iS6 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



markable acrimony which we perceive in, 

 them after this procefs, was not fuppofed to 

 proceed from any additional matter received 

 in the fire, but feemed to be an effential pro- 

 perty of the pure earth, depending on an 

 attrad;ion for thofe feveral fubftances which 

 it then became capable of corroding or dif- 

 folving, which attraction had been infenfible 

 as long as the air adhered to the earth, but 

 difcovered itfelf upon the feparation. 



This fuppofition was founded upon an ob- 

 fervation of the moft frequent confequences 

 of combining bodies in chemiftry. Com- 

 monly when we join two bodies together, 

 their acrimony or attradtion for other fub- 

 ftances becomes immediately either lefs per- 

 ceivable or entirely infenfible j altho' it was 

 fufficiently ftrong and remarkable before 

 their union, and riiay be rendered evident 

 again by disjoining them. A neutral fait, 

 which is compofed of an acid and alkali, does 

 not poffefs the acrimony of either of its con- 

 ftituent parts. It can ealily be feparated from 

 water, has little or no effed: upon metals, i^ 

 incapable of being joined to inflammable 

 bodies, and of corroding and dilTolving ani- 

 mals and vegetables ; fo that the attradion 

 both of the acid and alkali for thefe feveral 



fubftances 



