290 Analyjis of the Ah. 



in them by a burning-glafs 3 but the pious 

 and learned Dr. Nieuiventyt attributes this 

 effect wholly to the expanfion of the fire- 

 particles lodged in the Minium, u he fup- 

 " poling fire to be a particular fluid mat- 

 " ter, which maintains its own eflence and 

 " figure, remaining always fire, though not 

 cc always burning. Religious Pbilojbpber, p. 



" 3 IO « 



To the fame caufe alfo, exclufive of the 



air, he attributes the vaft expanfion of a 

 mixture of compound Aqua-fort is and Oil of 

 Carraways, whereas by Experiment 62. there 

 is a great quantity of air in all Oils. And by 

 pouring fome compound Aqua-fort is on Oil 

 of Cloves, the mixture expanded into a fpace 

 equal to 720 times the bulk of the oil, that 

 part of the expanfion, which was owing to 

 the watry part of the oil and fpirit 3 was foon 

 contracted ; whereas the other part of the 

 expanfion, which was owing to the elaftick 

 air of the oil, was not all contracted till the 

 next day, by which time the fulphureous 

 fumes had reforbed it. 



It has been the opinion of fome, that pu- 

 trefaction is the effect of inherent fire : that 

 Vegetables alone are the fubject of Fermen- 

 tation, but both Vegetables and Animals or. 



putre- 



