ACTION OF I'LATINA AND MERCUHY. 171 



Deformes obtained the fame refult, and attempted to producQ Pl^covery of tho 

 the lubftance a lecond time. They performed a valt number of Lampadius, 

 of experiments ; but their fuccefs bore no proportion to their which he could 

 diligence and zeal. They publifhed an accoutit of their procefs ^as afterward? 

 and its confequcnces, but gained little credit, as no perfon ««« only verified 

 was fortunate enough to produce the fame fubftance. Many p^^^j.^"^"^ ' 

 dilbelieved the experiments altogether, and denied the ex- 

 iftence of fuch a combination ; whilft others, lefs inclined to 

 doubt, attributed its formation to fortuitous circumftances 

 which micrht never again occur together. In February, ISQ.]., Thz inventor 



re-di (covered the 



ProfetTor Lampadius, indiftiliing fome pyritized wood, though fub^ance, and it 

 with a different intent, obtained the fame lubftance. As he can be produced 

 had it now in his power to obferve the phenomena that at-*^^^^ ''^^' 

 tended its formation, he difcovered, and has communicated to 

 the world, a method of producing it, which never fails, "^ ' 



Since his late paper upon the fubjed, as the necelfary pre- 

 cautions can be followed by every chemift, Mef;. Clement 

 and Deformes have obtained that credit to which their 

 experiments had, in truth, always been entitled ; and the 

 formation, of what ProfefTor Lampadius terms his fulphur- - 

 alcohol is no lonj^er a refult of chance, or accounted for 

 by being fuppofed one of thofe fubterfuges to which human 

 pride reforts, in order to fpare itfclf the confeffion of human 

 weaknefs. 



The obfervation of any new fa6l becomes a matter of general New h€ts are of 

 concern, and truly worthy of philofophic contemplation, then extenfive the^ir 

 only, when its influence is likely to be extended beyond the relations, &c. 

 fingle inftance to which it owes itsdifcovery. Whether water 

 were a fimple body or a compound could have been of little 

 importance as an infulated fa6l ; but, conneded with the vaft 

 chain of reai'oning it gave rife to, it opened a new field for 

 genius to explore. If in the prefent cafe our refearches were 

 to be confined merely to afcertaining whether palladium were 

 a fimple metal or a compound, all the advantages likely to 

 arife from the faifts obferved during the inquiry would be loft; 

 and an object of the moft compreheniive intereft would thus 

 fink into a con trover fy concerning the exiftence of one mor6 

 of (hofe fubftances, which we have dignified with the name of 

 elements. It was in this pbint of view that Mefs. Richter 

 9nd Ritter confidered the fuhjeft as far as they went, and 

 MUTiiyai.,^;..^; ^ t**?!*!*!^' a few 



