Chap. 40.] [ 259 ] 



CHAP. XL. 



THE CARBONACEOUS PRINCIPLE. 



Nature of the Carbonaceous Principle.- In what Subjlances -princi- 

 pally found, 'Char coal. Lamp black. Strong Attraction of the 

 Carbonaceous Principle for Oxygen. Its Ufe in the Reduction of Mt- 

 tah. Plumbago, or Black Lead.Ijs various U/es in the Arts. 



TH E word carbon is adopted from the nomen- 

 clature of the French chemifts, to exprefs an 

 inflammable matter which conftitutes the chief part 

 of the weight of charcoal, pit coal, &c. and which, with 

 certain proportions of hydrogen, or the bafis of in- 

 flammable gas, forms the different kinds of oil. 



By the combuftion of carbon a peculiar acid is 

 formed, which is foluble in water, unites with alkaline 

 bafes, and poflefies all the properties of acids in ge- 

 neral, though in a weak degree. This acid has al- 

 ready been treated of under the name of carbonic acid 

 gas, or fixed air. 



Carbon exifts in great quantities, in foflils, as the 

 greater number of calcareous ftones and earths are 

 found united with it ; it is alfo one of the conftituent 

 parts of the atmofphere, in both which ftates it is 

 combined with oxygen. It is found united with earthy 

 matter and oil in the extenfive ftrata of pit-coal, and 

 with iron in the matter which is called plumbago, or 

 black lead. Carbon alfo exifts in all vegetable and 

 animal fubftances, and conftitutes a confiderable part 

 of their weight, particularly of thofe vegetable matters 

 which are the moft firm. The ftate of greateft purity 

 to which carbon can be reduced is, by burning wood 

 S , in 



