■^..’V/7'y, J V \ Digitized by the Internet'Archiv^ in 2015 https://archive.org/details/scepticalchymist00boyl_1 THE Sceptical Chymiftt o R CH YMICO-P HYSICAL Doubts & Paradoxes , Touching the EXPERIMENTS WHEREBY VULGAR SPAGIRISTS Are wont to Endeavour to Evince their SALT , SULPHUR MERCURY, T O B E The True Principles of Things. Tb which in this Edition are fubjoyn’d divers Experiment? and Notes about the Produch blenefs of ChymiCalPr'mciples. ~~ O X F O R D, Piintcdby HENRT HALL fori?/V. and B. Took. zx the Ship in St. Church.Yard. cMaii 3®* *677* Imprimatur. H E N: CLERKE Fice-Canc.Oxon, I PREFACE INTRODVCTOIIY To the follo'tifin^ Treatifi. Ogive the Reader an account^ Why the foUoiving Treatife is fuff'erd to pafs abroad fo maim'd and im- ferfeBy JmuB inform him that ^tis now long fwcey that to gratify an ingenious Gentleman , / ft down fame of the Reafons that kef t mefromfuUy ac^uiefcing ei- ther in the Terifatetical^ or in the Chymical DoBrine^ of the Material Prittcifles of mixt Bodies. This Difcourfe fome years after falling into the hands of fome learned men^ had the good luck to he fo favourably receiv'd ' and ad- vantagioujly ffokenofbythem^that having had more than ordinary Invitations given me to make it fublick,^ 1 thought fit to review it, that 1 might retrench fome things that feem'd not fa fit to be Jf)ewn to every Reader , And fubBitute fome of thofe other things that oceurr d to me of jd a thi A Preface Introdudory. ihi tryfiUs and obfervations 1 had find made: What became of myfapers-, I eJfewhere mention in a Vre face where 1 complain of it But fince I writ That, 1 found many ffnets that belong d to> the fvb 'tBs I am now about to difcourje of Wherefore feeing that I had then in my hands as mush of the fir ft Dialogue as was requifite to Slate t he Cafe ^ and ferveforan Jntroduhiion as ipellto the conference betwix.tQ^\Vi^.z6.t% and E- leutherius, as to fame other Dialogues , which for certain reajons are not herewith fublifif d, I refold’d to fupply, as well as Icould^ the Contents of a Taper belong ing tothefecond ofthefa&ow- ingDifcourJes , which 1 could not poftibly re- trive^ though it were the chief of them all. And having once more try’d the Opinion of Friendsy but not the fame^ about this imperfeSl work., J found it fuch , that I was content in comply ance with their Defiresdbat not only it fhould he pub- lifh'd, but that it fl-)Ould be publiflf d as foon as conveniently might he. I had indeed all along the Dialogues Jpoken of my fdf , as »f a third Ter-r fon\ For they containing Difcourjh which were ainong th- fir ^ Treaties that Iventur d Long ago to write of inattersT hiloftophical y 1 had reajon to deftre, with the Painter, to hiere pone tabu- lam, and hear what men would fay of them,before lowndmyfelfto he their Author. Eutbeftdes t hat now I find ft t is not unknown to many who it is A Preface Introductory. that writ thtm, lam made to believe that ’/« mt inexpedient* they ffjould be known to come from a Terfon altogether a firanger to Chymical Aff'airs. Andl madethe lefs fcruple t» let them come abroad uncomplcated^fartlyfecauje my af- fairs and Fre-ingagements to publijf) divers other Treat ifes adow'dme fmail hopes of being able in a great while to compleat thoje Dialogues. And partly becaufe 1 am mt unapt to thinks that they may come abroad feafonably enough , though not for the Authors reputation ) yet for other purpofes. For I obferve^that of late Chy- miftry begins^ as indeed it deferves^ to be culti- vated by Learned Men who before defpis'd it\ and to be pretended to by many who never cultiva- ted itdhat they may be thought not to be ignorant of it : whence it h come to pajfe^ that divers Chy mical Notions about Matters Fhilofophicall are taken for granted and employ’ d * and fo adopted by very eminent Writers both Naturalifis and Fhyfitians. Now this 1 fear may pro‘de fome- what prejudicial to the Advancement of folid Fhilofophy: For though lam a great Lover of Chymical Experiments , and though I have no mean