5 M. Berzelius on the #  ([Noyv. 
which combines with the hydrogen in its different degrees of 
sulphuration. It may then be considered as certain, that all 
these latter compounds are formed on account of the different 
uantities of sulphur present. But another question arises. 
ay not potassium combine with more than 10 atoms of sul- 
hur? We have seen that by the dry way it cannot. When a 
drop of sulphuric acid is put into a solution of hepar prepared in 
the dry way, it becomes immediately turbid, and the precipitate 
is insoluble; therefore water cannot hold in solution a sulphuret 
of a higher degree ; if, on the contrary, we boil a moderately 
concentrated solution of hydrate of potash with sulphur to per- 
fect saturation, a certain portion of the sulphur is precipitated 
during cooling ; but its quantity varies according to the concen- 
tration of the liquor. If the hot solution be poured into a cold 
vessel, sulphur is immediately deposited throughout the liquid ; 
but this sulphur is partly precipitated by the influence of the air, 
which acts principally while the mass is hot. A solution of pot- 
ash in alcohol dissolves much more sulphur than an aqueous 
solution of the alkali. It deposits much sulphur during cooling, 
and even when the solution is diluted with water. The hepar is 
rendered turbidin general when it is mixed with a large quantity 
of water by the action of the air which the water contains. If 
the hepar at a maximum, prepared in the dry way, be dissolved 
in alcohol, and it be left in a bottle which is not well stopped, 
small radiating colourless crystals are formed after some hours 
on the surface of the liquid; but no sulphur is deposited. 
These crystals are hyposulphate of potash, and the sulphur 
which would otherwise precipitate is held in solution by the 
alcohol, until it is saturated ; at this period the sulphur and the 
hyposulphate begin to crystallize together; and this continues 
until the liquor becomes colourless. From these experiments 
nothing can be concluded with certainty as to the existence of a 
sulphuret of potassium exceeding K S'°. 
Former observations have shown that lime cannot in the dry 
way be combined with a large quantity of sulphur: this has 
been confirmed by the experiments of M. Vauquelin, related in 
his memoir already quoted. I have already shown that when 
lime is reduced by sulphuretted hydrogen, Ca S*is formed ; but 
I was unable to cause this compound to take a larger quantity 
of sulphur. When hydrate of lime is boiled even with excess of 
sulphur, there are generally two compounds formed, one of 
which is but slightly soluble, and is partly deposited during ebul- 
lition in the state of a deep coloured yellow powder, and partly 
during cooling in crystals of the same colour. This salt was 
“first described by Buchner. Doebereiner offered some conjec- 
tures as to its composition and its form, was determined by 
Bernhardi; at last Herschel discovered by his “experiments 
that it was composed of Ca Hf S$‘, The part which remains 
