2. On the Preparation of Adamantine Carbon or Diamond

Extract

The preparation of adamantine carbon or diamond has exercised the genius of philosophers from the very earliest times; but it was not until the middle of the last century (1772) that Lavoisier established the diamond's true nature—notwithstanding the simplicity of the experiments required to demonstrate the fact—and showed it to consist of pure carbon in a crystallised state. Since that time very many attempts have been made to prepare it artificially, but until the recent and now famous experiments of Mr J. B. Hannay there has not been the slightest approach towards the solution of this problem. Great obstacles stood in the way of success, the chief being the complete insolubility of carbon in all known liquids, coupled with its non-volatility and infusibility; while the subject was rendered even more difficult and obscure, by ignorance of the conditions under which the diamond is produced in nature, its peculiar crystalline form, together with extreme rarity, indicating a probable very slow formation, and rare natural existence of the conditions necessary for its formation.