W I N 
Tiiis tumult being in fome degree compofed, and the 
gas fylveftre (as Van Heifnont calls it,) or wilder fpirit 
fufficiently evaporated, they then pour the mull into 
clofe veffels, there to be farther defecated by continu- 
ance of the fame motion of fermentation, referving 
the froft or flower of it, and putting the fame into 
fmall calks hooped with iron, left otherwise the force 
of it might break them. 
This flower thus feparated, is what they call Hum, 
either by tranfpofition of the letters in the word mu ft, 
or from the word Hum, which in High Dutch fignifies 
mute, becaufe this liquor (as one may lay,) is hindered 
from that maturity, by which it Ihould fpeak its good- 
nefs and wholefomenefs. 
This being done, they leave the reft of the Wine to 
finilh its own fermentation, during which it is pro- 
bable that the fpirituous parts impel and diffufe the 
grofier and feculent parts up and down in a confufed 
and tumultuous manner, until, all being difpoled in 
their proper regions, the liquor becomes more pure 
in fubftance, more tranfparent to the eye, more pi- 
quant and guftful to the palate, more agreeable to 
the ftomach, and more nutritive to the body. 
The impurities being thus feparated from the liquor, 
are upon chemical examinations, found to confift of 
falts, fulphur (each of which is impregnated with fome 
fpirits,) and much earth, which being now diflfociated 
from the pureft fpirits, either mutually cohere, coa- 
gulate, and affix themfelves to the fides of the veffels 
in form of a ftony cruft, which is called tartar and 
argol, or link to the bottom in a muddy fubftance, 
like the grounds of ale or beer, which is called the 
lees of Wine. And this is the procefs of nature, in 
the clarification of all Wines, by an orderly fermen- 
tation. 
As for the principal agent, or efficient caufe of this 
operation, it feems to be no other but the fpirit of 
the Wine itfelf, which moving every way in the mafs 
of the liquor, thereby diffolves that common tye of 
mixture, whereby all the heterogeneous parts thereof 
were combined and blended together ; and having 
gotten itfelf free, at length abandons them to the ten- 
dency of their gravity, and other properties, which, 
they foon obeying, each kind conlorts with its like, 
and betaking themfelves to their feveral places or re- 
gions, leave the liquor to the poffeffion and govern- 
ment of its nobleft principle, the fpirit. For this fpi- 
rit, as it is the life of the Wine, doubtlefs it is alfo 
the caufe of its purity and vigour, in which the per- 
fection of that life feems to confift. 
From the natural fermentation of the Wines, we 
pafs to the accidental •, from their ftate of found nefs, 
to that of their ficknefs, which is the fecond general 
head. 
We have the teftimony of experience, that frequent- 
ly even thofe Wines that are good and generous, are 
invaded by unnatural and fickly commotions, or 
(as the Wine coopers call them) workings ; during 
which they are turbulent in motion, thick of conflu- 
ence, unfavoury in tafte, unwholefome in ufe, and, 
after which, they undergo fundry alterations for the 
worfe. 
The caufesof this may be either internal or external. 
Among the internal, the chief place may be affigned 
to the exceffive quantity of tartar, or of lees, which 
contain much fait and fulphur, and continually fend 
forth into the liquor abundance of quick and atftive 
particles, that like ftum, or other adventitious fer- 
ment, put it into a frefti tumult or confufion, which, 
if not in time allayed, the Wine either grows rank or 
pricking, or elfe turns four, by reafon that the ful- 
phur being too much exalted above the reft of the 
elements or ingredients, predominates over the pure 
fpirits, and affects the whole mafs of liquor with ffiaro- 
nels or acidity ; or elfe it comes to pafs, that the fpi- 
rits being fpent and flown away A the commotion, 
the fait, diffolved and fet afloat, obtains the maftery 
over the other firnilar parts, and introduceth ranknefs 
or ropinefs. 
