On Sal Nitriim and Nitro- Aerial Spirit 35 



thrown into the fire — they are to be referred to the 

 second element of the chemists, to wit, sulphur. But 

 corrosive and saline spirits which alone remain ought 

 to be entered in the register of the salts. So that 

 clearly nitro-aerial particles should alone be dis- 

 tinguished by the name of spirit. Nitro-aerial spirit 

 appears in very different conditions according as it 

 is at rest or in motion, and that slower or very nimble, 

 as will be shown more fully below. 



Tn the list of elements sulphur has a claim to the 

 next place because after nitro-aerial mercury it is 

 the most fermentative. And indeed, except these 

 two, there do not seem to be any active elements. 

 Sulphur is seen in various states for now it lies inert 

 and lulled to sleep, now it is raised to proper vigour 

 and maturity ; sometimes indeed it is extremely fierce 

 and irrepressible, as will be shown below. 



Nitro-aerial spirit and sulphur are engaged in 

 perpetual hostilities with each other, and indeed from 

 their mutual struggle when they meet and from their 

 diverse state when they succumb by turns all the 

 changes of things seem to arise. 



Salt, which has a passive nature, should be reckoned 

 as the third of the elements. For in whatever way 

 it may be volatilised there never, I think, begins in 

 it a dance of internal movements. Salt is either fixed 

 or volatile, both are however of nearly the same 

 nature : but there is a greater variation in the con- 

 dition of salt when it is changed from purely saline 

 into acid. Salt has great affinity and relationship with 

 nitro-aerial spirit and also with sulphur ; for these 

 very active elements are by turns married to salt as 

 to a fitting bride, and are fixed in its embrace, as will 

 presently be shown. 



Besides the elements already mentioned, water and 



