228 / HEPATIC MF.RCUllY. 



it is that many kinds of wine cannot be conYdycd by sck* 

 or to great lUstancos. 



Wine sufficiently clarified becomes perfect in bottles. 

 Does not this arise from its being preserved from the ex- 

 tractive part of wood? and may wc not conjecture (hat 

 it would become still more agreeable if preserved in casks 

 charred within, and which on that account might be sub-- 

 ' stituted instead of stone ware, or good glass, besides pos- 



sessing that large capacity which is favourable to the last 

 fermentation, which renders its qualities perfect ? 

 General view Spirituous liquors likewise di solve the extractive part 

 of the subject, ^f ^ood, and receive qualities which are in some cases 

 vajued, but in others detrimental. The charred casks 

 would prevent this effect. In a word, the casks which 

 have received this preparation may be used for all the 

 purposes in which liquids are to be preserved, witjiout 

 being affected by the extractive part of wood, and they 

 prevent the putrefaction ta which sonie of them may be 

 subjecti 



These views are perhaps carried too far, and may re- 

 quire to be supported by experience. The observations 

 here given may serve to direct the proceeding for this 

 purpose, which cannot but be interesting to chemists as 

 well as others. 



X. 



ji Chemical Examination of the Ilepafk Ore of Mercuri/ 



from Idria. By M. Klaphotii. 



Analysis of the -*- HE compact hepatic Mercury employed in this ana- 

 hepatic ore of lysis, is of a colour which holds a middle rank between a 

 Mercury. Jeep cochineal red and the grey of lead; it is almost al- 



ways found in compact masses. The faces of contict are 

 brilliant. It exhibits a very sliglit metallic lustre in its 

 fracture; is opake; its powder is of a deep brown red; 

 and the scraped part shinesa little. It is tender, not brit- 

 tle, and has a specific gravity of 7, 1. 



The polish it takes is bad, and in this ' state it ap- 

 pears 



