g6 Difeujfmn relating U the Stronttan of Sodbury. 



On the other hand, Dr. Gibbes himfelf ftates, that he knew of Mr. Cla}'ficld's experiments 

 before he wrote me the account of his own, and had noticed them, and Mr. Clajfield's 

 name, prior to that time, in a work publiflicd laft January * ; that he never knew that the 

 variety of which he fent fo imperfeft an analyfis had been noticed by any one, and he under- 

 ftands that no one has to this day fubje6led it to the teft of experiment but himfelf. He 

 thought Mr. Clayfield's experiments had been publicly announced, and now finds by the note 

 to p. 41 of this Journal, that this Was in faft the cafe; — that the great difFcrence in the 

 fpecimens of this mineral found in Gloucefterfhire, have deceived the beft judges; — 

 that Mr. Richardfon pofitively affirms, that Mr. Notcutt did not know what the mineral 

 in queftion was, but that bad he even affirmed it to be the fulphatc of ftrontian, it would 

 be of n9 confequence to the cafe, becaufe Mr. Richardfon never mentioned his name nor 

 his opinion to Dr. Gibbes ; — that in the papers tranfraitted to me (which have been commu- 

 nicated to Dr. Gibbes), he accufes Dr. Beddoes of omitting to mention a fecond letter 

 of Mr. Richardfon, which was ftrong in favour of Dr. Gibbes; — that the idea of lofing 

 Mr. Clayfield's good opinion, for whom he entertains the moft profound refpedl, is the 

 only circumftance which can give him pain in this bullnefs ; and that the high gratification 

 he has received from the Philofophical Journal, produced the wifli to give a teftimony of 

 approbation by a communication, in confequence of which he inftantly embraced the firlt 

 favourable opportunity of fo doing. 



I hope that the length of this abridged account will be a fufficient apology for my not 

 having inferted the original papers. As an individual, to whom the parties are no otherwife 

 known than by their public labours, and refpeftable ftations, 1 may venture to add the 

 following obfervations. 



It appears on the whole : i. That Mr. Clayfield difcovered the fulphate of ftrontian in 

 England long ago, as related at p. 36 of our prefent volume. 2. That this difcovery was 

 imparted to hundreds of perfons ; to a large audience at Briflol ; to a learned fociety at Man- 

 chefter ; andto a periodical work of large circulation (page 41). Whence, it feems hard to 

 imagine, that the mere difcovery could be any part of a confidential communication to Dr. 

 Gibbes. 3. That the probability of the Rev. Mr. Richardfon having mentioned the opinion 

 of Mr. Notcutt to Dr. Gibbes, is removed by the negative of Mr. Richardfon himfelf, as to that 

 point. And 4. laftly, thatthough it might be wifhed, that Dr. Gibbes, while mentioning his 

 own experiments, had noticed their connexion with thofe other obfervations of fuch public 

 notoriety ; yet, the chief and probably the only caufe of offence in the publication, at page 

 535 of vol. 2. of this Journal, will be found to confift in the apparent oftentation 

 of the title, which was not written by Dr. Giilcs, but by the Editor. 



* This work I prefume to be his Syllabus of a Courje of chemical LeBuxes, where I find the following head. 

 " Strontites — Where found — A' alogous to barytes — Its properties — Produces rid flame when applied 

 " to a candle — In what differs from barytc . — Phofphure of ftrontian. — M. Pelleticr, Mr. Hope, Mr. Schmei- 

 •' fcer, Mr. Clayfield..— Sulphate of ftrontites found near Briftol." — N. 



