320 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



mical expe'ii^cnts ; yet, as the hiftory of 

 chemical folutions is very extenfive, and 

 as many fingular conditions and appear- 

 ances are to be obferved in the adlons 

 of various folvents upon the bodies 

 ■which they difTolve i it may poffibly be of 

 fome advantage, to any one who fhall 

 afterwards undertake to give a rational 

 and fatisfadlory account of the caufes 

 which produce fuch effeds, and of the 

 laws by which thefe caufes ad in parti- 

 cular circumftances, to have in his view 

 a great many inferior axioms or ca* 

 nons, comprehending- as many particu* 

 Jar inftances as poffible - Becaufe thefe 

 may enable him to afcend to more gene- 

 ral canons, and at length to the ultimate 

 phyfical caufe ; and again, from thence 

 to explain the phaenomena in particular 

 inftances. 



By Jolution is here meant, the fepara- 

 tion and divifion of a folid body, or of a 

 thick and confiftent mafs, by means of a 

 fenfible fluid, into parts fo fmall, as to 

 difappear and be equally difperfed through. 



the fluid. 



That 



