368 ESSAYS and OBSERVATIONS 



IV. When an acid liquor has dilToI- 

 ^ed a metallic body, and is united to it j 

 the folution and the vitriol made of it 

 are frequently more acrid and corrofive, 

 with refpea to the human body, than the 

 acid by itfelf. I do not affirm this uni- 

 verfally : But we have inftances of it in 

 the folutions and vitriols of lilver, quick- 

 filver, copper, antimony. 



V. When the fpirits of nitre or fea- 

 falt are joined to fait of tartar, or pot-afh, 

 and chryftallized, the chryftals afTume 

 the peculiar {hape and mod remarkable 

 properties of the natural fait from which 

 the acid fpirit was originally produced. 

 Confequently there appears to be fome 

 affinity betwixt the native fixed bafes of 

 thefe falts, and the fixed falts of plants. 



VI. The artificial vitriols compounded 

 of the fame acid fpirits and metallic par- 

 ticles, do not refemble the original falts ; 

 but the vitriols of different metals, or me- 

 tallic bodies, have different fhapes, though 

 they are joined to the fame acid falts. 



VII. The acid falts, though combined 

 ^ith the alcaline, into mild neutral falts,' 



yet 



