PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 379 



Here then we have a feries of bodies 

 from filver to fait of tartar, whofe attrac- 

 tive powers, with refpedl to the fame fa- 

 line liquor, are continually increafing; 

 but, whether uniformly or in any certain 

 proportion, is not eafy to determine : 

 There may be found a body which at- 

 tradis the acid of nitre more than the firft, 

 and lefs than the fecond, and fo through 

 other degrees ; which can only be afcer* 

 tained by a great variety of trials. 



As the fait of tartar, or any ftrong fix- 

 ed alcaline fait, is the ftrongeft attradler 

 of the nitrous acid, and throws down or 

 feparates any other body that has been 

 difTolved in it ; fo it likeways attradls e- 

 very other acid, and disjoins it from 

 whatever it has dilfolved : Therefore we 

 may confider that fait as a ftandard 

 whereby to compare the feveral attracftive 

 powers of the different acid liquors. But 

 it is certain, from the experiments that 

 have been related, that, if three parcels 

 of the fame fixed alcaline fait are joined 

 to the three different acids of nitre, fea- 

 falt, and vinegar, and, if oil of vitriol is 



poured 



