But I think it needless to exemplifie here
our Method by any other Instances, many such being to be met with in divers
parts of this Treatise; but I will rather advertise you, that, by this way
of examining Chymical Liquors, you may not onely in most Cases conclude
_Affirmatively_, but in some Cases _Negatively_. As since Spirit of Wine,
and as far as I have try'd, those Chymical Oyles which Artists call
Essential, did not (when I us'd them as I had us'd the several Families of
Salts upon that Syrrup) turn Syrrup of Violets Red or Green, nor the
Solution of Sublimate White or Yellow, I inferr'd it may thence be probably
argued, that either they are destitute of Salt, or have such as belongs not
to either of the three Grand families already often mention'd. When I went
to examine the Spirit of Oak or of such like Concretes forced over through
a Retort, I found by this means amongst others, that (as I elsewhere show)
these Chymists are much mistaken in it, that account it a simple Liquor,
and one of their Hypostatical Principles: for not to mention what flegm it
may have, I found that with a few drops of one of this sort of Spirits
mix'd with a good proportion of Syrrup of Violets, I could change the
Colour and make it Purplish, by the affinity of which Colour to Redness, I
conjectur'd that this Spirit had some Acid Corpuscles in it, and
accordingly I found that as it would destroy the Blewness of a Tincture of
_Lignum Nephriticum_, so being put upon Corals it would Corrode them, as
common Spirit of Vinegar, and other Acid Liquors are wont to do.
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