140 ^^ '^^^^ BODIES TERMED SIMPLE, 



metallic, duction lyy galvanism or electricit}'. But long ago, on con- 



stances 5:1" ura- teniplating- all other substances in opposition to oxigen it 

 ted with oxi- very naturally occurred, that, since alkalis and earths would 

 ^'■""' not burn or absorb oxigen, they might be already saturated 



with it. This invest! giition, caused by Tondi's paper, would, 

 have been, had it operated at all, a discouragement to 

 the idea, which was certainly formed on different grounds, 

 .and existed, I believe, prior to mj' acquaintance with those 

 facts. Such as it was conceived, it happened to be long af- 

 terwards thrown out in an essay on the arrangement of bo- 

 Arranged \yith dies on the principle aljuded to above. As a distinct fourth 

 as TdisUnct^* *^^^^^ ^^ bodies I had arranged together barytes, strontites, 

 class of bodies, potash, soda, lime, magnesia, aluminp, jargonites, silex, &c.. 

 Query respect- adding this query " Does the mode of union of their ele- 

 ing 3cm. ments render them nonoxidab!e ? or have they already oxi- 



gen or phosoxigen closely combi ed?" and again " If fu- 

 ture experiments should accompliph the oxidation of any of 

 the bodies of the fourth class, such bodies must be transfer- 

 red to the third class (termed philoxigenous). Should it be 

 discovered, that oxigen enters into tl.eir corapos'tion, the 

 terras philoxigenous and misoxigenous must be changed*.'* 

 Analysis of I had observed, p. 218, that, " more than mere classificia- 



si'^i Te'suo-*^ tion, I had it in view to place under the reader's eye certain 

 gested. probabiiities, that might lead to the analysis of different 



Electricity bodies, at present considered as simple." This application 

 ed :^s the'Dro-' ^^ electricity is a project, which has lain on the surface of 

 per mean. chemistry for above twenty years. I have taken all oppor- 

 tunities, public and private, of pressing its execution. The 

 The fusible bodies I have been accustomed to name as thp proper sub- 

 B°o' cr for th^' j^^^^ ^'°^' tnaX were tihe fusible combustibles, as sulphur and 

 Tried by Mr. phosphorus. A gentleman, illustrious for his late success in 

 ^■^^'J- these researches, some time ago mentioned to me his having 



A gas libera- made this experiment with galvanism. The result was the 

 'f ' ^" ^a'-'^i liberation of some vapours or gas, which disappeared agairi 

 before the body congealed. The mode of investigation 

 should, in my opinion, still be prosecuted with a muc)i 

 higher power than has yet been employed. 

 "Meals and As an incentive and a clew to experiment (which is the 



liblenmv'be 0"^y "se of hypothesis) I beg leave to repeat, that metals 



* Coatriliutions to pliys, and mcd. Kiiosvledge, p. 223, 



and 



