Page:The fundamental laws of electrolytic conduction.djvu/56

 I think I cannot deceive myself in considering the doctrine of definite electrochemical action as of the utmost importance. It touches by its facts more directly and closely than any former fact, or set of facts, have done, upon the beautiful idea, that ordinary chemical affinity is a mere consequence of the electrical attractions of the particles of different kinds of matter; and it will probably lead us to the means by which we may enlighten that which is at present so obscure, and either fully demonstrate the truth of the idea or develop that which ought to replace it.

A very valuable use of electrochemical equivalents will be to decide, in cases of doubt, what is the true chemical equivalent, or definite proportional, or atomic number of a body; for I have such conviction that the power which governs electro-decomposition and ordinary chemical attractions is the same; and such confidence in the overruling influence of those natural laws which render the former definite, as to feel no hesitation in believing that the latter must submit to them also. Such being the case, I call have no doubt that, assuming hydrogen as 1, and dismissing small fractions for the simplicity of expression, the equivalent number or atomic weight of oxygen is 8, of chlorine 36, of bromine 78.4, of lead 103.5, of tin 59, etc., notwithstanding that a very high authority doubles several of these numbers.

, December 31, 1833. was born at Newington, a suburb of London, September 22, 1791. His parents were of humble origin, and their straitened circumstances prevented his obtaining more than the rudiments of an early education. When fourteen years old he was apprenticed to a bookbinder, and in this capacity was able to pick up considerable scientific knowledge himself from the books which came in for binding. He was, moreover, able to further his education by attending lectures on natural philosophy at the house of a Mr. Tatum, and also occasional lectures at the Royal Institution by Sir Humphry Davy. It was largely on account of the remarkable excellence of the notes which he worked up on these latter lectures, that in March, 1813, six months after he had completed his apprenticeship, Davy secured for him the appointment of assistant in chemistry at the Royal Institution. In October of the same