18 Mr. Herapath on True Temperature , and the [Jan. 



However, as I approached the end of the part which has just 

 been published, finding it utterly impracticable to close the 

 paper within the prescribed limits, I was in part prevailed on by 

 the Rev. Mr. Trimmer to undertake to try the success of my 

 inquiries on the laws of Chemical Combination, Decomposition, 

 &c. In this proposed inquiry, my attention was intended to be 

 particularly directed to the investigation of the merits of the 

 atomic theory, which has been of late years so ably advocated 

 by those distinguished philosophers, Richter, Dalton, Gay- 

 Lussac, Thomson, &c. Unhappily other circumstances have so 

 intervened to delay my taking up the inquiry that I find it 

 impossible to prepare for the present number in the manner I 

 could wish ; and, therefore, I have thought it preferable to make 

 the development of my views the subject of a future communica- 

 tion. However, it may not be uninteresting to philosophers to 

 know, that though I have had but the opportunity of a few scat- 

 tered hours to consider the subjects, my principles have enabled 

 me to succeed in the demonstrations of the leading laws and 

 phsenomena of Chemical Union. For instance, I have reason to 

 believe 1 have perfectly succeeded in demonstrating Dr. Richter's 

 phaenomena of saturation, which are the foundation of Dr. VVol- 

 laston's shding rule of chemical equivalents ; Dr. Henry's laws 

 of the absorption of gases ; Mr. Dalton's theory of definite pro- 

 portions ; and a variety of other things which flow from them. 

 But of all the phaenomena I have hitherto demonstrated in this 

 part of my inquiries, none have pleased me so well as the proof 

 1 have been able to give of M. Gay-Lussac's observation of the 

 laws of volume in the chemical union or disunion of gaseous 

 bodies. This proof, besides confirming the general views of Gay- 

 Lussac, illustrates my theory of gravitation by a train of facts 

 not less beautiful than unexpected ; nor when contemplated as 

 the simple consequences of a simpler cause, less splendid than 

 simple, nor less simple than consistent and evident. Indepen- 

 dently of corroborating the consequences deduced from observa- 

 tion, the full development appears likely to lead us to an uninter- 

 rupted unclouded view of changes and pheenomena more refined 

 than have yet been conceived ; but yet marked with that sim- 

 plicity which so strongly characterizes the ever conformable 

 operations of nature. 



One singular thing flows from my investigations on this sub- 

 ject perfectly consistent with what J had anticipated in other 

 phaenomena, and have mentioned in page 267, and other places, 

 m the last volume of the Annals : namely, that almo;it all che- 

 mical combinations are preceded by a disunion of the particles 

 of the component bodies. Not only does it appear that the par- 

 ticles of the heavier gases, as oxygen and chlorine, which have 

 commonly been conceived to be snnple bodies, are decomposable, 

 but also that the particles of hydrogen are likewise decompos- 

 able; and that in the formation of water they are actually 



