Sed:, i. Of the Theory of Tharmacy.

Salt of Animals. The ejfential Saltis that which 15 obtain'd by Cryftal-iization from the juices of Plants ;and this is of a Nature between theother two, and may moil properlybe term'd eûential, having no Forceufed in its Pipdu&ion.

If there be ip a Urica Senfe anylùch Thing as a. Principle, Salt is fo;but then it mull be that which istermed fojfde Salt, or Sal Gemma .-For this not only appears to be theplain Prpdu&ion of Nature, but tobe the moil homogeneous and un-compounded Part Matter can be di-vided into. As for the Differencestaken notice of between thole whichpafs under the fame Denomination,they may be owing to the differentContextures of thofe Bodies intowhofe Compofaion they are wroughtup, whether vegetable or animal.

The firil Appearance of this isin Springs and Rivers, into which itis waih'd by fubterraneous Currents;thence by the Sun it is in fomemea-iùre exhaled in Vapour, from whenceit returns again in Snow, Hail, andDews: for common Rain-Waterdoes not ièem to partake of it, orin very fmall Quantities, for Reafonsobvious to the Searchers into fuchCaufes, and too long to be explain'dhere: From this Return, the Surfaceof the Globe is faturated with it ;whence it reafcends in the Juices ofVegetables, and enters into ali thofeProductions (as Food and Nouriih-ment) which the Creation fupplies.

Now in the little Alteration thisreceives by its Entry into the Juicesof moil Plants, it is again capableof lhooting into Cryilal, not great-ly unlike its primitive Form; but bythe manifold Comminutions and Ela-borations it undergoes in an animalBody, it is fo very far broke and di-vided, as to pafs for a Volatile, andbear very little Refemb'uncc to what

it was in its Origin: And that whatundergoes this mighty Alteration isnever reducible into its original Form,may be much owing to the lulphu-rous Particles in which it wraps it-felf, in its Paiîàge thro' animal Sub-fiances particularly; which like wifeagain confirms our former Conje-cture, that what pailis for Spirit asa Prhuiple, is no other than a high-ly ¡ubtilia'd Salt, with fome Mix-ture of an exalted Sulphur.

Thé Diviíion of Matter does moilabound with the Force of Attraâionjby reafon of the Solidity of its Parti-cles; and therefore in Bodies wherethere is much of it, as there is inmany Minerals, they are prodigiouflyhard and compact, and almofl inca-pable of Decay or Alteration by Time.

Phlegm or Water is the commonVehicle or Diluter of all folid Bodies ;and in proportion to its Quantity inany Mixture are the other more lan-guid, or difabled in their attractiveInfluences. It is much to be que«flion'd, whether this can be drawn byDiflillation without fome Mixture;that which has the leaft mud comeneareft to the Nature of a Principle,and upon that account Kain-Wateris moi; like to afford it: In fomeMinerals, where there are none of thelighter Sortments, this comes orerthe Helm firil, as likewife from ino-dorous Vegetables.

Earth (and as fome call it CaputMortuum) is that Part of .a Bodywhich is left laft in the Furnace, andis capable neither of being rais'd byDiiliilation, nor diflblv'd by Solution.

Thus far have we comply'd withthe ufual Practice of Wiiters in thisWay, - in giving fome Thoughts uponthe Principles of mixed Bodies; iqfar as it is hoped may be of fomeUfe, as thefe feveral Appearancescommonly occur in the Analyju,of moil Bodies, But if the Reader

takes