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LXXXV. The Bakerian Lecture. An Account of some new 

 analytical Researches on the Nature of certain Bodies, 

 particularly the Alkalies, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Carlo- 

 naceous Matter, and the Acids hitherto undecomposed ; 

 with some general Observations on Chemical Theory. By 

 Humphry Davy, Esq., Sec. R.S., F.R.S. Edin., and 

 M.R.I.A.* 



I. Introduction. 



In the following pages, I shall do myself the honour of lay- 

 ing before the Royal Society, an account of the results of 

 the different experiments, made with the hopes of extending 

 our knowledge of the principles of bodies by the new powers 

 and methods arising from the applications of electricity to 

 chemistry, some of which have been long in progress, and 

 others of which have been instituted since their last session. 



The objects which have principally occupied my attention, % 

 are the elementary matter of ammonia, the nature of phos- 

 phorus, sulphur, charcoal, and the diamond, and the con- 

 stituents of the boracic, fluoric, and muriatic acids. 



Amongst the numerous processes of decomposition, which 

 I have attempted, many have been successful; and from 

 those which have failed, some new phasnomena have usually 

 resulted which may possibly serve as guides in future in- 

 quiries. On this account, I shall keep back no part of the 

 investigation, and I shall trust to the candour of the Society 

 for an excuse for its imperfection. 



The more approaches are made in chemical inquiries to- 

 wards the refined analysis of bodies, the greater are the ob- 

 stacles which present themselves, and the less perfect the 

 results. 



AH the difficulties which occur in analysing a body, are 

 direct proofs of the energy of attraction of its constituent 

 parts. In the play of affinities with respect to secondarv 

 compounds even, it rarely occurs that any perfectly pure or 

 unmixed substance is obtained ; and the principle applies still 

 more strongly to primary combinations. 



The first methods of experimenting on new objects like- 

 * From Philosophical Transactions for 1809. Part I. 



wise 



