230 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



nary way, obtained only half an ounce of a 

 redifh impure fait, mixt with much earth : 

 from other peats that leave after burning a 

 red afh, and that were taken from dryer 

 ground, he had an ounce of a redifli im- 

 pure fait. 



This fait, he fays, has rather a faline than 

 alkaline tafte ; and when expofed to the o- 

 pen air, runs flowly, after the manner of fuch 

 Jaline lixivious fait. Being diflblved in wa- 

 ,ter and mixed with oil of vitriol, it becomes 

 turbid, with a fmall bubbling up. With fix- 

 ed fait, or fpirit of harts-horn, it turns muddy; 

 with fpirit of fea fait, there is no change, the 

 liquor remaining clear, only a few bubbles. 

 It coagulates foap when boiled with it, in the 

 fame manner that fea fait does. This fait 

 diflblved again in water, filtrated and infpif- 

 fated until it begins to cryftallize, gathers, 

 when fet in a cool place, into a fait of a cu- 

 bical form, and v/hen thrown into the fire, 

 makes a noife like fea fait that is decrepitated. 

 The liquor being further inTpiflTated and fet 

 to cryftallize a fecond time, yielded a nitrous 

 fait ; the remaining liquor was a pure lixi- 

 vious alkaline fait, that made a ftrong effer- 

 vefcence vvith acids. Froni all which it ap- 

 pears^ 



