made up by the Coalition of those Steams. As (for Instance) we observe in
the Distilling of pure Salt peter, that at a certain season of the
Operation, the Body, though it seem either Crystalline, or White, affords
very Red Fumes: whereas though Vitriol be Green or Blew, the Spirit of it
is observ'd to come over in Whitish Fumes. The like Colour I have taken
notice of in the Fumes of several other Concretes of differing Colours, and
Natures, especially when Distill'd with strong Fires. And we elsewhere
note, that ev'n Soot, as Black as it is, has fill'd our Receivers with such
copious White Fumes, that they seem'd to have had their In-sides wash'd
with Milk. And no less observable may be, the Distill'd Liqours, into which
such Fumes convene, (for though we will not deny, that by skill and care a
Reddish Liqour may be obtain'd from Nitre) yet the common Spirit of it, in
the making ev'n of which store of these Red Fumes are wont to pass over
into the Receiver, appears not to be at all Red. And besides, that neither
the Spirit of Vitriol, nor that of Soot is any thing White; And, besides
also, that as far as I have observ'd, most (for I say not all) of the
Empyreumatical Oyls of Woods, and other Concretes, are either of a deep
Red, or of a Colour between Red and Black; besides this, I say, 'tis very
remarkable that notwithstanding that great Variety of Colours to be met
with in the Herbs, Flowers, and other Bodies wont to be Distill'd in
_Balneo_: yet (as far at least as our common Distillers Experience
reacheth) all the Waters and Spirits that first come over by that way of
Distillation, leave the Colours of their Concretes behind them, though
indeed there be one or two Vegetables not commonly taken notice of, whose
Distill'd Liqours I elsewhere observe to carry over the Tincture of the
Concrete with them. And as in Distillations, so in Sublimations, it were
worth while to take notice of what comes up, in reference to our present
scope, by purposely performing them (as I have in some cafes done) in
conveniently shap'd Glasses, that the Colour of the ascending Fumes may be
discern'd; For it may afford a Naturalist good Information to observe the