p4 THE BEE, OR Jan. 91- 



fidered as proper, but for a very fliort period of time 

 But when a word has been once employed to denote a 

 certain objeft, and has been g-nerally admitted by the 

 ^m ct norma loqucndi to denote that objefl, the fame ob- 

 ieft ought certainly to continue in all future time to 

 be denoted by the fame wo-:d, without "any change; 

 although it fhould appear, at a future period, that the 

 ideas which prevailed when that word was formed, 

 and which are denoted by the elements of the word 

 •when analized, are extremely erroneous; for thefe 

 words, like thofc above enumerated, will co^me in time 

 to be confidered merely r.s names of the particular ob- 

 jiefts they are intended to denote, and nothing e!fe. In- 

 deed, unlefs we can fay that our knowledge of the ob- 

 ject is complete, fo as that our ideas of them can never 

 aftery'ards change, what do we gain by fuch innoA'a- 

 tions ? Nothing but perplexity and confufion. The 

 •words which according to the knowledge of the day 

 expreffed the properties of tlie objeft in the mofl: com- 

 plete and perfe£l manner, will perhaps be found in a 

 fev»r months, in confequence of fome new difcoveries,. 

 to be altogether erroneous. Thi-s new word mud then 

 of courfe be abandoned, and another new one formed 

 in its (lead, wliich, in its turn, mufl give place to an- 

 other, and another ftill, till at length philofophers fhall' 

 become like the builders of the tower Babel, fo much 

 confufed among the infinity of words, as to be altoge- 

 ther incapable of underftanding each other, and be re- 

 duced to the neceihty of abandoning the fludv of na- 

 ture, merely from the impoffibiJity of thus giving or, 

 receivin'g aid to or from each other. 



Confidered in this point of view, no literary enter- 

 pvize of modern times feems fo abfurd, or is fo ftrong- 

 Jy charafteriftic of the mental vreaknefs and vanity of 

 mankind, as the attempt which has been oi \-iX.e fer'wuf- 

 l\ made in France, by a fet of men otherwife of great 

 talents, and cnnfpicuous eminence for fcientifical know-, 

 kd^Cj to eil.iblilli ar. entire new fyftem of chemical iw-- 



