have been attained until all the spontaneous combustions or
oxygenations possible in an ordinary degree of temperature had
taken place.... To illustrate this abstract view of the matter by
example: Let us suppose the usual temperature of the earth a
little changed, and it is raised only to the degree of boiling
water; it is evident that in this case phosphorus, which is
combustible in a considerably lower degree of temperature, would
no longer exist in nature in its pure and simple state, but would
always be procured in its acid or oxygenated state, and its
radical would become one of the substances unknown to chemistry.
By gradually increasing the temperature of the earth, the same
circumstance would successively happen to all the bodies capable
of combustion; and, at the last, every possible combustion having
taken place, there would no longer exist any combustible body
whatever, and every substance susceptible of the operation would
be oxygenated and consequently incombustible.

"There cannot, therefore, exist, as far as relates to us, any
combustible body but such as are non-combustible at the ordinary
temperature of the earth, or, what is the same thing in other
words, that it is essential to the nature of every combustible
body not to possess the property of combustion unless heated, or
raised to a degree of temperature at which its combustion
naturally takes place. When this degree is once produced,
combustion commences, and the caloric which is disengaged by the
decomposition of the oxygen gas keeps up the temperature which is
necessary for continuing combustion. When this is not the
case--that is, when the disengaged caloric is not sufficient for
keeping up the necessary temperature--the combustion ceases. This
circumstance is expressed in the common language by saying that a