THE HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY, 



cnt with this idea, thru, by a due examina- 

 tion- of the laws of attraction obferved by na- 

 ture, chemiitry Ihould be able, from thefe prin- 

 ciples varioufly connected and prepared, to com- 

 pofe numerous inorganic fubftances, either re~ 

 fembh'ng the Spontaneous productions of our 

 globe, or wholly new and different from them; 

 that it is rather in fuch operations, and the pro- 

 fecution of fuch deiigns, that the fcienceof che- 

 rniftry is at this day employed ; and, in proper 

 tion as the conflituent parts of bodies and their 

 properties are previoufly known, will always be 

 the fuccefs of its labours. If therefore the prox- 

 imate principles of this golden earth are phlo- 

 iAon and a certain acid, which may be caiily 

 Tuppnfcd, the queflion then Is reduced limply 

 to the obtaining this acid in a fullicient quanti- 

 ty; for the phlogifton is every where to be 

 found. By the means of the latter, the acid be- 

 ing fixed and coagulated, the earth is procured, 

 and the reft of the proceis is carried pn without 

 any difficulty. 



As it is molt probable, that the acid of gold 

 has fo powerful an attraction forphlogiitonthatit 

 cannot exiil long without it, it may be queition- 

 od, whether more of this acid can be found ia 

 the bowels of the earth than what has already 

 aflumed the form of gold, or at leaftof the earth. 

 In this opinion, however, though we arc fate 

 from contradiction, it docs not' imply tlr.it, if 



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