Page:Lavoisier-ElementsOfChemistry.pdf/197

 the ancient names provisionally. I am somewhat farther advanced in the inquiry than at the time of publishing our conjunct essay upon chemical nomenclature; yet it would be improper to draw a decided consequences for experiments not yet sufficiently precise: Though I acknowledge that this part of chemistry still remains in some degree obscure, I must express my expectations of it being a very soon elucidated.

I still more forcibly necessitated to follow the same plan in naming the acids, which have three or four elements combined in their bases; of these we have a considerable number from the animal kingdom, and some even from vegetable substances. Azote, for instance, joined to hydrogen and charcoal, for the base or radical of the Prussic acid; we have reason to believe that the same happens with the base of the Gallic acid; and almost all the animal acids have their bases composed of azote, phosphorus, hydrogen, and charcoal. Were we to endeavor to express at once all these four component parts of the bases, our nomenclature would undoubtedly be methodical; it would have the property of being clear and determinate; but the assemblage of Greek and Latin substantives and adjectives, which are not yet universally admitted by chemists, would have the appearance of a barbarous