426 ^ BemajiiS on Mixed Gases^ 



and read. In returning the thanks of the So- 

 ciety to the author, I gave him, agreeably to 

 former intimation, my opinion on his argu- 

 ments, couched in terms of respect, as may 

 be seen in his second essay, into which the ■ 

 greater part of my letter was transcribed. It 

 was intended by me for a letter of friendship, 

 and not a formal discussion for public inspec- 

 tion.— In a few months after came his second 

 essay (page 405) ; this, as may well be ima- 

 gined, by any one who peruses it, w^as not 

 entitled to the same notice from me as the 

 former ; because in discussions relative to ex- 

 perimental philosophy, we expect facts op- 

 posed to facts, and arguments to arguments ; 

 whereas in the present instance Mr. Gough , 

 has done little more than insinuate that my 

 instruments are inaccurate, and the results of 

 my experiments unfaithfully represented, with- 

 out in any one instance bringing either of these 

 charges home to me. 



It is not my design to spend much time in - 

 animadversion on these two papers : such parts 

 of my letter as are quoted in the second of 

 them contains all the observations of importance 

 on the first : but as some of those observations 

 Involve facts and circumstances not then ascer- 

 tained, it vv^ill be necessary to relate what has 

 since transpired. 



