two Experiments, that I have sometimes made to shew, that at least
some Mixts are divisible into more Distinct Substances then five. The
one of these Experiments, though 'twill be more seasonable for me to
mention it fully anon, yet in the mean time, I shall tell you thus
much of it, That out of two Distill'd Liquors, which pass for
Elements of the Bodies whence they are drawn, I can without Addition
make a true Yellow and Inflamable Sulphur, notwithstanding that the
two Liquors remain afterwards Distinct. Of the other Experiment, which
perhaps will not be altogether unworthy your Notice, I must now give
you this particular Account. I had long observ'd, that by the
Destillation of divers Woods, both in Ordinary, and some unusuall
sorts of Vessels, the Copious Spirit that came over, had besides a
strong tast, to be met with in the Empyreumaticall Spirits of many
other Bodies, an Acidity almost like that of Vinager: Wherefore I
suspected, that though the sowrish Liquor Distill'd, for Instance,
from Box-Wood, be lookt upon by Chymists as barely the Spirit of it,
and therefore as one single Element or Principle; yet it does really
consist of two Differing Substances, and may be divisible into them;
and consequently, that such Woods and other Mixts as abound with such
a Vinager, may be said to consist of one Element or Principle, more
then the Chymists as yet are Aware of; Wherefore bethinking my self,
how the separation of these two Spirits might be made, I Quickly
found, that there were several wayes of Compassing it. But that of
them which I shall at present mention, was this, Having Destill'd a
Quantity of Box-Wood _per se_, and slowly rectify'd the sowrish
Spirit, the better to free it both from Oyle and Phlegme, I cast into
this Rectify'd Liquor a convenient Quantity of Powder'd Coral,
expecting that the Acid part of the Liquor would Corrode the Coral,
and being associated with it would be so retain'd by it, that the
other part of the Liquor, which was not of an acid Nature, nor fit to
fasten upon the Corals, would be permitted to ascend alone. Nor was I
deceiv'd in my Expectation; For having gently abstracted the Liquor
from the Coralls, there came over a Spirit of a Strong smell, and of a
tast very piercing, but without any sourness; and which was in diverse
qualities manifestly different, not only from a Spirit of Vinager, but
from some Spirit of the same Wood, that I purposely kept by me without
depriving it of its acid Ingredient. And to satisfy you, that these
two Substances were of a very differing Nature, I might informe you
of several Tryals that I made, but must not name some of them, because
I cannot do so without making some unseasonable discoveries. Yet this
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