^Z6 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



folvents, when they areadlually diflblvlng 

 bodies, excite a ftrong and remarkable 

 efFervefcence, with a great expanfion, 

 hiiling, bubbling, heat, and Imoke ; and, 

 after the folution, the liquors frequently 

 acquire new qualities which were not 

 confpicuous before, either in the folveijt* 

 or in the bodies diflolved : Whence it is 

 generally imagined, that, from this flrug- 

 gle or adiion and reacfllon betwixt the bo- 

 dies, the p.irticles of the meujirmim arc 

 broken, their p. inrs blunted, and their 

 figures changed, by ptnetracing into the 

 pores of the folid body, by di.-joirMng and 

 dividing the parts very minutely- But, 

 I fhall endeavour to make it appear, from 

 experiments, that the adlive pnitis-les, of 

 nioft liquors, employed as (blvents, are 

 extremely tenacious of their jEigure, bulk, 

 and denfity, at leaft of the powers and 

 properties which depend on thefe, and 

 conflitute the particular marks and cha- 

 ra6lers of thefe liquors : That, tho' they 

 have diffolved feveral different bodies, 

 have entered into many compofitions, and 

 ]iave paffed thro' a great variety of forms j 



yet, 



