1814.] On the Discovery of the Atomic Theory, 33/ ■ 



another person, the orighial discoverer loses all claim to the honour 

 accruing from the original invention, unless hi' demonstrate to the 

 satisfaction of the public that he was in poise.-oion of it first. 



At the same time there are several passa.ues in Mr. Higgins's 

 book vhich lead me to suspect that his knowledge of the atomic 

 theory ^vas not quite so steady and precise as Mr Na-n would have 

 usbr'l'-ve. I shall quote a few of these pa-sages, that Mr. Nash 

 may iiave an opportunity of exercising his ingenuity upoi. them. 

 Aud~l would advise him, as a friend, before he ventures to anpear 

 again in the field, to peruse Mr. Higgins's book care 'ully. He will 

 perha|'3 find that some of Mr. Higgins's peculiar opiniuns are more 

 intimately connected with the atomic theory than Mr. Nash seems 

 at present to suspect. 



Page 7. — ^even measures of oxygen form 5 or 4i measures of 

 carbonic acid gas. 



Page 157. — Sulphur will not unite with much more oxygen than 

 is sulhcient to convert it into sulphurous acid ; but in time, by help 

 of water, heat, and air, it absorbs a sufficient quantity to form 

 perfect sulphuric acid. 



Page 159. -Nitric acid may absorb more oxygen. 

 Page 257. — Some metals absorb more oxygen than they can 

 retain when united to acids, and therefore lose a portion when dis- 

 solving in nitric acid. 



Page 263. — If the precipitant cannot take up the whole of the 

 oxygen, it {ihe vietal) is thrown down in a semireduced state. 



Page 265. — A very small quantity of oxygen over and above a 

 certain portion will render some metals quite insoluble. 



Page 270. — Platina is soluble in various proportions of oxygen. 

 Page 274.— Acid bases retain oxygen with less force when fully 

 saturated with it, than when united to a small portion. 



These passages are not transcribed verbatim, but traoslated into 

 the modern language of chemistry, and I have always carefully- 

 given the exact sense. I myself conclude from them, that Mr. 

 Higgins never had generalized the atomic theory. But this is a 

 point of little consequence. Respecting the great fact, that he did 

 not communicate the atomic theory, there can be no doubt. 



7. Mr. Nash's seventh assertion consists of two parts. The first 

 part has been already sufficiently noticed. In answering the second. 

 It becomes necessary for me to state to whom I alluded, when I said 

 that the doctrine would have been certainly started by others if 

 Dalton had missed if. I alluded to Dr Wollaston. 1 had the 

 means <.f knowing that this gentleman had been struck with the 

 proportions of oxygen in my table of metallic oxides, and that he 

 had begun to study the subject when my account of the Dahonian 

 theory prevented him from proceeding with his investigations. Now 

 Mr. Na»li must be very little acquainted with the sagacity of this 

 philoso|)her if he can entertain any doubt that the result of his 

 investigation would have been the discovery of tiie atomic theory. 

 Vol. 111. N' V. Y 



