Additional Notes. 439 



the important discoveries in chemistry, by Black, Priest- 

 ley, ScHEELE, and Cavendish, fired his ambition, and 

 directed his attention more particularly to chemical philoso- 

 phy, to which he almost exclusively attached himself during 

 the remainder of his life. 



It is generally known, that liis experiments and discoveries 

 were among the principal means of establishing that revolu- 

 tion in the theorij and nomendaiure of chemical science, 

 which has been, with great propriety, denominated the La- 

 voisierian theory. After numerous publications on different 

 departments of chemistry, in the Memoirs of the Academy 

 of Sciemxs, and other scientiiic Journals, in which he suq- 

 cessively treated of cow? 6i^5//(7?2; the analysis of atmospheric 

 air; the formation and fixation o^ elastic fluids ; the proper- 

 ties of /^e-tz/ ; the composition of acids; the decomposition 

 and recomposition of water ; the dissolution of metals, ve^ 

 geiaiion, &c. &c. he at length combined his philcsophical 

 views into a consistent body, which he published in 1789, 

 under the title of Elements oj Chemistty; a work which 

 has been pronounced one of the most elegant models of philo- 

 sophical arrangement, and of clear logical composition, that 

 was ever presented to the world. 



He continued after this to pursue his favourite study with 

 unabated diligence : his wealth enabled him to make experi- 

 ments on a great scale ; his ardour, acuteness, and extended 

 views, enabled him to avail himself of every advantage ; and 

 he continued to instruct his countrymen and the world, by 

 the developement of new truth, or the recommendation of 

 useful economical improvements, until the month of May, 

 1794, when he became an object of the malignant phrenzy 

 of Robespierre, and suffered under the guillotine, in the fifty- 

 first year of his age. 



Heat. p. 92. 



Few questions in science have given rise to more discussion 

 than that which relates to the nature of heat. Whether it be 

 n distinct substance, or a mere quality of substance, has long 

 been the subject of disputation. By the ancient philosophers, 

 heat seems to have been considered as a peculiar subtle fluid 

 or element ; and this opinion appears to have prevailed until 

 the time of I.ord Bacon. That philosopher was the first, it 

 i > believed, who advanced the hypothesis, that heat is a qua^ 



