CodalSearch this book — or all of Codal…⌘K
nydus/The Sceptical ChymistPublic

Robert Boyle presents a series of philosophical dialogues between the characters Carneades and Eleutherius. The text examines the author's reasons for questioning both Peripatetic and chemical doctrines regarding the material principles of mixed bodies.

Page 238 of 277
Table of Contents

The Sixth Part.

Lookt upon as Different Things;

I shall invite you to observe with me, That Clouds, Rain, Hail, Snow, Froth, and Ice, may be but water, having its parts varyed as to their size and distance in respect of each other, and as to motion and rest. And among Artificial Productions we may take notice (to skip the Crystals of Tartar) of Glass, Regulus, Martis-Stellatus, and particularly of the Sugar of Lead, which though made of that insipid Metal and sour salt of Vinager, has in it a sweetnesse surpassing that of common Sugar, and divers other qualities, which being not to be found in either of its two ingredients, must be confess’d to belong to the Concrete it self, upon the account of its Texture.

This Consideration premis’d, it will be, I hope, the more easie to perswade you that the Fire may as well produce some new textures in a parcel of matter, as destroy the old.

Wherefore hoping that you have not forgot the Arguments formerly imploy’d against the Doctrine of the Tria prima; namely that the Salt, Sulphur

238