On the Theory of mixed Gases. 103 



the cold ? or v\ ould this down preserve its softness, its fine- 

 ness, its strength and elasticity, which constitute its value? 

 As to the secret virtue of the river which runs by Cache- 

 mire, and which it loses further down, it may perhaps be 

 of that kind of virtue which was attributed exclusively to the 

 little river of the Gobelins. In all countries, the people who 

 Jjave brought any process of art to perfection are interested 

 in throwing a mystery over the operations to which they owe 

 their success. If this idea of obtaining the shawl goats to 

 Europe be not chimerical, it is for France to realize it, since 

 it possesses the greatest variety of climates. — Our readers will 

 judoje by this specimen of the benevolent activity of Dr. De 

 Carro, whose success in propagating vaccination has only 

 increased his zeal for the advancement of useful knowledge. 



XIX. An Essay on the Theory of mired Gases, and the 

 State of Water in the Atmosphere. By Mr. John 

 GOUGH *. 



Jt* OUR essays appear in the fifth volume of the Memoirs of 

 the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, which 

 contain many new ideas relating to the constitution of mixed 

 gases, and the state of water in the atmosphere. The design 

 of these papers is evidently intended to remove certain diffi- 

 culties which must strike every man of science who happens 

 to peruse M. de Luc's theory of atmospherical vapour. This 

 attempt has the double recommendation of ingenuity and 

 novelty ; but the leading opinions of the system, even in 

 its present form, are liable to several objections, which I 

 am going to point out, being generously invited to under- 

 take the task by the author himself. My doubts relative to 

 the subject arise partly from mathematical considerations, and 

 in part from the evidence ofcxperiment. Ccrlainobjcctionsof 

 the fir.^t class dispose me to conclude, lliat an atmosphere con- 

 structed on Mr. Dalton's plan will appear u;)i)n examination 

 to be repugnant to the principles of the mechanical philo- 

 sophy ; and a direct appeal to experiment has moreover con- 



• Vtom ManchtslcT Transactions, second scries, vol.i. 



G 4 vinccd 



