0« chemical Philosophy. ^^ ^ 



uerallv," sav. he, « let this be a rule, That all partition, of Vrov;^ 

 ledge be raiher accepted as line. a)id soparatu.ns, so U.at tL. 

 contimdty and eniireness of knowledge be preserved: for ^ay 

 he « the contrary hereof hath made part.cular «^'H-"^'^^ ;« ^^; 

 come barren and shallow and erroneous, wlule they have_ i.ot 

 been nourished and maintained from the common '^"'^^^'J';- 



Let it not be conceived that, in speakmg of one grand pour 

 or agent in nature, I suppose that it is for us to ur..!e.s and . 

 native or essence, or even all its properties and ^A^^^^J- ^ 'f 

 .hat I contend for'is; that I conceive, with Lord Bacon 'that 

 is unohilosophical to introduce a number of powers and agencc. 

 in creation, when one will better apply and answer the \^^^^ 

 When clear conceptions of this one, and of the '"O''''^;;^""^ 

 which circumstances, substances, and time, &c. must F<^duce on 

 its actions, will not only better apply m explammg all '^^ *^^ ' 

 but even particular anomalies and partial ditecull.es, wh ch exu.t . 

 according to any other view;-when this one agency, in tact en- 

 ables us"o ascend and descend another Imk m the grand chain 

 of effects; it cannot he vanity to suppose this is truth, or at any 

 .ate a ne'arer approach towards it. Besides, what idea mo.e 

 Bublime can be conceived, than that as by one power the present 

 .tates and form and order of material existences were evolved so 

 also bv the same power they are supported and preserved in timt 

 ,tate,"or changed from one state and stage of existence to au- 

 ^^her > The i^ower which produces all this 1 have therefore de- 

 fined as « that which produces all the motion and union of ma - 

 ter." Now, it is, I conceive, the object ot Chkmical 1 HU.o- 

 soPHY to ascertain, or endeavour to ascertain, how this motion 

 and union are produced : and I therefore consider ihis will be a 

 Ire correct definition than the one usually given, " Hw chemiad 

 philosophy is the science {or that part of our knowledge J va- 

 ture,) theoijecl of which is to invesUgnte the. «'"'^^"'^- ;'f/"^^ 

 changes of the universe, and u^hich endeavours io J^^^;^^^ 

 vatin-eand properties, together with the laws and pnncipLe. 

 and modifying circumstanas of that towkr % winch they are 

 produced:' The definition given of chemistry, I have aheadv s^..1, 

 is partial and imperfect ; 'and it is particularlv so according u, 

 these views ; it in fact applies better to chemical aflinity, as che- 

 mical affinity has in a great measure for its oi.ject the examnm- 

 tion of the'" 7«i»?/./e and intricate changes ot nature. INou 

 . chemical science is distinguished from this, as a whole is from its 

 separate and distinct parts: it has to investigate the g^^.r. 

 operations and effects of this power ; while chemical affinitx tieats 

 only of some of those operations and effects :-ihe one is general, 

 lU,' other particular. These definitions cannot at present be 

 either am'roved or rondemncd, until th« whole oUho.Q we have 

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