FRE 
AMERICAN 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c. 
ARTICLE 1.—On the present state of Chemical Science.— 
- By Denison OtmsTeD, Professor of Mathematics and 
Natural Phi ilosophy i in Yale College. 
{Continued from Voi. XL. p. 358.] 
Unper the head of Attraction, by far the most interesting 
investigations, that have been made within a few years past, 
ose which relate to the subject of Definite Pisporiione, 
and the Atomic Theory. By the subject of Definite Pro- 
portions, is not to be understood any thing of the nature of 
visionary hypothesis or abstract speculation, but a class of 
well established facts, confirmed by the most rigorous ex] 
ments. A difficulty is sometimes experienced by the chemi- 
cal student, in comprehending this doctrine; but it is be- 
lieved to be owing more to the vague and immetliodical man- 
ner, in which the doctrine is treated of in some of the ele- 
mentary works, than to any thing intrinsically obseure in the 
doctrine itself. The principal facts respecting Definite Pro- 
portions, may be comprehe n four short propositions. _ 
ition 1. The elements of any Se always 
maintain the same ratio to each other. ‘Thus, in sulphuric 
jent be present in excess, that excess will remain uncom- 
Vater cc of two measures of yo and 
VOL. AIL NO. 5; j 
