Mcjucliestcr Memoirs, Vol. Ixi. 'igi/), -Vi^. H. "-, 



paralleled by that of an ingenious artist who should endeavour 

 to prove, by mechanical means, the ratios of the cone, sphere, 

 and cylinder, but, Ending that after the expenditure of much 

 time and labour the exact ratios, by weight and measure, 

 could not be obtained, owing to the unequal density of the 

 material operated upon and other causes, should set the results 

 of his labours above the demonstrations of the geometer, and 

 declare, in the hyperbolic ■ language used by Stas resi>ecting 

 the multiple proportions of the atomic weights as modified by 

 Dumas, that the exact ratios of the cone, sphere and cylinder 

 are " a mere illusion, a pure hypothesis, absolutely contradicted 

 by experience."^ 



Applying the foregoing reasonings to the determinations 

 of the atomic weight of tellurium by M. Aietzner, and accepting 

 the theoretical value of 128 as correct, it will be seen that M. 

 Metzner, by taking the mean of the results of his first series 

 of experiments with the sulphate, and making the final atomic 

 weight 127.Q, has hardly clone himself justice, as the second 

 series with telluric acid shows a mean atomic weight of 128.01. 

 Moreover, three of the seven determinations made by M. Metzner 

 show the actual theoretical atomic weight 128, which is the 

 criterion of the experimental results. 



5. Bull. Acad. Sci. Hcl.t^iquc, X., p. 212, i860. 



