[ 334 ] 
wholly freed from it), will not equal | of a grain: 
how imperceptible then mud the difference be, if 
water, indead of an equal hulk, doth not contain 
-j-^th part of its bulk of air, which is a fuppofition 
much nearer to the truth : the air is feparated from 
the water during the folution of the fait, and the 
particles of the fait probably occupy its place as 
happens in other chemical precipitations; but we 
cannot thence infer that they are received into the 
interflices of the water, unlefs we had more con- 
clufive arguments, to prove that the air itfelf was 
lodged in them. I varied the preceding experiment 
by putting two equal and tranfparent pieces of fal 
gemmae into two tall drinking glades, filled one with 
common, the other with boiled water ; from the firfl 
there continually afeended a very vifible dream of 
air, and the fait and the bottom of the glafs were 
covered with bubbles, it feeming as if the water 
quitted its air to diffolve the fait ; in the other, though 
fome air was feen breaking out from the fait whild it 
was dilfolving, there did not feem to be any precipi- 
tated, as it were, from the water. In mod of the 
experiments which 1 made, the boiled water diffolved 
a given quantity of fait fooner than the common 
water, when they had the fame degree of heat ; but 
the difference in time might be owing to the 
different magnitude of the furfaces of the fait, though 
from the generality of the event, I daould rather 
attribute it to the different diffolving powers of water, 
when replete with, and when deprived of air. 
Expert- 
