340 Remarks on Chemical Theory, &c. 
constantly fluctuating. We would not be so unreasonable 
as to say, that there should be no changes in the language of 
chemistry, but they should be as few as possible, and they 
should not be lightly made upon every trivial occasion. 
To the term chlorine we do not however object; on the 
contrary we think it a happy word, concise and well sound- 
ing, and being derived from a sensible property of the body, 
namely its colour, it does not involve controversy, or take 
for granted a subject in dispute. The derivations from it 
are also good and nothing can be better imagined than chlo- 
ric, acid chlorates, oxid of chlorine, chloride, § &c.; for wheth- 
er chlorine be simple or compound, these terms will ever 
remain correct. But, when the terms derived from hydro- 
gen are added to those from chlorine, we not only have 
cumbrous expressions, but they are involved in all the fluc- 
tuations of a disputed theory. As there was no necessity 
of precipitancy on this point, and no harm could have re- 
sulted from continuing to use the words mente acid, muri- 
we should | y sic. mie 
C1 aware that | ‘terms are a. 
ey aie the Saou principles of the Sendeseh en 
and it may be ultimately proper to adopt them. But as a- 
principle we object to precipitancy in new modelling a 
pepe oe where the anna must me nu- 
merous and importan 
Sea A the day to. make new words, and it is 
step ; $ otherwise it will retard. instead ok : ee pro-. 
ome of: asingaine 
