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VII* An Account of fome Oil of SafTafras 
cryjlallized \ by Air. John Maud, Chemijt , 
F. R. S. 
H AVING lately met with an uncommon Thse- 
nomenon in Chemijlry , furprifing to many well 
experienc'd in that Art, to whom I have related it j I 
hope the Honourable Society will excufe the Li- 
berty I have here taken, in prefenting it before them. 
A few Days ago, I obferv'd lome eflential Oil of 
Sajfafras , which had flood expos'd to a frofty Night, 
in an open Veffel, was chang'd, three Parts out of 
four, into very beautiful tranfparent Cryftals, three 
or four Inches in Length, half an Inch in Thicknefs, 
and of an hexagonal Form. 
Thefe Cryftals fubfided in Water, were indiffolu- 
ble in it, inflammable in the Fire, and when expos'd 
thereto, melted into their priftine State. Hence it is 
evident, that they ftill retain the natural Qualities of an 
Oil, although they appear under a different Modifica- 
tion of their conftituent Parts. What is moft remark- 
able herein, confifts in a Met amorphous from a fluid 
to a folid Body, of fuch a particular Figure, and from 
a yellowifh Liquor (not unlike Madera Wine) to a 
very pellucid Body, like Ice congeal'd from the moft 
tranfparent Water. This feems to afford a new In- 
ftance of Cryftallization, which being generally ac- 
counted for by the Particles of a Fluid, or thofe of 
any other Body, fufpended by the Fiuid, brought 
nearer by Cold, and at length coming within the 
Sphere of each other's Attraction, unite together into 
an 
