f ^19 ) 
aiid ftrong tafte: The Salt of its fediment was nitrous, and made Sublimate 
diffolved in common water to precipitate in aMother of pearl colour5as the 
AlcaUes of Plants do. The Earth feparatcd from this fediment was white 
like Creta s but there was not enough to try its purging virtue. The true 
Nitre of the Antients being fulphureous^and refembling the Plants of ve- 
getables, hath , as they have, this faculty of moving the belly. And that 
white Earth,which is found with the Nitrous Salts of the Mineral waters, 
may participate of the fame quality, even asthecalxof Salt of Tartar, co- 
agulated by the fecond Salt of Sea- water , retains fome proprieties of its 
Salt > though it be infipid, and not difToluble in water, but only in acid li» 
quQurs, asisdiftilled vinegar , which diffolvesit with an effervefcence, 
which hath likewife been obferv'd in many white Earths of Nitrous Mi- 
neral waters. 
4, As to the T^ajles of the(e waters tranfportcd, they could only judg of 
them by what they found when they received them: Thofe that arc at the 
Spring-head may difcern them better,efpecially thofe that are lharp and vi- 
nous, and whofe talk decay es or is loft when they are kept , or expofcd to 
the Air.They may alfo better come to k^ow the degrees of their Colorati- 
on by the powder of Galls^by Oak-leaves,and the like» and judgmorecx- 
aftly of their coniiftence and weight. Which particulars could not be fo 
well obferv'd at fuch a diiiance, at which great changes may have befaPn 
the waters in feveral refpeds. 
5. Concerning that Vaporous matter of the (harp and vinous Mineral 
waters') feems to be thefirft Beingof the Mineral fulphur, and of the 
concretions thence refulting. There are found Earths impregnated with 
this acid matter,beingvaporo-fulphureous,of the concretion whereof fom- 
times are made fulphureous and vitriolique Minerals. And often there is 
not any Mineral concret made that is known , in thofe Earths, where no 
Mineral fulphur, nor Vitriol, nor Metal is found. This vaporous and indi- 
gefted Mineral matter may very well be the principle of Vitriol but in its 
tirft ftateit can*c be a vitriolique produ(^ion5if it be found inEarths whe^e 
there is as yet no vitriol. It is more eafy to obferve it in its produds,when 
it hatKreceived (bme mineral concretion. The moift Air penetrating into 
the Mine-ftones that arc infipid, but impregnated with a Mineral fulphur, 
which makes it felf fufFiciently perceived when it isdiiingag*d by fire, ma- 
nifcfts to the fenfe a fulphureous* acidity , which was not perceiv'd in it. 
And of the concret fulphur of thofe Mine-ftones or Marcafites, penetrated 
by the moift Air^there is form'd a vitriolique concrct^which is the product 
of this-Mineral fulphur , the principle of which was an acid and very 
vaporous matter. This fobtilc , vaporous, acid matter doth not alwaies 
produce vitriolique concrecs 5 . it hapning.in.many foils , that for want 
of necelTary difpoiitions it remains in its hrft ftate. We have obfcrved in 
many waters impregnated with this acid vapour,that for all this there was 
not any true vitriol in it,nor any thing that had any refemblance to Allum, 
and that the Salt which remained. in their fediment was fuch Nitre as isde- 
fcribed by the Antients,and which differs as much fromVitrlol and Allum, 
as do the Alcali^s or fulphureous fixed Salts of Plants. 
