272 Professor Fuchs on Opal, and 



change be regarded as a mere mechanical alteration, like, for 

 example, the pulverization of bodies. Quartz, though reduced 

 to the finest powder, is still quartz, and so is opal, and the for- 

 mer cannot be converted into the latter by crushing, even if the 

 powder could be united into a whole without fusion. We should 

 thus obtain a hornstone-like mass, but no opal. In the same 

 manner, we cannot by pulverization convert diamond — crystal- 

 lized carbon — into lamp-black, or sapphire into aluminous earth, 

 &c. In short, by mechanical processes, we can neither deprive 

 of form nor give form. The one like the other can only hap- 

 pen by an exciting of the internal powers of bodies, — only by a 

 chemical process. The process by which bodies acquire form 

 is called cr^tallization, and that by wliich they are deprived of 

 form may be termed deformation. 



Deformation of bodies takes place not only in the cases above 

 cited, but also frequently, though rapidly passing away, under 

 other circumstances, and performs, as I believe, a not unimpor- 

 tant part in the continual change and circle of events in the cor- 

 poreal world. I cannot forbear making some farther remarks 

 on this subject, although I foresee that they will meet with little 

 approval, as they are in opposition to the prevailing opinions. 

 According to my view, deformation precedes, nay must precede, 

 every chemical synthesis. We shall probably never thoroughly 

 understand this process by which dissimilar bodies are united, 

 so as to form a uniform whole ; but we shall at least have gained 

 something by removing an incorrect idea which disturbs the 

 chief part of the investigation, and which leads away from the 

 road to truth. I consider that those are in favour of such an 

 idea who believe that in chemical union the crystalline molecules 

 of one body are appUed to those of another, without any further 

 operation taking place, so that the chemical product is in reality 

 nothing else than an extremely fine and intimate mixture. But 

 besides other objections which may be made against this view *, 

 I would mention the following : — That upon such an idea we 

 cannot understand how the crystalline molecules of two bodies 



• Upon this subject may be consulted the masterly articles by Karsten in 

 the Neues Jahrbuch der Chemie und Physik, vol. v. p. 394, and in the Transac:. 

 tions of the Academy of Sciences of Berlin for the year 1824, published in 

 1826, p. 1..39. 



