An example of an historical notion that would be considered a misconception. The author is contrasting the theory of Joseph Black with an everyday description of the phenomenon:
"If a piece of wood, a piece of lead, and a piece of ice are placed in a temperature much inferior to that of the body, and if we touch the piece of wood with the hand, it feels cold; if we touch the piece of lead, if feels colder still; but the piece of ice feels colder than either. Now, the first suggestion of sense is that we receive cold from the wood, that we receive more from the lead, and most of all form the ice; and that the ice continues to be a source of cold till the whole be melted. But an inference precisely the contrary to all this is made by him [or her] whose attention and reflection has been occupied with this subject. He [or she] infers that the wood takes a little heart from the hand, but is soon heated so much as to take no more. The lead takes more heat before it be as much satiated; and the ice continues to feel equally cold, and to carry off heat as fast as in the first moment till the whole be melted. This, then, was the inference made by Dr. Black."
"…from a biographical memoir prefixed by Professor Robinson [sic] to Dr. Black' Lectures":", according to Cochrane, R. (Ed.). (1897). Heroes of Invention and Discovery. Lives of eminent inventors and pioneers in science. W. P. Nimmo, Hay, & Mitchell.
I do not know if there are different editions of this text, but I located the original source and found:
"When I lift a piece of wood out of some box or vessel, where every thing has been kept extremely cold, I feel it cold in my hand. If I lift out of the same box a piece of lead, it feels colder still ; and a piece of ice from the same place feels colder than either. The first suggestion of sense is, that I receive cold from the wood ;….more from the lead ;.. .and that the ice proves a source of cold till it be all melted. But the person who is habituated to the consideration of things of this nature makes an inference which is precisely the contrary to all this. Such a person infers that the wood takes a little heat from his hand, and is soon warmed so much as to take no more. The lead takes more heat from him [or her] before it be as much satiated; and the ice continues to rob him [or her] of heat as fast as in the first moment, and therefore feels equally cold till all be melted. Dr. Black made this inference."
Robison, J. (1806), Editor's preface to Joseph Black, Lectures on the elements of chemistry: delivered in the University of Edinburgh.
