Dr. Marcet’s, Analysis , &c. 297 
in the “ Memoires de l' Academic des Sciences ” for the year 1778, 
by Messrs. Macquer, Lavoisier, and Sage. The names of 
Lavoisier, and of his two distinguished associates, might ap- 
pear to render any further investigation of the nature of this 
water superfluous ; hut whoever has perused the paper in 
question, must be convinced, that these gentlemen, however 
correct in their general statements, neither attained that de- 
gree of accuracy of which modern analysis is susceptible, nor 
did they bestow on the subject that share of attention which 
is indispensable in minute analytical experiments. 
The gentleman to whom I am indebted for the specimen 
of the water of the Dead Sea which is the subject of this Paper, 
is Mr. Gordon of Clunie, who recently travelled in that coun- 
try and undertook, not without some difficulty and danger, 
an excursion from Jerusalem to this remarkable lake. There 
he himself filled and brought to Sir Joseph Banks a phial 
containing about one ounce and a half of this water, carefully 
corked, and in a state of perfect preservation. The same gen- 
tleman brought also in another phial, somewhat larger, a 
specimen of the Ri ver Jordan, which runs into the Dead Sea, 
without having any outlet, so that the river might be expected 
to hold in solution ingredients analogous to those of the Lake 
itself. These specimens Sir Joseph put into the hands of Mr. 
Tennant, for examination. But knowing that I was engaged 
in similar researches, Mr. Tennant was so obliging as to en- 
trust me with this analysis, and to afford me frequent oppor- 
tunities of availing myself of his assistance in the course of 
the enquiry. 
Being possessed but of a small quantity of this water, a 
further supply of which could not easily be procured, I was 
