228 ESSAY XX. 



phosphorus dissolved in the spirit ; but that the spirit of 

 wine should carry over along with it into the receiver acid of 

 phosphorus, as Mr. Morveau l maintains, is not in the least 

 probable, as I found not the slightest mark of it in the spirit 

 thus distilled. 



SECTION VIII. 



The crystallised acid of benzoin mixed with spirit of 

 wine yielded no ether ; but on distilling one part of the acid 

 of benzoin with three parts of spirit of wine and one-half 

 part of common muriatic acid, pure spirit first came over, 

 whereupon I observed two different liquids in the retort, one 

 white, the other brown. I therefore changed the receiver ; 

 and on continuing the distillation, afterwards obtained an 

 ether, one portion of which floated upon water, while the 

 other, which was the larger portion, subsided to the bottom. 

 This ether had the smell of salt of benzoin, was not more 

 volatile than acetous ether, burned with a clear flame and 

 with smoke. When dissolved in alkalised spirit of wine, and 

 then distilled, it was as easily decompounded as acetous ether ; 

 and on dissolving the remainder in the retort in water, and 

 adding some acid, the whole mixture was coagulated by the 

 precipitation of salt of benzoin. 



SECTION IX. 



I must not conceal the rest of my unsuccessful experi- 

 ments made upon this subject, as they may perhaps afford 

 some illustration with regard to the theory of the generation 

 of ether. The acid of tartar had no effect upon spirit of 

 wine, not even when a mineral acid was added ; neither did 

 the addition of manganese afford any ether. Concentrated 

 1 Siemens de Chemie Theorique et Pratique, torn. iii. p. 338. 



