and procurable Liquor than the Infusion of _Lignum Nephriticum_, it may yet
be easily substituted in its Room, when we have a mind to examine, whether
or no the Salt predominant in a Liquor or other Body, wherein 'tis Loose
and Abundant, belong to the Tribe of _Acid_ Salts or not. For if such a
Body turn the Syrrup of a Red or Reddish Purple Colour, it does for the
most part argue the Body (especially if it be a distill'd Liquor) to abound
with Acid Salt. But if the Syrrup be made Green, that argues the
Predominant Salt to be of a Nature repugnant to that of the Tribe of Acids.
For, as I find that either Spirit of Salt, or Oyl of Vitriol, or
_Aqua-fortis_, or Spirit of Vinegar, or Juice of Lemmons, or any of the
Acid Liquors I have yet had occasion to try, will turn Syrrup of Violets,
of a _Red_, (or at least, of a _Reddish_ Colour, so I have found, that not
only the Volatile Salts of all Animal Substances I have us'd, as Spirit of
Harts-horn, of Urine, of Sal-Armoniack, of Blood, &c. but also all the
Alcalizate Salts I have imploy'd, as the Solution of Salt of Tartar, of
Pot-ashes, of common Wood-ashes, Lime-water, &c. will immediately change
the Blew Syrrup, into a perfect Green. And by the same way (to hint that
upon the by) I elsewhere show you, both the changes that Nature and Time
produce, in the more Saline parts of some Bodies, may be discover'd, and
also how ev'n such Chymically prepar'd Bodies, as belong not either to the
Animal Kingdome, or to the Tribe of _Alcali's_, may have their new and
superinduc'd Nature successfully Examin'd. In this place I shall only add,
that not alone the Changing the Colour of the Syrrup, requires, that the
Changing Body be more strong, of the Acid, or other sort of Salt that is
Predominant in it, than is requisite for the working upon the Tincture of
_Lignum Nephriticum_; but that in this is also, the Operation of the
formerly mention'd Salts upon our Syrrup, differs from their Operation upon
our Tinctures, that in this Liquor, if the Cæruleous Colour be _Destroy'd_
by an Acid Salt, it may be _Restor'd_ by one that is either Volatile, or
Lixiviate; whereas in Syrrup of Violets, though one of these contrary Salts