HOMOGENEOUS GASES RESIST LIQUEFACTION. 19 



effectually by chlorine, is an evidence of its correspondence, by 

 analogy, with that of the yellow and green rays, the latter 

 being a compound of the yellow and blue rays, and as sulphur- 

 ous gas has very similar properties of bleaching, and indicates 

 its composition from nitrogen and hydrogen, as its predomi- 

 nant principles, muriatic acid, being of nearly the same com- 

 position, varying (as it is presumed) in its proportions, is inca- 

 pable of dissolving sulphur, being replete to SATIETY with 

 those elements ; but AQUA REGIA, composed of nitric and mu- 

 riatic acid from its accumulated oxygen, readily converts 

 sulphur into sulphuric acid. 



Chlorine gas can by great pressure be reduced to a dark 

 yellow oily LIQUID, heavier than oxygen gas, as 9 to 4. 



Now we have no instance in which by experiment we have 

 been able, by pressure, or any means yet applied, to reduce 

 oxygen gas to a liquid state, nor hydrogen nor nitrogen ; as it 

 would appear, that perfectly original elements are quite inca- 

 pable (per se) of assuming either the liquid or solid forms, and 

 that all liquids and solids must, consequently, be compounds ; 

 and that, where liquids and metals exist, hydrogen must be an 

 essential ingredient of composition, and in excess affording 

 fluidity to the one and malleability to the oilier. 



That where alkalescent matter exists, the yellow, or nitroge- 

 neous ray (that neutralizing and counteracting power to the 

 acid properties of oxygen, or the red ray) must be a necessary 

 constituent. 



That where the dry earths or metallic oxides exist, and also 

 acids generally, 'oxygen, or the red ray, must be present, and> 

 in many cases, predominant. 



The power possessed by iodine to bleach, and its resemblance 

 to chlorine, and the color and odour of iodine in a gaseous 

 state, would induce the "belief that it is a compound of hydro- 

 gcn-blite and oxygen-red, in small proportion, giving a violet 

 color. With starch it forms a blue compound ; and the nature 

 of its other compounds would evince, from their similitude with 



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