\ 
W I N 
together, embalms the whole, and renders it durable, 
Of not fubjedt to corruption, but aifo, in great mea- 
fure, gives them that aromatic, refrefhing, and re- 
fcorative virtue and effect they have upon the human 
body. 
6. This inevitably proves the cafe, whenever Wine is 
evaporated or diftilled, which c-onftantly requires a 
degree of heat fufficient to convert water into vapour * 
whence the, fpirituous part, being much more volatile 
than the aqueous, flies off together with, or even be- 
fore it, and thus leaves the Wine diffolvedin its tex- 
ture, and without its foul. 
Upon which the remaining, faline, flimy, unduous 
mafs is fo disturbed, as no longer to remain connected, 
but immediately turns thick and turbid, and after- 
wards runs impetuoufly into a kind ot corruption, at- 
tended with vapidity and ropinefs. 
All ? hich circutn fiances abundantly fliew the method 
of exhalation to be abfolutely unfit for condenfing 
Wines, as it fo many ways deftroys the whole vinous 
texture and compages. 
Of the method cf condenfing Wines by percolation. 
1 . That Wine, ftridly and properly fo called, is of 
a groffer and thicker body than water, or that the ef- 
fential and truly conftituent parts of Wine may be con- 
fidered as feparate and diftind from a luperfluous and 
copious aquofity, appears a priori and a pofteriori. 
2. For, firft, it is rational to conceive, that a matter 
confifting of- a colledion of faline, flimy, and unctu- 
ous parts, brought into one mafs, fhould have a 
groffer confiftence than pure and Ample water. 
3. And next, this groffnefs of the proper and effen- 
tial particles of Wine manifefts itfelf to the eye, 
1. In thofe difeafes of Wine, wherein they become 
vifcous and ropy, when they not only lofe their tranf- 
parency, but may be drawn out and extended like a 
mucus ; and do not, upon pouring out, then fall in 
drops, but run down in long ropy firings. 
2. It appears again to the eye, in vinegar grown mo- 
thery, mucilaginous, and tough, fo as fometimes to 
afford a denfe fkin, like leather ; which cannot well 
be fuppoied to proceed from the water, but from the 
more proper and effential parts of the Wine it was 
made of. 
3. But becaufe thefe infpiffations may poffibly be at- 
tributed to forne iupernatural diforder of the Wine, 
we may add, that our method of concentration exhi- 
bits this groffnefs of parts to the eye, whilft the Wine 
remains in a perfed (late, free from its luperfluous 
aquofity •, for here it appears much denier, and deeper 
in colour lefs fluid, lefs thin, lefs tranfparent, and 
in every refped of a thicker and higher confiftence. 
4. Laftly, This is ftill more evident in malt liquors, 
which being concentrated in our manner, tafte full and 
thick, almoft like oil in the mouth, and pour out like 
that, or a thin fyrup ; being at the fame time alio 
heightened or concentrated in colour. 
From the preceding phenomena it fhould feem natu- 
ral, that thefe different parts of Wine, which vary fo 
much in confiftence and tenuity of matter, might be 
feparated from each other by a commodious percola- 
tion : fo that the aqueous parts, which appear the 
fineft, fhould run through the pores of a proper 
ftrainer, and leave the groffer behind. 
But the pradice hereof is clogged with great difficul- 
ties •, for, 
Firft, thofe thin liquors, which have a manifeft and co- 
pious faltnefs, as Wine has, are either fo attenuated, 
and their grofs part, however thick in comparifon of 
water, is yet fo fubtile and penetrating in itfelf, as at 
the fame time to pafs the pores of any ordinary ftrainer ; 
at leaftj fuch liquors will, along with their aqueous, 
tranfmit the fineft and moft delicate of all their parts, 
and leave the more fluggifh, the truly groffer, or thofe 
moft tending to ropinefs, behind. 
