104 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



ker into the fire at one end, it will soon become 

 hot at the ether ; but this will not happen with a 

 piece of wood of the same length, and under the 

 same circumstances. A person with a silken 

 purse, containing metal coin, may stand so near 

 the fire, as to make the metal almost too hot to 

 touch, though the temperature of the purse will 

 apparently be scarcely altered. If ahand be put 

 upon a hot body, part of the caloric leaves the 

 hot body and enters the hand, producing the sen 

 sation of heat. On the contrary, if a hand be 

 put on a cold body, as a piece of iron, or another 

 cold hand, part of the caloric contained in the 

 hand leaves it to unite with the colder body, 

 producing the sensation of cold. In short, ca 

 loric is diffused throughout all bodies, and enters 

 into every operation in nature ; and were it not 

 for the influence of this subtile fluid, there is 

 reason to believe, that the whole matter of the 

 universe would be condensed into a solid mass. 

 Oxygen is a very pure, subtile, and elastic 

 substance, generally diffused throughout nature ; 

 but is never found unless in combination with 

 other substances. It is one of the most impor 

 tant agents in nature ; there being scarcely a 

 single process, whether natural or artificial, in 

 which oxygen has not some important share. 

 When combined with caloric, it is cal led oxygen 

 gas, which forms one of the constituent parts of 

 the atmosphere. In this state, it forms the 

 principle of combustion ; producing the most 

 rapid deflagration of all combustible substances. 

 If a lighted taper be let down into ajar of oxy 

 gen gas, it burns wii n such splendour, that the 

 eye can scarcely bear the gla e of light ; and at 

 the same time produces a much greater heat 

 than when burning in common air. If a steel 

 wire, or a thin file, having a sharp point, armed 

 with a bit of wood in inflammation, be introduced 

 into a jar filled with this gas, the steel will take 

 fire, and its combustion will continue, producing 

 a most brilliant phenomenon. It has been 

 proved, by numerous experiments, that this gas 

 is so essential to combustion, that no substance 

 will burn in common air, which has been pre 

 viously deprived of its oxygen. It is also es 

 sential to animal life; so that man, and all the 

 inferior ranks of animated nature, may be said 

 to depend upon this fluid for their existence. Its 

 basis gives the acid character to all mineral and 

 vegetable salts : and the calcination of metals is 

 altogether effected by their union with oxygen. 

 It constitutes the basis both of the atmosphere 

 which surrounds the earth, and of the water 

 which forms its rivers, seas, and oceans. It 

 pervades the substance of all the vegetable tribes, 

 and enables them to perform their functions ; 

 and, in combination with the different metals, 

 serves the most important purposes in the use 

 ful arts. In the operation of this elementary 

 principle, we perceive a striking display of the 

 agency of the Creator, and of the admirable 



means which his wisdom has contrived for pro- 

 serving, in due order, the system of nature. And, 

 as this wonderful substance is so essentially ne 

 cessary to animal and vegetable existence, every 

 thing is so arranged as to produce a regular sup 

 ply of it, notwithstanding its incessant changes, 

 and the multifarious combinations into which it 

 is continually entering. 



One of the most extraordinary effects of oxygen 

 appears, when it is combined in a certain pro 

 portion with nitrogen, so as to form the gaseous 

 oxide of nitrogen, or what is commonly called 

 nitrous oxide. This gas consists of 63 parts ni 

 trogen, and 37 oxygen, by weight. When in 

 haled into the lungs, it produces an extraordinary 

 elevation of the animal spirits, a propensity to 

 leaping and running, involuntary fits of laughter, 

 a rapid flow of vivid ideas, and a thousand de 

 lightful emolions ; without being accompanied 

 with any subsequent feelings of debility. This 

 circumstance shows what a variety of delightful 

 or pernicious effects might flow from the slightest 

 change in the constitution of the atmosphere, 

 were the hand of the Almighty to interpose in 

 altering the proportion of its constituent parts : 

 for atmospheric air is composed of 79 parts of 

 nitrogen, and 21 of oxygen, which is not a very 

 different proportion from the above. Another gas 

 called nitric oxide, composed of 56 parts oxygen, 

 and 44 nitrogen, produces instant suffocation in 

 all animals that attempt to breathe it. One of 

 the most corrosive acids, the nitrous acid, or 

 aquafortis, is composed of 75 parts oxygen and 

 25 parts nitrogen ; so that we are every moment 

 breathing a certain substance, which, in anothei 

 combination, would produce the most dreadful 

 pain, and cause our immediate destruction. 

 What a striking proof does this afford of the in 

 finite comprehension of the divine mind, in fore 

 seeing all the consequences of the elements of 

 nature, and in directing their numerous combi 

 nations in such a manner as to promote the hap 

 piness of animated beings ! 



Nitrogen, or azote, is a substance generally 

 diffused throughout nature, and particularly in 

 animated bodies. It is not to be found in a solid 

 or liquid state, but, combined with caloric, it 

 forms nitrogen gas, which is one of the ingre 

 dients of the atmosphere. It is capable of sup 

 porting either flame or animal life. This is 

 proved by introducing an animal, or a burning 

 candle, into a vessel full of this gas : in which 

 case, the animal is suddenly suffocated, and the 

 candle instantly extinguished. It is this gas 

 which is expelled from the lungs at every respi 

 ration, and, rising over our heads, soon enters 

 into new combinations. Though it is destruc 

 tive to animal life, it appears to be favourable to 

 plants, which vegetate freely when surrounded 

 with nitrogen. 



Hydrogen is another elementary substance, 

 abundant in nature, and, when united to caloric 



