Notices respecting New Books. 443 



« Oxide of Nickel, by M. de RolhofF. 

 First, Metal 100. Oxygen 27,3 "l 1 

 Second, — . — 40,95/ If 



Oxide of Cobalt, by the same. 

 First, Metal 100. Oxygen 27,3 1 1 

 Second, — . 40,95 J if 



Oxide of Cerium, by M. de Hisinger. 

 First, Metal 100. Oxygen 17,41 \i 

 Second, — . 26,115 jli" 



The preceding extracts from these " Elements of Che- 

 mical Philo^ophv" sufficiently prove that this is the first 

 truly scientific work on chemistry in our language. The 

 superficial production of Fourcroy, although dignified with 

 the title of "■' philosophy," is rather a concise systematic 

 arrangement of chemical substances, and is incomparably 

 interior, not merely in original yiews, but in scientific elu- 

 cidations and intellectual precision. The present volume 

 gives us some reason to hope that, before finishing his 

 work, the author will be able to furnish ihe public with a 

 new and improved chemical nomenclature, better adapted 

 to truth, nature, and the genius of our language, than that 

 imported from France. It is quite time that we should 

 consider the English as a language and not a dialect, and 

 cease to let it be influenced by every vague fancy of the 

 French. Even the very name of this science has fluctua- 

 ted in humble imitation, and we have now almost uni- 

 versally Chemistry for Chymistry, according to etymological 

 propriety. We regret that Sir H. has admitted the bar- 

 barous word potassa into his pages. It is a most useless 

 and absurd combination of letters adopted by Murray un- 

 der the idle pretext of scientific distinction ; its origin how- 

 ever tends to show the thoughtless promptitude with which 

 we have hitherto transferred French words into English. 

 Of the English term potash the French made potasse, and 

 Mr. Murray made it again \n\.o potassa, pretending to avoid 

 its being confounded with the potash of commerce. Com- 

 mercial men however say "Dantzic ashes," or "American 

 potash," so that there is no danger of the impure substance 

 in trade being confounded with the potash of chemists. 

 But, besides the literal barbarism of potassa, it has other 

 and more serious inconveniences; it encumbers chymical 

 science with a superfluous term, augments the already too 

 copious nomenclature, and embarrasses the memory of the 

 younjj student, without conveying any new idci, or being 



of 



