alcohol,--its tendency to unite with water; for the resin is
precipitated in consequence of losing the alcohol, which abandons it
from its preference for water. It is attended also, as you may
recollect, with the same peculiar circumstance of a disengagement of
heat and consequent diminution of bulk, which we have supposed to be
produced by a mechanical penetration of particles by which latent heat
is forced out.

Alcohol unites thus readily not only with resins and with water, but
with oils and balsams; these compounds form the extensive class of
elixirs, tinctures, quintessences, &c.

EMILY.

I suppose that alcohol must be highly combustible, since it contains so
large a proportion of hydrogen?

MRS. B.

Extremely so; and it will burn at a very moderate temperature.

CAROLINE.

I have often seen both brandy and spirit of wine burnt; they produce a
great deal of flame, but not a proportional quantity of heat, and no
smoke whatever.

MRS. B.

The last circumstance arises from their combustion being complete; and
the disproportion between the flame and heat shows you that these are by
no means synonymous.

The great quantity of flame proceeds from the combustion of the hydrogen
to which, you know, that manner of burning is peculiar. --Have you not
remarked also that brandy and alcohol will burn without a wick? --They
take fire at so low a temperature, that this assistance is not required
to concentrate the heat and volatilise the fluid.

CAROLINE.

I have sometimes seen brandy burnt by merely heating it in a spoon.

MRS. B.

The rapidity of the combustion of alcohol may, however, be prodigiously
increased by first volatilising it. An ingenious instrument has been
constructed on this principle to answer the purpose of a blow-pipe,
which may be used for melting glass, or other chemical purposes. It
consists of a small metallic vessel (PLATE XIV. Fig. 2.), of a spherical
shape, which contains the alcohol, and is heated by the lamp beneath it;
as soon as the alcohol is volatilised, it passes through the spout of
the vessel, and issues just above the wick of the lamp, which
immediately sets fire to the stream of vapour, as I shall show you--

EMILY.

With what amazing violence it burns! The flame of alcohol, in the state
of vapour, is, I fancy, much hotter than when the spirit is merely burnt
in a spoon?

MRS. B.

Yes; because in this way the combustion goes on much quicker, and, of
course, the hea