1813.] Scientific Intelligence. 315 



an error on your part. I never made use of the word protoxide, 

 which, though ingenious, does not answer all the purposes of a 

 chemical term. You know, perhaps, that I divide metallic 

 oxides into suboxides, oxides, and superoxides,* and that the 

 class of suboxides never could be compared with the sulphurets. 

 As to the pretended want of harmony between the sulphuret of 

 gold of Oberkampf and my analysis- of the oxide of gold, I beg 

 you to observe that 12*077 (the oxygen that combines with 100 

 gold) x 2 = 24*1 54; but Oberkampf found that 100 gold are 

 combined in the sulphuret Avith 24\'*9 of sulphur. Hence the 

 experiments agree sufficiently wcll.f Li) on the other hand, 

 you mean to say that the suboxide of gold contains only 4 oxy- 

 gen, and that therefore the sulphuret of gold ought to contain 

 only 8 of sulphur ; I must observe, that in decomposing the 

 muriate of the suboxide by hydrosulphuret of potash, we would 

 probably obtain a sulphuret corresponding with the suboxide, 

 just as happens when we decompose in that manner the muriate 

 of the suboxide of mercury." 



Professor Berzelius concludes his letter as follows : — " As to 

 your intention of checking the propensity of chemists to gene- 

 ralize too much, I approve it exceedingly; but request that you 

 will not extend it to the theory of chemical proportions ; because 

 it is either general or null. It rather requires to be supported 

 by your credit, since the disposition of chemists appears to me 

 little disposed to acknowledge its truth. J have been publish- 

 ing memoirs on the subject, on the continent, for more than 

 three years, without having hitherto, as far as I know, made a 

 single proselyte. 1 do not speak of England, where the ex- 

 planations of Dalton, seconded by Wollaston and by yourself, 

 have begun to acquire some credit." 



yil. Alcohol of Sulphur. 



My chemical readers will learn with pleasure that the alcohol 

 of uilpliur, or mlphuret of carbon, which has of late been made 

 the subject of some curious experiments by Professor Berzelius 

 and Dr. Marcet, is prepared and sold by Mr. William Allen, 

 Plough-court, Lombard-street. 



VIII. Gmg. 

 While looking over a set of German Journals, which I lately 

 received from the continent by the way of .Sweden, I observed 



• I shall take a future opportunity of laying Berzelius's chemical rn- 



claliuc before tin- reader. — T. 



♦ I have stated my opinions on this nnhject nt length in the 7ih and 8th 

 Nurafoen of (he Annah of Philosophy (p'sr-; 9t and 109 . Herzelius wl || 

 • here »ee what the real points are annul which we differ in opinion, lie will 

 fee too that 1 recognize the agreement which he ha* hcur pointed out.— T. 



