MOLECULAR THEORY OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. 729 



appears also to argue a greater simplicity and sameness of con- 

 stitution of chemical compounds than is generally recognised. 



We are repelled by the idea of atoms of the same kind having 

 the relation to each other of combination, for diversity of na- 

 ture appears to be the reason why bodies combine. The 

 intensity of the combination certainly increases with the diver- 

 sity, but this does not prove that such diversity is an essential 

 condition of combination. Combination, indeed, appears to be 

 the natural condition of matter, the source of its cohesion and 

 aggregation, which it retains by inertia, and decomposition to 

 require the application of a force, such as the communication 

 of heat to atoms which supplies them with the repulsive power 

 required to overcome their combination. 



The fundamental elemental combination of every compound 

 is assumed to be binary, one element being chlorous (negative), 

 and the other zincous or basic (positive) ; or one set of the ele- 

 ments being chlorous, and another set basic. This difference 

 in the character of the elements of a compound may be ex- 

 pressed by writing its formula in two lines, placing the basic or 

 positive elements in the lower, and the chlorous or salt-radical 

 elements in the upper line : 



Water _, carbonic acid __ 2 , hydrate of potash --!_, carbonate of 

 H C Iv. rl 



potash olefiant gas 5l, or *fe'^ a ; ether *i , alcohol 



\s .iv l~/4 Cy 2 .C/ 2 4 



H 5 Q.O 

 C 4 . H. 



Most of these formulae are meant only to express that certain 

 elements collectively are chlorous and certain others collectively 

 basic. In ether, for instance, 4 atoms (C 4 ) are basic, against 

 6 atoms (H 5 O) chlorous; but it is to be supposed that 

 many compounds admit of a division into more simple 



TT 



binary compounds, olefiant gas i into two binary compounds 



2C 2 H 2 , expressed thus, j^-^', or even four binary compounds 



C 2 .C 2 



TT TT TT FT 

 4CH, expressed thus, * ' ' . No particular binary arrange- 



L/.O. O. Lv 



ment of this kind, however, is at present insisted upon, unless 

 in a few cases^ All that is assumed is : 



2 B B 



