ON THE i^ATURE OF OXl\llJRIATIC ACtH. ggf 



inference winch appears most obvious and direct is not 

 always just, that it is sometimes ileteasary to take a more 

 extensive or deep view, and will perhaps be convinced, that 

 he has erred in the notion he has formed of the kind of in* 

 duction, which constitutes a genuine theory. 



The cause of crrours such as this is, and which has long Erronr from 

 been recoj^r.ized as the fertile source of false speculations iu consideration 

 physics, is the taking into view only part of the facts which only part of 

 belong to the subject — those which appear most favourable ^ ® ^^^^' 

 to our induction, instead of taking the whole into consider- 

 ation, and from this general view forming the most proba- 

 ble conclusion. If the facts above quoted from Mr. Davy 

 were all that are connected with the question, his conclu* 

 sions might appear to be just. But there are others equally 

 connected with it, to explain which, various hypothetical 

 assumptions tnust be made, the probability of which ought 

 to be considered, and the whole compared with any other 

 induction that may be formed. 



Thus in distilling muriatic acid from black oxide of man- iFormation of 

 ^, -1 I ^- c J. • .L • oximuriatic 



gonese, the oxide loses a portion or its oxigen, the mun- ^^id {rom mu- 



atic acid disappears, and oximuriatic acid is obtained. The r'-^tic acid and 

 direct conclusion from this experiment (and it is equally di- ga,yesc. 

 rect with Mr. Davy's conclusion from the experiment of de- 

 tonating oxirpuriatic gas and hidrogen) is, that the oxigen of 

 the oxide has combined with the muriatic acid, and formed 

 the oximuriatic; and to obviate this he is obliged to suppose^ 

 that the oxigen of the oxide combines with the hidrogen of 

 the acid, forming water, and setting free the oximuriatic 

 acid. If we expose liquid oximuriatic acid to solar light, 

 oxigen is expelled, and muriatic acid remains ; and the most 

 direct inference from this is, that oximuriatic acid is a com- 

 pound of rhuriatic acid and oxigen, Mr. Davy must have 

 recourse to a less obvious explanation, and suppose a portion 

 of watfr to be decomposed, its oxigeti disengaged, and its 

 hidrogen com bi"ned with the oximuriatic acid. And he has 

 no proof of the formation and decomposition of water in 

 these experiments, farther than that they must take place, if 

 bis theory be true, 



if we consider therefore th^e two opiiiiohs under difief- Both expiana- 

 ent uspepts, if wp set out sis it wpre frow diiferent points, ^;®"*^'yi<®^^^- 



each 



