C W ) 
But to return to the Trial we made with the Spirit of 
Salt; thefe Experiments may not a little confirm the 
Frefhnefs of the Patentees Water. And whereas fbme 
have either really fufpe&ed, or invidioufly pretended, 
that even a moderate Adion of the Fire upon Water, 
will make it brackifh and putrifie : As I fee no fubftanti- 
al grounds of this Surmife, fo it appears by the forego- 
ing Trials, that really the Patentees Water is not brack- 
ifh, but is more free from Saltnefs, than mod of the 
Waters Men do without fcruple drink : And if it were 
true, that this Water (hould not keep quite fo long as 
others, yet that were no more than is objected (how 
truly I now enquire not) to the Generality of diftiU'd 
Waters : And that this we fpeak of, may keepfweet lon- 
ger than is neceflary in a Ship, that can from time to 
time, within a few days fupply it felf with frefli out of 
the Sea, may be gather 'd from thefe two things. The 
Firft is, That to fatisfie my felf, whether clofenefs would 
make the prepared Water foon putrefy, (as feem'd obvi- 
ous to be furmis'dj or at leaft afford Dregs, I caus'd a 
Pint, or a Pound of it, to be hermetically fealed in a 
Vial, whereof I left by guefs about a third part empty, 
and having above fix Weeks after held this VefTel againft 
the Light, I found the Water to be clear and limpid ; 
tho' I did not judg it had depofited fo much as the tenth 
part of a Grain of Feculency. And having open'd the 
Seal, and taken out a little of the Liquor, I did not find 
it alterd, either as to Smell orTafte. The Second of 
the two things that were to be mention'd, is, That I 
have kept the Bottle of prepar'd Water mentioned in my 
Letter to Dr. Eeal, in the fame unftopt VefTel ever fince 
March, that is fo long, that 'tis now near eight Months 
old,and yet it continues fweet and well condition'd. And, 
if that which is called Crudity in Water does confift, (as 
probably it often times does) in certain grofs Particles 
that are mingled with the purely aqueous ones, it is 
likely, 
