'^t The S^tural Hijlory 
of his Family ; and to whofe moft fignal Encouragement of the 
Defign in hand, thefe Papers, in great part, owe their birth : I 
took good. Syrup of Violets^ impregnated with the tin6lure of the 
Flowers, and drop'd fome of it into a glafs of this water 
came from the Well • whereupon, quite contrary to .my expefta- 
tion, not only the Syrupy but the whole body of the turn- 
ed not of a red, but a brisk green colour, the Index of z lixivi- 
ate^ and not that acid Vitriol^ which I before had concluded on 
from the infufion of galls. The Fhdtnommon at firft was very 
furprifing, till I had further weighed the cautious ExprefTions of 
that Nohh Author and found, that he reftrains the Experiment 
of the Syrup of Violets^ turning red with acids^ with provifion 
always they be diftilled Liquors ; and what he feems to hint in a 
former Experiment *, that fulphureou^ falts^ (fuch as the Vitriol 
of this water will anon more plainly appear to be) being of a 
quite contrary nature, may have different effeds : which may 
alfo be the reafon why this fulphureou6 water^ notwithftanding ir 
moft certainly poffeffes an acid faltyWiW yet as certainly lather with 
foap, and raife a greater fud than other waters commonly do ; 
and if put into milk-, though boiled up to the height, will not 
feparate the morcgrofs from the yiro/^ parts of it: efe^s fo u- 
fually following upon fuch applications, that perhaps till now 
they have always been fuppofed, never as yet to have happened 
otherwife. 
52. But Experience^ that great baffler of ^ecw/^/io;?, afiuresus 
the contrary to be poffible enough, and brings matter of fad to 
confute our fuppofitions in the very tryal of this water^ wherein 
the great quantity of Vitriol^ is yet fo clofe lock'd up by the vif« 
cous particles of Sulphur^ and thereby rendered fo dull and un- 
a9:ive,that it cannot exert its enmity to (as D' Mayow or friend- 
ly embraces with (as D"" fFillis ^) the alcalizate fait it finds in the 
foap', or fo comprefs the pores of the milk^ as thereby to caufe 
a precipitation : but having as it were thus put on the nature of a 
fix'dfalt^ ads not upon its like, nor longer enjoys the aftringent 
power of an acid, 
5 3 . And under this vizor of a fix'd Akali it was, that it aded 
its part, and with vS^r;//' 0/ Violets, gave a green tindure ; unlefs 
^ Hifi. of Colours, Exfer. 20. * Uid. Ex£er. 10^ ' De7htrmisBathomenfihtiS,ful>fi}im- DeFer-' 
nefit.cap, 11. . . 
we 
