MEN
( fti )
ME R
Menftrunm is properly defined a Body, which being ap- tides which conStitute Spirit of Wine, are more Strongly
plied to, or intermixed with another, does fo diSTolve it, attracted by each other, than by thole of a faline Body
as that all the diffolving Parts float among the Parts dif- immerged in it.
folved j and fo divides it into its minutcit Parts, as that Hence we fee the Reafons of the different Effects of
the Parts of the Diffolvent are intermixed with thofe of different Menftnn-ms ; why fome Bodies, for inftance
the Body diflblved. Whence it appear?, that every Men- Metals, diffolve in a fali'ne Msnjfomm : Others again, as
Jiruum in diffolving a Body, is likewife diffolved itfelf , Refin, in a fulphureous one, \§t. particularly why Silver
fo as with the Body it diffolve?, to make up one Body, diffolves in Aqua forth, and Gold only in Aqua Regalh ;
A Knife therefore divides Bread, but is not on that account all the Varieties whereof are accountable for, from the
a Menfiruum; as it does not constitute one Body with the different Degrees of Cohesion, i.e. of Attraction in the
Bread : but Water boil'd with the Bread is a Me'nflruum, Parts of the Body to be diSfoIved, the different Diameters
with regard to the Bread, as it only makes up one Body and F'gures of its Pores, the different Degrees, of Attrac-
therewith. See Dissoltj
The antient Chy miffs were very careful in all their ProceSfcs, that neither the Degree of Fire, nor the Men- jiruum, might deceive 'em.
tion in the Msnftrutm, and the different Diameters and Figures of its Parts. See Cohesion.
Suppofe, e.g. the Attraction of Gold to that of Sil- ver, to be as A to B j and of Silver to Aquafortis as b to d j
All Menjiruums, at the time they act as fuch, that is, but that of Aqua forth to Aqua Regia, as.d to e; let/
at the time they are diffolving, act as Liquids ; whether Signify the Magnitude of Particles in Aqua forth, and r
fuch Menflruvm be a Liquid or a Solid. Ihus, e.gr. Sil- thofe in Aqua Regia-, e the Cohesion of Gold, and e the
ver is a Menjrruum with regard to Gold ; for if you take Cohefion of Silver : If the Diameters of the Particles f t
an Ounce of Silver, melt it at the Fire, and add a Grain are greater than the Diameters of the Pores of Gold,, they
of Gold J all the Parrs of the Silver will intermix them- can never diffolve the Gold, let their attractive Force be
felves with the Parts of the Gold: fo, as that the Gold ever fo Strong. Butif fr^exr be greater than g, then the
and Silver, which before were fcparate, now make one Silver will yield to the Ttfefrfttsnm whofe Particles are /,
and lefs than the Pores of the Silver ; and if b — -exr be
Mafs. But Gold and Silver are only Menjiruums as they are diffolved by the Fire ; i.e. as they are fluid.
All Menjtrv.i'.ms may be divided into two Claffes 5 the firif. confififfof fuch as arc fluid ; the fecond of fuch as are jol/d : that is, they are either actually divided, or they muft be fo e'er they act
lefs thang, the Silver will never diflolve in the Iwettjtrtatm* the Par ticle s whereof are r, and the attractive Force e. But if a — exr be greater than c, the Menjirmm made up of the Particles r, and whofe attractive Force is e will
Fluid Menjiruums 'are Water, Dew, Oils, Saline and be able to penetrate and diffolve the Gold.
Acid Spirits, Alkali, Salts, f$c. and Solid Menjtruums, are -How aMenJlruum may fufpend Bodies much heavier
fuch as muff be made fluid e'er they will diflolve ; fuch tnan "felf, which very often happens, may be conceiv'd
are molt Salts, Nitre, Vitriol, &c. See Water, Salt, dV considering, that the Parts of no Fluid can be fo eafily
Vitriol, &c. feparated, but they will a little refifr, or retard the De-
As •'to-ike'jiSio'n of Menjiruums ; Sir Ifaac Newton accounts fcent of any heavy Bodies through them 5 and that this
for it from the Acids wherein they are impregnated. Refinance is, ceteris paribus, Still proportionable to the
The Particles of Acids are found to be endued with Surface of the defcending Bodies: But the Surfaces of
a STrong attractive Force, wherein their Activity conSiSts, and by virtue whereof they diffolve Bodies. See At- traction. Thefe Acids he fuppofes of a middle Na- ture between Water, and hard Bodies, and to attract both. By this Attraction they gather together about the Particles of Bodies, whether metallick, irony, or the
Bodies do by no means increafe, or decreafe, in the fame Proportion as their Solidities do ; for the Solidity in- creafeth as the Cube, but the Surface only as the Square of the Diameter. Small Bodies, therefore, will have much larger Surfaces, in proportion to their folid Con- tents, than larger Bodies will ; and confequently when.
