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folidity, to the primitive lime-ftone. -Many, if not most of the effects, here afcribed to Water, in uniting and confolidating the parts of various bodies, have been attributed, by modern chemifts and philofophers, to the gas, or fixable air, which enters into their compofition, which efcapes when they are diffolved, and which is capable, in certain circumstances, of being again restored to them.

Although Water be defined a fluid, it has been a controverted point among philofophers, whether fluidity be its natural state, or the effect of violence. We fometimes find it appear in a fluid, and sometimes in a folid form; and as the former, in our warmer climate, is the more common, we conclude it to be the proper one, and afcribe the other to the extraneous action of cold. Boerhaave, however, aflerts the contrary, and maintains Water to be naturally of the crystalline kind; fince, wherever a certain degree of fire is wanting to keep it in fufion, it readily grows into a hard fubftance, under the denomination of ice. Boyle is much of the fame opinion. Ice, he obferves, is commonly reputed to be Water brought into a preternatural ftate by cold; but with regard to the nature of things, and, fetting afide our arbitrary ideas, it might be as justly faid, that Water is ice preternaturally thawed by heat. If it be urged, that ice left to itfelf, will, upon the removal of the freezing agents, return to Water, it may be answered, that, not to mention the fnow and ice which lie, during the whole fummer, on the Alps, and other high mountains, even in the torrid zone, we have been affured, that, in fome parts of Siberia, the furface of the ground continues more months in the year frozen by the natural temperature of the climate, than thawed by the heat of the fun; and, a little below the furface of the ground, the water that may happen to be

lodged in the cavities there, continues in a flate of ice all the year round: fo that, in the heat of fummer, when the fields are covered with cora, if you dig a foot or two deep, you will find ice, and a frozen foil.

Water, if it could be had clear and pure, Boerhaave obferves,could have all the requifites of an element, and be as fimple as fire; but no expedient has hitherto been discovered, for procuring it fo pure. Rain-water, which feems the pureft of all thofe we know of, is replete with numberlefs exhalations of all kinds, which it imbibes from the air: fo that, if filtered and diflilled a thousand times, fæces fill remain. The rain-water, morcover, gathered from the roofs of houfes, is a lixivium of the falt of tiles, flate, and the like, impregnated with the dungs and fæces of the animals, birds, &c. depofited thereon, and the exhalations of numerous other things. It may be added, that all the rain-water, gathered in cities, mu at leaft be faturated with the fmoke of a thousand chimnies, and the various effluvia of a number of perfons, &c. Befide this, fire is contained in all water; as appears from its fluidity, which is owing to fire alone.

As what is in the air neceffarily mixes itself with Water, it hence appears impofiible to have fuch a thing as pure Water. If you percolate it through fand, or fqueeze it through pumice; or país it through any other body of the fame kind, you will always have falt remaining. Even diftillation cannot render it pure; for it leaves air therein, which neceffarily abounds in corpufcles of all forts.

The Water that flows within, or upon the furface of the earth, contains various earthy, faline, metallic, vegetable, or animal particles, according to the fubftances over or through which they país.

The purest of all waters we can any way obtain, is that distilled from

fnow

fnow, gathered in a clear, ftill, pinching night, in fome very high place; taking none but the outer or fuperficial part of it. By a number of repeated diftillations, the greateft part of the earth, and other fæces, may be feparated from this: and this is what we must be contented to call pure Water. In a word, it is the opinion of Boerhaave, that no perfon ever faw a drop of pure water; that the utmost of its purity known, a mounts only to its being free from this or that fort of matter; that it can never, for inftance, be quite deprived of falt; fince air will always accompany it, and air always contains falts.

Many of the most eminent chemists have made experiments, in order to afcertain the converfion of Water into earth. Boyle relates, that an ounce of Water, diftilled carefully in glafs veffels two hundred times, yielded fix drams of a white,light,infipid earth, fixed in the air, and indiffoluble in Water. Hence he concludes, that the whole Water, by farther profecuting the operation, might be converted into earth. Godfrey, and others, concur in this opinion; but Boerhaave (who attributes the earth obtained by Boyle to the duft floating in the air, and to the inftruments employed in the operation) is fupported by Macquer, and others, in maintaining, that pureWater is unalterable, and incapable of being decomposed; fo that whatever be the fubftances with which it is combined, when feparated from thefe and fufficiently purified (and alfo when diftilled fingly, or mixed with other fubftances) its nature and effential properties ftill remain unchanged. Water feems to be diffused every where and to be prefent in all space,

where there is matter. There are few bodies in nature that will not yield Water; and it is even afferted, that fire itself is not without it. A. mong other remarkable circumstances it has been obferved, that bones dead and dried twenty-five years, and thus become almost as hard as iron, have yet, by diftillation, afforded half their weight of water.

Water is a very volatile body: it is entirely reduced into vapour, and diffipated, when exposed to the fire and unconfined. Heated in an open veffel, it has been observed to acquire no more than a certain determinate degree of heat, how intense soever the fire to which it is expofedwhich greatest degree of heat is that which it has when it boils quickly.

