Wenzel. 



221 



grains of sulphur united with 24.0 of quicksilver are to be 

 met with in 305 grains of cinnabar, therefore 26| grains of 

 sulphur are contained in 125-^ of cinnabar. This quantity 

 of cinnabar, as regards its sulphur, will be sufficient for the 

 decomposition of half an ounce of luna cornua. 



'"But we must inquire if 125^ grains of cinnabar con- 

 tain as much quicksilver as will be sufficient to take in the 

 muriatic acid which is saturated with the silver. Half an 

 ounce of luna cornua contains SSyV grains of muriatic acid 

 of greatest concentration. In half an ounce of the caustic 

 sublimate there are 58 grains of the strongest acid, which 

 is saturated with 174 grains of quicksilver. From this 

 proportion it is found that 53 -fa grains of the strongest 

 muriatic acid are required for I59f grains of quicksilver. 

 Now as there are in cinnabar 240 grains of quicksilver 

 united with 65 grains of sulphur, 159^ grains of quicksilver 

 require 43 -J- grains of sulphur. Both together give nearly 

 202^ grains of cinnabar. Consequently, from 125^ grains 

 of cinnabar, all the muriatic acid found in the luna cornua 

 is not separated. We see from this that the muriatic 

 acid of the lunar caustic rises in sublimation with the 

 quicksilver rut of the 202^ grains of cinnabar as a caustic 

 sublimate, whilst the silver remains united only with so 

 much sulphur as it found in 123^ grains of cinnabar." 



' His smallest parts of bodies are not atoms, but mole- 

 cules rather, or particles, as they change their form. He 

 has made a theory of affinity, and attempted to represent 

 the force by a number. . . . This failure at once removes 

 him from the great discoverers, and places him among 

 those honourable and valuable labourers in science whose 

 names are read with respect by students, but who cannot 

 be recognised by mankind generally, because the capacities 



