2io Continuation of the Experiments and Obfervaiions 
faction,, as it even does in the lefs denfe forms of its concrete 
ftate : thus aether is totally abforbed by ten times its weight of 
water. The animal oil of Dippel mixes intirely with water * 
fo does pure Petrol, and eflential oils frequently diddled, and 
the fpiritus recdor of plants.. 
Much more remains to be laid of the different dates of phlo- 
gifton from its mod rarefied known date, viz. that of inflam- 
mable air, to its mod con den fed date, that in which it is com- 
bined with metallic earths, &c. I have already didinguifhed 
eight intermediate dates each differing from the other by the. 
portion of elementary fire they contain, this quantity being, as 
fa. ^ diredHy, as the rarefaction of the phlogidon ; but 
thefe refearches are foreign to my prefent fubjedt. Ifhall only 
remark, that phlogidon, in a date perhaps ioo times rarer, 
than inflammable air, and confequently containing much more 
fire, may poflibly conditute the eledtric fluid. 
P. S. Since I wrote the above, I have been honoured with a 
letter from Dr. priestley, in which he informs me, that he 
has reduced the calces of iron, copper, lead, and tin, merely 
by melting them in, inflammable, air by means of a burning 
glafs. A certain quantity of inflammable air was abforbed by 
each during their reduction but the unabforbed part was 
equally inflammable, fo that there was no decompofition ; but 
the remainder was of the fame nature as the part abforbed. He 
ailo, by the fame means, converted nitrous vapour into nitrous 
air, and the phofphoric acid into phofphorus. And fince the 
communication of the lad mentioned experiments, which feern 
to him alfo a direCt proof of the identity of inflammable air 
and phlogidon, lie has been fo obliging as to inform me, that 
he has revived the calces of metals in alkaline air as well as 
