I ?S Instruments alluded to in iJiis Essmj.- 



retard for ?6n\c Jew years Xhe provress of new ideas: but 

 truth will overcome every obstacle; she cannot be frightened' 

 either by the clumours of envy, or the resistance of preju- 

 dice,, or by the opposition of ignorance. She is the rock 

 against which the impotent billows of human passions are 

 broken. The cry y^-'t vibrating in our cars against the cir- 

 culation of the blood, the ust of antimony, and the inocu- 

 lation of the small-poNV could not hinder these discoveries 

 from being finally established.. It will turn out exactly the 

 same with the new chemical discoveries, when applied to- 

 illustrate the functions of the animal ceconomy." 



'^ Its career so gloriously begun will never stop.. I do 

 not in the least hesitate to pronounce," he continues, " that 

 modern chemistnj has done more in a few years for jnedtcine, 

 than all the united labours of physicians in all the preceding 

 ages. Only contemplate before this period what has been 

 written on the motion of the blood, the blood itself, the 

 nature of respiration, on animal heat, perspiration, diges- 

 tion, and irritability; examine the subtle and ingenious hy- 

 potheses on these subjects, which appear at this time so 

 degrading to the human reason ; let even tin- immortal 

 Hallcr be tried by this test, whose facts are so- valuable, but 

 whose hypotheses are akogcthcr a mere mass of dark and 

 futile reasonings ;■ and we shall perceive how much we arc 

 indebted for the new lights thrown in by eliemistnj ,. and 

 how much we haveye^ to expect." I remain, sir, 

 Vour obedient humble servant, 



Robert Jotin Thornton. 



P. S. If any medical' gentleman would favour Dr. Thorn- 

 ton with the result of any trials with the factitious airs, they 

 will be commmiicatcd to the Editor, fof the philosophic 

 world. 



[Thc'ie Conimnnicaf'ions are intended to he continued.'] 



XXX. 3ir. Close's Commi/nlcation ta the Board of 

 Agrieultwe, 



[Concludeil frum our last volume, p. 60.] 



An Account of the Instruments alluded (o in tKis Essay. 



X iiK instruments alluded to in tVils essay are, the commoa 

 Suffolk plough without any wheel, worked by two horses 

 and one man : this implement is too well known to require 

 a description. Mr. Cooke's drill is an instrument which will 

 deposit any quantity of seed per acre, at any given depth,. 

 'A'itk intervals of nine, eleven, or eighteen inches, two, 

 b thiee^ 



