330 
MODIFICATION  OF  CHEMICAL  AFFINITY. 
and  it  was  found  that  they  gave  testimony  in  favor  of  the  same 
views  as  have  been  supported  by  the  preceding  observations. 
The  bearing  of  the  phenomenon  of  diffusion  of  salts  upon  the 
point  at  issue  was  also  examined ;  Malaguti's  experiments  were 
discussed  ;  and  they,  as  well  as  some  observations  on  the  solution 
of  certain  bodies  by  others  set  at  liberty,  were  found  to  bear 
testimony  also  in  the  same  direction. 
During  the  whole  of  the  experiments  on  this  subject,  most  of 
which  were  performed  quantitatively,  no  unequivocal  instance  oc- 
curred of  two  substances  having  so  strong  an  affinity  for  one 
another,  that  they  combined  to  the  exclusion  of  other  bodies  of 
like  kind  present  in  the  same  solution.  After  showing  that  some 
reputed  exceptions  are  not  capable  of  being  proved  to  be  so,  and 
after  suggesting  some  probable  limitations  of  the  action  of  the 
general  law,  the  paper  concludes  with  the  following  deduc- 
tions : — 
I.  That  where  two  or  more  binary  compounds  are  mixed  under 
such  circumstances  that  all  the  resulting  compounds  are  free  to 
act  and  react,  each  electro-positive  element  enters  into  combina- 
tion with  each  electro-negative  element  in  certain  constant  pro- 
portions. 
II.  That  these  proportions  are  independent  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  different  elements  were  primarily  arranged. 
III.  That  these  proportions  are  not  merely  the  resultant  of 
the  various  strengths  of  affinity  of  the  several  substances  for 
each  other,  but  are  dependent  also  on  the  mass  of  each  of  the 
substances  present  in  the  mixture. 
IV.  That  an  alteration  in  the  mass  of  any  one  of  the  binary 
compounds  present  alters  the  amount  of  every  one  of  the  other 
binary  compounds,  and  that  in  a  regular  progressive  ratio  ;  sud- 
'den  transitions  only  occurring  where  a  substance  is  present  which 
is  capable  of  combining  with  another  in  more  than  one  propor- 
tion. 
V.  That  this  equilibrium  of  affinities  arranges  itself  in  most 
cases  in  an  inappreciably  short  space  of  time,  but  that  in  cer- 
tain instances  the  elements  do  not  attain  their  final  state  of  com- 
bination for  hours. 
VI.  That  totally  different  phenomena  present  themselves 
where  precipitation,  volatilization,  and  perhaps  other  actions 
