PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 19* 



attradLiori for various bodies, difcovers like- 

 ways its natural degree of volatility, vi^hich 

 was formerly fomewhat reprelTed by the air 

 adhering to it, in the fame manner as it is re- 

 prefTed by the addition of an acid. 



This account of lime and alkalis recom- 

 mended itfelf by its fimplicity, and by afford- 

 ing an eafy folution of many phcenomena^ but 

 appeared upon a nearer view to be attended 

 with confequences that were fo very^new and 

 extraordinary, as to render fufpicious the 

 principles from which they were drawn. 



I refolved however to examine, in a parti- 

 cular manner, fuch of thefe confequences as 

 were the moft unavoidable, and found, the 

 greateft number of them might be reduced 

 to the following propoiitions : 



I. If we only feparate a quantity of air 

 from lime and alkalis, when we render them 

 cauftic they will be found to lofepart of their 

 weight in the operation, but will faturate the 

 fame quantity of acid as before, and the fa- 

 turation will, be^ pe£fQiin£i:4\'ithout effer- 

 vefcence. rjip/'j: !;.f^nf|^. 



MiT4 i "• '' 



