33.0 ESSAYS and OBSERVATIONS 



make a fulminating noife upon the ap-^ 

 proach of the flame of a candle ; and, 

 laflly, one onace of oil of vitriol thus 

 diluted will diflblve an equal weight of 

 pure fileings of Heel : But, when oil of 

 vitriol is employed to diiTolve quick £il- 

 ver, it mufl: be ftrong and well dephleg- 

 mated : When it is poured upon the quick- 

 £lver, it raifes no inteftine motion or heat ; 

 it does not begin to corrode or diflblve 

 the quick Clver, till there is fuch a heat 

 applied, as will almofl: bring the liquor 

 to boil ; and even then the folution goes 

 on {lowly and quietly : Laftly, to diflblve 

 one ounce of quick fli^'cr, it requires, at 

 leafl:, three ounces of oil of vitriol ; and 

 yet the quick fllver will not be entirely 

 fufpended in this ponderous liquor. 



Even water, tho' it diflolves all kinds 

 of falts, yet it does not act upon all of 

 them with the flime eafe ; that is, the fame 

 quantity of water cannot dilfolve an equal 

 quantity of each fait, in the fame time, 

 or with the f:\vne degree of heat ; for an 

 ounce of cold water will foon diffolve 

 half an ounce of fait of tartar j but half 



an 



