308 Mr. Chenevix's Enquiries concerning the Nature 
sight to have no similar examples in chemistry ; and may not 
gain immediate assent from every person. The philosopher, 
indeed, will feel no humiliation in being forced to correct or to 
extend his knowledge ; and will not altogether disbelieve a fact, 
because he can adduce no parallel instance, or because it is not 
in unison with his received opinions. Such conduct would be 
raising an insurmountable barrier against the progress of science: 
it would be setting up our own feelings in the place of nature; 
and attempting to measure what in itself is immeasurable, by 
the narrow scale of human comprehension. 
But let us not confine our view of the facts and principles 
that have been mentioned, to this single instance. Let us trace 
them in a more extended circle; and see whether any thing 
may be found in nature that can apply to the present subject. 
The first prejudice, for such I must call it, against the pre- 
sence of platina in palladium is, the small density of the alloy. 
And no doubt it is extraordinary, that a metal the specific gra- 
vity of which is at least 22, (Chabaneau says 24,) combined 
with another the specific gravity of which is nearly 14, should 
produce a mass of the specific gravity of 10,972; not much 
more than half of that which calculation would denote, and 
inferior to either of its elements. In Mr. Hatchett's Paper 
upon the Alloys of Gold, to which I always refer with pleasure, 
we find some extraordinary instances of anomalies in specific 
gravity, both in excess and diminution upon the calculated mean. 
His experiments have not been doubted ; nor can their accuracy 
be called in question. The principle of deviation in the true and 
the calculated mean is therefore admitted. Who then can say 
where this deviation shall end, or mark out limits to the opera- 
tions of nature? 
