NIT 
Nitrate of ittria may be prepared iu a 
firailar manner. Its taste is sweetish, and 
astringent. It is scarcely to be obtained 
in crystals ; and if it be evaporated by too 
strong a beat, the salt becomes soft like 
honey, and on cooling concretes into a 
stony mass. Exposed to the air it deli- 
quesces. 
NITRITES. Though these salts are 
composed of nitrons acid and certain bases, 
yet the only way of obtaining them is by 
exposing a nitrate to a pretty strong heat, 
till a quantity of the oxygen gas is disen- 
gaged from it : what remains is a nitrite. 
These salts have never been minutely ex- 
amined ; but it is inferred, from the expe- 
riments that have been made, that they 
are, in general, deliquescent, very soluble 
in water, decomposable by heat, and by 
exposure to the air they are gradually 
converted into nitrates by absorbing 
oxygen. 
NITROGEN. See Atmospiierej also 
Gas. 
NITROUS acid. It has already been 
observed, that there is no such thing, pro- 
perly speaking, as nitrous acid, or the 
nitric base acidified with a minimum dose 
of oxygen ; but that the nitric acid is capa- 
ble of absorbing vaiious portions of nitric 
oxide, with which it parts very readily, so 
that when in considerable quantity it gives 
it out in the ordinary state of the air, on 
mixing with which it assumes the appear- 
ance of a very red vapour. Hence it was 
formerly called fuming nitrous acid. It 
appears, however, to be capable of com- 
bining with some at least of the salifiable 
bases, so as to form a distinct genus of salts, 
that may be temed nitrites. But these can- 
not be formed by a direct union of their 
component parts; being obtainable only 
by exposing a nitrate to a high temperature, 
which expels a portion of its oxygen in the 
state of gas, and leaves the remainder in the 
slate of a nitrite, if the heat be not urged 
so far, or continued so long, as.to effect a 
complete decomposition of the salt. In 
this way the nitrates of potash and soda 
may be obtained, and perhaps those of 
barytes, strontian, lime, and magnesia. The 
nitrites are particularly characterized by 
being decomposable by all the acids except 
the carbonic, even by the nitric acid itself, 
all of which expel from it nitrous acid. We 
are little acquainted with any one except 
that of potash, which attracts moisture from 
the air, changes blue vegetable colours to 
green, is somewhat acrid to the taste, and 
NOC 
when powdered emits a smell of nitric 
oxide. 
Nitrous oxide. See Gas. 
NOBILITY, a quality that ennobles, 
and raises a person possessed of it above 
the rank of a commoner. The origin of 
nobility in Europe is by some referred to 
the Goths; who, after they had seized a 
part of Europe, rewarded their captains 
witli titles of honour, to distinguish them 
from the common people. In Britain the 
term nobility is restrained to degrees of 
dignity above knighthood ; but every where 
else nobility and gentility are the same. 
The British nobility consists only of five 
degrees, viz. that of a duke, marquis, earl 
or count, viscount, and baron, each of 
which see under their proper articles. In 
Britain these titles are only conferred by 
the King, and that by patent, in virtue of 
which it becomes hereditary. The privi- 
leges of the nobility are very considerable, 
they are all esteemed the King’s hereditary 
counsellors, and are privileged from all 
arrests, unless for treason, felony, breach of 
peace, condemnation in parliament, and 
contempt of the king. They enjoy their 
seats in the House of Peers by descent, 
and no act of parliament can pass without 
their concurrence: they are the supreme 
court of judicature, and even in criminal 
cases give their verdict upon their honour, 
without being put to their oath. In their 
absence they are allowed a proxy to vote 
for them, and in all places of trust are per- 
mitted to constitute deputies, by reason of 
the necessity the law supposes them under 
of attending the King’s person; but no 
peer is to go out of the khigdom without 
the King’s leave, and when that is granted, 
he is to return with tlie King’s writ, or for- 
feit goods and chattels. 
NOBLE, a money of account containing 
six shillings and eight-pence. The noble 
was anciently a real coin struck in the reign 
of Edward III. and then called the penny 
of gold ; but it was afterwards called a rose 
noble, from its being stamped with a rose. 
NOCTURNAL, something relating to 
the night, in contradistinction to diurnal. 
Nocturnal arch, in astronomy, the arch 
of a circle described by the sun, or a star, 
in the night. 
Nocturnal, semi, arch of the sun, is that 
portion of a circle he passes over between 
the lower part of our meridian and the 
point of the horizon, wherein he arises; or 
between the point of the horizon wherein 
he sets, and the lower part of our meridian. 
