The works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq., epitomiz'd by Richard Boulton ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

Appendix to the II. Title.

Oyl becomes much more hard in Muscovy than here in England in the most excessive Cold, but will in neither be turn'd into perfect Ice. And Captain James, speaking of an Island where he and his Men were forced to Winter, Pag. 58, says, All our Sack, Vinegar, Oyl, and every Thing else that was liquid, was now frozen as hard as a piece of Wood, and we must cut it with a Hatchet. And Olaus Magnus, Gent. Sept. Hist. l. 11. c. 24, says, speaking of the Fights wont to be made on the Ice in the Northern Regions, Gla∣cialis congressus fit in Laneis calcibus, non pel∣libus, aut coriis unctis. Vis enim frigoris, quod∣cunque fit unctuosum, convertit in Lubricitatem gla∣cialem.

There being a great similitude betwixt Spirit of Wine and Oyl, in respect of their inflamma∣bility,

and being dispos'd to mix with oily Bo∣dies, and as great an aptitude in the Spirit of Wine to mix with other Liquors: I enquir'd of the Russian Emperor's Physician, what alte∣rations he had observ'd to be produc'd by Cold in Muscovy? To which he answer'd, That Ani∣seed and other weak Spirits would be turned into an imperfect kind of Ice, and that strong ones would turn Ice into a kind of Substance like Oyl.

Particulars referrable to the II. Title.

• 1, In a very hard Frost in December, a Solu∣tion of Minium near the Fire seem'd to be froze; tho' it was made with Spirit of Vinegar, and so strong, that part of it was shot into Saccharum Saturni. Some at the top, which was yellow, did not freeze, tho' poured out.
• 2. A Solution of Gold made with Salts was likewise froze. As also a Pint-vial full of the Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum, which being froze, the Ice had no such colour as the Tin∣cture.
• 3. It is reported, That in Russia, Brandy will freeze, but the Ice of it is not so hard as com∣mon Ice. And I am inform'd, that in Moscow the Spirit of Wine would freeze; leaving some dissolv'd in the middle which was much stronger than ordinary Brandy. And I am told, that in Russia it is usual to have Wine froze.

French Brandy being exposed to the Air in Russia froze; and Sallet-oyl become as hard as Tallow, but Water, at the same time did not freeze.