322 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



hitherta appeared. Far, as there is a vaft 

 variety of bodies which differ much from 

 one another in denfity, folidity, and tex- 

 ture, in the bulk, fliape, and compoficioa 

 of the conftituent particles, in the degree 

 of force with which thefe cohere among 

 themfelves, and in the number, fize, and 

 figure of the pores or interftices betwixt 

 the folid parts, it is fcarce conceivable, 

 that any one liquor can be endued with 

 powers correfponding to all the various 

 circumflances of fuch a variety of bodies,, 

 fo as indifcriminately to dilTolve all: It 

 is therefore much more agreeable to the 

 nature of things, that there fhould be a 

 variety of liquors endued with different 

 qualities, in different degrees^ to feparate 

 the particles of fo many different folid 

 bodies ; and daily experience fufficiently 

 confirms the truth of this conclufion. 

 There is perhaps no body, natural or 

 artificial, but there may be found a men* 

 Ilruum proper to diffolve it: And, though 

 fome liquors are known to diffolve feveral 

 bodies which differ in many refpecfts ; 

 yet even thefe fdlvents, which are allowed 



to 



