basis for constituting a kind of secondary principle; and it differs from pure fixed fire in these particulars, that it communicates neither heat nor

light,—it causes no change, but only renders body apt to fuse by the force of a culinary fire,—and it can be conveyed from body to body, with this circumstance, that the body deprived of the phlogiston is greatly altered, as is the body that receives it.
*And as to the semi-metals, (which I mentioned) you will be pleased to observe, that they are regulus of antimony, bismuth, zinc, and regulus of arsenic. They are not malleable, and easily part with their phlogiston. Zinc and bismuth are free from the poisonous quality: but arsenic is the most violent poison; especially the shining crystalline calx of it, or flowers raised by the fire, and named white arsenic: and regulus of antimony is likewise a poison; not in its nature, but because it always contains a portion of arsenic in its composition.
*Antimony is of a pretty white bright colour, and has the splendor, opacity, and gravity of a metal, but under the hammer crumbles to dust. A moderate heat makes it flow, and a violent fire dissipates it into smoke and white vapors. They adhere to cold bodies, and when the farina is collected, we call these vapors flowers of antimony.
*Butter of antimony, good Sir, that wonderful corrosive, is a compound made by distilling pulverized regulus of antimony, and corrosive sublimate. The production, on operation, is a white matter, thick and scarce

fluid, which is the regulus of antimony united with the acid of sea-salt. Here the corrosive sublimate is decompounded, the mercury revivified, and the acid combined with it, quits it to join the regulus of antimony, because its affinity with it is greater.
(Little Ribble, the Chemist, went on, and with difficulty I could refrain from laughing; not on account of the man's talking nonsense, for his discourse was the very reverse of that; but by reason of the gripe he had of my arm, the pulls he gave me, if I happened to look another way, and the surprising eagerness with which he spoke; which shewed, that he was chemically struck to an amazing degree.)
*But liver of antimony, good Sir, is made of equal parts of nitre and antimony. On the mixture's being exposed to the action of fire, a violent detonation ensues, and the deflagrating nitre consumes the sulphur of the antimony, and even a part of its phlogiston.