eiieem of divers Chymical 4iemedies , yet 1 difiinguijh thefe f om their Notions about the caufes of things and their manner of Generation. And for ought 1 can hitherto difcern , there are a thoufarid Phaenomena in Nature* befuks a A 3 Miil A Preface Introdu^ory. Multitude of Accidents ntliiting to the humane Bo- dy ^which will fcarcely be dearly and fadsfaV.o- rily made out by them that confine tbemjelrjes to deduce things from Salt', Sulphur and Mercury, and the other lections peculiar to the ChymMs^ without taking much more Notice than thej are wont to do^ of the Motions and Figures, of [he fmad parts of Matter and the other more Ca- tholicKand Fruitful affehl ions of Bodies. Ti'htre- fore it will not perhaps he now unfeafonable to ^ let our Carneades Men, not to JuhJt.ribe to the grand DoSlrine of the Chymifis touching their three Hypo^atical Frin^fples, till they hat e a little examin'd it, and confider d, how they can clear it from hk ob]eBions, divers of which f is likf'tfey may never have though on\ ftnce a ChymiSi fear ct would, and none hut a Chy- mificouldpropoje them. I hope aljo it will not be unacceptable to feveral Ingenious Ferfons , who are unwilling to determine of any important Con- troverfie , without a previous conftderation of what may be faid on both fides, and yet have greater de/ires to underfiand Chemical Matters, than opportunities of learning [hem, to find here together., hefides feveral Ixperiments of my own purpofely made to lUuflrate the Voftrine of the Flements , dh erSi others fcarce to be met with, otherwife then Scatter d among many Chy~ mical Books* And to F.nd theje Afio- dated A Preface Introduftory. dated Experiments fo Delivered as that an Ordinary Reader , if he he but acquainted with the ufual Chymical Termes ^ may ea- ftly enough underhand them ; and even a wary One may fafely rely on Them* Theft Things 1 add, becaufe a perfon any Thing versed in the Writings of Chymifts cannot but Difcern by their obfcure , ambiguous » and almolr Enigmatical Way of exprejftng what they pretend to Teach , that they have no Mind to be underftood at ad, but by the Sons of Art {as they call them } nor to be Zinderfiood even by theft without Difficulty and Hazardous Tryalls. Injomuch that fomt of 7 hem Scarce ever fpeak^ fo candidly , as when they make ufe of that known ChymiCal Sentence 5 libi palam locuti fumus, ibi nihil diximus. And as the obfcurity of what fome Writers deliver makes it very difficult to be un^ der/iood ; fo the Vnfaithfulnefs of too many o« thers makes it unfit to be relid on. For though Unwillingly., Tet Imuft for the truth fakf, and the Readers.^ warne him not to be forward to believe Chymical Experiments when they are fet down only byway of Prefer ip t ions, and not of Relations] that is, unlejs he that delii ers them mentions his doing it upon hh own particular knowledge, or upon the Relation of fome credible perfon, avowing it upon hh own experience. For I A am A Preface Imrodoftorx. am troubled^ 1 muSi complain , that even Emi- nent Writers, both Phjjitians and Philofophers-y whom 1 can e/ifUj name^ if it be requir'd-, have of late Jufer'd themfelves to be Jo far impos'd upon., as to Tublijj? and Build upon Chymical Experiments^ which qiie^ionlejs theq never trj' d\ for if they had-, they would-> as weP as /, have found them not tobetru’. md indeed it were to be wifh' d-,1 bat now that thofe begin to quote Chy- mical Experiments that are not themjelves Ac- quainted with Chymical Operations., men would Leave of that Indefinite Way of V mching the Chytnifis Jay this, or the Chymifts afiirme thatf and would rather for each E'&periment they alledge name the Author or Authors ^ upon whoje credit they relate it ; y by this means they would fe.ure themfelves from the fulfi- tion of faljjyood^ to which the other Prablice Ex- pofes them ) and they would leave the Reader to Judge of what is fit for him to Bel. eve of what is Delivered , whilld they employ not their own great namesto Countenance doubtfull Relations', and they will al/o do JuHice to the Inventors or Tubtfhers of the true Experiments, as well asup, on the Obtrude rs of falje ones. Whereas by that general Way of quoting the Chymifts, the Candid Writer is Dsjrauded of the particular Praife, andthe impo^lor efcapes the Terfonal Difgrace that is due to him. A Preface Introduftory. 