[f. prec.] The character or state of being volatile; volatility. Chiefly fig.
a. 1676. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. i. (1677), 19. I do not see the Animal or Vital Spirits, neither can they, by reason of their subtilty and volatileness, be discovered immediately to the Sense.
a. 1690. Hopkins, Expos., etc. (1692), 314. This would fix that Volatileness and Flittiness of our Memories, and make every truth as indelible, as it is necessary.
1727. Bailey (vol. II.), Volatileness, volatile Nature, Fleetingness; also a Property of Bodies whose Particles are apt to evaporate with Heat.
1766. Life Quin, xii. (1887), 48. Many mistakes which our immortal bard Shakespeare had by oversight, or the volatileness of his genius, suffered to creep into his works.
1849. Tait’s Mag., XVI. 314/1. With the volatileness of youth, he turned to his own amusements.
