66 LETTEES OF BEEZELIUS 



substances, that is to say, whether the substances 

 formed by the gradual oxidation of phosphorus 

 and of ether vapour are identical with those 

 produced by the rapid combustion of the other 

 bodies, must be decided by further investigations. 

 At any rate this important fact remains, that the 

 substances in question show a remarkable resemblance 

 to one another in their properties. That they have 

 nothing in common with nitric or nitrous acid, is 

 obvious from the way in which they are produced ; 

 but there are also other reasons which go against this 

 assumption. The facts I have mentioned hardly over- 

 throw my hypothesis as to the nature of nitrogen; 

 they go to show that high temperatures would cause 

 the oxygen of the air to combine with the hydrogen 

 of the nitrogen and set ozone free ; this may be com- 

 pared to the way in which I imagine the catalytic 

 influence of phosphorus or ordinary electricity would 

 act on a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. However, 

 I do not wish to attach any great importance to this 

 view, but only add that such results possess a peculiar 

 interest in regard to the opposite chemical effect 

 caused by the two parts of the blow-pipe flame. I 

 have no doubt that the oxidizing power of the outer 

 flame is due to some peculiar substance and not 

 directly to ordinary heated oxygen. 



I should of course be glad if you would communi- 

 cate the contents of this letter to your Academy, if 

 you think it of sufficient importance. 



I hope that this note will find you in good health, 



