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introduced, were perfedly intelligible, nor fhould I attempt at 

 prefent to vindicate them had I not perceived they attraded the 

 cenfure of many on whofe efteem I fet the highefl: value. Thus 

 circumftanced I feel myfelf juftified in examining the general 

 propriety of thofe rules and affumed principles from which I 

 thought proper to deviate, and of the denominations which I 

 rejed. 



If 



The firft principle laid down by M. Morveau is, " that phrafes, 

 '* are not a name, that fubftances and chymical produds fhould 

 " be denoted by names fit to indicate them on every occafion, 

 " without having recourfe to circumftances, p, 373 ;" to this, 

 principle I give my intire affent. 



Another rule laid down by M. Morveau is, *' that in chufing 

 '♦ denominations we fhould prefer thofe which have their roots 

 " ia the dead languages more generally known, in order that 

 " the fenfe fhould fuggefl the name, and the name the fenfe." 

 It is for this reafon combined with the firfl that I prefer fingle 

 names already underftood and well known by all thofe that have 

 attained any knowledge of chymif^ry to new names derived from 

 the Greek or new unknown barbarous Latin names. Hence I 

 prefer the term hepar^ denoting in all chymical authors a com- 

 bination of fulphur to every bafis except a metallic, to the bar- 

 barous unknown Latin itrm fulphuret ; and with refped to metals I 



prefer 



