8S Chemical Philosophy. 



calx or eartli, 2im\ j)hlogis ton; but the new theo- 

 rists, believing that there was no proof of such 

 eomposition, set them down in their tables as 

 simple bodies The advocates for the former hy- 

 pothesis had long- contended that sulphur, phos- 

 phorus, azotic air, and various other substances of 

 a li^ kind, w^ere also compounds ^ whereas the 

 beli^ers in the new system took for granted that 

 such composition could not be proved. In the 

 old doctrinCy zvater was placed among the simple 

 bodies; but by the experiments of Cavendish and 

 others^ it was thought sufficient evidence had been 

 given, that it is a compound substance. Accord- 

 mg to the former theory, the acid principle was 

 considered a compound of earth and water; the 

 only radical acid in nature was supposed to be the 

 sulphuric, and all others different combinations of 

 this primitive one: while, according to the latter 

 doctrine, the acids are many in number, and re- 

 sult from the union of oxygen to different acidifia- 

 ble bases. In s-hort, while the disciples of Stahl 

 undertook to account far almost all the phenomena 

 of chemistry by the aid of phlogiston, the asso- 

 ciated Academicians considered it as a creature of 

 the fancy, which had no real existence ; and taught 

 that all the facts and appearances in this science 

 may be more satisfactorily explained without the 

 aid of this imaginary substance. To these parti- 

 culars it may be added, that, in this new theory, 

 the number of chemical objects is greatly increas- 

 ed, and that articles which had occupied an in- 

 ferior place in the old tables, are here made to 

 hold a more conspicuous and imiportant station. 



The 7iomenclature in which this new theory was- 

 clothed also deserves our notice. It was formed 

 on the five following principles, laid down by 

 MoRVEAU in the memoir above mentioned, viz. 

 1 . That every substance should be denominated 



