140 r Kcfcarches rcfpeSi'wg 



cnce of faturation, fome fubftances arc retained in the new 

 combination left tlronglythan before the mixture; they may 

 consequently yield to the powers of cohefion,elafticitv, or other 

 affinities which they might otherwife have refilled. 



<S. The force of cohefion, hitherto confidered merelv as an 

 obftacle to Solution, not only limits the quantities of Jub- 

 ilances which may be brought into action in a liquid, and 

 consequently modifies the conditions of the faturation which 

 follows, but is the power which caufes the precipitations and 

 crvfhllizations that take place, and determines the pro- 

 portions of fuch combinations as quit the liquid : it is this 

 forte which fome times even produces the Separation of one, 

 without its forming any combination with another fubflance, 

 as we have remarked in fome metallic precipitations. I di- 

 ftinguith infolubility from the force of cohefion, becaufe the 

 one is relative only to the action of the Solvent, and the other 

 is the effect of the mutual affinity of the parts of a fubihmce 

 or combination, confidered abfolutely. 



Elafticity acts by producing erTe&s oppofite to thofe of co- 

 hefion, which confift in either withdrawing Some fubftances 

 from the action of others in a liquid, or in diminifhing the pro- 

 portion which exifts within the fphere of activity ; but when 

 all the fubftances are in the elaftic ftate, their action is fub- 

 jected to the fame conditions. 



If tables were formed which would reprefent the difpofitioq 

 to infolubility or volatility in the different combinations, 

 they would ferve to explain a great number of combinations 

 which take their origin from the mixture of different fub- 

 ftances, and from the influence of heat. 



9. Caloric a&s upon bodies like the other folvents, when 

 it is not in a ftate of radiant caloric, becaufe in this cafe it 

 is not in combination. It mould exceed the greateft part of 

 the force of cohefion, in order to render a body liquid ; other 

 affinities alfo mav concur with it to produce this effect, in 

 the fame manner as itfelf concurs with the action of other 

 folvents. It is not distributed among bodies in proportion 

 to their weight, or to their bulk, when it produces the de* 

 grees of temperature indicated by the thermometer, in the 

 lame manner as an acid does not take up<an equal quantity 

 of the different alkalis, to attain the fame degree of fatura- 

 tion; and were tables of fpecific caloric conftructed, they 

 would be fimilar to thofe of fpecific acidity or alkalinity. The 

 latter, however, would reprefent the whole faturation to a 

 certain aflumed point, becaufe pure acids and alkalis might 

 be employed; but the fpecific calorics could only be deter- 

 mined- 



