WATER. 239 
Every being with life, in a great degree, lives by it; 
and whatever grows, through it receives its growth ; 
and wherever it enters, it promotes and sustains life, 
preserving the whole of created nature in their proper 
classes of existence. And wheiher we consider it as 
productive of health to animals and vegetables, as re- 
quisite to the existence and beauty of the earth, or 
as one of the great powers by which the Almighty 
works in the support of the world, we cannot but ad- 
mire and adore the wisdom by which it has been or- 
dained. 
In the various kinds of water, even of that which is 
commonly used in drinking, and for the preparation of 
food, there is great difference both of taste and appear- 
ance. This difference is chiefly occasioned by the fo- 
reign matters which they hold in solution or suspension. 
In some cases the quantity of these is so minute as to 
have but little influence on the taste; but in others 
they alter its properties altogether, and render the 
water noxious, or medicinal, or unfit for the prepara- 
tion of food. 
The chemical analysis of ivater, for the purpose of as- 
certaining the different substances which it holds in so- 
lution, is one of the most difficult and complicated 
operations that is known in this branch of science; and 
one that exercises, in a peculiar degree, both the skill 
and industry of the operator. The difficulty arises not 
only from the diversity of the bodies which occur, but 
from the very minute quantities of some of them. 
These bodies are discovered by an addition to the 
water of certain substances, the consequence of which 
is some change in its appearance, and this change in- 
dicates the presence or absence of the bodies sus- 
pected. 
The substances thus employed are very numerous, 
and have the name of tests. The methods of ascertain- 
ing the exact proportion of each of these ingredients 
are much too complicated to require a place in the pre- 
sent work. 
