to suppose that hydrogen exists in all these substances, though they
cannot prove their supposition; even if they could, it would not avail
much, since this disengagement of hydrogen is quite insufficient to
explain the phenomena of calcination and combustion. We must always
recur to the examination of this question, "Are the heat and light,
which are disengaged during the different species of combustion,
furnished by the burning body, or by the oxygen which combines in all
these operations?" And certainly the supposition of hydrogen being
disengaged throws no light whatever upon this question. Besides, it
belongs to those who make suppositions to prove them; and, doubtless, a
doctrine which without any supposition explains the phenomena as well,
and as naturally, as theirs does by supposition, has at least the
advantage of greater simplicity[40].
TABLE _of the Binary Combinations of Sulphur with Simple Substances._
_Simple_ _Resulting Compounds._
_Substances._ _New Nomenclature._ _Old Nomenclature._
Caloric Sulphuric gas
{ Oxyd of sulphur Soft sulphur.
Oxygen { Sulphurous acid Sulphureous acid.
{ Sulphuric acid Vitriolic acid.
Hydrogen Sulphuret of hydrogen }
Azote azote } Unknown Combinations.
Phosphorus phosphorus }
Charcoal charcoal }
Antimony antimony Crude antimony.
Silver silver
Arsenic arsenic Orpiment, realgar.
Bismuth bismuth
Cobalt cobalt
Copper copper Copper pyrites.
Tin tin
Iron iron Iron pyrites.
Manganese manganese
149