The late Mr. Grosse, a celebrated Chymist of the Academy of Sciences, observed, that Phosphorus being dissolved in essential oils crystallizes therein. These crystals take fire in the air, either when thrown into a dry vessel, or wrapt up in a piece of paper. If they be dipped in Spirit of Wine, and taken out immediately, they do not afterwards take fire in the air: they smoke a little, and for a very short time, but hardly waste at all. Though some of them were left in a spoon for a fortnight, they did not seem to have lost any thing of their bulk: but when the spoon was warmed a little they took fire, just like common Phosphorus that had never been dissolved and crystallized in an essential Oil. M. Marggraff, having put a dram of Phosphorus, with an ounce of highly concentrated Spirit of Nitre, into a glass retort, observed, that, without the help of fire, the Acid dissolved the Phosphorus; that part of the Acid came over into the recipient which was luted to the retort; that, at the same time, the Phosphorus took fire, burnt furiously, and burst the vessels with explosion. Nothing of this kind happens when any of the other Acids, though concentrated, are applied to Phosphorus. PROCESS III. _To decompose Sea-salt by means of the Vitriolic Acid. Glauber's Salt. The Purification and Concentration of Spirit of Salt._ Put the Sea-salt from which you mean to extract the Acid into an unglazed earthen pipkin, and set it amidst live coals. The Salt will decrepitate, grow dry, and fall into a powder. Put this decrepitated Salt into a tubulated glass retort, leaving two thirds thereof empty. Set the retort in a reverberating furnace; apply a receiver like that used in distilling the Smoking Spirit of Nitre, and lute it on in the same manner, or rather more exactly if possible. Then through the hole, in the upper convexity of the retort, pour a quantity of highly concentrated Oil of Vitriol, equal in weight to about a third part of your Salt, and immediately shut the hole very close with a glass stopple, first ground therein with emery so as to fit it exactly. As soon as the Oil of Vitriol touches the Salt, the retort and receiver will be filled with abundance of white vapours; and soon after, without lighting any fire in the furnace, drops of a yellow liquor will distil from the nose of the retort. Let the distillation proceed in this manner without fire, as long as you perceive any drops come: afterwards kindle a very small fire under the retort, and continue distilling and raising the fire by very slow degrees, and with great caution, to the end of the distillation; which will be finished before you have occasion to make the retort red-hot. Unlute the vessels, and without delay pour the liquor, which is a very smoking Spirit of Salt, out of the receiver into a crystal bottle, like that directed for the smoking Spirit of Nitre. _OBSERVATIONS._