‘ 
6 M. Beudant on Mineral Species, [FEB. 
power. How water should augment acidity, no principle enables 
us to conjecture. But how the joint operation of two elements 
acting on the same quantity of radical, which each of them 
separately is capable of rendering acid, should augment the 
effect, is easily perceived. And even from this consideration 
alone, there can remain little hesitation in admitting the conclu- 
sion, that both these elements act directly on the sulphur; in 
other words, that the three are in simultaneous combination. 
The fact you have discovered is precisely that which I had thus 
observed might possibly exist, and the conclusion from which 
was anticipated by the theory. One portion of the sulphur is in 
that relation to the oxygen which constitutes sulphurous acid, 
and another portion of sulphur is in that relation to the hydrogen 
which constitutes sulphuretted hydrogen. No augmentation of 
acidity, therefore, is to be expected; but, on the contrary, from 
the reciprocal action of the oxygen and hydrogen, rather a dimi- 
nution below the mean acid power which is displayed in the two- 
binary compounds. 
Without, I trust, indulgmg any undue confidence, I cannot 
but think that chemists will perceive the fallacy of the opinion 
that the acids contain combined water, and the much greater 
probability of the opinion that the elements rather of this water 
exist in the combmation, and from their acidifying influence, 
produce the important effects, which, without any principle, and 
m opposition to all analogy, are ascribed to water itself. The 
constitution of the vegetable acids, in all of which carbon may 
be regarded as the radical, acidified by different proportions of 
oxygen and hydrogen, affords even a better illustration of the 
opinion than the compounds of sulphur; and the view which | 
have given of them, conformable to this in the same paper, 
removes, if I am not mistaken, some of the difficulties which 
attend the. subject, and which you have noticed in another paper, 
on the weights of the atoms of bodies, in the same number of 
your Journal. With much respect, I remain, Sir, 
Your most obedient servant, 
J. Murray. 
ArricLe VII. 
Letter of M. Beudant to M. Arago onthe Subject of Dr. Wollas~ 
ton’s Memoir, inserted in the Annals of Philosophy, xi. 283.* 
sIR, 
I nave read with great interest in the number of the Annals 
ef Philosophy for April, which you were so good as to send me, 
@ paper by Dr. Wollaston on my memoir, entitled “ On the 
* Translated from the Ann, de Chim, et Phys, vii. 399, 
