NIT 



NOC 



own weight. It is easily decomposed by 

 heat. 



Nitrate of zircone was first discovered 

 by Klaproth, and has since been examin- 

 ed by Guyton-Morveau and Vauquelin. 

 Its crystals are small, capillary, silky, 

 needles. Its taste is astringent. It is easi- 

 ly decomposed by fire, very soluble in wa- 

 ter, and deliquescent. It may be pre- 

 pared by dissolving- zircone in strong 

 nitric acid; but, like the preceding spe- 

 cies, the acid is always in excess. 



Nitrate of ittria may be prepared in a 

 similar manner. ^Its taste is sweetish, 

 and astringent. It is scarcely to be ob- 

 tained in crystals ; and if it be evaporat- 

 ed by too strong a heat, the salt becomes 

 soft like honey, and on cooling concretes 

 into a stony mass. Exposed to the air it 

 deliquesces. 



NITRITES. Though these sails are 

 composed of nitrous acid arid certain 

 bases, yet the only way of obtaining them 

 is by exposing a nitrate to a pretty strong 

 heat, till a quantity of the oxygen gas is 

 disengaged from it : what remains is a 

 nitrite. These .-alts have never been mi- 

 nutely examined ; but it is inferred, from 

 the experiments that have been made, 

 that they are, in general, deliquescent, 

 very soluble in water, decomposable by 

 heat, and by exposure to the air they are 

 gradually converted into nitrates by ob- 

 sorbing oxygen. 



NITROGEN. See ATMOSPHERE; also 

 GAS. 



NITROUS acid. It has already been 

 observed, that there is no such thing, pro- 

 perly speaking, as nitrous acid, or the 

 nitric base acidified with a minimum dose 

 of oxygen ; but that the nitric acid is 

 capable of absorbing various portions of 

 nitric oxide, with which it parts very readi- 

 ly, .so that when in considerable quantity 

 it gives it out in the ordinary state of the 

 a..- on mixing with which it assumes 

 the appearance of a very red vapour. 

 Hence it was formerly called fuming ni- 

 trous acid. It appears, however, to be 

 capable of combining with some at least 

 of the salifiable bases, so as to form a dis- 

 tinct genus of salts, that may be termed 

 nitrites. But these cannot be formed by 

 a direct union of their component parts ; 

 being obtainable only by exposing a nitrate 

 to n high temperature, which expels a 

 portion of its oxygen in the state of gas, 

 and leaves the remainder in the state af 

 a nitrite, if the heat be not urged so far, 

 or continued so long, as to effect a com- 

 plele decomposition of the salt. In this 

 way the nitrates of potash and soda may 



be obtained, and perhaps those ofbarytes, 

 strontian, lime, and magnesia. The ni- 

 trites are particularly characterized by be- 

 ing decomposable by all the acids except - 

 the carbonic, even by the nitric acid it- 

 self, ail of which expel from it nitrous 

 acid. We are little acquainted with any 

 one except that of potash, which attracts 

 moisture from the air, changes blue vege- 

 table colours to green, is somewhat acrid 

 to the taste, and when powdered emits a 

 smell of nitric oxide. 



NITROUS oxide. See GAS. 



NOBILITY, a quality that ennobles and 

 raises a person possessed of it above the 

 rank of a commoner. The origin of 

 nobility in Europe is by some referred to 

 the Goths ; who, after they had seized a 

 part of Europe, rewarded 'their captains 

 with titles of honour, to distinguish them 

 from the common people. In Britain the 

 term nobility is restrained to degrees of 

 dignity above knighthood; but every 

 where else nobility and gentility are the 

 same. The British nobility consists only 

 of five degrees, viz. that of a duke, mar- 

 quis, earl or count, viscount, and baron, 

 each of which see under their proper ar- 

 ticles. In Britain these titles are only con- 

 ferred by the King, and that by patent, 

 in virtue of which it becomes hereditary. 

 The privileges of the nobility are very 

 considerable, they are all esteemed the 

 King's hereditary counsellors, and are 

 privileged from all arrests, unless for 

 treason, felony, breach of peace, condem- 

 nation in parliament, and contempt of the 

 king. They enjoy their seats in the House 

 of Peers by descent, and no act of parlia- 

 ment can pass without their concurrence : 

 they are the supreme court of judicature, 

 and even in criminal cases give their ver- 

 dict upon their honour, without being put 

 to their oath. In their absence they are 

 allowed a proxy to vote for them, and in 

 all places of trust are permitted to consti- 

 tute deputies, by reason of the necessity 

 the law supposes them under of attending 

 the King's person ; but no peer is to go 

 out of the kingdom without the King's 

 leave, and when that is granted, he is to 

 return with the King's writ, or forfeit 

 goods and chattels. 



NOBLE, a money of account, contain- 

 ing six shillings and eight-pence. The 

 noble was anciently a real coin, struck in 

 the reign of Edward HF. and then called 

 the penny of gold; but it was afterwards 

 called a rose noble, from its being stamp- 

 ed with a rose. 



NOCTURNAL, something relating to 



