1SS 



Analogous in- 

 stances. 



Copper. 



Silver. 



Superphos- 

 phunetted cai 

 bon. 



Amalgam;. 



Water. 



Hid: gen. 



Hidrurets. 



Various com 

 pound sohi 

 tions in 

 raistry. 



:be- 



ON CAST IRON. 



Sulphurate of copper dissolves in copper, one of its elements. 

 The black coppers contain it, and even sulphurate of iron and 

 sulphurate of silver likewise. We may presume from these 

 instances, therefore, that there would be nothing extraordi- 

 nary in finding sulphurets, phosphurets, and carburets, dis- 

 solved in their respective metals ; and consequently, to see 

 these metals dissolve other oxides. If cast iron be an instance 

 of this, that of the oxide of copper in its metal is another, for 

 which we are indebted to Mr.Chenevix ; and the experiment 

 of Fernandez on the solution of muriate of silver in its metal 

 is a third. 



Phosphuret of carbon is a compound, that dissolves in 

 phosphorus, one of its elements, in we know not what pro- 

 portions. 



Amalgams are compounds, some of which appear to be 

 proportional, and others not. Some separate from the excess 

 of mercury, and afford means* of studying them : others re- 

 main in complete solution in it in progressive quantities, the 

 extent of winch is not known. 



Water is a compound, which by the assistance of circum? 

 stances dissolves in oxigen gas, and in hidrogen gas, or in 

 either of its elements. 



Hidrogen is an element of fat oils, volatile oils, camphor, 

 &c\; but we find, that, during their passage in vapour through 

 a red hot gun-barrel, hidrogen can disengage itself from the 

 coal, and dissolve a part of these vapours. 



Nothing surely can be objected to our considering, by an 

 extension of these principles, solutions of sulphur, phospho- 

 rus, carbon, arsenic, zifts, &c. in hidrogen, not as simple 

 solutions without any measure, but as so many compounds 

 in due proportion, as so many hidrurets of sulphur, phos- 

 phorus, &e. which an exeess of the solvent may hold in 

 solution. 



If we cast our eye over the whole field of chemical scienee, 

 we shall discover there too a multitude of compounds, 

 which dissolve others; some* in proportions that are easily 

 estimated by a separation of the excess ; and others* that, not 

 yielding to this method, continue to fluctuate in the ocean of 

 indeterminate quantities : so that even at the present hou r 

 we are ignorant, whether we ought to place in the same Fhie 



the 



