118 ~ On Flame, &c. 
which final preduct, instead of being the result of Multiplication 
and Addition, I entertain no doubt, sir, that all your readers 
will perceive, is obtained by Multiplication and Subtraction. 
I have the honour to be, sir, 
Your most obedient humble servant, 
Pau. NewrTon. 
OO ooOOOaeeOeaeaesessaeaeaeaeaeaeaeaeeaeoeyeeaoaoaea—ssSsSsSsSsS 
XXIX. On Flame, &c. By Jonn Murray, F.L.S, M. WS. 
Sec. Se. 
To Dr. Tilloch. 
London, Feb. 7, 1822. 
Sir, — I HAVE elsewhere combated the opinion of Sir H. Davy, 
touching the structure of flame. In my chemical Prelections I 
was under the necessity of examining the very ingenious and 
novel views promulgated by this justly celebrated chemist, and of 
recording my dissent from some of these inferences. Inter alia, 
I contended that flame in common circumstances was to be con- 
sidered a superficial film, and in this position my numerous ex- 
periments are quite conclusive and bear me out. I take leave to 
quote a passage from Lord Bacon’s Sylva sylvarum, interesting, 
as it shows that the opinion of Sir H. Davy was entertained even 
by that great master of the Philosophy of Induction : 
‘« Sume ceream et statue in tubulo ferreo aut z2reo,—postea 
impone illum erectum scutellz, spiritu vini plene et calefacte, 
deinde cerea et spiritu vini simul igni impositis, ammam cere 
dilatari videbis et quadruplo quintuploque intermiscere, quam 
ante soleret ; apparetque in rotunda non pyramidali figura. In- 
super internam cerece flammam conspicies servato. colore, neque 
quicquam cerulei contrahere versus colorem externe flamme in 
spiritu vini, &c.” 
This experiment Lord Bacon calls “ egregia instantia.” Now, 
it is, on the other hand, a noble example of what leads to a con- 
eluniat the very reverse of that inferred. If the flame of the 
alcohol envelops that of the taper, the latter is invariably ev- 
tinguished. This fact is best exemplified by using only a limited 
surface of alcohol, for when a larger quantity is employed the 
apex of the flame is ragged and uneven, and does not unite in a 
conical form from the resisting and undulating atmosphere which, 
therefore, fills up the chasms. The wax of the taper melts down, 
and affords an additional proportional of carbon to the vapour 
of the alcohol, thus imparting to the summit of the flame in its 
transit an increased iiluminating power. 
It is singular that in a subsequent page, our author under 
“¢ Experimentum solitarium spectans fammam,” &c. describes 
a phenomenon 
