POTASSIUM ACTION OF ALKALIES. 21 



phosphate of silver. See Mr. Griffin's " Chemical Recreations 

 and Romance of Chemistry," which contains much accurate 

 and valuable information. 



Borate of soda turns vegetable Hues GREEN ; it is a com- 

 mon principle of all alkalies ; and they have a discharging 

 power on many colors, and also by their combination with 

 mineralized oxides ; as fluxes contribute much from the intro- 

 duction of the yellow (nitrogen) ray, to fuse and separate the 

 metals in combination, neutralizing the oxygen. 



Potassium is inflammable to a high degree. Heated in oxy- 

 gen gas, it burns with a brilliant light, and an intense heat ; 

 when thrown on the surface of water it acts with great violence, 

 evolving hydrogen, which spontaneously inflames in the atmo- 

 sphere, communicates combustion to the potassium, burning, 

 while swimming on the water, with a beautiful violet-red 

 colored light, which is derived from the oxygen and hydrogen 

 of the water ; the residue of the oxygen combines with the 

 potassium and is dissolved, forming a solution of potash. 



It spontaneously inflames in chlorine gas, and burns with 

 brilliancy ; this would indicate that chlorine is a compound of 

 the yellow (nitrogen) ray, the blue (hydrogen) ray, and that 

 the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere supplied the requi- 

 site portion of that element. 



From the powerful action of potassium on all fluids con- 

 taining water, chlorine, or oxygen, and its general po\vers of 

 chemical combination, Mr. Griffin compares it to the Alcahist, 

 or Universal Solvent, so much in request by the alchy mists. 



The solution of mineral chamelion, manganesate of potash, 

 producing remarkable changes of color, from deep green solu- 

 tion, to the various shades of green, blue, purple, and violet, 

 terminating in a splendid red color. 



It first contains an excess of alkali, which, with hydrogen, 

 appears green, on exposure to atmospheric air ; it absorbs car- 

 bonic acid, which decomposes a portion of the manganesate, 

 produces carbonate of potash, a precipitate of hydrate of man- 



