, [ 69 J 



The 5th rule (very properly) laid down by Ivlorv-eau wid; 

 refpeft to names is, that they fhould be adapted to the genius 

 of the language ; confequently if old names be retained they 

 fhould be employed in the true ufual fenfe of their known fig- 

 nification in that language, and neither extended beyoiid it nor 

 reftridled within narrower bounds ; on this ground I rejedl the 

 term potajh employed to denote the vegetable fixed alkali in its 

 pureft ftate ; for that name both in Englifh and French has al- 

 ways denoted an impure alkali, but the pureft alkali of this 

 fort having been formerly denoted by the name of fait of tartar^. 

 a name certainly improper, I fubftitute in its room the unex- 

 ceptionable name tartarin, which by its affinity to the former 

 eafily fuggefts its fignification, and is moreover attended with a 

 fmooth flowing adjedtive tartarinated, which is often wanting. 

 For the fume reafon I rejedl the name ammonia to exprefs the 

 "uolatil alkali^ as the name ammoniac has always been employed to 

 exprefs the combination of a volatil alkali with an acid, and if no 

 particular acid was expreffed the muriatic, was underftood ; in- 

 ftead of volatil alkali, which is a compound denomination, I 

 fubflitute volalkali, whofe fignification cannot be miftaken. Its 

 adjedive is not indeed quite fo happy ; inftead th.&n oi volalkalifed, 

 I ufe the word fuliginated^ which eafily indicates the fame idea. 

 Thefe are the only new chymical names I employ. 



The term oxide is alfo unfuited to our language, in which it 

 naturally expreiTes the hide of an ox. In pronunciation they 



cannot 