It was formerly imagined, that Water was incompreffible, and therefore, non-elaftic; an opinion, founded on the famous Florentine experiment already mentioned, as proving its penetrative power. But the validity of the inferences drawn from this experiment have been justly queftioned; Mr. Canton having proved, by very accurate experiments, that Water is actually compreffed by the weight of the atmosphere.

But not to be too diffufive on this fubject, I fhall endeavour to state concifely the nature of the component particles of Water, and then its various uses.

Firft the particles of Water are, as to our fenfes, infinitely fmall, whence their penetrative power. 2. Very fmooth and flippery, or void of any fenfible afperities. 3. Extremely felid. 4. Perfectly transparent, and as fuch invifible.* 5. If Water be confidered as confifting of fpherical, or cubical particles, hollow within. fide, and of a firm texture, here will

be

* Pure Water, inclosed in a vessel hermetically fealed, projects no shadow ; fo that the eye shall not be able to discover, whether the vessel have Water is it or not; befides, the cryftals of falts, when the Water is feparated from them, lofe their transparency.

be enough to account for the difficulty of compreffing it, and alfo for its being light, fluid, and volatile; its firmness and familiarity will make it refift fufficiently; and its vacuity renders it light enough, &c. And the little contact between fpherules, (if, indeed, they touch at all) will account for the weakness of its cohefion. 6. Water is the most infipid of all bodies; the taste we fometimes obferve therein, not arifing from the mere water, but from falt, vitriol, or other bodies mixed with it. And, laftly, it is perfectly inodorous, and void of the least fmell.

The ufes of Water are infinite; in food, medicine, agriculture, navigation, and divers of the arts. As a food it is one of the most univerfal drinks in the world; and, if we may credit many of our latest and most judicious phyficians, it is alfo one of

the beft. As a medicine, it is found internally a powerful febrifuge; and excellent against colds, coughs, the ftone, fcurvy, &c. Externally, its effects are not lets conficerable In agriculture and gardening, Water is allowed abfolutely eceffary to vegetation. Many naturalifts have even maintained it to be the vegetable matter, or the only proper food of plants; but Dr. Woodward has overturned that pinion, and endeavoured to fhew, that the office of Water in vegetation is only to be a vehicle to a terretrial matter, of which vegetables are formed; and that it does not itself make any addition to them. Water is of the utmost use in chemistry; being one of the great inftruments by which all its operations are performed, and it is of the greatest service in divers of the mechanical arts, and orcinary occafions of life.

The following Apologue will, we truft, be acceptable-It is from a pamphlet entitled Rights of Citizens," being one of the many replies which have been made to Mr. Paine's "Rights of Man."-The author of this must be allowed to poffefs a pleafing fancy,

"NI know not what century, (the particles of water fhould be oppref

I reader can others

ter than themfelves: their forerunners, it is true, had been fubmitting to the fane coercion time out of mind; but what was this to them? The rights of living waters were not to be thus controuled and fported away as to divifions of waters into fprings, lakes, rivers, &c. these they rejected as mere civil diftinctions; and pushed their refearches to that

nology) but it was after the flood, a fpirit of tumult and philofophy is faid to have moved upon the face of the waters Rivers, which had been running quietly within their banks for ages, through mere want of refection) now firft difcovered that they were in fuch a state of depravity, as made it neceffary to recur to firft principles; and rights of waters were making a rapid progrefs thro' the globe. It was argued, that his confinement within banks was a reftraint they had upon themfelves,contrary to the bountiful intentions of nature. They were created fountains, with equal natural rights, and deemed it expedient for the purposes of investigation, to go back to their four-phic level; in this state of affairs then ces: nor could they fee why fome VOL. III. No. 9.

time when water came from the hand's of its Maker: what was it then iWater: water was its high and only title. From this æra they derived their rights. Now a rumour went, that in the time of Noah, a great aquatic revolution had taken place, and reduced all things to a philofo

it was refolved by the rivers, that Ꭰ

they

they would be imprisoned within hanks no longer, nor be driven headJong in one direction at the arbitrary will of their fountains; but would fhed their laft drop in afferting the indefeasible rights of waters. The Nile, a river of obfcure origin, and (as it is not unufual with that clafs,) always remarkable for its ungovern able temper, and levelling principles, led the way; and Egypt was covered with an inundation. Every cultivated inequality was overwhelmed; and all diftinctions levelled; nature

was fuppofed to have refumed her rights; and philofophy contemplated with fatisfaction all the grand fimplicity of ruin; when lo! the ride of tumult began to ebb: eminences were feen to get their heads above water; the party continued to gain ground; and all things tended to a counter revolution: the Nile retired imperceptibly within its channel; leaving the country oppreffed with luxuries, and fwarming with monfters, the rank and corrupt produce of this watery revolution.

ELMINA; or, THE FLOWER THAT NEVER FADES.
A Tale for young Ladies.

