On Sal Nitrum and Niiro- Aerial Spirit 



HOW AIR WHEN DEPRIVED OF NITRO-AERIAL 

 PARTICLES IS SUPPLIED WITH THEM ANEW 



Since aerial particles, whether by the burning of 

 fires or the respiration of anipials, are deprived in the 

 manner aforesaid of nitro-aerial particles, let us con- 

 sider how it is that air is not at last all consumed by 

 the burning of fires and the breathing of animals, or 

 at least rendered so effete as to be no longer able to 

 sustain flame and life. As to this, it may be supposed 

 that air when deprived of nitro-aerial particles and 

 therefore also of its elasticity and weight (as was pre- 

 viously shown) is impelled upwards by the pressure of 

 the rest of the air, and that when raised on high it is 

 then impregnated anew with nitro-aerial particles. 

 For indeed it is probable that nitro-aerial particles, 

 being extremely small and volatile, float in the higher 

 regions of the air, and that when collected there in 

 sufficient abundance they constitute, in accordance 

 with their diverse conditions, the elements either of 

 fire or of cold. 



With regard to the element of fire, it is probable that 

 it dwells in the very body of the sun, which appears 

 to be nothing but an immense chaos of nitro-aerial 

 particles carried round in a perpetual whirl with the 

 swiftest motion. Indeed, I think, there is very little 

 difference between the light of the sun and its rays 

 collected by means of a burning-glass, in which nitro- 

 aerial particles are engaged in igneous motion without 

 accompanying sulphureous particles, as we have else- 

 where indicated. For although sulphureous particles 

 are required at first to put nitro-aerial particles in 

 motion and to kindle sublunary fires, still we must 

 suppose that the nitro-aerial particles in the sun, not 



