13G PHENOMENA OF THE UNIVERSE. 



duced by turning it, as it were, into rust by means of aqua) 

 fortes, and consumptions ; another of that which is pro 

 duced through fire, as cinders, calx. When these therefore 

 are under consideration, they will not admit in any way of 

 comparison. 



It is not my design to dwell longer on each particular 

 subject than is requisite in order to my present under 

 taking ; I cannot, however, refrain from intimating by the 

 way such others as would facilitate it though not absolutely 

 demanded in this place : especially I would propose that a 

 table should be made of bodies with their pores, with each 

 body with its powders, calcinations, vitrifications, dissolu 

 tions, and distillations. 



We leave to the proper history of weights the history of 

 the variation of weights in individuals, that is, of the same 

 body in the lump and in powders, as of water in snow or 

 ice, and the same dissolved, of an egg raw and prepared 

 for food, of a fowl alive and dead. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



In more compact bodies the compactness of the parts is 

 much closer than to admit of being equalled by any position 

 or pressure of its powders. And in proportion to the gravity 

 and solidity of bodies is the difference between the whole 

 bodies and their pores, as the ratio of quicksilver in a state 

 of nature to quicksilver sublimated in powder is fivefold 

 or more ; the ratios of steel and lead do not ascend to four 

 fold ; the ratios of chrystal and sandal do not ascend to 

 twofold. 



In lighter and porous bodies there is perhaps a looser 

 position of the parts in the bodies in their whole state than 

 in their compressed powders, as in dry rose-leaves. And 

 in bodies of this kind there exists a greater difference be 

 tween their powders prest and not prest. 



The parts of powders can so sustain themselves that 

 powder not prest will fill a measure thrice that of powder 

 prest. 



Metallic bodies, as sulphur or vitriol, turned into their 

 oils, retain their weight to a remarkable degree. There is 

 not, indeed, a great difference between the oils and the 

 bodies themselves. Doubtless by distillation they are at 

 tenuated and lose in weight : but this is the case with wine 

 in a double degree to what it is with vinegar. 



The pore in sublimated powder, as compared with that 

 in the body in its natural state, is worthy of notice from 



