reduced tinto the fame Common nature,and,if you plea(e,being unl- 
t-ed, become an Uniform and Homogeneous Subftance I wherein I 
may challenge the moft fevereCri ticks and experienced Chyraifts^ 
to find a greater variety of Parts and Qialities, than what is abfo« 
lately neceffary to conftitute the EflTence and Definition of a Vola- 
til Sale in theabftradJ:. 
It was long fince by the famous Van Helmnt judiciouHy obferv'd^ 
and by many Experiments confirmed, That variety of Sulphurs did 
chiefly difcriminate the Species of Mixt bodies^and that moft of che 
confiderable changes,which were made in or upon them, were occa- 
fioiVd by (eparating their ®wn,or fu per inducing an extraneous, Sul» 
phur. If this be affirm-dof Sulphur, a pretended Simple Homoge- 
neous body, and the fecond Principle of the Chymifts, it is denied: 
But if he intended, as is moft probable, by Sulphur a fubftancc , 
which,whenfeparated, isufually inflammable, and dorh ordinarily 
appear in an Oleaginous form, leftcem his affercion very probable 
and (pecious* 
Let us make a Ihorr reflexion on theOylcs extradled out of Ve- 
getables by the affiftance of Common water, which are as 'twere a 
Compendium of the Vegetables that afforded them,being eminently 
and manifeftly enobled with moft of thofe fenfible and t hofe more 
hidden Qualities that did determinate the Vegetables whilft flou- 
rifliing; Whereas their Salts,whetherfixt or volatile, their Waters 
and Earths, can boaft of little, which dilcovers whence they pro- 
ceeded, unlefs they retain fome fmall portion of their refpeftive 
OyUsy whofe preience occafions thofe flight differences,which dif- 
criminate them from each other, and being thereof deprived, they 
relapfe into their Elementary fimplicity. The fame happens, as 
with Fixed, fo in Volatile, Salts, which are different fo long as they 
retain any mixture of thofe Oyles and Sulphurs , wherewith the 
Concrete that afforded them was imbued \ from which being freed 
they all agree in one Conmion eifence. 
Although I could confirm this Pofition by a great number and 
variety ofExperiments,! fliall for the prefent acquiefcc in fome ea- 
fie and obvious operations, which will fufficiently manifeft , that 
all Volatil Salts, being freed from adheringOyles or Sulphurs, be- 
come forthwith Homogeneal and Uniform. 
Take any Volatil Salt, whether Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral , 
put it into a very tall Glas body or Bolthead ; fublime the Salt in 
Aflics, B.M,in a Lamp-furnace, or with otherequal temperat heat , 
the more rcmifs the better. Repeat this Operation twice or thri^:e; 
Z % Moft 
