406 On the Thdory^of Mixed Ga.^es. 



error of the kind into a personal failing. 



Reasons were offer(id Siilily fofmer essay on the 

 present subject, to shew the impossibility of 

 two gases intermixing, so as to comply, with 

 the demands of Mr. Dalton's hypothesis ; and 

 his method of avoiding the consequences of the 

 demonstration appears to be a device, sug- 

 gested by the crafty manager of the heart and 

 its affections ; for I entertain too high a sense 

 of his mathematical knowledge, to assign any 

 other cause for so manifest a departure from the 

 principles of the mechanical philosophy. The 

 following passage, relating to the matter in 

 debate, is copied from his letter. " In the 

 ** place, where a quantity of the gas A is sup- 

 " posed to be thrown into the compound C, 

 " you infer, that upon my hypothesis, the 

 ••' lighter must ascend and remain at the top ; 

 " I infer, that they will instantly be in a state 

 " of commotion, until they become uniformly 

 " diffused through each other ; and that the 

 '' consideration of the centre of gravity of the 

 " fluids never comes into the question; be- 

 " cause the force of gravity upon any one par- 

 *' tide is infinitely surpassed by its repulsive 

 " force.'' 



The preceding paragraph exhibits a glaring 

 contradiction of inferences ; for the conclu- 

 sions arc as contrary as they can be^ and my 



