V81^.] M. Berxelius's Hypothesis of the Atomic Theory. 357. 



may almost say as its foundation, are not in accordance with 

 it ; " and he then goes on to show the differences in the incli- 

 nations of the planes, in the sulphates of lead, baryta and 

 strontita. " These," he adds, " are natural crystals, and 

 evidently do not support our author's theory." 



Mr. Brooke then states, that the artificial salts of those three 

 bases accord with it no better, and that the acetates present even 

 much greater discordances than the sulphates. " The theory is 

 not better supported by the carbonates of lime, iron, and zinc, 

 which are stated to be isomorphous. The primary forms of 

 these substances are rhomboids, and the inclination of P on P' 

 has been ascertained to be as follows : — 



Carbonate of lime 105° 5' 



iron 107 00 



zinc 107 40 



Mr. Brooke adds, that he is informed that the theory on more 

 mature consideration has been abandoned by the author himself. 

 If that be so, his candour reflects the highest honour on M. Mit- 

 scherlich, whilst the necessity of relinquishing a favourite hypo- 

 thesis furnishes an additional argument against the adoption of 

 those dogmas which, in some measure at least, led to its original 

 formation. For, if Mr. Brooke's information be correct, we 

 must object to them, not merely their negative quality of useless- 

 ness, but their positively mischievous tendency to induce or 

 Confirm error. But, to return to our original subject, however 

 that may be, the assumption that the stronger bases must contain 

 more than one atom of oxygen, should be established on a better 

 foundation than mere analogy, or such arguments as we have 

 met with in the preceding pages, before it is made the ground- 

 work for superseding the beautiful simplicity of the atomic 

 theory as promulgated by Dalton, and sulistituting in its stead 

 the unnecessary intricacies introduced by Berzelius. 



We are not, however, surprised that the hypothesis should 

 have made considerable progress amongst our fellow chemists 

 on the Continent. Its ingenious promulgator has, we believe, a 

 large number of pupils, and it is perfectly natural that bred in 

 his school they should warmly support and propagate the doc- 

 trines of so admirable a master ; for in most respects, few che- 

 mists in Europe deserve that epithet more justly than Berzelius. 

 The accuracy of his analyses, the incomparable ingenuity which 

 many of them demonstrate, the indefatigable ardour with which 

 he pursues his darling science, and the multitude of important 

 facts with which his genius and industry have enriched it, give 

 him a high claim to the admiration of every chemist in the world . 

 It does not follow, however, that he is therefore infallible, and 

 after the best attention we have been able to bestow on his 

 peculiar modifications of the atomic theory, we see no reason for 