like, and adhere to them very clofe, fo as fcarce to be exceedingly diminished, may eafily be buoyed up in the
feparated from 'em by Distillation, or Sublimation. Thus Liquor. See Descent, Resistance, £«?c. Strongly attracted, and gather'd together on all Sides, Menstruum Feracutum, a Name Mr. l.oylc gives to a
they raife, disjoin, and Shake afunder the Particles of Bo- Menftruum he extracted from Bread only, that would
dies, i.e. they diffolve them ; and by the attractive Pow- prey on Bodies more compact than many hard Minerals,
er whereby they rufh. agamfl the Particles of the Bodies, na y ev cn on Glafs, and do many things that Aqua forth
they move the Fluid, and fo excite Heat, Shaking fome would not do ; With this he drew Tinctures not only from
of the Particles to that degree, as to convert 'em into Crude Corals, but alfo from the Lapis Hematites and
Air, and fo generating Bubbles. See Acid.
Dr. Ke'/l gives us the Theory or Foundation of the Action of Menjiruums, in the following Propositions.
i°. Two Corpulcles may be placed fo near each other, without touching, as that the Force wherewith they at- tract each other, /ball eafily exceed that of their Gra- vity.
Granates, nay from Diamonds and Kubies. See Di- gestion.
MENSURATION, the Act or Art of Meafaring. See Measuring.
MENTAL, is underftood of the Conception, or Ope- ration of the Understanding : Thus a Mental Prayer is fuch a one as is made merely in the Mind, without pro-
1°. If a Corpufcle placed in a Fluid he every way e- nouncing one wordof it. A Mental Refervacion,^. See
qualiy attracted by the ambient Particles, the Corpufcle Reservation.
will not be put in any Motion; but if it be attracted MENTUM, in Anatomy, is the lower Part of the
more by fome of the Particles than by others, it will then Face, beneath the Mouth ; which we otherwife diftin-
tend towards that Quarter where the Attraction is the guiSh by the Name of Chin.
Strongest ; and the Motion thus produced will be cor- MENUET, or Minuet, a kind of Dance, the Steps
refpondent to the Inequality of the Attraction : That is, whereof are extremely quick, and Short : It confilts of a
if the Inequality be great, the Motion will be fo j and if Coupee, a high Step, and a Balance ; it begins with a
little, little. Beat, and its Meafure, or Motion, is Triple.
3 . Corpufcles fwimming in a Fluid, and attracting MEPHITES, and Mefhitical Exhalations, any poi-
each other more than the interpofed Patricks of the fonous and noxious Steams iffuing out of the Earth, from
Fluid; thofe Particles of" the Fluid will be driven aSIde, what Caufe foever. See Poison.
and the Corpufcles approach each other with a Force The mo Si remarkable Places of this kind is the Grotta
equal to the Excefs of their mutual Attraction, beyond de Cant near Fuzzoli, about two Miles from Naples, in
the Attraction of the Particles of the Fluid. itatyi the Steams of which kill Dogs, or other Animals,
4 . If a Body be placed in a Fluid whofe Parts attract when brought within its reach : A very curious Account
the Particles of the Fluid more itrongly than thofe Par- of which, and the manner of its E-fficacy, is given by
tides are attracted by one another ; and if in the Body Dr. Mead in his Effay on Poifons. See Grotto. there be feveral Pores pervious to the Particles of thofe MERCERS Company. See Company.
Fluid, the Fluid wilt pre fently diffufe itfelf through the Pores 5 and if the Connection of the Parts in that Body be not fo flrong but that it may be exceeded by the Im- petus of the Particles rufhing together ; the immers'd Bo- dy will undergo a Dissolution.
MERCERS-Chapel School. See School.
MERCHANDISE, or, Mercantile Profefion, the Function of a Merchant ; or the Art, Method, i$c. of exercifing a Whole-Sale Commerce. See Commerce.
The Mercantile ProRSflon is efleemed Noble, and Inde-
Flence, for a Menjlruum to be fit to diffolve a given pendent. In France, by two Arrets of Louis XIV. the one Body, there are three things required. ift, That the of 1669. the other of 1701. the Nobility are allow'd to
Pans of the Body attract the Patticles of the Menjlmum more Strongly than thofe are attrafted by each other. idly, That the Body have Pores adequate and pervious to the Particles of the Menfimum, %dly, That the Cohe- fion of the Parts of the Body be not fo flrong but that it
trade, both by Land and Sea, without derogating from their Nobility : And we have frequent Inflances of Mer- chants ennobled in that Country, in regard of the Utility of their Commerce, and the Manufactures they have fet up. In Bretagne, even a Retail Trade does not derogate from
may be torn afunder by the Impetus of the Particles the Nobility. When the Nobles of the Province are dif- rufhing together. Hence alfo it follows, that the Par- pofed for Commerce, they let their Nobility Sleep, that
