S P I 



olive with folutiun of green fulphate oF iron. See Nitrous 

 Etheu. 



Spirit of nitric ether is refrigerant, diuretic, and anti- 

 fpafmodic. It has been long known and ui'ed, under the 

 title of " fweet fpirit of nitre," as a grateful refrigerant, 

 and for quenching thirft in febrile affedlions ; for which 

 purpofe thedofe is from lllxx to 1l|,xl, given in a cupful of 

 water, or any other appropriate vehicle. In larger dofes it 

 afts as a gentle Itimiilant to the ilomach, relieving naufea 

 and flatulence; and alfo determines to the kidnies, in- 

 creafing the flow of urine ; on which account it is advan- 

 tageoufly prefcribed as an auxiliary to other diuretics in 

 dropfical complaints. The dulcified fpirit of nitre is added 

 by drops to potions and juleps, till it has given them an 

 agreeable acidity. 



It is alfo much ufed by our diflillers to give a vinofity to 

 thofe fpirits, vvhofe natural flavour of that kind they have 

 deitroyed by the improper ufe of alkaline falts in the recli- 

 fications. Nothing can be more proper for this purpofe 

 than this fpirit, as it really gives the brandy-flavour, and 

 is not at all prejudicial to health, but very well falls in 

 with the nature of the fpirit, and promotes its medicinal 

 properties as a diuretic, deobllruent, and lithontriptic. 



It has been fuggefted, that the method of making it for 

 this purpofe is improveable, by ufing in the preparation a 

 fpirit of wine impregnated with fome fine flavoured ingre- 

 dient, which has not much oil, for acids do not readily mix 

 where there is much oil. 



In the preparation of this dulcified fpirit of nitre, the 

 longer it Hands in digeft^ion with the fpirit of wine, the 

 milder it grows ; and by the fame means alfo, the violently 

 corrofive oil of vitriol may be fo blunted, as to be rendered 

 fcarcely perceptible to the tafte. In tine, it has been faid 

 that a fpiritus nitri dulcis may be made, by a flow digeftion, 

 greatly fuperior to that commonly ufed, and of fo fixed a 

 nature, that it will not be fubjeft to liave its flavour fly oft" 

 from the fpirit with which it is mixed, any fooner than the 

 native vinolity of brandy will of itfelf fly off from that fpirit, 

 as it always will in time. A proper care in the preparation 

 of this acid might free the diftillers from that troublcfome 

 neceflity they arc under of adding their fpirit of nitre, juil 

 before they fend their goods away, for fear the flavour 

 fhould be loll before the fpirit is wholly ufed, and fo the 

 fophiltication be found out. There is no fixing any certain 

 proportion in which the acid is to be mixed with the fpirit, 

 but in general it is bell not to over-do it ; for though it will 

 give an agreeable vinofity to any tolerable clean fpirit, the 

 perfon will be much deceived who attempts to drow nhe 

 bad flavour of a foul one by it. Shaw's Eilay on Dif- 

 tillery. 



Mr. Woulle defcribes an apparatus by which nitrous ether 

 (in the article under Ether) may be expeditioufly ob- 

 tained by diltillation, with the heat only occafioned by mix- 

 in?^ together the nitrous acid and the fpirit of wine. ' This 

 diltillation is performed in a matrafs with a high neck, to 

 which is fitted a head with a fpout, communicating with 

 the receiver by means of a long tube. The vapours that 

 are not condenfed in this receiver, or in a bottle joined to a 

 fpout in its bottom, are conveyed from the receiver throuo-h 

 a bent tube into fpirit of v.'ine contained in a bottle. If any 

 vapours pals uncondenfed through this fpirit of wine, they 

 are conveyed through another bent tube into more fpirit 

 of wine contained in another bottle. The liquor collefted 

 in the bottle annexed to the receiver, being flowly reftified 

 with flaked lime, furniflics very fine ether. The fpirit of 

 wine in which the vapours were condenfed, contains fo much 

 ether, that this fluid may be feparated from the fpirit by 



S P I 



adding water. This fpirit of wine is by the operation 

 changed into good dulcified fpirit of nitre. Phil. Tranf. 

 vol. Ivii. art. 59. 



