PHYSICAL anp LITERARY. 185 
dy. In the beginning of the experiment, 
a volatile falt was therefore collected in a 
dry form in the receiver, and afterwards 
diffolved into fpirit. 
WHEN all was cool, I found in the re- 
tort a faline liquor, fome undiffolved mag- 
— nefia, and fome falt ammoniac cpyftallized. 
The faline liquor was feparated from tae 
other two, and then mixed with the alka- 
line fpirit. A coagulum was immediate- 
ly formed, and a magnefia precipitated from 
the mixture, 
THE magne(iawhich had remained in the 
retort, when well wafhed and dried, weigh- 
ed two {cruples and fifteen grains, 
WE learn by the latter part of this ex- 
periment, that the attra@iion of the vola- 
tile alkali for acids is {tronger than that 
of magnefia, fince it feparated this powder 
from the acid to which it was joined. But 
it alfo appears, that a gentle heat is capa- 
ble of overcoming this fuperiority of at- 
traction, and of gradually elevating the 
alkali, while it leaves the lefs volatile acid 
with the magnefia, 
~ Vou. Il. Aa Dis- 
