320 The Vitriol 



a thing I never remarked, though I have commit- 

 ted vitriol-lies to as long a degree of evaporation 

 and reparation, as ever M. Geoffroy did. 



It is true, I obferved fomething of a fulphur- 

 yellow, but never ilich a grey muddy matter from 

 pure vitriol \ whence I conclude, his vitriol was 

 impure, or otherwife fullied. He again obferved, 

 that after flanding in the fire 'till gilded, it yield- 

 ed a larger quantity of it, than if dried to white- 

 nefs only, and ftil! more, than if taken juft frefh 

 for the Reparation of this mother-lie. Again, that 

 this vitriol, once ufed," yields the fame a fecond, a 

 third, and a fourth time, nay, repeatedly, or 'till 

 the whole mafs of vitriol employed be thus con- 

 fumed and fpent. Further, that upon each repe- 

 tition he procured a yellow powder : that the mo- 

 ther-lie grows hot with the acid of vitriol, ferments 

 remarkably with the acid of nitre, with oil of white 

 tartar, at firfl only foftly, but foon after alfo in a 

 violent degree : that after drying and ignition in 

 a brifk fire, it again turns fmeary and fluid in the 

 air. 



Now, in order to account for this, M. Geoffroy 

 affirms firfl:, that it muft be allowed to be, in fome 

 degree, alcaline, as it appears ropy, like a run 

 lixivious fait, and violently effervefces and heats 

 with the acid of nitre, like any other alcali : alio, 

 that this fait is only derived from the acid of vitri- 

 ol: and then, that being not only intafle, though 

 without any remarkable acidity and fharpnefs, 

 aftringent, but likewife fermenting and heating 

 with alcali's, there may be a proper vitriolic mat- 

 ter drill contained therein, feparable by accurate re- 

 peated fhootings •, or if ftill withheld, may, in 

 time, fpontaneoufly bewray itfelf in the yeft thrown 



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