It muft alio be obferved, that moft kinds of Wine be- 
fides their genuine, fubftantial, rich-, and effential 
W 1 N 
part, have conftantly joined with them fome foreign, 
luperfluous, and prevailing gummy or mucilaginous 
matter ; which, the more it invifcates the nobler part, 
the thicker and groffer it adually becomes ; whilft 
the other finer portion, which is not clogged with fuch 
a load, remains more penetrating. and adive. 
And hence alfo the difficulty of condenfing Wines by 
percolation is increafed, as this fubtile fpirituous part 
paffes the ftrainer along with the water. 
A contrary difficulty attends the ufe of a clofe ftrainer, 
arifmg from the grofs mucilaginous particles, either 
accidentally interfperfed in the Wine, or cleaving to 
this and other fermented liquors, but efpecially malt- 
drinks • for thefe vifcous, tenacious, and clammy 
particles prefently clog and flop the pores of the 
ftrainer, and by that means hinder the thinner and 
more watery particles from getting away and the na- 
tural tenacity and clamminefs of liquors prepared from 
malt, honey, and the like, communicates in the man- 
ner of a mucilage, fuch a ropinefs, even to the fu- 
perfluous water, and diffufes and expands itfelf fo 
much therein, that the water itfelf is thereby thick- 
ened, and rendered much Ids apt to flow. 
A third difficulty attends this method by percolation, 
viz. that although it were poffible to make the fepa- 
ration, yet the work would, proceed fo flow, that the 
more fubtile, fine, brifk, volatile, and fpirituous 
parts, which give the pungent tafte and odour, might, 
in the mean time, exhale, and leave the remaining 
Wine flat and vapid •, or if this inconvenience could 
be prevented, yet, info tedious an operation, fome 
prejudicial, fermentative operation would, in all pro- 
bability happen. 
And, after all, there would ftill remain a queftiori, as 
to the matter to be ufed to the ftrainer ; which they 
who have never made any experiment that way might 
little dream of. 
For, as the common filters or ftrainers are generally- 
made of paper, linen, or fome kind of cloth, all thefe 
readily communicate and imprefs a foreign difagreea- 
ble tafte to the liquor, efpecially to Wine if intended 
for condenfation in this manner. 
And it may feem furprifmg, that even a momentane- 
ous paflage of condenfed Wine through the cleaned: 
linen, will give it a remarkable and very difagreeable 
tafte of the bag, that (hall continue for many months. 
This happens in a much greater degree to condenfed 
Wine, after the fame manner as the higheft rectified 
fpirit or alcohol of Wine will, in many cafes, per- 
form a folution, immenfely quicker, and more power- 
ful than fuch aphlegmy fpirit, though mixed but with 
a tenth proportion of water •, for fo our concentrated, 
or, as we may call it, our rectified Wine, being freed 
from its fuperfluous phlegm, has a more powerful, 
more immediate, and more intimate effed, upon the 
parts of the cloth and other bodies, by means of the 
concentration of its fpirituous and faline parts, than 
when its efficacy is weakened by being diluted with 
water. 
This method, however, by percolation, though no 
way fufficient to free the Wine of all its fuperfluous 
water, may yet be of fome fervice, if applied with due 
regard to the difference there is between fermented 
liquor, efpecially in point of confiftence ; and there- 
fore fome faint or impeded imitation of our method 
may be had by means of fuch paper filters, or other 
common ftrainers. 
And, in this view, the common tavern trick, with a 
piece of lift, when dextroufly performed, might be 
of fome fervice ; for if a long, thick, woollen firing 
be firft foaked in water, and then one end of it plunged 
into Wine, whilft the other end hangs a great way 
down without the glafs, it will, in an imperfect man- 
ner, draw away the water from the Wine. 
But all thefe, and the like attempts, are trifling and 
ufelefs, in comparifon of our eafy, expeditious, and 
perfed manner of effeding the thing ; to which we 
next proceed. 
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