PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 431 



rated. th« quantity of this may be de- 

 termined by experiment ; though, in ma- 

 ny waters, it may well be negleded, on 

 account of its fmallnefs. 



It has been argued, that quick-lime 

 muft, after many repeated affufions of 

 water, yield as ftrong lime water as at 

 firft ; becaufe, as long as there remains 

 any virtue in the lime, the water will ex- 

 tradl it, and continue to do fo, till it has 

 taken up as much of the lime as it caa 

 bear. But to this we cannot agree: For, 

 though there is undoubtedly a certain de- 

 gree of ftrength which lime-water caa 

 never exceed ; yet, in order to communi- 

 cate to water this degree of ftrength, fla- 

 ked lime may not only be inlufficient, 

 but repeated additions of quick lime ma.7 

 be neceffiry ; unlefs perhaps a very fmall 

 proportion of water is poured upon it. 

 Quick-lime, frefli from the fire, yields 

 its virtues more eafily, than when weak- 

 ened by long espoStion to the air, or by 

 many afFufions of water: The water muft 

 extrad the virtues of the latter ; whib 

 the fonner, by a fort of explofive force of 



ic& 



