178 Dr. Hare and M. Berzelius on certain points 



Libavius, the butyraceous chlorides of zinc, antimony, and 

 bismuth, plumbum corneum, luna cornea, fluor spar, and the 

 acid fluorides of silicon and boron. I objected also that com- 

 position could not be resorted to consistently with his classi- 

 fication ; since, agreeably to it, a salt might be either a binary 

 compound of a halogen body with a radical, or consist of 

 two binary compounds, each containing the same amphigen 

 body. 



To the terms acid and base, as employed in his nomencla- 

 ture, 1 objected, that neither by the celebrated author, nor by 

 any other chemist, had any definition been adhered to which 

 could, consistently with his plan, restrict the meaning of those 

 appellations to the binary compounds formed by the union of 

 his amphigen bodies with radicals. 



Acidity and basidity* had sometimes been distinguished by 

 an appeal to properties, sometimes to composition, but to 

 neither had there been any consistent attention. In order to 

 demonstrate the total neglect of properties latterly displayed, 

 it was only necessary to contrast substances bearing generally 

 the name of acids; as for instance sulphuric acid with rock 

 crystal, acetic acid with tannin, and prussic acid with margaric ; 

 or to contemplate simultaneously the admission of the hydr- 

 acids formed with the halogen bodies into the class of acids, 

 while alleged incapable of combining with bases, with the ex- 

 clusion from that class of nitrous acid, upon the plea of the 

 same incapacity. 



In reference to neglect of composition in forming the class 

 of acids, it will be sufficient to advert to the association in that 

 class, of compounds formed with radicals both by the halogen 

 and amphigen bodies; so that the halogen bodies are in one 

 case producers of salts, in the other producers of acids; in 

 one case act as supporters, acidifiers, or electro-negative prin- 

 ciples, in another as radicals to the comparatively electro-posi- 

 tive hydrogen, pre-eminently a radical by the definition of that 

 word given in the treatise of the distinguished author of the 

 nomenclature. 



After stating my objections to the basis of the Berzelian 

 nomenclature, I proceeded to mention those to which I con- 

 sidered the superstructure as liable. 



Having designated the acid compounds of his amphigen 

 class, by prefixing syllables indicating their electro-negative 

 ingredients ; having also in some instances, as in those of the 

 fluosilicic, and fluoboric acids, adopted this course in relation 



* For the use of the words basidity and salidity, I have no authority; 

 but conceive that through their analogy with acidity their meaning is so 

 obvious a» to make it expedient to employ them. 