Nay, if thofe commotions chance to be fuppreffed be- 
W I N 
fore, the Wine is thereby much depraved, yet do 
they always leave fuch ill impreffions, as more or lefs 
alienate Wine from the goodnefs of its former ftate, 
in colour, confidence, and tafte. 
For hereby all Wines acquire a deeper tln&ure, i. e'„ 
a thicker body or confidence •, facks and white Wines 
changing from a clear white to a cloudy yellow; and 
claret lofing its bright red for a diffkiffi Orange co- 
lour, and fometimes for a tawney. In like manner 
they degenerate alfo in tafte, and affed the palate 
with foulnefs, roughnefs, and rancidity, very un- 
pleafant. 
Among the external are commonly reckoned the too 
frequent or violent motion of Wines, after their fet- 
tlement in their veffels ; immoderate heat, thunder, 
or the report of - cannon, and the admixture of any 
exotic body, which will not fymboiize or agree, and 
incorporate with them ; efpecially the fldhof vipers, 
which has been frequently obferved to induce a very 
great acidity upon even the fweeteft and fulleft-bodied 
Malaga and Canary Wines. 
This brings us, in the next place, to the third pre- 
vious thing conflderable ; viz. the palling or flatting 
of Wines, and their declining towards vinegar, before 
they have attained to their ftate of maturity and per^ 
fection. 
Of this the greateft and neareft caufe feems to be their 
jejunenefs and poverty of fpirits, either native or ad- 
ventitious : 
Native, when the Grapes themfelves are of a poor 
and hungry kind, or gathered tinripe, or nipt by early 
frofts, or half ftarved in their growth, by a dry and 
unkindly feafon, or too full of watery parts : 
Adventitious, when the liquor, rich perhaps, and 
generous enough at firft, comes afterwards to be im- 
poveriffied by lofs of fpirits, either by oppreffion, or 
by exhauftion. 
The fpirits of Wine may be oppreffed, when the 
quantity of impurities or dregs, with which they are 
combined, is fo great, and their crudity, vifcofity, 
and tenacity, fo ftubborn, that they can neither over- 
come them, nor deliver them from the adhefion ; but 
are forced to yield to the obftinacy of the matter on 
which they Ihould operate, and fo to remain una&ive 
and clogged, as may be exemplified in the coarfe 
Wines of Moravia, which, by reafon of their great 
aufterity and roughnefs, feldom attain to a due exal- 
tation of their fpirits, but Hill remain turbulent, 
thick, and in a ftate of crudity, and therefore eafy 
pall ; in which refped they are condemned by fome 
German phyficians, as bad for generating the fcurvy, 
and adminiftering matter for the ftone and gout, they 
yielding more of the tartar than other Wines. 
The fpirits of Wine may be exhaufted or confumed, 
either fuddenly or gradually ; fuddenly, by lightning, 
which fpoils Wine, not by congelation or fixation of 
its fpirits ; for then fuch Wines might be capable of 
being reftored by fuch means as are apt to reinforce 
and volatilize the fpirits again, contrary to what 
hath been found by experience ; but perhaps by dif- 
gregation, and putting them to flight, fo as to leave 
the liquor dead, palled, and never to be revived by 
any fupply. 
Gradually, two ways ; viz. by unnatural fermenta- 
tion ; of the ill effects of which, fomething has been 
already faid ; or by heat from without ; of which we 
have an inftance in the making of vinegar, which com- 
monly is done by fetting the veffels of Wine againft 
the hot fun, which, beating upon the mafs of liquor, 
and rarefying the finer parts thereof, gives wings to 
the fugitive fpirits to fly away together with the purer 
and more volatile fulphur, leaving the remainder to 
the dominion of the fait, which foon debafeth and in~ 
fefleth it with fournefs. 
This being the common manner of turning Wine in t6 
vinegar, in all ages, and in all countries, it may be 
doubted, whether fpirit of Wine may be drawn out 
of vinegar, notwithftanding it hath been delivered as 
prafticable bySennertus himfelf, 
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