The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-01

Amongst the number are some, the genus Of
which belongs exclusively to the present epoch {;
such arc those, having Tor their objs cts the poo
ducts OF organized bodies, the history of which
presents particular, the names OF rourcroy and
Vauquchn, long united both By science and by
friendship
AT present we know, thanks to the long re.
searches of these learned chemists. and to those
of some Of their competitors, that all these pro-
ducts OF lie are the different productions of a
small number % substances :; of carbon, of n.y.
drogen, wi: more or less of azote. These are
their fundamental materials a little earth, some
atoms of sulphur, aud phosphorus, are joined to
this principal stock: all these elements seem TO
sport iii their various reactions they unite, Sc
parate, meet again in n thousand ways, in our
laboratories, as in the functions of life and che
mistry itselfis become capable of transforming
the geater part of them at will, some into others.
by slight notifications, or by various kinds of
fermentaiions. IL is easy to conceive, what light
these analyses of animal and vegetable substances
have thrown on the arts which employ them (;
and what utility may be derived from these meta.
morphoscs of common materials into rare and
precious ones (; but from all these facts arises a
result still more important, which leads us TO 4
general theory of organised beings, by showing
us the essence itself of life, in perpetual change
Of proportion between substances themselves We.
nv few in number.
Having thus brought the history OF chemistry
as far as its most complicated and profound doc
trines, we proceed to the second part of our re-
port the subject Of which is, TO represent the
progress and state Unnatural history science
OF which the public, and even some men flearn-
ing, have yet formed to themselves hut very
vague notions and which is nothing more than
the application of the general laws Of physics,
and of chemistry, TO the particular phenomena
manifested by the various bodies in nature.
The atmosphere, and its composition, meteors,
waters, and their motions, with whatever is con.
tanned in them the different materials, their
reciprocal positions, and their origins Tie ex.
terror and interior forms of vegctals ard animals
their properties, the motions which constitute
the functions of their life, their mutual action for
supporting order and harmony, on the surface of
the globe this is what the naturalist has to
state, & 10 explain such are the Objects of which
he must necessarily possess the knowledge -
In no branch Unnatural history, Can the others a
ny longer be totally dispensed with and still
less the two general sciences. 1t would now be
in vain to attempt to class minerals, without ana
lysing them cher icslly, and mechanically; or
animals without knowing their interior structure
and the functions of their organs the physiolo-
gist, who should not comprise IN bis meditations
the phenomena of the life of plants, and OF that
of all animals, would soon lose himself in Elusive
coniectures, in the same manner as he would
voluntarily shut his eyes against the light, ii he
refused TO admit the influence OF physical laws in
the vital functions.
There is, however, an essential difference be-
tween the general sciences and natural history ;
which is, that in the former the phenomena only
are attended to, all the circumstances of which
may be determined at pleasure; but in the O..
Their, the phenomena take place under conditi-
ons, which are not i'll the power of the observ-
err
In ordinary chemistry, for instance, we COM
pose our vessels of unalterable materials we
shape, bend, * direct, them,sswe think proper !;
we place in them only what is necessary to give
us distinct ideas of the result In vital chemistry,
the materials are innumerabie ; scarcely has the
chemist vet characterised few OF them the
vessels are infinitely complicated, scarcely has the
Rnatonst described the parts of their outline ;
their sides act upon what they contaia /; they
experience Its action; elements necessarily rush
inwardiy from without some escape outwardly
from within; all the parts are in perpetual vor-
tex which is an essential condition of the phe
nomenon, and which we cannot long suspend,
without stopping 1t tor ever.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, Inherent in
natural history, the ideas which we have now
given in the science, and which have scarcely
been adopted generally, except at the present pc
Rod, have entirely changed the face of it, and
have shed the most vivid light all its branch.
cs.
In meteorology, the gaseous composition of
the atmosphere has been ascertaned to be the
same at all elevations, and in all countries, by
Ber;hollet, Humboldt, Gay Lussac, and Bed.
does but the odOrs which strongly affect our
senses, the miasmata which so cruelty attack
our economy, remain yet beyond the reach of
our chemical means, slthouShit is very certain
that these means destroy them one proof a.
mongst Thousands OF the multitude OF substances,
which act without our knowledge in the operati-
ons of nature,
The phenomenon OF stones fallen from the at
mosphere, which antiquity and the middle ages
were not uRaCqu4Inted with, was not, until the
present period ranked amongst physical truths !;
the conjectures of M Chladni, the analyses of
M. M Howard, Vauquelin, Thenard, Langier,
the travels and enquiries of NJ. Blot, have equal
ly contributed to assure them this rank.
Mlneralogy IS now approaching in correctness,
to the most accurate sciences, thanks TO the cry.
photographic determinations of NJ. Hauy, to the
chemical analysis of M. NJ. Klaproth, and Vau-
quelin, 20 tie exterior descriptions and dctermi
nation Of positions, given by M Werner and by
his school.
This knowledge of the respective positions of
minerals, is become the object of a real science :;
4 science which directs in their research, and
now supercedes, with sound minds, those iIlu-
sye cOniectures, which but lately bore the pom
pous name oil geology. Pallas, Suassure, Des-
marets, Dolomieu, Werner, De Luc, Ramona
and Humboldt, have given it this new aspect
their iaborious travels, their scrupulous obser-
yations, have made us acquainted with the real
structure OF that part OF the crust of the globe,
winch we are abe to penetrate, at the same time
that they make us almost despair OF ever diyin-
ing its origin.
This crust, however, teens with the fossil re-
mains of organized beings, an ncostestible PROOF
OF great revolutions, and objects worthy OF .,e
curiosity OF nrturaIlsts. Paas, Camper and
LIN asrE huya IL s.~,1