432 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



its own, quickly impregnates the water/ 

 Nor is it to be wondered at, that quick- 

 lime, frefh from the fire, fhould, at firft, 

 impregnate water more flrongly with its 

 virtues, than it does afterwards. This is 

 as eafily conceived, as that boiling water 

 fhould extradl more of the virtues of tea 

 or coffee, than cold water. The only dif- 

 ference is, that the menftruum in the lat- 

 ter cafe adls more powerfully; while, in the 

 former, the fubftance to be extradled af- 

 fords its finer parts more readily, and in 

 greater abundance* 



Upon comparing the experiments No. 

 I. with thofe of No. 3. and 4. it appears, 

 that the difference between the fpecific 

 gravities of different lime-waters and 

 common water is much more than the 

 weight of the calcarious matter contained 

 in thefe lime-waters : Ihere mud, there- 

 fore, be fomething elfe befides this earthy 

 matter, which quick-lime communicates 

 to water, by which its weight is increa- 

 fed*. Perhaps quick-lime may alfo, in 



fbme 



* As lime-water, after its earthy part has been preci- 



J)itated by an alcaline fait, continues to tafte ftrongly of 



the 



