_EXPERIMENT XXI._
There is a Weed, more known to Plowmen than belov'd by them, whose Flowers
from their Colour are commonly call'd _Blew-bottles_, and _Corn-weed_ from
their Growing among Corn[18]. These Flowers some Ladies do, upon the
account of their Lovely Colour, think worth the being Candied, which when
they are, they will long retain so fair a Colour, as makes them a very fine
Sallad in the Winter. But I have try'd, that when they are freshly
gather'd, they will afford a Juice, which when newly express'd, (for in
some cases 'twill soon enough degenerate) affords a very deep and pleasant
Blew. Now, (to draw this to our present Scope) by dropping on this fresh
Juice, a little Spirit of Salt, (that being the Acid Spirit I had then at
hand) it immediately turn'd (as I predicted) into a Red. And if instead of
the Sowr Spirit I mingled with it a little strong Solution of an Alcalizate
Salt, it did presently disclose a lovely Green; the same Changes being by
those differing sorts of Saline Liquors, producible in this _Natural
juice_, that we lately mention'd to have happen'd to that _factitious
Mixture_, the Syrrup of Violets. And I remember, that finding this Blew
Liquor, when freshly made, to be capable of serving in a Pen for an Ink of
that Colour, I attempted by moistning one part of a piece of White Paper
with the Spirit of Salt I have been mentioning, and another with some
Alcalizate or Volatile Liquor, to draw a Line on the leisurely dry'd Paper,
that should, e'vn before the Ink was dry, appear partly Blew, partly Red,
and partly Green: But though the latter part of the Experiment succeeded
not well, (whether because Volatile Salts are too Fugitive to be retain'd
in the Paper, and Alcalizate ones are too Unctuous, or so apt to draw
Moisture from the Air, that they keep the Paper from drying well) yet the
former Part succeeded well enough; the Blew and Red being Conspicuous
enough to afford a surprizing Spectacle to those, I acquaint not with (what
I willingly allow you to call) the _Trick_.
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