3o8 Chemical and Mineralogical Nomenclature. 



the mod fignal inftances of fuccefsful chemical inveftigation 

 in the obfcureft fubjects, and the happieft difplay of chemical 

 fagacity, are the remits of very complicated reafoning. Such 

 is Berthollet's theory of aqua regia, Berthollet and Welter's 

 observations on hepatic air, Fourcroy's on hepatic waters, 

 Vauquelin's theory of the mutual decompofition of nitrous 

 air and the folution of vitriol of iron *, moft of Scheele's and 

 many of Klaproth's analyfes, and a few others. 



The juft arrangement to which mathematicians owe the 

 eafy folution of their problems, is itfelf the refult of profound 

 reafoning, as is evident in the formation of equations. But 

 the modes of reafoning employed in the folutions of mathe- 

 matical and chemical problems cannot properly be compared, 

 the former being founded on the relation of identity or equa- 

 lity, and the latter on that of caufe and effecl:. 



Page vi. he tells us, " it is the feries of facls that consti- 

 tutes fcience." I fliould rather fay, it was a knowledge of 

 the relation that fubfifts between the facts that occur ; but 

 neither the facts themfelves can often be difcovered without 

 much fubtiie reafoning, nor can they be marfhalled in a lu- 

 minous feries without diicovering the reciprocal relations of 

 the component ingredients of compound fubftanccs to each 

 other ; a difcovcry which often requires an elaborate train of 

 reafoning. 



Laftly, both he and Morveau tell us that the memory of 

 learners is Angularly relieved by compound denominations 

 expreffing the component ingredients of each compound. 

 In reply to which, I fay, that the fcience is not to be charged 

 with a cumberfome train of words merely to gratify the indo- 

 lence of beginners. Are we then, on every occafion, to fub- 

 ftitute the definition of words for the words themfelves ? Are 

 we, in imitation of the Germans, to fay a hand/hoe inftead of 

 a glove? Helvetius has long fince remarked, that every man 

 of common understanding pofTefles fufHcient power of memory 



* All foreign chemifts arc infinitely obliged to liirn for giving the old 

 denominations of weights and mcafures ialtead of centimetres, Sec. Che- 

 miftry aims at enlightening the world, and not Frenchmen aione; it 

 ftould therefore fpeak a language uiuverfally undetftood, and flake off 

 ihf. yoke of national pedan.i--. 



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