JMtijCiiv anticipated by Hoole. ^1 



Very little of thofe fluid fubftances that are driven over into 

 the receiver are eombuftible, and that moft of that which is 

 left behind is fa, it follows, that the folid interftitia of the 

 wood arc the eombuftible matter. Further, the reafon why 

 uncharred wood burns with a greater flame than that which 

 is charred, is as evident, becaufe thofe waterifli or volatile parts 

 ifluing out of the fired wood, every way, not only ihatter and 

 open the body, the better for the fire to enter, but, ifluing out 

 in vapours or wind, they become like fo many little reolipiles, 

 or bellows, whereby they blow and agitate the fired part, and 

 conduce to the more fpeedy and violent confumption or dif- 

 folution of the body. 



" Thirdly, from the experiment of charring of coals 

 (whereby we fee that notwithftanding the great heat, and 

 the duration of it, the folid parts of the wood remain, whilft 

 they are preferved from the free accefs of the air undiffipated) 

 we may learn, that which has not, that I know of, been 

 publifncd or hinted, nay, not fo much as thought of, by any; 

 and that in fhort is this. 



" Firft, that the air in which we live, move, and breathe, 

 and which encornpafies very many, and cheriihes moft bodies 

 it encompafles, that this air is the menftruum, or vfhiverfal 

 diflblvent of all fulphurcous * bodies. 



" Secondly, that this action it performs not till the body 

 be firft fufficiently heated, as we find requifite alfo to the dif- 

 folution of many other bodies by feveral other menftruums. 



" Thirdly, that this action of diflblution produces or ge- 

 nerates a very great heat, and that which we call fire; and 

 this is common alfo to many diifolutions of other bodies made 

 by menftruums, of which I could give multitudes of in ftances. 



'• Fourthly, that this action is performed with fo great a 

 violence, and docs fo minutely act and rapidly agitate the 

 fmalleft parts of the combuftible matter, that it produces in 



• A term v. Inch, at the rune in winch the author wrote, meant any in- 



B b 2 the 