Spirit of Sal Ammoniac. See Ammoniacal Pre- 

 parations. 



Spirit of Salt. See Mvm.\Tic jfci J. 



Spirit of Sulphur, or of Fitriol. See Sulphuric /Icid. 



Spirit of Turpentine. See Turpentine. 



Spirit of Venus. See Acetic Acid. 



Spirit of Vinegar. See Acetous y^c/V/, and Vinegar. 



Spirit of Fitriol. See Sulphuric AciJ, and Vitriol. 



Spirit of IVine. See Alcohol and Wine. 



Spirit is alfo ufed for any incorporeal being, or intelli- 

 gence. In which fenfe God is faid to be a fpirit, angels are 

 fpirits ; and the devil is an evil fpirit. 



In this fenfe the human foul is alfo called a fpirit, from 

 its thinking and reflefting powers, which cannot be con- 

 ceived to refide in any thing material. See Soul. 



F. Malebranche obferves, it is extremely difficult to con- 

 ceive what it is that fliould make the communication be- 

 tween the body and the fpirit ; for if the fpirit have no ma- 

 terial parts, it cannot move the body. But the argument 

 muft be falfe fomehow or other ; for we believe that God 

 can move bodies, and yet do we not attribute any material 

 parts to him. 



Spirit, in Theology, is ufed, by way of eminence, for the 

 third perfon in the Holy Trinity, called the Spirit, the Holy 

 Spirit, or Holy Ghofl. 



Concerning the nature and even the perfonality of the 

 Holy Spirit, very different opinions have been entertained 

 by theological writers, both ancient and modern. It has 

 been faid, indeed, that no mention occurs of any difference 

 of opinion on this fubjeft, that attracted any notice, till 

 after the commencement of the Arian controverfy, and even 

 till after the council of Nice. It ha; been alfo aderted, that 

 oven after the rife of the Arian controverfy, many perfons 

 exprefled themfelves concerning the Spirit as if it had no 

 proper divinity, at leaft of a perfonal nature, without cen- 

 fure ; and that this could not have been the cafe, if it had 

 been the uniform doClrine of the orthodox, that the Holy 

 Spirit was a proper divine perfon, equal to th.e Son, or the 

 Father. Clement, one of the apoltolical fathers, taakes no 

 particular mention of the Holy Spirit. Ignatius, allowing 

 his epillle to the Ephefians to be genuine, feems to have 

 confidered the Holy Spirit rather as a " power" than as a 

 " perfon." Jullin Martyr fays but little concerning the 

 Holy Spirit ; nor is it eaiy to conclude what was his real 

 opinion. But fome have imagined that he regarded him as a 

 created being, fince he reprefents him as inferior to Chrift. 

 Irenaeus feems to have confidered the Holy Spirit as a divine 

 influence, and no proper perfon ; calling him, in reference to 

 the words of Ifaiah (ch. Ixi. i.), the unction. Athenagoras 

 confidered the Holy Spirit as an etflux from the Deity. Ter- 

 tuUian feems to have thought, that the Holy Spirit was de- 

 rived from Chrift, in the iame manner as Chi-ift was derived 

 from God, that is, by a kind of prolation. Novatian, who 

 was as orthodox in his notions with regard to the Trinity as 

 any perfon in his age, could not believe in the divinity of the 

 Holy Spirit, whom he reprefents as inferior to the Son, 

 whom he alfo makes inferior to the Father. Lactantius is 

 complained of for not mentioning the Holy Spirit, and for 

 denying his perfonality. Dionyfius of Alexandria is cen- 

 fured by Bafil for not admitting the divinity of the Holy- 

 Spirit, and reducing him to the rank of a created being. 

 Hilary alfo feems to have confidered the Spirit as a divine 

 influence. After the council of Nice, the fcntiments and 

 language of the fathers appear to have undergone a material 



change. 



