tRETfeNDED NEW METAL; PALLADIUM. ^9 



better exemplified than by comparing the refult of the 5th 



iynthetical experiment, with the difficulty of expelling mercury 



from the compound. 



I mud here obferve, that all the analytical experiments. The mercury 

 . , , , , / -c could not be 



and many others, were made, by way ot companion, upon fcparated from 



the palladium I had bought, as well as upon that which I had the bought pal- 

 made. But, although I had myfelf combined the mercury from'^ny"of the 

 with theplatina, and confequently knew it to be in the com- author's real 

 pound that refuked, I could not fucceed in feparating it. ^'>«»»'inationu 

 Neither did the fubdance defcribed in a former paragraph, as 

 intermediate between platina and palladium, allow one particle 

 of mercury to efcape from it, by any procefs I have )^i been 

 able to devife. 



The name of palladium conveys to our mind the idea of Objections to 

 foraething abfolute, and therefore incapable of gradation. But ^.^jj°'^ ^* *' 

 gradations in alloys are infinite ; and the alloy of platina and 

 mercury is fufceptible of infinite variation. Palladium alfo 

 brings to our recoJIeflion a contemptible fraud dire6led againft 

 fcience ; the name, therefore, ftiould not be admitted. I 

 have called it an alloy ; for it differs too much from the ufuai 

 idea we have annexed to the word amalgam, but it accurately 

 correfponds with our notions of the name I have adopted. 



The fads which I have related in this paper, appear at firft Thefe new fad* 

 fight to have no fimilar examples in chemiftry ; and may not J^^j^g credit, 

 gain immediate aflent from every perfon. The philofopher, 

 indeed, will feel no humiliation in being forced to corred or to 

 extend his knowledge; and will not altogether dilbelieve a fa6l, v 



becaufe he can adduce no parallel inftance, or becaufe it is not 

 in unifon with his received opinions. Such condufl would be 

 railing an infurmountable barrier againft the progrefs of fcience; 

 it would be fetting up our own feelings in the place of nature ; 

 'and attempting to meafure what in itfelf is imraeafurable, by 

 the narrow fcale of human comprehenfioH. 



But let us not confine our view of the fa6ts and principles 

 that have been mentioned, to this lingle inftance. Let us trace 

 them in a more extended circle ; and fee whether any thing 

 may be found in nature that can apply to the prefent fubjed. 



The firfl prejudice, for fuch I mull call it, againft the pre- Theftraa^ 



fence of platina in palladium i?, the fmall denfity of the alloy, din^'^ution of 

 . , , , . . , . , ,./..,; fpecinc gravity 



And no doubt it is extraordinary, that a metal the fpecific in this compound 



gravity of which is at lead 22, (Chabaneau fays 24,) com- muftnotpre- 



bined with another the fpecific gravity of which is nearly 14, ^"^ ***" * 



H 2 ihould 



