ght as it was, gave her
over others who had not enjoyed the same means of private instruction.
Every fact or experiment attracted her attention, and served to explain
some theory to which she was not a total stranger; and she had the
gratification to find that the numerous and elegant illustrations, for
which that school is so much distinguished, seldom failed to produce on
her mind the effect for which they were intended.

Hence it was natural to infer, that familiar conversation was, in
studies of this kind, a most useful auxiliary source of information; and
more especially to the female sex, whose education is seldom calculated
to prepare their minds for abstract ideas, or scientific language.

As, however, there are but few women who have access to this mode of
instruction; and as the author was not acquainted with any book that
could prove a substitute for it, she thought that it might be useful for
beginners, as well as satisfactory to herself, to trace the steps by
which she had acquired her little stock of chemical knowledge, and to
record, in the form of dialogue, those ideas which she had first derived
from conversation.

But to do this with sufficient method, and to fix upon a mode of
arrangement, was an object of some difficulty. After much hesitation,
and a degree of embarrassment, which, probably, the most competent
chemical writers have often felt in common with the most superficial,
a mode of division was adopted, which, though the most natural, does not
always admit of being strictly pursued--it is that of treating first of
the simplest bodies, and then gradually rising to the most intricate
compounds.

It is not the author's intention to enter into a minute vindication of
this plan. But whatever may be its advantages or inconveniences, the
method adopted in this work is such, that a young pupil, who should
occasionally recur to it, with a view to procure information on
particular subjects, might often find it obscure or unintelligible; for
its various parts are so connected with each other as to form an
uninterrupted chain of facts and reasonings, which will appear
sufficiently clear and consistent to those only who may have patience to
go through the whole work, or have previously devoted some attention to
the subject.

It will, no doubt, be observed, that in the course of these
Conversations, remarks are often introduced, which appear much too acute
for the young pupils, by whom they are suppos