Theorefical Notions on Gdvanifm and Chemijlry. 513 



gas : the rationale of this phaenomenon is as yet in obfcurity. One philofopher accounts for 

 it thus ; that water + light gives oxygen gas, and water + heat hydrogen gas ; when 

 thcfe two gafes are decompofed, the ponderable pare prefents itfelf once more under the 

 form of water, and the fire efcapes. Others ptopofe the following ; that oxygen gas is water 

 + pofitive cle£lricity ; and hydrogen gas, water + negative eledlricity. This feems coun- 

 tenanced by numerous obfervations, among others by fomc already made in England, viz. 

 that the eieftrometer is affefled negatively on being prefented to the zinc extremity of 

 the galvanic battery, and pofitively at the filver end. I fuppofe I need not tell you that the 

 atomillic fyftem is almoft entirely exploded in Germany, and the dynamic fubftituted in 

 its ftead ; confequently, in place of the term matter, the phrafe fpacefilling is employed. 

 Thus, according to the neweft feft of natural philofophy, water is the only fpacefilling in 

 nature that gravitates, and when united to eledlricity, furniflies the principal gafes as feen 

 above ; but when to water, magnetifm is fuperinduced,. their cohefion is the confequence, 

 and the different folids are the produfts : the varieties in thefe refult from the predominance 

 of carbon or azote ; the former being water + the north pole of the magnet, and the latter 

 water + the fouth pole. "Water itfelf is perfeft indifference, being neither eleftric nor 

 magnetic, yet the fruitful parent of all ! — ^This theory, certainly very fimple, and poffibly 

 very fublime, will probably appear as extraordinary to you, who are funk in the quagmire 

 of matter, as it did to me. You are probably well acquainted with the progrefs the 

 Parifian chemifts have made in the decompofition of the alkalis and alkaline earths : their 

 compound nature has ever been the opinion of Mr. Werner, from the incontrovertible fa£ls 

 which geognoftic obfervations furnifli ; there can alfo be no doubt but the filex, argil, &c. 

 are equally compounded. I have lately repeated Guyton's experiments with the alkaline 

 folutions of filex and argil : when thefe are well concentrated and mixed in equal proportion, 

 a firm, gelatinous, opulefcent, mafs refults in a very few minutes; this is perfe£tly in- 

 foluble in water, yet foluble in acids, whether concentrated or diluted, nay, even in 

 diftilled vinegar, and yet confifts of both filex and argil : here, therefore, the properties of 

 the filex muft be confiderably altered. This muft render all analyfis with alkalis fufpicious, 

 and fliows on what fallacious grounds the proud dominion of chemiftry refts, which (lie 

 has exercifed fo long in fucli an arbitrary and overbearing manner in the mineral 

 kingdom. * * * * • 



Vol, IV.— February 1801. 3U IX. 0« 



