[ 205 J 



aXXIII. Of the general Relation letween the Specific Grd" 

 I'lties and the Strengths and Faints of Spirituous Liquors, 

 and the Circumstances hij which the former are injiuenctd, 

 [Continued from p. 33.] 



Of the Standard of Proof. 



§ 14. 1 HE staiidcird of comparison which^ in conforinitv to 

 the principles ahtady spoken of in §3 has been established 

 in this country, is called proof spirit ; and it appears that 

 some such standard was in use long before we were in the 

 possession of any means of correctly appreciating its strength. 

 This, indeed, has never yet been done : aiid it is fromlhe 

 want of correctly defining the strength of this standard that 

 a great part of the uncertainty at present existing, with re- 

 gard to the relative strenijths and values of spirituous liquors 

 in general, has originated. 



§ 15. When a spirituous compound of anv kind contains 

 about a certain quantity of alcohol (which quantity, however,- 

 vanes considerably ia ditiercat liquors, and even in liquors of 

 the same description, but diftering in their ourity), it will 

 afford, on shaking it in a phial, a cro.wn of small bubbles of 

 a peculiar appearance, w hich gradually go off', or subside 

 without breaking; and which has generally been called hv 

 the French the cluipelvi, and by us~the proof, Liquprg of- 

 iiiy kind which were capable of exhibitino- this pha^nomcnori 

 have, for upwards of two centuries past,^ been dcnominate-Jb 

 ot proof strength. -. - 



Upon the average, perhaps, an experienced person mavby 

 this means guess within about 6 or 8 per cent.. of theVeah 

 strength of such liquors as arc capabU' of beincr examined ur 

 this way, if in a tolerable state of purity. 



The following curious account of the processes for prpv-' 

 mg spirituous liquors, which is extracted from .Mr. Hi<iJi-' 

 mole's Treatise on the Excise Laws, published in ITOO, 

 vol. 11. p. i>B3, may, perhaps, serve to give a better idea of 

 the degree of reliance which ought to be placed on them, 

 and of the necessity which there i.^ for a total revision of tbis- 

 uiiportant subject; 



'^ Proot spirits, or common saleable goods, are spirits of 

 any kind of a determinate strength, being the same wiih 

 those of good brandy, and the malt and sugar sjiiritsof iIk- 

 distillery, as they are usually sold, containing e(nial (luau- 

 titles of rectified spirit and water." 



'' Tlic best proof spirit is that di.t.lllcd from, IVjich wing ^ 



but 



