Properihs of the new Sarih 9/ Ser^K f^f^ 



«ffi, T ottameJ, by' fevcral fucceflivc cryftallizations, 90 parts of alum. I alfo diflblved 

 10 parts of the earth of beryl in the fame acid, and added the fame quantity of fulphate of 

 pot-afti. I obtained only 50 parts of fait in fmall cryftalline grains, of which I could not 

 determine the figure. This fait is foluble in 7 or 8 parts of cold water, a quantity very 

 kifufficient to diflblve alum at the fame temperature. 



There cannot, therefore, remain any doubt concerning the particular nainre of the earth 

 contained in the beryl ; which muft henceforward be reckoned in the namber of fubftanccs 

 of this order, of which it will compofe the eighth fpecies. 



It almofl always happens in the fciences of obfervation, and even in the fpcculatlve fcl-" 

 ences, that a body, a principle, or a property, formerly unknown, though it may often hare 

 been uted, or even held in the handsj and referred to other fimplc fpecies, may, when once 

 difcovered, be afterwards found ia a great variety of fituations, and be applied to many ufc- 

 ful purpofes. 



Chemiftry affords many recent examples of this truth. Klaproth had no fooner dlfcovered 

 the different fubftances with which he has enriched the fcience, but they were found ii» 

 Tarlous other bodies ; and if I may refer to my own procefTes, it will be fecn, that after I 

 had determined the charafters of chrome, firft found in the native red lead,, I eafily recog- 

 nifed it in the emerald and the ruby. The fame has happened with regard to the earth of 

 the beryl. I have likewife detefted it in the emerald ; in which, neverthelefs, it was over- 

 looked both by Klaproth and myfelf in our firft analyfis i fo diiEcult it is to be aware of the 

 prefenee of a new fubftance, particularly when it pofleffes fomc properties refemWing thofe 

 already known ! 



Though I have not yet determined with ntuch accuracy the proportion in vrfiich this- 



earth exifts in the emerald, I think, neverthelefs, that it is nearly the fame as in the beryl ;. 



but I fhall afcertain this point witli more certainty in my fecoiid analyfis. The emerald 



and the beryl are therefore two ftones of the fame nature, excepting the colouring part j, 



and the fciences of cryflallography and chemiflry are here alfo perfectly confiftent in their 



jrefults, 



jf Table of the general Fropertks of the Earth of the Beryl, 



I . It is white. 



, 2. Infipid. 



3. Infoluble in water. , 



4. Adhefive to the tongue. 



5. Infufible. 



6. Soluble in the fixed alkaKs. 



7. Infoluble in ammoniac. 



8. Soluble in the carbonate of ammoniac* 



9. Soluble in almofl every one of the acids (except the carbonic and phofphorjie acidrs)j 



and forming falts of a faccharine tafte. 

 JO. Fufible with borax into a tranfparent glafs. 

 J I. Abforbs one-fourth of its weight of carbonic acid. 



12. Decompofes the aluminous falts. 



13, Is not precipitable by well-faturated hydro-fulphurets> 



J Talh 



