130 Scientific Intelligence. 
appear that the groups so arising not only do correspond remarkably ¥ 
in their theoretical numbers with those which the best authorities ass 
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to their elements, but that it really would be difficult to distinguish 
elements themselves into more distinctly characteristic classes, by a @ 
sideration of their qualities alone, without reference to their atomic 2m 
bers. When we find, for instance, that the principle affords us such fa 
ily groups as oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine, self-arrang 
in that very order; or again, nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, 4 
bismuth ; when we find that it packs together in one group all the ma 
active and soluble electro-positive elements, hydrogen, lithium, sodium, 
nd potassium, and in another the more inert and less soluble on 
calcium, strontium, barium, and lead—and that without outraging aly 
other system of relations, it certainly does seem that we have here 
aekF FF 
: 
all these speculations take for granted a principle, with which T must com 
fess I think chemists have allowed themselves to be far too easily : 
viz: that all the atomic numbers are multiples of that of hydrogen. 
ence of which such errors as are at present regarded as tolerable 2 the : 
atomic numbers of even the best determined elements shall be cons! Sie 
utterly inadmissible, I think can this question be settled—and Wi", : 
such gigantic consequences—so entire a system of nature is to be held 
on a principle—nothing short of such evidence ought, I think, eye : 
nclusi i not ES 
tear be attained, but one that would involve an expenditure of time, : 
labor, and money, such as no private individual could bestow upon It 
the phenomena of chemistry are ever destined to be reduced under o 
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