278 
On the Measure of Temperature, 
[Sept, 
growing value alone of food ; which takes place only where population has 
become dense? On the existence of the constant superiority of value in food 
depend not only rents, and profits; but what suffices for the subsistence of 
all other classes, besides agricultural labourers, depends also upon this per- 
manent superiority of value in food. 1 1 
It cannot be too frequently repeated, that the study of wealth, and human en- 
nchment, is the study of positive, and not of relative value; all products may re. 
mam fixed in their relations one to another ; all at one time costing more, and all 
at one time costing ess exertion ; while the circumstance of their all costing more 
or less, which would leave their exchangeable relations unaltered, would be of 
vital importance to the circumstances of every individual, and to the well beiiw 
and comfort of society. In the one case, the positive value of each individual 
product would be increased ; each man, seeking to obtain them, would be reduced 
n his circumstances ; would enjoy a smaller income; or, in other words, would 
conS^l -° • 6 E TT s f nflce » for possession of the articles which 
constitute his income. In the other case, each would be enriched, or under the 
necessity of making a smaller sacrifice for the possession of items of wealth. It 
Z Very - obvi « u? > that those who reason, regarding the incomes and 
wealth of the society, through the means of the relative, and not the positive 
value of the products composing these, employ an instrument which may lead to 
false conclusions ; but which cannot, in W nature of things, lead to 'truth. 
III. On the Measure of Temperature, by Messrs. Dulong and Petit. 
§ 4 . On the specific heat of Solids at different temperatures, 
rwTfv,™? percei ;'f !, y f he >'f sult s Of the preceding experiments, that in referring 
t ,, T of heat to a thermometer taken successively amongst the gases, the 
bSment^f I°i ldS t’- e 'I en ? e " l0 , st refractory, each instrument leads to the esta- 
S” 1 ™* of \ ,arl,clllllr >»"• U 18 "®‘ “‘en a matter of indifference, of what 
sSe la^rrT J , f e ,5 onstr "eted ; supposing we wish to investigate the 
nomenL b v *«7u t ° r r‘ f the ex P ress ‘°“ »>e preferred, to represent the phe. 
them Bill tn - UeS 0 nieasures as shall have the most direct relation to 
oS ofihe the ”’ “ ,s necessary to ascertain how the capa- 
investigated ° “ P8rym eaci ofthe “'crmometric scales which we have 
Since the first establishment, by uiack. of tho 
ral philosophers 1 have endeavoured to bring to perfectTon ^tb^ 1° ° r *?’ S Ti 
methods necessary to establish this important element of eX ?f T imental 
3 Si K 
=l^neteT 
pertinent; are mostly confined to the mixtures of liouids 'll -t 
has never exceeded that of boiling wateJ ' TheT.1’ ■ “Pc^n™ »/ which 
reverse of the question, whether the canaeitv of tl.. qU l'- ry •!? 18 but the 
when their temperatures are measured by lc indications* nMi lemalns “““ taat 
mometer > Thp rpenifc . , 4l j u,e indications of the mercurial ther- 
ing to the’ first of them Philosophers are different : accord- 
interval of the first 100 de<rrpe« if ^ c ^ an§: ? in tbe capacity of water within the 
capacity % constant " S6C0nd admits > & contrary, that the 
experiments have been ti > <: ] ancc Proves that within the limits in which the 
exist, must be very trifling— but such'^triah CaP f Cit £’ su PPOsing the latter really to 
fnrd's attempt ,o extend these conclusions to every temperature. 10 aUtt ‘° riSe ^ 
^^^^^^mprebendMh^inorn^riie corresponding exactly to this word, la 
£ Ois to ire -nature lie ; and Physicien is used™?? nature .» bein ff used in opposition to 
Natural Philosopher which i/thp llk ® lrianner 10 opposition to Naturaliste. 
^g-ondnwk^ar^ is too lmn- 
)ut . 111 Mother sense urevents nm- I- °W already in possession ofPhysician- 
analogy with Naturalist. Ed. Gl P tin ^ tbe French word. Physicalist would be " 
't 
in 
