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On Chemical Philosophy , SC9 



p.t the same time, the prolalle obstacles they will have to en- 

 counter, should be fairly pointed out to their full extent, that 

 the public may not be led, by a too flattering view of the matter, 

 io expect wore from the utmost exertions of these excellent 

 officers, than known circumstances as well as conjectured pro- 

 babilities would appear to justify. Phoca. 



LIX. On Chemical Philosophy. By Mr. Matthew Allan, 



Leclurer. 

 [Continued from p. 122.^ 



Essay III. 



Having briefly stated my arrangement, and the reasons for the 

 names and order of division which I have adopted in the mean 

 time, for the purpose of conveying the views I entertain of the 

 subject in a more definite and less equivocal form ; we now come 

 to the express object of my particular plan, — To apply these prin- 

 ciples — to try their adaptation to facts and to nature. We come, 

 if possible, to measure the dimensions of the trunk from which 

 all the grand and all the numerous branches of science arise. 



This Es^say and the three which follow, are intended to in- 

 clude an abstract view of the principles which form the basis of 

 the rest, and contain the principal ideas to be unfolded as we 

 proceed through the whole. 



To say that I conceive that attraction in general, gravitation, 

 chemical affinity, electricity, galvanism, magnetism, caloric and 

 light, arise from one power regulated by one law, — that their 

 diversified effects are merelv modifications which circumstances 

 and sul)stances produce on its actions — is easy. But to support 

 this opinion by a clear explanation and exposition of facts, by 

 pointing out what those circumstances are, and in what way they 

 operate, is matter of some difficulty. I conceive it however to be 

 ft work which will tend to give us clear and simple views of each 

 part of science, and of the whole combined, as one undivided, 

 sublime and majestic fabric of nature. 



Similar conjectures have been made by every philosopher of 

 any consequcce ; without, however, as far as I know, any idea 

 having been thrown out by which such apparent diversity might 

 be explained : much less has any chain of reasoning been adopted 

 to support such a view. Many expressions occur, it is true, by 

 which we are given to understand that attraction and repulsion, 

 &c. are merely effects : but these are so loose and so ill-defined, as 

 to have been almost altogether overlooked by others. Many more 

 again, on the other hand, have offered powerful arguments and 

 objections against various assumptions on which modern science- 

 Y 2 is 



