The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-08-19
Emily. Well then, lie. us now Re. to work regular

ly, Il am very anxious TO hegin '
Mrs. B. The obje2 OF chymiary Is TO obtain
Knowledge of the intimate nature of bodies and Of
their mutual aaiou each other. You hnd there
fore, Carone, that this isno narrow confined fci
eiice, which eomprehends every thing material within
our fphere.-
Caroline. On the contrary, it mutt be iuexhauiti
BILE; and am a, !ois TO conceive how any Profei
ency be made in fcience whole objects 70
numerous. ~t
Mrs. B. IF every individual fubnance was formed
OF indifferent materials, the ituiy Of ohyn,itry would
indeed be sndlss; but you mutt obierve, that the
rious bodies in competed Of certain elenen-
tary principles, which are not very numerous.
| Caroline. Yes know that all bodies are eompo-
iedof fire. air, earth, and learnt that many
| years ago.
| Mrs. B. But You nun now endeavour to forget
it. have already informed you what great change
chynliary has undergone ince has become regular
ieence. Within theie thirty years eipecialy it has
experienced an entire revolution, and it is pro-
we'd that neither fire, air, earth, water, b.
called elementary bodies. For an elementary body
is that be dccon,pofed, that to fay, fepa-
rated into other fvhtances and FIRE, air, earth and
water, are all OF them Guicep,ble of decompoGtion
Emily. though, that deeonlpofng body was
dividing it into its nnutel parts. And If 70, do
not undertand why elementary uitancc is no, ca
pable of being deeompofed, as well as any other.
Mrs. 3. You have miiconeeived the idea of De-
eo~seftion it is very different from mere divifsn
the latter imply reduces body into parts but the for
mer feparates it into the various Ingredients, ma
lterias, of which it is competed. five to take
loaf Of bread and feParate the eyerai ingredients Of
which it is made, the -four, the yeah, the fat, and
the wafer, it would be very different from cutting
the loaf into pieces, or cruG,bling it into atoms.
Emily. underitand you now very well. To de-
compete body is to feparae from each other the va
rious elementary fubaaHces of which it couits
Caroline. But flower, water, and the other mate
rails OF bread, according your definition are no,
elementary fubaances?
Mrs B. No my dear $ mentioned bread rather
as familiar comParifon, uitrate the idea than a.
an example.
The elementary fubaance, of which body is com.
pof.d, are called the eonrert parts of that body in
decnmpofng it, therefore, ieparate its coniitusn,
parts If on the contrary, divide body by chop
ping 1t to pieces, even by grinding pounding i,
70 the insf powder, each of thefe i,ia particles will
Gill conia of portion OF the everal contuent paris
of the while body thefe Gall the ing,qa. paris
do you underttand the difference?
Emily. Yes, think, perfectly We dascs7saf a
body iIto parts and Divide into its int.
gra" parts.
E--a,j, = r. .ler:-= ca
of only one kind of fubftance though we NAV divid.
into lite integrant parts, not poiible to decom
pole it. Such bodies therefore called Gsske or p
e7>ary, they the elements of which all d,he,
bodies are competed. Compound koties are fuch a,
cont OF more than Of thefe elementary prineples
Caroline. But do no, fire, air, earth, and water
conht each of them, but of one kind of fubfance
Mr.. 3. No, my dear; they are every one OF them
luicePeisie of being eparated into various mpe DO.
dies. Inaead offour chyrnias now reckon upwards
OF forty elementary lubhanoes. Thefe we fhail fra
examine iepsratsy, and afterwards coniidrr in their
Combinations with each other