18 GRAVITATION CHLORINE A COMPOUND. 



that peculiar species of attraction, called GRAVITATION, 

 as I shall hereafter attempt to demonstrate. 



Oxygen is well known to be a colorless inodorous gas, which 

 is nearly insoluble in water, does not change the color of 

 tincture of litmus, has no effect on lime-water, and being 

 homogeneous and effectually resisting decomposition, is fairly 

 entitled to the denomination of an ORIGINAL element its 

 specific gravity is 16, as compared with hydrogen. 



It is always found combined with other matter and never 

 discovered originally in a SOLID STATE, which is ah additional 

 proof in favour of its elementary nature. The yellow ray, 

 nitrogen, forms a colorless inodorous gas, it is incapable (per se) 

 of supporting combustion, but in union with the two other gases, 

 oxygen and hydrogen, produces the most vivid and brilliant 

 light ; its secific gravity is as 14 to 16, or 3.5, to 4.0, com- 

 pared with oxygen. 



The nitrous oxide gas, 1 volume of oxygen to 2 of nitrogen 

 supports combustion ; nitric oxide or nitrous gas is colorless, 

 but when allowed to mix with atmospheric air, produces by 

 union with oxygen brilliant RED fumes. 



The compounds of nitrogen are apparently alkalescent, and 

 the effects of such compounds produce a yellow color, unless 

 when supersaturated or overpowered by a maximum of oxygen 

 or hydrogen ; the first as a direct acid from combination with 

 oxygen, the second as a direct acid by being compounded with 

 hydrogen and a minute quantum of oxygen, forming first 

 CHLORINE, which from its peculiar greenish yellow color exhi- 

 bits an evidence of its compound nature from the yellow (nitro- 

 gen) ray and the blue (hydrogen) ray, and muriatic acid from 

 tin addition of hydrogen. 



Now the effect of nitric or nitrous acid on the fibrine of 

 animal matter, (the skin of the body-,) is to produce a yellow 

 color, while the action of chlorine is to bleach or discharge all 

 colors from the surface and texture of BODIES. 



The power to produce evanescence in colors, exerted so 



