PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 37^ 



vitriol makes a more minute and fubtile 

 divifion of nitre than what fimple water 

 can do ; that the fluid acid fait of the 

 oil of vitriol attrad:s one part of each real 

 particle of nitre, viz. the fixed andalcaline 

 bafis, while this fame vitriolic acid feems to 

 repell another part of nitre ; that is, the 

 acid and volatile part, which attracts, or 

 is attra(!^ed Iby the phlegm or watry pare 

 of the mixture, is eafily raifed up in va- 

 pour by heat, and turned into a faline a* 

 cid liquor. 



It may be juftly queftioned, whether 

 this is an ultimate divifion of nitre, or a 

 ieparation of it into its mod fimple prin- 

 ciples or firft elements. It is very hard 

 to find an experiment that can give full 

 fatisfa(5lion in this point ; for there are 

 certain bounds fet to art as to the divi- 

 fion of bodies : But, if that part of nitre 

 which unites with the acid of vitriol into 

 a neutral fait is the fame with nitre fixed 

 by deflagrating with charcoal j or if ic 

 is no other than that fait which can be 

 cxtraded from the remains of the diftil- 



lation 



