PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 357 



bled falt-petre, or the fait employed in 

 jhis operation, in the fhape of the chry- 

 ftals, tafte, or other properties j for thefe 

 chryftals v;ere polyhedras, having feveral 

 triangular faces and folid angles; their 

 tade is rough, bitter, and foinewhat a- 

 ftringent ; they do not readily melt or 

 fparkle in the fire, as common or faclir 

 tious nitre does. 



I made another facftitious fait, by im- 

 pregnating a folution of the fame alcaline 

 fixed fait with fpirit of fea fait, pouring 

 it in by degrees, tiU there appeared no ef- 

 fervefcence, and the liquor tailed briny. 

 Four ounces and a half of this fpirit were 

 employed to fatiate two ounces of the fix- 

 ed fait : When the two faline liquors were 

 duly proportioned, there appeared, before 

 evaporation, a great many fmall grains 

 of white fait at the bottom, which, as 

 as well as the liquor furrounding them, 

 had the true muriatic tafte. 



Th e fait obtained out of this liquor, 

 had the genuine figure of the common fea 

 fait; but the chryftals were fmaller, more 

 ):iard, white, and opaque : The fait is not 



alto- 



