1814.] On the Composition of Azote. 371 



must occur to those who investigate the j^ubject, as tlie whole 

 vegetable and animal woild present such numberless instances of 

 wonderful arrangements of the most complex materials formed of a 

 few primary elements by the most simple means that could have 

 been devised. Should these views happen to be realized, how 

 infinite is the extent to which their consideration would lead us. As 

 it is seen that, by the union of the simple elements with two kinds 

 of compound atoms of a double series, the one formed of a particle 

 of oxygen with one of hydrogen, the other of a particle of oxygea 

 with six of hydrogen, so great a variety of compounds may be 

 generated, a question naturally arises, why may not the atoms of 

 oxygen and hydrogen be capable of uniting in more than these two 

 proportions, and why may not other kinds of matter, at present 

 deemed simple, have also atoms of the same order, but of different 

 humbers of the same two sorts of elementary atoms ? Should this 

 notion be adopted, it would follow that, as azote, a compound 

 body, has hitherto resisted all attempts at decomposition, even ia 

 the most powerful voltaic circiiits, chlorine, fluorine, boron, and 

 other undecompounded bodies, may also be compounds of hydrogen 

 and oxygen. There is nothing in the supposition but what is ex- 

 tremely probable, and what naturally suggests itself as a natural 

 consequence of such modes of combination : their high specific 

 gravity, and their general habits, certainly favour this idea. It is 

 possible that all kinds of matter may he formed of these two sorts 

 of ultimate substances. If chemistry should ever arrive at so happy 

 a state of simplicity, how infinitely more grand must be the consti- 

 tution of the universe than ever has been conceived in the most 

 extreme periods of our enthusiasm. Following this, view of the 

 sut)ject, electro-chemical habits will be more readily conceived. 

 Water cannot arrange itself at either pole, because there exists ia 

 it an equal balance of attractive forces. Azote i^ strongly electro- 

 negative, because it contains a preponderating force of negative 

 atoms ; it is consequently not affected in the circuit. Chlorine may 

 be formed of a certain number of atoms of oxygen arranged round 

 one of hydrogen ; and hence, possessing strong electro-positive 

 powers, will also remain unchanged in tiie highest voltaic arrange- 

 ments. We need not wonder, then, that those atoms of the 

 second class which possess an unequal balance- of electro-chemical 

 powers should rem.ain unaltered in highly excited circuits, and that 

 bodies composed of atoms of three series should so easily be de- 

 ranjjed : because as the particles are increased in the number of 

 their series, so will the outer ranges comparatively possess less in- 

 fluence ; their order will therefore be more easily disturbed by 

 other more powerfully attracting forces. The field is now open for 

 ail who feel interested in this enchanting pursuit ; the extent of 

 research is boundless beyond conception ; and there may probubly 

 be gained by the beautiful system of atomic combinaiion a more 

 ot^taiii and accurate view into the secret operations of nature tliau 



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