Notice of a Manual of Chemistry. 333 



the third describes the various methods of estimating the specific 

 gravities of solids, liquids, and gases. The author iti this chap- 

 ter has not confined hunself exclusively to an account of matters 

 as they are at the present time, but to a certain extent has com- 

 bined historical with practical information ; thus furnishing the 

 student with sufficient knowledge of the views and opinions en- 

 tertained at various periods, to enable him easily to trace the pro- 

 gress of the science through various devious paths to its present 

 state of advancement. 



The third chapter is occupied with "Inorganic Chemistry," and 

 contains a history, an account of the nature and properties, and 

 the methods for the obtaining, of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, 

 carbon, sulphur, chlorine, &c. &c., and also a description of their 

 compounds. The various theories of combustion are herein spo- 

 ken of, tlie analysis and synthesis of water shewn, eudiometry is 

 described, and numerous other important tnjiics are discussed. 

 Under the section on carbon, whilst speaking of carbonic acid, 

 the important results of the experiments of Dr. Mitchell of Phila- 

 delphia, on the liquefaction and solidification of this gas, are sta- 

 ted. On Plate I, facing page 13, will be found represented the 

 apparatus of Mr. Adams, which was contrived for the purpose of 

 obtaining the gas in a solid state and on a large scale. It is accom- 

 panied by a full description of every part of the generator and re- 

 ceiver, of the proportions of the materials used, of the method of 

 charging the generator, and of the manner of obtaining the solid 

 result. It is the only account of this apparatus which we have 

 seen ; and it seems hardly credible that it can sustain uninjured, 

 the immense pressure to which it is subjected. It has however 

 been fully tested, and we presume is the same with which Dr. 

 Webster obtained the very large quantit'es of this solidified gas, 

 which we understand he exhibited in his lectures before several 

 societies during the winter just past. 



The fourth chapter includes, under seven sections, an account 

 of the metals. All of the important characters and properties of 

 each are given, and then follow descriptions of the oxides, chlo- 

 rides, &c. 



In the fifth chapter we find the salts of the metals. These are 

 arranged under four orders ; the author very wisely adopting the 

 division into oxy-salts, hydro-salts, sulphur-salts, and haloid-salts, 

 which we deem the best that has yet been devised. The com- 



