Chap. II.] Chemical Philosophi/: 1 1 1 



lay the outlines of his plan before the most eminent 

 chemists of France, that his labours, w hen com- 

 pleted, might have the stamp and authority of a 

 national system. To this end, he published a 

 memoir, after reducing to a regular form the va- 

 rious doctrines which had been, for a number of 

 years, maturing in the minds of several of them, 

 explaining his ideas on the subject of the proposed 

 reform, exhibiting the principles on which he was 

 about to proceed, and giving, at the same time, a 

 new nomenclature, to which lie invited tlie atten- 

 tion and the criticism of the philosophical world. 

 After this publication by Guyton, several years 

 -elapsed before any thing decisive was done. He 

 continued to labour in the improvement of his 

 nomenclature ; but at length, sensible of the mag- 

 nitude and difficulty of the undertaking, he deter- 

 mined to avail himself of the advice and assistance 

 of the members of the Hoyal Academy. For this 

 purpose, he particularly associated with himself 

 Messrs. Lavoisier*, Berthollet, and de Fourcroy. 

 These four gentlemen, after spending much time 

 on the subject; after combining their Icivrning and 

 wisdom in many patient consultations f; at length, 

 in the month of April, 1787, presented to the aca- 

 demy their new antiphlogistic theory, accompanied 

 with a new nomenclature, made out on the prin- 

 ciples before laid down by Guyton, and wXiidi 

 were both, in a few weeks afterwards, published 

 to the world J. About the same time was pub- 



* See Additional Sates — (U). 



f See the Journal de Physique for the month of May In that year. 



X Tliis body of chemical doctrines is sometimes <:alled the Lu- 



■joisicrian system. Coii;;iderlijg the agency i?e had hi its foir^a- 



