Man in the Savage State. 189 



conclude, that the analyfes, which have hitherto been made 

 of tcrreous fubftances, are very little to be depended on. 

 Profeflbr Lampadius is at prefent much engaged in experi- 

 ments to afcertain the nature of (iliceous earth ; which he 

 conceives to be nothing but argillaceous earth in the highefi 

 degree of oxidation, and which is changed into argillaceous 

 earth by treating it with deoxidating fubftances. It feems, 

 therefore, probable, that feveral foflils, which, according to 

 their external or ory&ognoftic %ns, appear to be filiceous, 

 are changed in the hands of chemiffs into argillaceous 

 earth! Though confeious of the boldnefs of this affertion, 

 the profeflbr obferves, that in different analyfes of the fame 

 fubftances he has fomctimes obtained a greater, fometimes a 

 lefs, quantity of argillaceous or of filiceous earths, which he 

 afcribes to the above circumftance. On the whole he thinks, 

 that earths as well as fixed alkalies are compofed of azote, 

 hydrogen, and oxygen. 



Mr. Lambe has proved, by feveral experiments, that the 

 precipitate formed upon mixing muriate of lime with muri- 

 ate of magnefia is carbonate of lime, which arifes from the 

 muriatic acid not having the power to feparate the laft por- 

 tion Of carbonic acid from carbonate of magnefia, when a£* 

 fufed on that fubftance to convert it into a muriate. 



C. Vauquelin, in a late paper on the combination of me- 

 tals with fulphur, divides them into three orders: 1. Metals 

 and fulphur, or fulphurets properly fo called : 2. Metallic 

 oxides and fulphur, which ought to be called fulphurated me- 

 tallic oxides : 3. Metallic oxides with fulphur and hydrogen. 

 Thefe triple combinations he calls metallic hydro- fulphurated 

 oxides. It is obvious, and chemifts mould remember the fac\ 

 that the action of the different acids upon fuch compounds 

 muff be altered and modified according to the clafs to which 

 they may belong. 



MAN IN THE SAVAGE STATE. 



A great deal has been faid in the journals of the favage 

 child found in the department of Aveyron; and fuch difco- 

 veries cannot fail of being interefting to mankind, efpecially 

 if they could lead to means for civilizing and reftoring to fo- 

 ci etv thefe unfortunate beings, whom nature feems to have 

 cut off from the rank of men to place them among the num- 

 ber of irrational animals. 



Such are the ideas fuggefted by examining the young man 



found 



