478 Ona supposed new Sulphate and Oxide of Antimony. 
ance of a pure sulphuret of antimony. The upper portions 
had the same radiated structure as the common sulphuret of 
antimony, and a few larger crystals had shot up into the upper 
surface of the regulus, where they were surrounded with an 
irregular mass of a lighter colour. The upper and the lower 
portions of this so-formed antimony were each separately 
analysed, in such a manner that a weighed portion was put 
into muriatic acid and digested in it in the water-bath. The 
solution went on rapidly. From the lowermost portion cry- 
stals fell off one after another, upon which the acid did not 
act. The same happened likewise with the uppermost por- 
tion, only they were smaller and fewer in number. ‘These in- 
soluble parts when well boiled and washed were from the 
lowermost 15 and from the uppermost 10 per cent. It 
proved to be pure metallic antimony formed in feathery cry- 
stals, and shows, therefore, the interesting fact that sulphuret 
of antimony can dissolve at a high temperature 13} per cent. 
of metallic antimony, which when the solution is suffered to 
cool sufficiently slowly crystallizes out of the yet fluid sul- 
phuret of antimony before this latter solidifies. By a more 
rapid cooling the whole mass congeals together, and the cleav- 
age is then quite similar throughout. 
‘¢ From what has been said it is quite evident that the mu- 
riatic acid takes up nothing but the common chloride of an- 
timony. Ihave examined this behaviour further in detail, 
and thereby found, that by this method neither with water 
nor alkali is it possible to obtain any other oxide. 
‘* The above-mentioned experiment of Faraday, that melted 
oxide of antimony is decomposed by the electric current, 
clearly proves that the law proposed by him that similar quan- 
tities of electricity always evolve equal chemical proportions, 
only holds good so long as the comparison is made between 
combinations of proportional composition. 
‘“‘ As for the cause of the appearance, that the decomposi- 
tion of the oxide of antimony becomes gradually weaker and 
weaker, and at last ceases, it is evident that Faraday has over- 
looked the circumstance that the oxide is decomposed into 
metal at the negative conductor and antimonious acid at the 
positive conductor, which then soon becomes encrusted with 
a solid substance, alter which the electricity could not have 
any further action.” ~ 
With respect to Berzelius’s objection in the last paragraph 
but one of his paper, I will ask you to reprint paragraph 821.* 
of my series. ‘* All these facts combine into, I think, an ir- 
resistible mass of evidence, proving the truth of the important 
* See Lond. and Edinb, Phil. Mag., vol. v. p. 344.—Ebrr. 
