Scientific I nielli (jeuce, $C. 313 



of chemical symbols, for it is upon it that all the plans which have 

 hitherto been proposed are based. It may, therefore, be considered' 

 as a fundamental rule in symbolizaMon, that every simple subtance 

 shall be expressed by the initial letter of its name, or if that be not 

 sufficient to distinguish it, by the two first or by the first followed 

 by the next after it, which will be characteristic of that one substance 

 and of no other. 



That this plan of symholization should be adhered to, is, I believe, 

 the opinion of all chemists.* The use of symbols, however, is not 

 to mark the simple substances alone, but to exhibit to the eye in 

 "such a manner as to be quite intelligible, and at the same time in a 

 small space, the composition of chemical compounds. These symbols 

 or marks for the simple substances must, therefore, be combined 

 together, so as to express the compounds, and it is in the method of 

 combination that chemists are at variance. 



The first point which is disputed appears to be, whether every sub- 

 stance should constantly retain its symbol, or, whether it be not 

 advantageous to abbreviate the symbols of some of the most common 

 substances, such as oxygen, sulphur, &c. The latter method of which, 

 Berzelius appears to be the inventor, is countenanced by Thomson, 

 Turner, Graham and seems to be almost invariably adopted. 



Upon considering the subject, however, this plan appears to be 

 liable to many and serious objections. It had been supposed that 

 oxyo-en was the only principle capable of forming acids and bases, 

 and* therefore, absolutely necessary to the existence of a salt enter- 

 ing into the composition' of both its constituents. It was, therefore, 

 very natural to abbreviate the symbol for a substance which enters 

 into such numerous combinations, as it could apparently be done 

 without injuring the uniformity of the system in the least. But 

 when it was discovered, principally by the experiments and investi- 

 gations of several chemists, and not a little by those of Berzelius 

 himself, that oxvgen is not the only substance capable of forming 

 acids and bases,' and, therefore, salts; but that chlorine, bromine, 

 iodine, sulphur, selenium, tellurium, and, perhaps, other substances, 

 are capable of forming each a distinct class of salts ; this reason for 

 abbreviating the symbol for oxygen falls evidently to the ground, 

 unless we supply an abbreviation also for each of the analogous 

 substances. This, indeed, Berzelius has attempted to do with respect 

 to sulphur, by employing a comma for its symbol ; thus evidently 

 admitting the inconsistency of abbreviating the symbol of one of these 

 bodies without doing the same to the rest. But, if oxygen is to be 

 represented symbolically by a period, and sulphur by a comma, 

 (without venturing to express hypo-sulphurous acid by a semicolon,) 

 why should not, on the very same ground, tellurium have a jwmt 

 of admiration, selenium a crass, chlorine an asterisk, and bro- 

 mine and iodine other appropriate characters to represent them 

 symbolically. 



• With theexception of Mr. Richard Phillips who includes aU such concise 

 methods under one class and order. 



■• ,\ Babylonish dialect 

 Of patched and piebald language Edit. 



