4 6 Mr. kir wan’s Experiments and Obfervations on 
more than it could abforb even in the date of vapour, and 
hence communicated heat to the contiguous liquor. 
From thefe experiments it is evident, that the nitrous and 
marine acids receive fire from the vitriolic, and are thrown into 
a vapourous fbate, or at lead fo much rarefied as to be expelled 
from their alkaline balis, notwithdanding that their affinity to 
that bafis may be equally drong with that of the vitriolic. 
I next proceeded to examine how tartar vitriolate and Glau- 
ber’s fait are decompofed by the nitrous acid. Into 400 grs. 
of lpirit of nitre, whofe fpecific gravity was 1,355, and which 
■contained about 105 grs. of real acid, I put 60 of pulverifed 
tartar vitriolate. The thermometer, which flood at 68°, was 
not in the lead: affected by Handing in this mixture, and there 
was fcarce any fign of folution. To try whether the vitriolic 
acid was difengaged, I threw into the liquor a few grains of 
powdered regulus of antimony: in 24 hours the vitriolic acid 
was in part difengaged, for the regulus was adted upon, and 
the liquor became greenifh. This l'emi-metal being foluble in a 
mixture of the vitriolic and nitrous acids, but in neither fmgly, 
however, a great part of the tartar vitriolate dill remained un- 
diflolved. Afterwards I put the fame quantity of tartar vitri- 
olate into 400 grs. of fpirit of nitre, whofe fpecific gravity was 
1,478 ; the thermometer rofe from 67 to 79% the tartar vitri- 
olate was quickly diffolved, and the regulus of antimony 
(hewed the vitriolic acid was difengaged. 
Hence it follows, that in the lad experiment the nitrous acid 
having the fame affinity to the alkaline bafis as the vitriolic, but 
giving out, during the folution, more fife than was neceffary 
to perform the folution, the vitriolic receiving this fire was dif- 
engaged ; for as it cannot unite to alkalies without giving out 
fire, fo when it receives back that fire it mud quit them. The 
reafon 
