Notices respecting New Books. 441 



but as far as we can reason from the relations of the pro- 

 perties of matter, hydrogen is the substance which ap- 

 proaches nearest to what the elements may he supposed to 

 be. It has energetic powers of combination, its parts are 

 highly repulsive as to each other, and attractive of the par- 

 ticles of other matter. It enters hito combination in a 

 quantity very much smaller than any other substance, 

 and in this respect it is approached by no known body." 

 It seems that " in the electrization of a globule of mercury 

 in water oxvaen appears to be combined with the metal, 

 and vet no hydrogen evolved." This experiment would 

 sanction the belief that water is the ponderable basis of 

 both oxygen and hydrogen ; but more experiments and cir- 

 cumstances are wanting to allow of such an opinion being 

 seriously entertained. The whole of this part should be 

 attentively studied by all clergymen who wish to conscien- 

 tiously discharge their duty; the sublimest conceptions of 

 the Deity are augmented by an enlightened consciousness 

 of our own inability to attain absolute demonstration and 

 certainty, even in the laws of surrounding and sensible 

 matter. The pious yet sublime opinions of a Newton and 

 a Davy have done more good to Christianity, and conse- 

 quently to the true interests of society, than all the religious 

 controversies from the days of Arius to those of Priestley. 



In an Appendix we find some interesting tables of the 

 quantities of oxygen and metal which combine together in 

 different states. 



" M. Berzelius his had the goodness to communicate 

 to me the followiiig estimates, some of which' agree 

 very nearly with those given in the preceding pages j 

 others are new, and all afford evidences of the truth of the 

 theory of definite proportions. . It it peculiarly satisfactory 

 to me, to be able to state the coincidence of so many of Cue 

 conclusions of this distinguished chemist with my own re- 

 sults, obtained usually by very ditfereni methods of opera- 

 tion. 



'■' Of the Oxides of yj/itimovy. 



Molal. Oxygen. 



First Oxide lOO 4,65 



Second — 18,6 



'i'hird — 27,<) 



Fourth — 37,2 



77/'.' Sulphuret of Antimony is composed of J 00 parts of 

 l^tlal, and of 31 ,^2,5 parts of sulphur. 



*' Oxides 



