106 Mr. J. Prideaux on Chemical Symbols and Notation; 



of alumina, sulphuret of iron, arseniuret of cobalt, &c., we 

 should employ a single letter for each, unless their decompo- 

 sition were concerned in the research. In short, however 

 contrived, they must be variable and varied, as in other sci- 

 ences, for algebraic adaptation ; and they would be analytical 

 so far only, as decomposition is connected with the calculation^ 

 as will be exemplified below. 



Although juxta-position implies multiplication in algebra, 

 the signification is arbitrary; and in another science, equally 

 mathematical, with elements susceptible of every mathematical 

 power, we can so place them without fear of understanding 

 CLV as C X L X V, or 534- as 5 x 3 x 4. This position implies 

 naturally (if the word be allowable) the meaning Berzelius 

 attaches to it, alliance or coinhination ; the truth of which is 

 illustrated in the paper under review; in which one of the 

 ablest algebraists of the age, in the very act of publicly ar- 

 raigning it, writes 



Protoxide of manganese ?« ?i + M ?i 



Sesquioxide m7i + ^0 M.7is 



Deutoxide mti + 20 M. ?i 7i 



and by the same rule would write the oxides of osmium, 



O 7«, O 771 m, O 7tl 111 771 VI. 



Two cases are quoted from Herschel, to exemplify the ad- 

 vantages of a more mathematical system. One describing 

 " the decomposition of oxynitrate of silver by hyposulphite 

 of lime." 



" L represents lime ; S, sulphur ; s, silver ; O, oxygen ; N, 

 nitric acid. He says, ' we have for the atoms present, before 

 the decomposition, 



{L + 2(S + 0)} + {N + (s+ O)} 

 which afterwards group themselves thus : 



= (L -H N) + (S + 5) + (S + 3 O) 

 that is, one atom of nitrate of lime, one of sulphuret of silver, 

 and one of free sulphuric acid.' " 



The other is of kindred character; and they are given as 

 " very instructive examples of the use which may be made of 

 such a notation." The system of Berzelius is said to possess 

 no such advantages. 



Of the case quoted it may be observed, that the sign + al- 

 ternates with every letter, whether indicative of intimate com- 

 bination, mixture or decomposition; and that an incompatible 

 mixture is made = equivalent to a compatible one*: — that 



* The sign = in Mr. Whewell's paper is em|)loycd only in tlie second 

 example ; but the circumstances being the same, it is needless to quote 

 botii. 



the 



