$06 Relatian letiveen the Specific Gravities and 



but for common use may be employed the spirit drawn from 

 niela-53cs." 



" The common method of judging of the due strength is 

 by striking the battoni of the s-unpk* phial, filied half way 

 ■u'i^h common malt spirit, with the palm of the hand ; tlia 

 bubbles raised on the surface will go oft' again in a strong 

 manner, without breaking or swelling; and this is the method 

 conslaudy used by the traders : it is said to bi." fallacious, and 

 ea.-i y Jo'li to deception; for if a little treacle, syrup, &c. 

 be added to a quantity of highly rectified spirit of wiae, it 

 will .iive a bra.idy proof to that spirit. The true strength 

 maVj^h ) vever, always be kno .va by careful'v burning awav a 

 me-isured qai.itlty of brandy, &c. ; since if it leaves one half 

 water, it is ngiit; if m:jre or less, it is too strong or too 

 weak." 



" Perfect proof is that crown of bubbles before mentioned, 

 of a certain size, arising as a head upon a sin dl quantity of 

 a well qualified spirit shaken in a slender phial." 



<' Proof more than perfect is that in which the bubbles 

 raised by shaking the spirit are larger than those on the co-n- 

 mon or perfect pro )f, and go o;f more suddenly ; that is, ac- 

 cordin'T as the spirit is higher, or approaches more to the 

 nature of rectified spirit, or, as it is usually called, spirit of 

 wine." 



*' Proof less than perfect is that wherein the bubbles are 

 smaller, and go oft' quicker and fainter than in perfect proof; 

 the spirit, in this case, being mixed with rnorc than its own 

 quantity of phlegm, or being too poor for sale." 



*' The most exact of all methods of determining the 

 strength of any spirit is by distillation, rectifying it up to an 

 alcohol, or totally inftammable spirit; but this, though liable 

 to no error, is too tedious to come into common use. And, 

 upon the whole, the best method of ali others seems to be^ 

 that oi defiai^ration ; namely, by setting it on fire: if, after 

 it will no longer burn, the remainder is half as much as the 

 quantity measured out for the trial \va?, then the spirit tried 

 is founcl to consist of half water, and half totally inflammable 

 spirit; that i?, exactly perfect proof : and according as tlie 

 remainder is more or less than half the original quantity, it 

 is so much below or so much above proof, or the due strength 

 of brandy." 



*' In commerce, with regard to spirits, it would certainly 

 be a much better method to abolish such uncertain proofs, 

 and to make all the g-)ods of the strength of what is called 

 spirits of wine; that is, a totally inflammable spirit, who'e 

 purity is much greater^ whose strength may always beibund 



with 



