Reflections on some Mineralogical Systems, 413 



muriatic acid; the quantity was the same as in the last expe- 

 riment ; and it was found, that between \G and 17 cubical 

 inches of oxymuriatic acid gas disappeared ; the whole of the 

 sulphur was sublimed in the gas 5 and the liquor formed was 

 of a tawny orange colour. 



No oxygen was expelled during the combustion of phos- 

 phorus in oxymuriatic acid gas, nor could I ascertain that 

 any muriatic acid had been formed; three grain? of phos- 

 phorus were entirely converted into sublimate, by the ab- 

 sorption of about 23 cubical inches and a half of the ga9. 



It would seem from these quantities, that the sulphu- 

 retted liquor formed by subliming suiphur in oxymuriatic 

 acid gas, consists of one proportion of sulphur, represented 

 by 13*5, and one of oxymuriatic gas represented by 329, 

 and that ihe phosphoric sublimate must be composed of 

 three portions of oxymuriatic gas, represented by 98'7 and 

 one of phosphorus represented by 16'5. 



LXXVT. Reflections on some Miner ah a real Systems. By 

 JR. Chenkvix, Esq* F.R.S. and M.R.LA.^ &c. Trans- 

 lated entire from the French, with Notes by the Trans- 

 lator. 



[Continued from p. 391.] 



JL here is not a shepherd among those whose eyes and 

 mind have never exiended beyond the flocks which they 

 keep, the plains which nourish them, and the day which 

 affords them light, who could not convince the mineralogist 

 of the absurdity, should the latter wish to teach him that 

 a flock of wethers and ewes was a flock of animals of a new 

 species; and if the miner could perceive the mineralogical 

 individual, as the shepherd sees his wethers and ewes, the 

 doctrine of passages would excite laughter from Siberia to 

 Peru. It is below any other criticism*. 



Finally, 



* This is too severe; since M. Werner, not content to imitate Button in 

 world-makiag and forming the habitable giobe of a ball of glass invokes the 

 •hade of Moses, and furnishes us with " transition rocks, which are supposed 

 to have been deposited during the tmssoge or transition of the earth fi 

 chaotic to its habitable state " This knowledge, doubtless, is se perfectly 

 within the sphere of our senses, that we must congratulate the champions of 

 alt-nails on their singular modesty and consistency. " Hence," continues the 

 passenger or transitionist, ** they contain the first traces of organic remains 

 and mechanical depositions, and are denominated transitiQh rocks. They 

 are also highly important, as connecting the primitive with the fioetz rocks, 

 and thus preserving the beautiful wits of transitions which are to be traced 

 itom the oldest primitive to the newest alluvia! formations." Utahappiiy 



tluoc 



