356 RELATIVE ATTRACTIONS OF 
grain. This additional water must have been 
acquired from the atmosphere while the dishes 
were in being transferred to and from the re- 
ceiver. 
It being evident that the undiluted acid had not 
taken from the diluted acid any of its water, I 
now added to the diluted acid 9.3 grains more 
water ; and, with the same precautions as to 
cooling as before, placed both dishes again under 
the exhausted receiver. In a few days they were 
re-weighed, when the diluted acid was found to 
have lost 1.1 grain, and the undiluted to have 
gained it. Both were again put under the 
receiver, and by several times weighing and re- 
placing them there, the diluted acid was found to 
lose weight, until the total loss was 1.9 grain. 
Had the experiment been continued, a little fur- 
ther loss would have been sustained; but being 
able to guess, as I imagined, from what had 
already taken place, to about the extent to which 
concentrated acid would bear diluting, without 
having its affinity for water so much diminished 
as to be compelled to yield to the attractive 
agency of anhydrous space, I resolved upon re- 
commencing the experiment; and, consequently, 
on the 22d September, 1837, I put into one dish 
