4^4 ^^' ^^^'^ ^^ Attraction and Repulfwn;^, 



I am glad my remarks on your obfervations 

 met with your approbation. If you think they 

 will at all illuflrate the fubjefli the Society havd 

 my full permiflion to do what they pleafe with 

 them; if they fhould not think they will take 

 more room than they deferve, I fhall efteennt 

 their approbation a great honour. But they 

 will feem to ftand infulated and alone, and per- 

 haps will not be perfectly intelligible, unlefs 

 they are introduced by your obfervations, which 

 were the caufe of them. 



The more I refledl upon the fubjeft, the more 

 I am convinced of the power aind extent of the 

 influence of attradion in chemical phsenomena. 

 In folution, it has been admitted ever fince the 

 time of Sir Ifaac Newton j but there are many 

 other faifls, which the late experiments on elaftic 

 fluids lead us to explain in the fame manner. 



I fliall, in this letter, only have time to ex- 

 emplify this pofition, by direding your attention 

 to the circumftances, which take place in the 

 CALCINATION OF METALS. The experiments of 

 Stahl, &c. convincingly prove, that metals in 

 calcination part with the phlogifton ; and thofe 

 of Mr. Lavoifier fliew, that the calx of a metal, 

 thus deprived of phlogifton, is not merely an 

 inert earth, but that it is the bafe of the metal 

 united with the aerial acid, or fixed air. It is 



obvious. 



