It
is very remarkable that this proportion of carbon (more than 4 to 100)
does not prevent the boron from being transparent; and what is still
more extraordinary is, that the boron becomes more and more transparent
as the proportion of carbon increases.
M.
Deville's conclusion is therefore inevitable, viz. that it is nearly
certain that the carbon contained in the crystallized boron is present
there in the state of diamond.
We perceive, then, that boron is worthy of the utmost attention, as being capable of affording a special diamond, and for its possible concurrence in the artificial production of real diamonds.
The properties of silicon being the same as those of boron, we need not pass them in review here.
ATTEMPTS TO PRODUCE THE DIAMOND.
Two hypotheses arrest consideration in examining the probable origin of the diamond ; the first conceives of carbon as having been melted by a strong heat, and the diamond having crystallized in an
