American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-07
IReponod for the American Republican
LECTURE OF REV. R. II. BALL, A. NJ.


Ectorc the BaAimore Lyceum, at the Lecture Room Of
81. Jo!tn's Church, on the 3lSt january, 1915.
At O'Clock, b. II. Richardson, Esq, Presi-
dent OF the Lyceum, took the chair, and an
hounced to the large and very respectable au-
dience in attendance, that the first business in
order was 4 lecture by the Rev. Mr.. Ball, on
Combustion
Mr.. Ball presented himself on the platform
from which we noticed that the rostrum had
been removed to make way for large table,
which with the vacant space in the rear was
crowded with apparatus for the illustration Of
the topics to be discussed. After paving his
respects to the members of the Lyceum and
their vlsitants, the lecturer addressed himself
TO the task he had assumed:
1t becomes US rs RATIONAL intelligent beings,
placed by our glorious Creator in world of
light, and endowed with restless spirit Of in
quiry after truth, to observe the phenomena
which daily take place around US, TO invest-
gate as far as we can their causes, to note their
consequences, and thus make ourselves familiar
with the principles and laws which govern the
material universe. That such is our happiness as
wellas our duty lsno new theme. The Mantuan
Bard, in the renowned Augustan age, but in
corporated a current properb into his sweetly
flowing verse, when he sIng-"Felix qui po-
distance of two thousand years, with the flood
Of light which modern science has poured L.
round or pathway, feel that the proposition
has been demonstrated, and that we can conf
IDENTIFY accord our voices with his Tyre, and re-
spond exultingly, "hdppy is he ,chO understands"
The physlca sciences present TO the phloso-
phc mind objects which are ever attractive,
scenes which are ever delightful, fields which
are ever spacious, inviting US to explore their
mines of priceless wealth and make them all
our own-to banquet their delicious dain-
ties--to drink their crystal fountains! And
who Is here that would decline so generous an
invitation? Who would not eagerly embrace
fife glorious privilege Of increasing i'll knowl-
edge and wisdom!
OF the physical sciences no department is
perhaps more satisfactory in its principles, and
moro practical in its results, than chemistry,
associating itself, as it now does, with wel-nigh
all the arts and conveniences of life. 1t disco
vers the nature and component parts of mate
rial substances, by resolving them into their
constituent principles; and by combining these
parts synthetlcally, 1t produces other inorganic
substances similar to those every where found;
rs in the production Of water by the union of
oxygen and hydrogen gases. This branch of
philosophy is almost exclusively modern; and
many, | might say most, of the improvements
Of the present age owe their origin to its devel-
opments. To chemical analysis the Medical
Faculty are indebted for their most valuable
remedies; the farmer for his fertilizng mari,
and other manures; the metaurgist for the
process by which he obtains metals in their pu-
rity; and the theologian for some of his happi-
est illustrations of Scriptural truths.
The subject of the present lecture, eon,bus-
ton, admits of easy explanation, and may be
illustrated by variety of pleasing and impress
sive experiments, which the most ordinary Ca
pacity can readily comprehend. Combustion
may be defined, ordinarily to be, "the rapid
combination of combustible material with
oxygen gas, accompanied with the evolution of
light and heat:' that is, it is nothing more
than intense chemical action, producing light
and heat. The ordinary supporter of combus-
ton, as already intmatcd, is orugen gas, a sub
stance the very existence of which was not
known, anterior to the time of DR.. Prestly,-
This eminent English chemist first obtained
oxygen gas in TIA, from the red oxide of mer-
cury-and since it has been ascertained that
most substances contain it as one of their con-
sttuent elements Indeed, it forms no incon-
siderable part of the globe on which we dwell,
and the organic and inorganic substances,
which constitute its decorations.
1t being understood that the Lecturer would
introduce some of the brilliant illustrations
which modern ingenuity has provided for the
calculation of the natural sciences, Mr.. b., af'
ter these introductory observations, took up the
suaect in detail, and with the aid of his very fine
apparatus presented a number of points in a
mode which was at once exceedingly instruc-
tive and entertaining: a few only of these we
can notice. BY a simple process, Mr.. b. de-
monslrated that flame is not solid but holloac.-
He poured quantity of alcohol into u vessel
in the centre of which was placed piece Of
phosphorus. On applying torch, the spirit
bazed up to the height ola foot, and burnt with
II blue flame for some minutes The phos
phorus was visible in the midst glazing like a
coal but not in flame; while under ordinary
circumstances it igntes at slight elevation o
temperature. The reason was, it found nc