2^6- On the Ah^rpfion of Gtts^s. 



6\\ fh(5sd jJaVticIe^ df the 1^'ter that ixQ rnirtie-^ 

 diately subject t6 its mflirenee, physically 

 ipeakiiig, e<^ual-5 atid the satrre may be ob- 

 g^rved of the small latefal fcrcel " • - 



i. The greatest difficulty atten^ttig'" the me-* 

 (fhanicai hypbthesis; arises frbtn difFerent gases 

 observing different laws. AFhy doids w'^at^r not 

 adrtiititls bulk of dvdry kind of gas alike ? — 

 Thfs' question I have duly considered, and 

 tboagh I am not' y^t able to satisfy myself 

 completely, I am ilearly persuaded that the 

 circumstance depends upon the weight and 

 riuttib^r of tlie! ultimate particles of the several 

 gase^: Thb^e whose particles are lightest arid 

 single being least absorbable and thd others 

 more accordirig as they ihcrcase in weight and 

 complexity.*^ An enquiry into" the relative 

 weights of the ultimate particles of bodies is a 

 subject, as far as I know, entirely new: I 

 have lately been prosecuting this enquiry with 

 rertfarkable success; The principle cannot be 

 entered upon in this paper ; but I shall just 

 subjoin the results, as far as they appear to be' 

 ascertained by my experiments. 



* Subsequent cXperliehitie' renders this conjcctttrtj l^^ 

 probable. 



