MRS. B.
And in many respects they are of a similar nature; for lees of wine consist chiefly of tartrit of potash; a salt which exists in the juice of the grape, and in many other vegetables, and is developed only by the vinous fermentation. During this operation it is precipitated, and deposits itself on the internal surface of the cask in which the wine is contained. It is much used in medicine, and in various arts, particularly dying, under the name of cream of tartar, and it is from this salt that the tartarous acid is obtained.
CAROLINE.
But the medicinal cream of tartar is in appearance quite different from these dark-coloured dregs; it is perfectly colourless.
MRS. B.
Because it consists of the pure salts only, in its crystallised form; whilst in the instance before us it is mixed with the deep-coloured extractive matter, and other foreign ingredients.
EMILY.
Pray cannot we now obtain pure alcohol from the brandy which we have distilled?
MRS. B.
We might; but the process would be tedious: for in order to obtain alcohol perfectly free from water, it is necessary to distil, or, as the distillers call it, rectify it several times. You must therefore allow me to produce a bottle of alcohol that has been thus purified. This is a very important ingredient, which has many striking properties, besides its forming the basis of all spirituous liquors.