I 75 1 
CHAP. X. 
Of Vitriol in general. 
T HE moft celebrated of our modem 
Chemifts fuppofe an acid Spirit exift- 
ing universally in the Air, and pervading 
the whole terraqueous Globe. This, they 
tell us, is an uniform Matter, or firft Prin¬ 
ciple, diftributed every where throughout 
the Earth and Atmofphere; though of a 
Nature fo extremely fubtile, that it never 
becomes fenlible, unlefs compounded with 
other Subftances ; but incorporating rea¬ 
dily with different Kinds of Matter, it com¬ 
potes, they fay, therewith all the Variety 
of Salts, Cryftals, Gems, Metals, and Mi¬ 
nerals; the Colour, Figure, Solidity, and 
other Properties whereof are owing to the 
Difference of fuch Admixture. 
This is Sometimes called * the Sal Acidum 
Fojjile , at other Times the Vague Acid. 
Compounded with Earth, and an oily Mat¬ 
ter, it is thought to be the Balls of Sulphur ; 
of Alum with a cretaceous, and of Vitriol 
with a metalline Subftance. It is alfo fup- 
pofed to be the faline Part or Principle of 
all Salts, which Monf. Homberg reduces to 
three Kinds only, viz. Nitre, Sea-Salt, and 
Vitriol. 
* Vide Woodward' s Method of FoJJils , p. 37. 
7 The 
