242 On the probable Composilion of Sulphur. 



it coincides vvilh sulphuretted hydrogen, which without the 

 apparent presence of oxygen shows itself to be an acid,- by 

 converting vegetable blues into red. 



6. The fumes of sulphur will whiten a red rose, and this 

 is also a property of the electric spark. 



7» Dr. Priestley among his original experiments observes, 

 that as he was passing the electrical explosion over lead, (I 

 believe, to form those curious circles which he first remarked) 

 he found some sulphur upon the lead. This he attributes to 

 the disengagement of the sulphur contained in the ore. Yet 

 it would be proper to repeat the same experiment with pure 

 lead, and observe if it be possible to procure the same result. 

 — Indeed I am inclined to think, that the black grains men- 

 tioned as being produced, when wire is melted by the elec- 

 tric explosion, have been too little examined. Perhaps they 

 may sometimes be sulphurels or sulphuretted oxides of the 

 metal, instead of being pure oxides, as has been generally 

 supposed. 



In short, from the facts above stated, I am led to conclude, 

 that sulphur is probably a compound substance, contain- 

 ing the electric fluid as one of its principles, and perhaps 

 also some surrounding atmospherical substance or substances 

 as the other. By passing a strong spark through pure oxy- 

 gen and other aerial fluids, or by experiments upon sulphur 

 itself with a particular view to this subject, we may hope 

 that its composition will be finally proved. 



As in the infancy of chemistry those gases passed unob- 

 served, which the labours of Priestley have since proved to 

 be such general agents ; so perhaps in future years, the gal- 

 vanic, electric, magnetic, and other subtle fluids may be 

 found equally universal in their operations. Perhaps poste- 

 rity may find the electric fluid to be a component part of 

 all the simple combustibles. Perhaps to its presence 

 oxygen may owe its power of supporting combustion, 

 and its acidifying principle. For as the electric fluid is 

 infinitely more subtle than oxygen, and seems to pos- 

 sess the properties of combustion and acidity without the 

 apparent presence of oxygen; it is more improbable that 



electricity 



