To what an immense variety of purposes chemistry is subservient!
EMILY.
It appears, in that respect, to have an advantage over most other arts and sciences; for these, very often, have a tendency to confine the imagination to their own particular object, whilst the pursuit of chemistry is so extensive and diversified, that it inspires a general curiosity, and a desire of enquiring into the nature of every object.
CAROLINE.
I suppose that soup is likewise composed of gelatine; for, when cold, it often assumes the consistence of jelly?
MRS. B.
Not entirely; for though soups generally contain a quantity of gelatine, the most essential ingredient is a mucous or extractive matter, a peculiar animal substance, very soluble in water, which has a strong taste, and is more nourishing than gelatine. The various kinds of portable soup consist of this extractive matter in a dry state, which, in order to be made into soup, requires only to be dissolved in water.
Gelatine, in its solid state, is a semiductile transparent substance, without either taste or smell.—When exposed to heat, in contact with air and water, it first swells, then fuses, and finally burns. You may have seen the first part of this operation performed in the carpenter’s glue-pot.
CAROLINE.
But you said that gelatine had no smell, and glue has a very disagreeable one.