The chemical and mineralogical work on meteorites over the period 1800 to 1840 is reviewed. The number of elements known to be present in meteorites rose from six to 19. Chemical techniques advanced rapidly so that by 1815 the procedure was essentially that of modern wet chemical analysts: removal of the magnetic material, dissolution of the acid‐soluble portion and fusion of the remainder with alkali. After Bournon's work in 1802 much mineralogical progress was made during the 1820's, notably by G. Rose. Berzelius made important contributions by his own analyses and synthesis of the work of others. By 1840 ordinary chondrites, carbonaceous chondrites, plagioclase‐pyroxene achondrites, Chassigny, pallasites and octahedrites could all be distingui