243. 



In examining this table it may be remarked that the dura- The times of ab- 

 tion of the abforplion is not in any proportion to the quantity : ^ApmZn\^nl 

 The muriate of alumine, for example, took 149 days to abforb to the quantities. 

 342 grains of water, while the nitrate of manganefe took but t 



89 days to abforb 527 grains. That the force of attraction 

 may beeftimated from the rapidity with which the bodies unite 

 mud not be concluded from this ; for the fame table fhews that 

 nitrate of magnefia faturated itfelf in 73 days, and only ab* 

 forbed 207 grains of water, a much lefs quantity than that taken 

 up by the nitrate of manganefe. Although the greater or lefs Though the ra- 

 facility with which deliquefcent falls faturate themfelves w ith S on does not°in* 

 water cannot be accounted for, (fince a fait half faturated, or dkate the pro- 

 half deprived of water, is no longer the fame body, and con- ^^^2 

 fequently exercifes other attractions than what the fame fait ufeful. 

 does in its ordinary Hate, or in a different ftate of faturation,) 

 the rapidity of their faturation is not however an indifferent 

 matter. In the experiments which have been made on pro- 

 ducing artificial cold by muriate of lime, it has been remarked 

 that the cold was greater in proportion as the ice was melted; 

 but it is probable that the muriate, and above all the nitrate of^ or ' nftance >^ e 

 manganefe, which becomes liquid much quicker, would pro- *& may^ro* 

 dnce with ice a more intenfe cold, and that certain liquors duce intcnfe re» 

 which have hitherto refitted coagulation, would be folidified n S eratl0fl * 

 by thefe two falls, which experiment is highly deferving of a 

 trial. 



^n order to examine whether deliquefeence depends on the It does not ap- 

 proportion of the bafe, or of the acid which conftitutes the f. ear f hat th * de- 

 falts, I compared with each other the different analyfes of falls pcnds on the 

 publifhed by Bergman, Klaproth, Fourcroy, and Vauquelio, P ro P ortion °* 

 and I faw that no induction could be from their compofttion ; p art8> 

 tor there are fome falts which have the bafe in a very conlider- 

 able proportion, and which are lefs deliquefcent than fhofe 

 whofe bafe is lefs; and many others in which the acid is in a 

 fmall proportion, are more deliquefcent than thofe, in which 

 this principle is predominant. The nature of the acids and of 

 R 2 th* 



