from his career, to have. The scientific and technical aspects of his life are dealt with by Mr. Parnell adequately, but not at too great length.
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