Of Salts in General . 261 
Pretty Saifs for Obfervation are, Pot-Afh, 
Englijh, and Ruffian : Salt of Wormwood, 
Saccharum Saturni , Salt of Tartar, Salt Ar- 
moniac. Salt of Hartfhorn, Salt of Amber, 
&c. They fhould be examined firtt in their 
dry or cryttallized State, and afterwards dif- 
folved in a very fmall Quantity of fome 
tranfparent Fluid. 
The Salts found in all Bodies, when fepa« 
rated by Fire, feem as fo many Pegs or 
Nails *, penetrating their Pores, and fatten¬ 
ing their Parts together: but as Pegs or 
Nails, when too large or too numerous, 
ferve only to fplit or rend afunder; Salts , by 
the fame Means, oftentimes break, feparate, 
and diffolve, inftead of joining and making 
fail. They indeed are merely Inttruments, 
and can no more act upon or force them-" 
feives into Bodies, than Nails can without the 
Stroke of a Hammer; but they are either 
driven on by the Prefliire of other Bodies, or 
by the Spring of the Air impelling them. 
As Salts enter the Pores of all Bodies, Water-. 
infmuates between the Particles of Salt; fe¬ 
parate s or diflolyes, and futtains them in its 
Interftices, till, by being in a State of Rett, 
they precipitate, and form themfelves into 
Mattes. By this ditto!ving Power, Water 
# Vid. SpeSlack de la Nat, Dial. XXVI. 
becomes 
