View source for Quotes:Hare, Robert

== [[Zirkoff, Boris]] ==
'''{{Style S-Small capitals|Hare, Robert}}'''. American chemist, b. at Philadelphia, Jan. 17, 1781;
d. May 15, 1858. His father, also Robert, served in the Pennsylvania
legislature and was trustee of Pennsylvania University. Robert was
educated at home and studied chemistry under James Woodhouse.
For some years he managed his father’s brewery, devoting his
spare time to chemical research. Discovered, 1801, the oxy-hydrogen
blow-pipe, source of the highest degree of heat then known, which
led to the founding of the platinum industry. At this time he formed
a close friendship with Benjamin Silliman which became almost
a partnership in research. Elected, 1816, Prof. of Chemistry at the
Univ. of Penna. His greatest interest was in electricity; he invented
the calorimeter and the deflagrator for generating a high electric
current; we owe to him also the use of the mercury cathode in
electrolysis, and new methods for the analysis and synthesis of gases. Hare was a vigorous contributor to the ''American Journal, of Science''. On his retirement in 1847, he gave his collection of apparatus to
the Smithsonian Institution and was elected honorary member of
that body. Apart from his various scientific papers and pamphlets,
he published under the pen-name of “Eldred Grayson” a novel,
''Standish the Puritan''. (1850). Hare was one of the first eminent
men of science who, setting out to expose the delusions of Spiritualism,
became firm believers instead. This happened in 1853. Being
a strong sceptic himself, he experimented for himself, and like
William Crookes at a later date, devised apparatus to use with
the mediums. He embodied his research in his work, ''Experimental Investigation of the Spirit Manifestations'', etc. (New York: Partridge
& Brittan, 1855, 460 pp., 2 portraits). This report led to a
disgraceful persecution of one who was, with the exception of
Agassiz, the best known man of science in America. The professors
of Harvard passed a resolution denouncing him and his “insane
adherence to a gigantic humbug.” He had already resigned his
chair, but suffered much in loss of reputation. The American
Association for the Advancement of Science howled him down
also, and placed themselves on record that the subject of Hare’s
research was unworthy of their attention.

Sources: E. F. Smith, ''The Life of Robert Hare'' (1917), and
''Chemistry in America'' (1910); Henry Simpson, ''The Lives of
Eminent Philadelphians'' (1859).

{{Quote source
|author = Boris de Zirkoff
|title = H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings
|detail = vol. 1, pp. 467-468
|link = Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.1)#467
}}

'''{{Style S-Small capitals|Hare, Robert (1781-1858)}}'''. *''Experimental Investigation of the Spirit Manifestations'', etc. New York: Partridge & Brittan, 1855; 460 pp. & 2 portraits. See Vol. I, pp. 467-68, of the present Series for biogr.

{{Quote source
|author = Boris de Zirkoff
|title = H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings
|detail = vol. 3, p. 510
|link = Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.3)#510
}}

'''{{Style S-Small capitals|Hare, Robert (1781-1858)}}'''. See Vol. I, pp. 467-68, for biographical sketch.

{{Quote source
|author = Boris de Zirkoff
|title = H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings
|detail = vol. 4, p. 651
|link = Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.4)#651
}}