“eh 
PHYSICAL ano LITERARY. 217 
hute portion of alkaline earth which com- 
pofed the remainder of the fediment, it 
cannot be fuppofed to have been origi- 
nally different from the reft, and incapa- 
ble, from its nature, of being converte 
into quick-lime, or of being diffolved in 
water; it feems rather to have conifted 
of a fmall part of the chalk in its mild 
ftate, or faturated with air, which had 
either remained, for want of a fufficient 
fire to drive it out entirely, or had been 
furnifhed by the diftilled water. 
I indeed expefted to fee a much larger 
quantity of fediment produced from th® 
lime, on account of the air which water 
conftantly contains ; and, with a view to 
know whether water retains its air when 
fully faturated with lime, a lime-water 
was made as ftrong as poffible: Four 
ounces of which were placed under the 
Teceiver of an air-pump, together, with 
four ounces of common water in a phial of 
the fame fize; and, upon exhanfting the 
“receiver, without heating the phials, the 
“air arofe from each in nearly the fame 
ee Vor. Il, Bie quantity : 
