iqS Air from frozen WaUrt is'c. 



traced, till coming into the form of balls, too heavy to be fupported, they fell down 

 to the mafs of mercury in the bafon. 



The mod obvious inference from thefe experiments is, that water, when reduced by any 

 means to the ftate of vapour, is in part converted into phlogifticated air, and that this 

 is one of the means provided by nature to keep up the equilibrium of this conftituent part 

 of the atmofphere ; as the influence of light on growing vegetables is the means of re- 

 cruiting the other parts of it, viz. dephlogiflicated air, and both of them are fubje£t to 

 abforption and diminution in feveral natural procefles. Inflammable air, I have alfo (hewn 

 to be convertible into phlogifticated air ; fo that this is another method of fupplying the 

 atmofphere with this ingredient in its compofition. 



That water contains phlogifton, I have (hewn to be probable from feveral confiderations, 

 efpecially that of its refembling metals in their property of being condu£l:ors of ele£tricity. 

 For thefe fubftances certainly contain phlogifton, if there be any fuch thing. Mercury 

 alfo becomes fuper-phlogifticated by agitation in water, and this without limit, and without 

 changing the water or the mercury ; and the remaining water contains no more oxygen 

 than before. For the air expelled from it is not more pure, but confiderably lefs fo, and it 

 is perfectly free from acidity. 



I would further obferve, that thefe experiments, which prove the converfion of water 

 into phlogifticated air, are inconfiftent with the antiphlogiftic theory, which makes water 

 refolvable into dephlogifticated and inflammable air ; but that they are highly favourable 

 to the hypothefis of water being the bafis of every kind of air, the difference between 

 them depending upon the addition of fome principles which we are not able to afcertain 

 by weight. Alfo, if any fpecies of air be entitled to the appellation of hydrogen^ it is not 

 inflammable, but phlogifticated air. 



II. 



On the Abjorbent Powers of different Earths. By Mr. Joan Leslie. Communicated 



by ike Author- 



JLN completing my refearches in hygrometry, I have been led to examine the habitudes 

 of the earthy bodies with refpecSl: to moifture. I had already difcovered, that animal and 

 vegetable matters, like t^e faline and deliquefcent fubftances, attradt humidity by a force 

 altogether diftinft from that of capillary abforption, and attended with diminution of 

 volume, evolution of heat, and the other concomitants which mark a real change of con- 

 ilitution. And while the empire of chemical agency feemed extending on every fide, 

 it -was reafonable to doubt if the earths themfelves continued entirely inert and paflive 

 under the atmofpherical influences. My fufpicions were fully confirmed by experiment. 

 All the earths and Jlorty bodies eminently attra£i moijlure from the airy and this auith different 



degrees 



