442 Rev. W* Whewell on the Employment 



tion, besides being singularly awkward in the eyes of every 

 one at all acquainted with algebra. 



The combinations of ingredients which make up compounds 

 are clearly of the nature of additions) and never can have any 

 analogy with the multiplication of the numbers expressing the 

 components ; they therefore ought by no means to be repre- 

 sented by that combination of symbols which denotes multi- 

 plication. I cannot account for the adoption of such a mode 

 of representation any otherwise than by attributing it to the 

 ambiguity of the words factor and product, which are some- 

 times used to express the ingredients producing a chemical 

 compound by their addition, and the compound itself; but 

 which in algebra properly refer to parts producing a number by 

 multiplication. Whether or not this double meaning be the 

 origin of the confusion, there can be no doubt of the exceeding 

 impropriety, I might say absurdity, of such a kind of symbols. 

 It is much to be regretted that a system marked with such 

 blemishes should have been promulgated by Berzelius, whose 

 great knowledge and deserved eminence gave him more power, 

 perhaps, than any other chemist possessed, to obtain a Euro- 

 pean circulation for the vehicle in which his speculations were 

 conveyed. 



I now proceed to the system which I propose to sub- 

 stitute for this. There can, I think, be no difficulty in its 

 application. The letters being once fixed upon, which denote 

 the ingredients to be represented, their combination is to be 

 indicated by the sign of addition ; and if they be distinguished 

 into groups, these groups may be marked by brackets, as in 

 Mr. Herschel's notation. These brackets may often be omitted 

 without causing any confusion. 



I will give an example or two to exhibit the manner in 

 which a given analysis may be expressed in this notation ; and 

 also Ihe manner in which, the symbol being given, we may see 

 what ought to be the analysis. 



We have the following analysis of Analcime by H. Rose : 

 Silica . . 55.12 one atom S = 16 

 Alumina . 22.99 .... A = 18 



Soda . . 13.53 N = 32 



Water . . 8.27 .... 2 = 9 

 99.91 



