tOe \ Mr. ewe 5 fieonieae D: 
this detenndda arifés from ‘the’ converfion of vit — | 
catéd! part ‘Of the « common \ait into water, ‘which water frould 
immédiately unité’ to the ‘nitrous falt of mercury, and leave’ 
the common aif leflened in its bulk by a portion comménfurate’ ; 
to that converted into water, or, if he will not ‘allow the water: 
to have immediately united to the mercurial faleyiat Teaft'by 
the difference of the bulk of the water produced, ‘and that of an’ 
equal'weight of the common air Converted into ‘it > but! neither’ 
happens; for the common ' dit ‘is noe ‘at'‘all’ diniinifhed’s not! 
can he ‘explain, confiftently with’ his’ fyftem, ‘why the adm: 
fion of water fhould immediately’ produce ’ ‘a diminution ‘in! thet 
common air, 45,‘ ‘according’ ‘to him, it conftaitis - ‘nothing ‘that’ 
can'be abforbed:'’ Dr. Prizstiey has remarked, that if a mix: 
tureof both airs be fuffeted to ftand feveral hours, even the ads 
miffioh of water will produce no diminution. This is owing” 
to two caufes's 1ft, becaufe a large quantity of nitrous air is’ 
produced, by the continued ation of the ‘contentrated ‘nittoug’ 
acid newly formed; and, ‘2dly, bécaufe'the fixed-airj on? 
whofe abforption’ the diminution ‘depends, is’ abforbed bythe: 
mercurial falt, as” may: be’ ‘inferred from” se experiment’ int 
1 Lavorsier,. P. 248. OE gl t yan ‘ors beri geyniss 
x b204 FIT 8 pHa) Just ‘ ; cy ett. 7 (OP oh 

Of the Dininution of Comnion — by the Eleétri¢ Spark. 
Of all the is Giuiens of the wcaisa produiet: of fixed, aity 
by, the umon of :phlogifton' withthe dephlogifticated part. off; 
common air, there is none perhaps fo convineing, \as, thatljexr. 
hibited by: taking the elé€tric. fpark. through common, air, over, 
a. folution of litmhs, or lime-water; for the common ‘ait: is; dix; 
minithed. dné foufthh;:the litmus réddened, and the. lime-water 
precipitated, . Mr: Cavenpisu indeed attributes the redness of 
4p / the 
