i^piYSIGAL AND LITERARY. 3^1 



vefced with alcaline lalts fixed or vola- 

 tile : In all which properties it agrees with 

 acid liquor drawn by diftillation from 

 crude tartar, which is commonly called, 

 its fpirit. I obferved, in diftilling this 

 inixture, that there came up fome vola- 

 tile fait, but in very fmall quantity, which 

 fpread itfelf upon the neck of the retort, 

 in very fine and fubtile ramifications : 

 The upper part of the body of the retorc 

 was fullied v^ith feme thick black oil ; 

 and the faline matter at the bottom was 

 of a dirty afh colour, like tartar half 

 burnt. I poured warm water into the re-^ 

 tort, and left it on hot fand, to difTolve 

 the fait ; I found it necelTary to pafs this 

 folution through a filter, and there re- 

 inained in the paper a good deal of black 

 earthy matter. The liquor was very acid, 

 arid had a vitriolic roughnefs, becaufe 

 more oil of vitriol had been poured upoii 

 the tartanii jblubilis than was fufficient : 

 To overcome the acidity, I dropt into the 

 liquor fome oL tart, p. d. till the effervef- 

 cdnce ceafed ; and then, by evaporation 

 and chryflallization, I procured a fait, in 

 Vol. I. Z z every 



