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i* 



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4 



i 



The PRE F A C E. vi 



we make •■> as the following Experiments will 

 plainly prove, by fiewing how great the power 

 of the attraction of acid 'fulpkureous particL s 

 muft be at Jome little di fiance from the point 

 of contadi, to be able mo ft readily to fubdue 

 and fix elaftick aereal particles, which rep ell 

 with a force fuperior to vaft incumbent pref- 

 fures ; Which particles we find are thereby 

 changed from a ftrongly repelling, to as 

 ftrongly an attratling ftate : And that ela~ 

 fticity is no immutable property of air, is fur- 

 ther evident from thefe Experiments 5 becaufe 

 it were impojftble for fuch great quantities of 

 it to be confined in 'the fubftances of Animals 

 and Vegetables, in an elaftick ftate, without 

 rending their conftituent parts with a vaft 

 explofion. 



I have been careful in making, and faithful 

 in relating the refult of thefe Experiments, and 

 wifb 1 could be as happy in drawing the pro- 

 per inferences from them. However I may fall 

 fhort at firft jetting out. in thisftatical way of 

 inquiring into the nature of "Plants, yet there is 

 goodreafon to believe t hat conftder able advan. 

 ces in the knowledge of their nature may in 



procefs of time be made, by rcfearches of this 

 kind. 



J And 



