[ 356 ] 



LXVr. On the Identity of Silex and Oxygen, By 

 Mr, Hume, of Long' Acre ^ London, 



A 



[Continued from p. 280.] 



To Mr, Tilloch, 



SIR, 



MONG these promiscuous observations, it would be un- 

 pardonable to omit iron, which is one of the more constant 

 associates of silex. These two ingredients seem to be al- 

 most inseparable companions, especially in every thing of a 

 primeval nature ; for, in all original districts, mountains, 

 rocks, and soils, and in every native compound of any con- 

 sequence and extent, whatever the aspect, situation and 

 contents may be, these two elementary bodies are sure to 

 present themselves, and, T may add, are always united ; 

 for, though the silex maybe elicited from the mineral in its 

 simple form, the metal, on the contrary, is always oxidized. 

 So universally is this metal dispersed through the works 

 of nature, that very few instances occur in which it is to- 

 tally absent ; its ubiquity is truly proverbial, and is exceeded 

 by nothing, if we except silex or oxygen ; indeed it pervades 

 almost every solid substance, and even animal and vegetable 

 bodies are seldom exempt from its influence, but often exhibit 

 iron evidently as a constituent in their s^j'stem. Hence, the 

 history of iron becomes a most interesting subject to the 

 physiologist, and, if we add its wonderful property of mag- 

 netism, it seems to be one of the most fertile for the ima- 

 gination of every philosopher. As this metal is never dis- 

 covered in the pure state, but is more frequently conjoined 

 with oxygen than any other body; and as this process seems 

 to have been effected in the immediate vicinity of silex, I 

 see no particular or unreasonable objection, if, in all such 

 instances, we assign the genuine cause of the oxidizement 

 of iron, solely to this prototype of oxygen. I feel less diffi- 

 culty in admitting this conclusion, when it is consi- 

 dered, that the more cogept examples are dcducible from 

 originally Jormed matter, from the real primordial rock, 

 coeval \vith the globe itself, and made tangible, probably, 



soon 



