that Sea Scurvigrass, and Capers have something of a salt Savour. Salt obtains the chief place among Minerals, and salsitude or saltness is chiefly eminent in Sea-Salt, in Salt that is dug up, Nitre, and Sal Gemmae. The Excrements of Animals, to wit, the Dung, the Sweet, the Serum, are Salt; Blood also participates something of the Nature of Saltishness.
Secondly, Those Salts which are made by an artificial means, are the fixed Salts of Herbs, made by incineration or burning to Ashes: Compounded Salts, to wit, Borax, Sal Ammoniac. A volatile Salt is drawn forth of Amber, Bones, Horns, and also out of the Blood of Animals, by Sublimation,
Thirdly, As to the Third, all natural Salts, if they be distilled often over again, pass into acetous or tart Liquors: The reason of which is, because these kind of Con∣cretes suffer a divorce of the other Principles, by the fire, and so come more near to the Simple and Elementary Nature of Salt. Volatile Salts, at first white, if exposed to the Moisture of the Air, do melt into a reddish Liquor, not very Salt, and besides smelling like the stink of smoak or soot; because the mixture being loosned by the moist Air, the Saline Particles, for that they are volatile, many of them fly away, but in the mean time, the Sulphureous Particles, before subjugated, get the Do∣minion.
Fourthly, The Acid, or sour, or tart Savour or Taste, seems to be made, when the Particles of any Body are four pointed or corner'd (to wit, which appear with a smooth and acute point, and with a sharp Body, like a wedge made into a bigger bulk) so that which way soever applyed to the Sensory, they prick it, and by pressing it, something bind it up; and therefore they leave in it larger Incisions than any other Savour. This Kind of Savour, for the most part depends upon a fixed Salt, carried forth into a Flux.
First, Bodies naturally acid or sower, are among Vegetables, Pomecitrons, Oringes, Lemons, Berberries, Sorrel, Tamarinds, &c. Among Minerals scarce any to be met with, as I remember, nor is it easily to be found among Animals, unless perhaps the Melancholly Juice, the ferments of the Stomach, and Spleen, the Pancratic Juice, and also the fasting spittle of a Man, may be said to be something Acid.
Secondly, Made Acids, are Vinegar, and the Spirit of it, or the Liquor distilled: The Melanchollic Humor preternaturally begotten in the Body, which often like the Spirit of Vitriol, becomes Acid, and almost Corrosive. Vitriol, Salt, and Sulphur, be∣ing whole, and tasted in their solid substance, shew no kind of acidity, if they be made subject to Chymical Operation, send forth a Liquor highly acid; the reason of which was shewed but now.
Thirdly, As to the Third, Chymists say, that acetous Spirits, to wit, of Sulphur, Salt, Vitriol, &c. by a long Digestion and Circulation, do grow sweet. All acetous Mineral Spirits, also distilled Vinegar, and the juice of Vegetables; if they dissolve any Body, by knawing or corroding it, as Corals, Pearls, or any Precious Stones, put away their acidness; because the Particles of the fluid Salt, in the acid Stagma or Menstruum, are fixed to the Alchali Salt in the mixture. Moreover, these Kinds of Spirits, and ace∣tous Liquors, if they are mixed, either with Oil of Tartar, or with the fixed Salts of Herbs, loosed by Deliquium, loose their acidity. The Spirit of Vinegar being poured upon Salt of Tartar, and drawn off by distillation, becomes insipid. Spirit of Vitriol poured upon Quick-silver, and drawn off by distillation, putting away its acidity, acquires a taste like Allum; and if we may believe Helmont, passes by Coagulation into true Alum. Distilled Vinegar impregnated with the solution of Minium, or red Lead, grows wonderfully sweet.
5. The Sower, austere, or binding or astringent Savour, arises in Bodies, whose Particles are stuffed with very many little Spears and Hooks, which in chewing, being rolled upon the Sensory, are fixed to it, and greatly draw together, and pull its Fibres; not much unlike, as if a Comb, which Cards Wool, should be drawn up and down upon the hands. In substances indued with an austere savour, a fixed Salt, enwrapped with the Particles of the earthy Element, predominates.
First, Bodies naturally austere, among Vegetables, are the Fruit of the Medlar-Tree, of the Dog-Bryer, of the Cypress-Tree, Flowers of Pomegranat, Galls, Slows, Sumach, &c. Among Minerals Alum, Iron, Vitriol. Among living Creatures, or among their Parts, there is not as I remember, any austere savour to be met with.
Secondly, Bodies Artificially produced, which have an austere, sower or rough sa∣vour, are all made Vitriols, to wit, the Vitriol of Silver, of Steel, of Tin, of Cop∣per, &c. The reason of which is, because in these Minerals, the Saline Particles, are very much intangled with Terrene, and they continue in the same state, when they are