^x The Statural Hifiory 



of his Family ; and to whofe moft fignal Encouragement of the 

 Dcfign in hand, thefe Papers, in great part, owe their birth : I 

 took good Syrup of Violets, impregnated with the tinclure of the 

 Flowers, and drop'd fome of it ii.to a glafs of this water as it 

 came from the Well; whereupon, quite contrary to my expecta- 

 tion, not only the Syrup, but the whole body of the water turn- 

 ed not of ared, but a brisk green colour, the Index of a//xzz/i- 

 ate, and not that acid Vitriol, which I before had concluded on, 

 from the infufl on of galls. The Phenomenon at firft was very 

 furprifing, till I had further weighed the cautious Expreffions of 

 that Noble Author* 9 and found, that he reftrains the Experiment 

 of the Syrup of Violets, turning red with acids, with provifion 

 always they be diftilled Liquors ; and what he feems to hint in a 

 former Experiment *, that fulphureoutfalts, (fuch as the Vitriol 

 of this water will anon more plainly appear to be) being of a 

 quite contrary nature, may have different effecls : which may 

 alfo be the reafon why this fulphureous water, notwithftanding it 

 moil: ceYtainly poflfeffes an acidfalt,w'i\\ yet as certainly lather with 

 foap, and raife a greater fud than other waters commonly do ; 

 and if put into milk? though boiled up to the height, will not 

 feparate the more grofs from the ferows parts of it : efecls fo u- 

 fually following upon fuch. applications, that perhaps till now 

 they have always been fuppofed, never as yet to have happened 

 otherwife. 



52. But Experience, that great baffler of /peculation, afifuresus 

 the contrary to be pofiible enough, and brings matter of fact to 

 confute our fuppofitions in the very tryal of this water, wherein 

 the great quantity of Vitriol, is yet fo clofe lock'd up by the vif- 

 cous particles of Sulphur, and thereby rendered fo dull and un- 

 acYive,that it cannot exert its enmity to (as D r ' Mayow c ) or friend- 

 ly embraces with (as D r Willis d ) the Mcalizate fait it finds in the 

 feap ; or fo comprefs the pores of the milk, as thereby tocaufe 

 a precipitation : but having as it were thus put on the nature of a 

 fix 'd fait, a&s not upon its like, nor longer enjoys the aftringent 

 power of an acid. 



53. And under this vizorof a fix d Alcaliitwds, thatita&ed 

 its part, and with Syrup of Violets, gave a green tin&ure ; unlefs 



; 

 b Hift of Cohmf, Exper. 20. * Ibid- Expcr. 10 c Btlktrmk Bathmievfihu.fubfiveia. <> Be Fer- 

 ment, cap. 11. 



we 



