30$ ON THE BASB OF POTASH. 



the wire coming from the copper end of the apparatus only. 

 tob^aSon" Suspecting from its blackness, that it might be carbon, we 

 collected and dried a portion of it, which was subjected to 

 the test of nitre in a platina. spoon; we did not, however, 

 observe the slightest indication of the presence of that in- 

 flamable body; but, since the quantity operated upon was 

 very small, no absolute conclusion can be drawn from the 

 experiment. 

 Cannot be an That it cannot be an oxide of the alcaline base containing 

 base. e ° 6 * ess ox 'S en tnan constitutes alkalinity, appears from its re- 

 maining permanent jn water, for several weeks after the ex- 

 periment ; a circumstance, which could not take place with 

 any substance having so great an affinity for oxigen : It is 

 equally evident, that it cannot be an oxide with more oxi- 

 gen, because it is formed at the copper end of the battery. 

 Is it any foreign matter, derived from the vegetable, whence 

 the potash has been obtained ? 

 Alkaii formed It is a well ascertained fact, I believe, that vegetables fur- 

 of vec "tables" msn a g reater quantity of alkali by incineration, than is to 

 but in what be found in their composition previous to the process. It 



state does it would therefore seem, that alkali is formed during the com- 

 exi»t in them r ' 7 . 



bustion, and that all of it does not exist in the vegetable in 



the state of alkali : nor does it exist in the state of its base, 

 since this substance would be incompatible with the pre- 

 sence of the vegetable fluids, in what form, then, does it 

 exist? 

 Alkalis com- In consequence of the numerous confirmations of Mr. 

 ^a^th- 5 ' h E> avv>s discovery, we may with some confidence conclude, 

 the same. that the alkalis ought no longer to be considered as simple 

 bodies, and it is exceedingly probable, that the earths are 

 also compounds of oxigen, united to certain inflammable 

 bases; a circumstance long ago suspected by Lavoisier, 



Chemical no- an( j otners# i^e nomenclature and systematic arrangement 

 menclature and . 



system require of chemistry therefore must undergo an alteration, particu- 

 ac ange. larly that part of the former, which embraces oxigen and its 



compounds; since we find that substance to be as well the 

 principle of alkalinity, as of acidity. Under the new ar- 

 New arrange- rangement all ponderable matter will most likely be divided 

 ment. j nt0 tw0 c i asscs> f simple bo, lies, namely, oxigen and in- 



flammable 



