Dr. Marcet’s Analysis of the Waters of 
anxious not to waste any considerable portion of the specimen 
by preliminary trials. With this view, I began by making a 
variety of comparative experiments on artificial solutions, in 
order to ascertain the accuracy of different modes of operating ; 
and knowing by Lavoisier's analysis, and also by the gene- 
ral effects of reagents applied to minute quantities of the water, 
what were the principal ingredients which I might expect to 
find in it, I made solutions, the contents of which I had previ- 
ously ascertained with precision, so that by analysing these 
solutions in different ways, I had an opportunity of judging of 
the degree of accuracy that could be expected from a variety 
of methods. Some of these trials I shall briefly relate ; 
for although not strictly belonging to the particular analysis 
in question, yet I conceive that they may be of some general 
use, in pointing out the most eligible method to be pursued in 
inquiries of this kind. Indeed it must be confessed that the 
minute chemical examination of any individual substance, re- 
quires so much time and patience, that to obtain a knowledge 
of that substance only, would seldom appear a sufficient in- 
ducement to such a laborious undertaking, was it not always 
more or less connected with other useful collateral objects. 
§ i. 
General Properties of the Dead Sea. 
i . One of the most obvious peculiarities of the Dead Sea- 
water, is its specific gravity, which I found to be 1,211, a 
degree of density scarcely to be met with, I believe, in any 
other natural water. The circumstance of this lake allowing 
bodies of considerable weight to float upon its surface, was 
