192 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



II. If quick-lime be no other than a cal- 

 carious earth deprived of its air, and whofe 

 ittradion for fixed air is ftronger than that of 

 alkalis, it follows, that, by adding to it a fuf- 

 ficient quantity of alkali faturated with air, the 

 lime will recover the whole of its air, and be 

 entirely reftored to its original weight and con- 

 dition : and it alfo follows, that the earth fe- 

 parated from lime-water by an alkali, is the 

 lime which was diflblved in the water now 

 reftored to its original mild and infoluble 

 flate. 



III. If it be fuppofed that flaked lime does 

 not contain any parts which are more firey, 

 adlive or fubtile than others, and by which 

 chiefly it communicates its virtues to water } 

 but that it is an uniform compound of lime 

 and water : it follows, that, as part of it can 

 be diffolved in water, the whole of it is alfo 

 capable of being diffolved. 



IV. If the acrimony of the cauflic alkali 

 does not depend on any part of the lime ad- 

 hering to it, a cauflic or foap-ley will confe- 

 quently be found to contain no lime, unlefs 

 the quantity of lime employed In making it 

 were greater than what is jufl fufficient to 

 extrad: the whole air of the alkali 5 for then 



as 



