“ PHYSICAL ann LITERARY. 317 
joined to the retort with pafte; the glafs 
3 fet ina fand furnace, and the fire increafed 
‘gradually. After the operation, there was 
found in the receiver, a {moaking acid liquor, 
of an orange colour, which weighed one 
ounce, two drams, three grains: there re- 
mained at the bottom of the retort, a cake 
of white folid falt; which being diffolved in 
warm water, the folution filtered, and part 
of the water again exhaled, thot into chry- 
ftals; and thefe being all carefully collected, 
weighed two ounces, twenty two grains. 
Tue {pirit obtained in this manner . was 
fiery, active, and conftantly emitting red 
fumes; it diffolved filver, kindled with oil 
of cloves, and agreed in all other characters 
with ftrong fpirit of nitre. . The falt which 
remained in the retort when purified and 
chryftallized, no way refembled falt-petre, 
or the falt employed in this operation, in the 
fhape of the chryftals, tafte, or other pro- 
 perties; for thefe chry{tals were polyhedras, 
: having feveral triangular faces and folid 
angles; their tafte is rough, bitter and 
fomewhat saftringent; they do not readily 
melt or fparkle in the fire, as common or 
factitious nitre does. 
I 
