fford a considerable Hint (_Pyrophilus_) to him, that would improve
the Art of Dying, to know what change of Colours may be produc'd by the
three several sorts of Salts already often mention'd, (some or other of
which may be procur'd in Quantity at reasonable Rates) in the Juices,
Decoctions, Infusions, and (in a word) the more soluble parts of
Vegetables. And, though the design of this Discourse be the Improvement of
Knowledge, not of Trades: yet thus much I shall not scruple to intimate
here, That the Blew Liquors, mention'd in the twentieth and one and
twentieth Experiments, are far from being the only Vegetable Substances,
upon which Acid, Urinous, and Alcalizate Salts have the like Operations to
those recited in those two Experiments. For Ripe _Privet Berries_ (for
instance) being crush'd upon White Paper, though they stain it with a
Purplish Colour, yet if we let fall on some part of it two or three drops
of Spirit of Salt, and on the other part a little more of the Strong
Solution of Pot-ashes, the former Liquor immediately turn'd that part of
the Thick juice or Pulp, on which it fell, into a lovely Red, and the
latter turn'd the other part of it into a delightfull Green. Though I will
not undertake, that those Colours in that Substance shall not be much more
Orient, than Lasting; and though (_Pyrophilus_) this Experiment may seem to
be almost the same with those already deliver'd concerning Syrrup of
Violets, and the Juice of Blew-bottles, yet I think it not amiss to take
this Occasion to inform you, that this Experiment reaches much farther,
than perhaps you yet imagine, and may be of good Use to those, whom it
concerns to know, how Dying Stuffs may be wrought upon by Saline Liquors.
For, I have found this Experiment to succeed in so many Various Berries,
Flowers, Blossoms, and other finer Parts of Vegetables, that neither my
Memory, nor my Leisure serves me to enumerate them. And it is somewhat
surprizing to see, by how Differingly-colour'd Flowers, or Blossoms, (for
example) the Paper being stain'd, will by an Acid Spirit be immediately
turn'd Red, and by any _Alcaly_ or any Urinous Spirit turn'd Green;
insomuch that ev'n the crush'd Blossoms of _Meserion_, (which I gather'd in
Winter and frosty Weather) and those of Pease, crush'd upon White Paper,
how remote soever their Colours be from Green, would in a moment pass into
a deep Degree of that Colour, upon the Touch of an Alcalizate Liquor. To
which let us add,