( 70 ) 
You will not, I fuppore,be much ftartled at thefe words, 
Aeml Salt, after the credit you have lately given a Difcourfe 
concerning the VoUtil Salt of Vegetables, which upon their Pu- 
trefaftionor Arefaftion expiring into the Air, that muft ne- 
ceffarily abound therewith,befides abundance of the fame fub- 
fiance, which tranfpires from Animals, and is fublimed by 
fubterraneal Fires,whereof I may hereafter render you a more 
particular accompt. I fliallat prefent only affinn, that this 
Serial Salt, which I have many wayes procured, whilft in 
the Air is altogether un-fpecificate, I mean, freed from all 
Union with, or determination by, any Seminal principle; 
fthe Prin ordials of all fpeuesm the llniverfe being in my c- 
pinion Spermatical;) but being once ac the command of the 
Architeaonick power of any fpecies, whatfoever be, it is 
by it, with other matrer, determined in order to the Formati- 
on and Augmentation of the Individmm, and Propagation of 
the rpecies, and, upon the diffolution of its dwelling, returns 
whence it defcended. Befides this, there is alfointheAir 
an Acidity, as is evident in Iron-bars, whofe fuperficies is 
thereby refolved into a fubtile ; alfo in the tarnilhing of 
polifli't metals, where Pit-coal is much burnt, near unto and 
on VheSe^i, and where expofed to certain winds; Truths fo 
common and obvious, that I need not expatiate on, or much 
labour to confirm, them. , , , . , r n 
This Acid Spirit with the Salt laft mentioned are Inftru- 
ments by Nature imployed inalmoft every operation^ efpe- 
cially the Salt, without, which no perfeft Animal can fubfift a 
minute, and all Vegetables deprived thereof do immediately 
cay. I fliall in this difcourfe have regard unto them only as they 
contribute towards the produGion of Salts. Its well known, 
that feveral Minerals and J>nV^/, which are to the taft alto- 
gether infipid and elixiviated, would yield not a grain of Salt; 
being expofed unto the dir are refolved into a powder, and 
afford, fome, AUum, others Vitriol copioufly. Sometimes 
the Minerals require previous Calcination, which opens and 
relaxes the compag€s of the bodies, fo that the Air may have 
moreeafieingrefs. And it is, 1 think, by moftallow'd, that, 
after all the Salt is extraded out of Earth impregnated with 
Vitriol, 
