326 OBSERVATIONS ON MURIATIC ACID 



unites with the real earth, forming the hydrate ; — in other 

 words, and according to the strict expression of the fact, the 

 hydrogen entering into the composition, and forming the ba- 

 rytes ; — a result perfectly analogous to the formation of muri- 

 atic acid from oxymuriatic gas by the agency of hydrogen. 



The evidence in support of this doctrine, it is evident, is of 

 the same kind as that with regard to the doctrine applied to 

 the acids. There is the same superior probability in favour of 

 the conclusion, that the elements of water, rather than water 

 itself, exist in these compounds, from the consideration, that 

 modifications of properties so important, are more likely to 

 arise from the agency of these elements, than from any action 

 which water can exert. And that water does not exist in them, 

 in consequence of the strength of attraction which the real al- 

 kali, as it has been considered, exerts towards it, is evident 

 from this, that on the same principle ammonia ought to con- 

 tain combined water in its insulated form, which is not the 

 case. The combination of water, therefore, or rather of its 

 principles, in these compounds, depends on relations subsist- 

 ing among the ultimate elements, not on an affinity exerted by 

 the alkali itself; and this adds confirmation to the conclusion, 

 that these elements are in ternary union. 



Their superior alkaline energy, compared with the common 

 metallic oxides, may obviously arise from the joint action of 

 the hydrogen and oxygen, in the same manner that the acidity 

 of the ternary, compared with the binary acids, is increased by 

 a similar constitution. Thus the class of alkalis will exhibit 

 the same relations as the class of acids. Some are compounds 

 of a base with oxygen : such are the greater number of the me- 

 tallic oxides, and several, probably, of the earths. Ammonia is 

 a compound of a base with hydrogen. Potash, soda, barytes, 

 strontites, and, probably, lime, are compounds of bases with 



oxygen 



