OXYGEN AND NITROGEN.

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tion of the caloric is furnished by the combusti-ble body ; but there is no doubt that by far themost considerable part of it is disengaged fromthe oxygen gas, when its basis combines with thecombustible body.

EMILY.

I have not yet met with any thing in chemistrythat has surprised or delighted me so much nsthis explanation of combustion. I was at firstwondering what connexion there could be be-tween the affinity of a body for oxygen and itscombustibility; but I think I understand it nowperfectly.

MRS. B.

Combustion then, you see, is nothing morethan the rapid absorbtion of the basis of oxygengas, by a combustible body, attended bv the dis-engagement of the light and heat, which werecombined with the oxygen when in its gaseousstate.

EMILY.

But are there no combustible bodies whose at-traction for oxygen is so strong, that they willovercome the resistance of the attraction of ag-gregation, without the application of heat ?

CAROLIN E.

That cannot be; otherwise we should see bo-dies burning spontaneously.