ON SAL NITRUM AND NITRO- 

 AERIAL SPIRIT 



CHAPTER I 



ON SAL NITRUM 



THAT this air surrounding us, which from its 

 tenuity escapes the glance of the eye, and 

 appears as a void to those who survey it, is impreg- 

 nated with a universal salt of a nitro-saline nature, 

 that is to say, with a vital, igneous, and highly fer- 

 mentative spirit, will be obvious, I conceive, from 

 what follows. But in order that this nitro-aerial salt 

 may be more clearly understood, I think that we 

 should begin with a history of nitre. 



I am not unaware that there are already many 

 treatises on nitre, and that there is scarcely one of 

 our recent authors who has not written something 

 about it ; as if, indeed, it were ruled by fate that this 

 wonderful salt should make no less noise in philosophy 

 than in war, and fill the universe with its sound. Yet, 

 meanwhile, the truth seems to be quite obscured by 

 the multitude of writers, and even now nitre lies hid 

 in darkness. But in order to set forth our views on a 

 matter so recondite, let us examine briefly, according 

 to our custom, of what elements nitre is composed, 

 and, indeed, from what family it originates. 



With regard then to the constituent elements of 



A 



