158 ONTOLOGY. 



the form of malachite is the principal metal. Its fusing 

 point is 6000F. Among the sulphurous ores, lead is the 

 chief metal ; it has with its neighbours the lowest grade 

 of fusion, which may be set down in round numbers 

 as GOOF. Among the volatile, arsenic is the principal 

 metal. 



752. Among the standard metals, silver is the principal 

 metal; it has with its affinities a fusing point, which 

 ranges midway between that of iron and lead, being pro- 

 bably about 5000F. 



753. There are four grades of fusion of the metals, 

 which are removed from each other by very wide intervals, 

 between which no metal is situated. Quicksilver is fluid 

 at the temperature of the air and becomes volatile like 

 arsenic. Moreover the artificial metals are associated with 

 the alkalies and acids. Lead, with its congeners, melts 

 at 5 OOF. ; silver with gold and copper at 5000 ; iron, 

 platinum and such like at 20,000. 



754. There are four metallic characters, which are 

 shown to be peculiar in all their relations, in their 

 affinities for oxygen, acid, and sulphur, in respect to spe- 

 cific gravity, fusibility, extensibility, in their electric re- 

 lation, in mode of fracture, in occurrence, age, and geo- 

 graphical distribution, &c. 



c . POISON. 



755. It is a remarkable fact that the principal metal 

 of the elemental metals, obtains mostly by oxydation or 

 acidification poisonous properties, while the proper earth- 

 metal, iron, acts beneficially upon the animal organiza- 

 tion. Among the water-metals lead becomes poisonous 

 by acidification ; among the fire-metals mercury. Among 

 the air-metals arsenic ranks highest, becoming poisonous 

 by mere oxydation. Among the earth-metals, only one 

 among the salt-metals is poisonous, and that is copper. 



756. The metals thus appear to become poisonous, 

 when they enter into or put on the character of salt, or 

 of water. 



757. The above are also those very metals, which 



