Analyfis of the Axr. 293 



That illuftrious Philofopher, Sir Ifaac New- 

 ton, to his thoughts about the nature of acids, 

 gives this rational account of the nature of 



fermentation. " The particles of acids 



" are endued with a great attractive force, 

 " in which force their activitv confifts — 

 " By this attractive force they get about the 

 " particles of bodies, whether they be of a 

 " metallick or ftony nature, 2nd adhere to 

 ic them moil: clofely on all fides, fo that they 

 <c can fcarce be feparated from them by diftil- 

 c< lation or fublimation ; wjien they are at- 

 u traded and gathered together about the 

 <c particles of bodies, they raife, disjoin, and 

 " make them one from another, that is, they 

 " diffolve thofe bodies. 



" Bv their attractive force alfo. bv which 

 they rufh towards the particles of bodies, 

 they move the fluid, and excite heat, and 

 they make afunder fome particles, fo much 

 as to turn them into air, and generate bub- 

 " bles: And this is the reafon of diflblution, 

 " and all violent fermentation. Harris's 

 u Lexicon Tech. Vol. II. Introduction." 



Thus we have from thefe Experiments 

 many manifeft proofs of confiderable quan- 

 tities of true permanent air, which are by 

 means of fire and fermentation railed from, 



U 3 and 



