3 66 COMBINATION OF MERCURY 



duuih; and that therefore what was fublimed 

 might properly be called lunar fweet mercu- 

 ry*. It is well known that volatile fubftancen 

 often lend wings, even to fuch as otherwife are 

 very fixed, and bear a great degree of heat; 

 therefore even this is not to be wondered at, 

 that fweet mercury fhould ruife along with it 

 cupels of p;lafs, and even large ones -j-. 



xxv. Pbyjical Qmlities of fweet Mercury. 



THE fweet mercury commonly fold in the 

 ihops is folid, cryflallinc, and of a white. colour; 

 which however for the moil part is ycllowifh in- 

 wardly and in its fradures. It is fimilar to the 

 flower* of benzoin which arc brought from China. 

 Its proper weight is diminiflied by every fubli- 

 mation. According to Mufchenbroek {, on its 

 fecond fublinuition, it is as 12.353 ; on its third, 

 as 8,82; on its fourth, as 8.236, Hence it ap- 

 pears, that our fait, having often borne the force 

 of the fire, by degrees encreafes in volume, and 

 approaches to the weight of corrolive mercury; 

 to which otherwife it is very diffimilar. It may 

 be fufpecled by fome, that the acid is diminifli- 

 ed, and that the refiduum enters into a more in- 

 timate combination by repeated fublimations ; 



but 



4 ScrocJcr Pharmacia. 1641, 

 f Uaumc Manuel dc Chcmie. 

 t Introd. in Philof. Na*.ur. 