A Long, while ago, in a country Her friends fopped to liften to her

a great way off, there lived a young princess called Elmina. She was beautiful, and very amiable; those are always fo who are young and innocent but innocence and beauty very often difappear with infancy. unle's pains be taken to fix them in the heart. The young princess was an orphan; and a beneficent fairy called Lindorine took care of her education. Elmina knew not that the was a fairy; but fhe loved Lindorine as a friend, and honoured her as a

mother.

The princefs obtained permiffion

one day to go and divert herself with her companions on the green. Soon did this joyous troop difperfe themfelves across the mead in purfait of butterflies, and along the rivulet in fearch of flowers.

When they had gathered a great quantity of thefe, they fat down

under the fhade of a tree, to form bouquets, and crowns and garlands; and while they were engaged in this agreeable amusement, fome told tales, whilft the reft liftened for young girls like to hear tales, and they never forget what they understand. Elmina, lefs curious and lefs talkative, fang while fhe arranged her flowers.

fong. I fuppofe the fairy had taught
it to her. Here it is:

Why, alas! art thou fo frail!
Lovely flow'rs that deck our meads,
Soon, foon, thou ev'ry one falt fail.
Ye flow'rs that now adorn our beads,

The dew besprinkled rose, at morn,
Spreads its fresh beauties to the day;
F'er noon, its leaves are faded, torn,
And before night blown far away.

Its breath cafts fragrance all around;
The modeft wi'let hides its bead ;
No perfume marks where't may be
Anon it fades; foor it is dead;
found.

The nofegay that adorns the bride,
Ev'n while it charms, exterts a figh:
Ye flow'rs fo gay, our gardens pride,
What pity thou fo foon muft die!

That keeps its vivid tints for age;
I've heard my fiflers, there's a four,
The mead, the rill, fo pure and gay.
To find it, I've ranfack'd the bow'r

I've fearch'd in vain;all thefe do fade;
See how their heads begin to droop!
Sweet flow'rs! thy fate I mourn, for
faid,

And turn'dber from th' attentive troop.

Elmina ftopt. All the garlands were finished, and her companions role up. What fhall we do now, faid they? We have fine garlands and crowns. Let us play the beauty of the rondeau. That was a play which the young girls of that country had invented. They chose the most amiable of the company, dreft her out in the gayeft manner, and crowned her with flowers; then they fung and danced around her. It was, however, a very delicate affair to make this choice, and what I fhould not like to meddle with, to choose the most beautiful among a troop of young girls; nor could they eafity agree among themfelves on this point. Several of them wifhed to crown Elmina; but the was too modeft to believe herself the moft amiable; and fhe thought fé. veral of her companions were charm. ing; for the was not in the leaft jea. lous of the beauty of others. My friends, faid the to them, a notion has come into my head Let each of us gather a favourite flower, and put them all into a hat; then throw the whole up in the air; and the girl whofe flower fhall go fartheft, fhall be the beauty of the rondeau. They all approved of this happy thought, and went each to choose her favourite flower.

Among the companions of Elmina there was one young princefs who was called Malinette, and who was very malignant and vain. She ran into a neighbouring field and picked out a blewet, which she put into the hat, after having dexterously rolled the stalk about a small pebble.

It is easy to devife why this fly girl did for by this trick, her flower be coming the heaviest, ought to be thrown the fartheft. The other girls chose without artifice the flowers they really preferred. One brought a ranunculus, another a primrose, a third a violer. As to Elmina, the went in quest of an eglantine; that was the

flower the chofe. She faw a bufh covered with them; but I know not why the modeft Elmina chofe the finalleft and the lighteft.

At the moment when they threw up the flowers from the hat, to fee which of them would go fartheft, a light zephyr arofe, and carried off the eglantine. It was, however, falling fhort of the blewet; but a fine butterfly ftruck it as it defcended, and carried it far beyond the blewet. The girls made a fhout of joy on feeing this little miracle, crowned El mina, and dreffed her out as the belle of the rondeau. This was no difficult task; for Elmina was beautiful, and they had plenty of flowers. The princess, dreit and crowned, was placed upon a fmall throne of fod; and in dancing around her, they fung, Join band in hand, and gayly fing, As we dance around the ring;

Nimbly trip it as ye go, On the light fantastic toe;" Round, and round, and round again, Three times round, then back again. Now top, loose bands, and court fey low, Each with obeisance due to fair Elmina,

Let each prefent a flow'ry bow

To our youthful chofen queen; Hail! fair Elmina, beauteous queen, Long may thy prefence glad this lovely

green.

The play would have continued; but it was interrupted by fome noife which they heard in the grove; out of which came a little old woman, and approached the cheerful dancers. The girls were at firft afraid, and thought of running away; but the affable air of the old woman, and the foftness of her voice calmed their fears. She had a robe all of green; her hat was of rufhes of the fame colour, adorned with a bouquet of green leaves: She had green gloves, and carried in her hand a green pot, in which was a little green tree.

It

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