PART I. 



CHEMISTRY 



CHAPTER I. 



THE science of Chemistry has for its object the investigation 

 of the properties of all elementary and compound substances, 

 their relations and combinations, the agencies by which their 

 changes are effected, and the laws which govern them. The 

 basis on which this science rests, is facts and experiment; and 

 as it is purely a demonstrative physical science, no hypotheti- 

 cal or speculative views can be practically made of any ser- 

 vice to its advancement and application. 



Every change which takes place in the elementary consti- 

 tution of matter in the universe, whether effected by natural 

 causes or by the operations of art, involves a fixed chemical 

 law, and is due to chemical action. 



Chemistry consists of two distinct branches, viz. Analysis 

 and Synthesis. Analysis consists in decomposing a compound 

 body and separating its elements. Synthesis consists in uni- 

 ting simple bodies so as to form a compound substance. The 

 forces which preside over and cause all chemical changes, are, 

 attraction, light, caloric, electricity and magnetism. The rela- 

 tive importance of these several forces cannot be exactly esti- 

 mated in the present state of the science : the question as to 



