Li ty J 
of water, is deftitute of foundation, fince it is now known that 
cryftals may be formed in the dry way; even many of thofe 
formed in the moift:way, as moift ftoney cryftals, retain no per- 
ceptible quantity of the liquid in which they were formed. 
DeteRMINED by thefe confiderations, I have abandoned ina 
great meafure the antient method, and have fubftituted the fol- 
lowing: Firit, I faturate a known quantity of alkali or other 
bafis with an acid whofe fpecific gravity is known, and whofe pro- 
portion of ftandard is determined by the tables. I then make 
another folution of a known quantity of neutral falt of the fame 
fpecies as that formed by faturation, and examine the fpecific 
gravity of both folutions in the fame temperature, adding water 
to the ftronger of the two, until their denfities become equal, 
and thence infer that an equal proportion of falt exifts in both, 
but the proportion in one of them is known; and therefore the 
proportion in the other, the weight of the whole being found, is 
alfo determined. Even this method is fubje@ to a fmall inaccu- 
racy, for a flight excefs of acid is always left, leaft any lofs of 
liquor fhould enfue from trials of faturation with vegetable 
blues, and this renders the denfity of the folution of the regene- 
rated falt fomewhat greater than would enfue from the propor- 
tion of falt it contains, befides that in many cafes the proportion 
of water-of cryftallization muft be difcovered by expofure to 
heat. 
Vou. IV. D Of 
