TO y 



MR. JOHN DALTON, F.R.S., &c., 



M. GAY-LUSSAC, F.R.S., MEM. DE L' INSTITUT, &c., 



SIR HUMPHREY DAVY, BART., P.R.S., &c., 



JACOB BERZELIUS, M.D., F.R.S., KONG. VET. ACAD, L., 



&c., 



WILLIAM HYDE WOLLASTON, M.D., V.P.R.S., &c., 



AND 



WILLIAM PROUT, M.D., F.R.S., &c., 



TO WHOM 



THE ATOMIC THEORY 



IS INDEBTED FOR ITS ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT 



AND 



FOR ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH IT HAS HITHERTO RECEIVED; 

 THIS ATTEMPT TO BRING THE SUBJECT 



TO A STILL GREATER DEGREE OF SIMPLICITY AND PRECISION 



AS TO 



THE BEST JUDGES OF ITS IMPORTANCE, 



AND OF THE DIFFICULTIES TO BE SURMOUNTED, 



AND MOST DISPOSED, IN CONSEQUENCE, TO VIEW 



WITH INDULGENCE 



ANY UNAVOIDABLE IMPERFECTIONS WHICH 

 THEY MAY PERCEIVE IN IT 



IS PRESENTED 

 BY THEIR SINCERE FRIEND AND HUMBLE SERVANT, 



THE AUTHOR. 



542 



