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Aialyfis oj the Air. 179 



as I found by dropping a few drops of Spirit 

 of Nitre, oil of Vitriol, water, and fpittlc 

 on an Anvil ; and then holding over thofc 

 drops a piece of Iron which had a white heat 

 given itj upon ftriking down the hot Iron 

 with a large Hammer, there was a very great 

 cxplofion made by each of thofc liquors : 

 But frothy fpittlc, which had air in it, made a 

 louder explofion than water j which fhews 

 that the vaft cxplofion of the Nitre and Sal 

 Tartar, which arc compofed of elaftick air 

 particles, included in an acid Spirit, is owing 

 to their united force. 



We may therefore from what has been 

 faid, with good rcafon conclude, that Fire is 

 chiefly invigorated by the a&ion and re- ac- 

 tion of the acid fulphureous particles of the 

 fuel, and the elaftick ones which arife and en- 

 ter the Fire, either from the fuel in which 

 they abound, or from the circumambient 

 air: For by Experiment 103, and many 

 others, acid fulphureous particles act vi- 

 gorouily on air ; and fin ce action and re-a&ion 

 are reciprocal, (o muft air on fulphur ; and 

 there is, we fee, plenty of both, as well in 

 mineral as vegetable fuel, as alfo in animal 

 fubftances, for which reafonthey will burn. 



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