ed to be made. Of this
fault the author is fully aware. But, in order to avoid it, it would
have been necessary either to omit a variety of useful illustrations, or
to submit to such minute explanations and frequent repetitions, as would
have rendered the work tedious, and therefore less suited to its
intended purpose.

In writing these pages, the author was more than once checked in her
progress by the apprehension that such an attempt might be considered by
some, either as unsuited to the ordinary pursuits of her sex, or
ill-justified by her own recent and imperfect knowledge of the subject.
But, on the one hand, she felt encouraged by the establishment of those
public institutions, open to both sexes, for the dissemination of
philosophical knowledge, which clearly prove that the general opinion no
longer excludes women from an acquaintance with the elements of science;
and, on the other, she flattered herself that whilst the impressions
made upon her mind, by the wonders of Nature, studied in this new point
of view, were still fresh and strong, she might perhaps succeed the
better in communicating to others the sentiments she herself
experienced.

The reader will soon perceive, in perusing this work, that he is often
supposed to have previously acquired some slight knowledge of natural
philosophy, a circumstance, indeed, which appears very desirable. The
author's original intention was to commence this work by a small tract,
explaining, on a plan analogous to this, the most essential rudiments of
that science. This idea she has since abandoned; but the manuscript was
ready, and might, perhaps, have been printed at some future period, had
not an elementary work of a similar description, under the tide of
"Scientific Dialogues," been pointed out to her, which, on a rapid
perusal, she thought very ingenious, and well calculated to answer its
intended object.

Contents Of
_The First Volume_.

ON SIMPLE BODIES.

CONVERSATION I.
Page

ON THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY. 1

Connexion between Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. --Improved State
of modern Chemistry. --Its use in the Arts. --The general Objects of
Chemistry. --Definition of Elementary Bodies. --Definition of
Decomposition. --Integrant and Constituent Particles. --Distinction
between Simple and Compound Bodies. --Classification of Simple
Bod