'tis great odds but he will tell you, 

 'tis becaufe of the abundance of fret- 

 ting Salt thatisin \t and has a cog- 

 nation with the Salts of the Metal. 

 And if you ask him, why Spirit of 

 Salt diffolves Copp< r^ he will tell 

 you 'tis for the fame reafon 5 and yet, 

 if you put Spirit of Salt , though 

 very ftrong, to Aqua fortis , this Li- 

 quor will not diflblve Silver be- 

 caufeupon the mixture, the Liquors 

 acquire a new Gonftitution as to the 

 Saline Particles, by vertue of which 

 the mixture will diflblve^ inftead of 

 Silver, Gold. Whence we may ar- 

 gue againft the Chymifts, that the 

 Inability of this compounded Liquor 

 to work on Silver does not proceed 

 from its being weaken'd by the Spi- 

 rit of Salt * as well becaufe, accord- 

 ing to them 5 Gold is far the more 

 ccmpadt metal of the two 5 and re- 

 quires a more potent Menftruum to 

 work upon it , as becaufe this fame 

 compounded Liquor will readily dif- 

 folve Copper. And to the fame pur- 



pofe 



