CAROLINE.
The modern nomenclature must be of immense advantage in pointing out so easily the nature of the acids, and their various degrees of oxygenation.
MRS. B.
Till lately many of the acids had not been decomposed; but analogy afforded so strong a proof of their compound nature, that I never could reconcile myself to classing them with the simple bodies, though this division has been adopted by several chemical writers. At present there are only the muriatic and the fluoric acids, which have not had their bases distinctly separated.
CAROLINE.
We have heard of a great variety of acids; pray how many are there in all?
MRS. B.
I believe there are reckoned at present thirty-four, and their number is constantly increasing, as the science improves; but the most important, and those to which we shall almost entirely confine our attention, are but few. I shall, however, give you a general view of the whole; and then we shall more particularly examine those that are the most essential.
This class of bodies was formerly divided into mineral, vegetable, and animal acids, according to the substances from which they were commonly obtained.
CAROLINE.