7 he remaining Fart of this Preface mujl be imfloy'd in faying fomelhing for Carneades, and fomething for my Selfe. And fir ft ^ Carneades hopes that he wiUbe thought to have difputed civilly and ModefHy e- nougb for one that waa to play the Antagonifi and the Seep tic And if he any where feem to flight hh Adverfaries Tenents aud Argu- ments^ he is willing to have it look!d upon as what he was induced to , not fo much by his Opinion of them^ as the Examples o/Themi- ftius md Phileponus > and the cuftom of fttch kind of Di fputes. Next , In cafe that Come of his Arguments JJ) all not be thought of the rnofl Cogent fort that may be^ he hopes it will be confidef d that it ought not to be Expehieddhat they fijouldbe So. For^ his part being chiefly^ but to propofe Doubts and Scruples, he does enough, if he fhews that his Adverfaries Arguments are not strongly Concluding , though his own be not fo neither. And if there fhould appear any difagreement be. twixt the things he delivers in divers pajfages , he hopes it will be confidered, that it is not ne- cefary that all the things a Sceptick. Propofes , fhould be confonant fince it being his work to Suggefi doubts againU the Opinion he ^ueHions, it is allowable for him to propofe two or more fe- ver al HypothefeS about the fame thing'. And to A Preface IntroJuftory. fay th^t it may be accounted for thk way, or that VPay^ or the ether Way ^though thefe wayes beper» haps iticonfiflent among themselves. Eecaufe it is enough for him.^ if either of the propofedHy. pochdes he but as probable as that he calls in v^ue^ion. And if he propofe many that are Each of them pt obcible. he do's the more ratify his doubts^ by making it appear the more difficult to be fure^ that that way which they all differ from k the true, rind om-Carneades by holding theNega* twe, has this advantage , that if among ail the Inflames he brings to invalidate the Vulgar DoBrine ofthofe he Di/putes with-, any one be Ir- refragable^ that alone k fufficient to overthrow a DoBtwe whkbTJniverfslly aj/erts what he op- po/es. For. it cai.not be true that all Bodies whaU Joever that are reckon*d among the Verfehlly mixt Ones^are compounded of Juch a Determi- nate Number op juih or fuch Ingredients, in cafe any one fuch Body can be produc'd, that is not Jo compounded \ and h hopes too , that Ac- <;u atenefs wHl be the lefs expehfed from him, becaujehk undertaking obliges him to maintain jw h Opinions w (hymif^y , and that chiefly by ChynUiaU Argronenis as are Co.ntrary to the very Fi imiptes of the Chymifs , From whoje irritings it is not 7 her ef re Itke he Jhould re- ceive any intentional A ji fiance , except from jome Fajfages of the Bold and Ingenious Hel- nient, A Preface Introduflory. mont, with whom he yet di/agrees in many things Cffhich reduce him to explicate Divers Chymied Phasnomtna, according to other No- tions ; ) j4nd of whoj'e Ratiocinations^ not only fame feem very Extravagant ^ hut even the ReSi are not wont to be as con fidcr able as his Experi- ments- And though it be True indeed.,that feme Ariftoidians have occafjonally written againfl the Chymical DoBrine he Ofpugnes yet fmee they have done it according to their Princi- ples., And fince our Carneades mufi as wellnp- pofe their Hypothefis as that of the Spagyrifi^he was fain to fight his Adverfiaries with his own Weapons, Thoje of the Feripatetick. being Im- proper if not hurtfiull for a Ferfion ofihis Te- nents ; befides that thofie Ariftotelians , C ett Leafi thofe he met with , ) that have written againfl the Chymifls , fieem to have had fa little Experimental Knowledge in Chymical xjtiatters, that by their firequent MiHakes and unskjlfiutl way ofiOppugning , they have too ofi- ten expos' d themfielves to the Derifiton ofi their adverfiaries , for writing fio Confidently againfl what they appeare fo little to under^iand. And Luflty , CixntzAts hopes , he JJoall do the Ingenious this Piece ofi fiervice , that hy having Thus, drawn the Chymifls DoPirineout of their Dark, and Smokje laboratories, and both hi ought it into the open light, andfihewn the weak- A Preface Introdudory. ^efs of their Proofs^ that have hitherto been wont to be brought for it, either Judicious Men jhall henceforth be allowed calmly and after due infor~ mation to disbelieve it, or thofe abler Chymifls, that are zealous for the refutation of it, will be obliged to ffeak, plainer than hitherto has been done, and maintain it by better Experiments and Arguments than thofe Carneades hath examin’d : fo That he hopes the Curious will one Way or other Derive either fatisfaElion or infiruHion from his endeavours. And as he is ready to make good the profejfion he makes in the clofe of hif Difeourfe , of being ready to be better inform’d , fo he expeEls either to be indeed inform’d , or to be let alone. For though, if any 'truly knowing Chymifls jhall thinks fit in a civill and rationall way to Jhew him any truth touching the matter in Difpute That he yet dif- cernes not , (^arfieades will not refufe either to admit, or to own a convi&ion i yet if any imper- tinent Perfon jhall , either to get Himfelfe a Name , or for what other end joever, wilfully or carelefly mijlake the State oj the controverfle , or the fence oj his Arguments , or jhall rail inSiead of arguing , as hath been G. and F. and H. and of Late in Prim by otjiers, in tb:ir books divers Chymifls ; or lafily , againftene another. J7W/ write agaifiB them in a canting way, I mean flail ex- prejs-himfclfe in ambiguous or uhjeure termes, or argue from Experiments not intelligibly enough Deliver’d , Cameades profejfes , That he values his A Preface Introdu«f^ory. his time fo much ^ as not to think.the anfiverin^ fuch Trifles worth the lofs of it. And now having f aid thus much for Carne- ades, I hope the Reader will give me leave tr fay fomethingformy felf. Andfrfl , if fome morofe Readers fl)all flnd fault with my having made the Interlocutors upon occafion Complement with one another ^ and that 1 have atmofl all along written thefe Dia- logues inafiilemore Fajhionahle than That of meer Scholars M wont to be., I hope Ifljallhe ex- cus'd by them that fl^M conflderythat to keep a decorum in the Difeourfes.^ it was fit that in a booik^written by a Gentleman , and wherein onlyGentlemenare introduc'd as fpenkers.^theLanm guage fhould be more fmooth and the Expref^ Jjons more Civil than is ufual in the more Scho- laHicK way of writing. And indeed , / am not firry to have this Opportunity of giving an ex- ample how to manage even Di^putes with Civi- lity', whence perhaps fome Readers will be af- fixed to difeerna Dtflerence betwixt Bluntnefs of ^eech and Strength of reafon, and find that a man may be a Champion for Truth, without be- ing an Dnemy to Civility', and may confute an O- p inion without railing at Them that hold it ', To whom he that defiresto convince and not to pro- voke them, mulf make jome amends by his Ci- vility A Preface Introdudlory. vility to their Perfons^ for his feverity to their mif- takes andmufifayas little elje as he can^ to difpleafi themy vthen he faies that they are in an error. But perhaps other Headers wiU he lefs apt to find fault with the Civility of my DiJpatantSy than the ChymiPls will be upon the reading of feme Paf ftges of the following Dialogue y to accufe Carne- ades of Jasper ity. But if I have made my Sceptick^ fometimes fpeakjleightingly of the Opinions he oppofesylhope it it will 72 ot be found that I have done any moreythan be» came the Part he was to aH of an Opponent :ejpeciallyyif what / have made him fay be compared with what the Prince of the Romane Orators himfelf makes both great Perfons and Friends fay of one another s Opinions , in his excellent Dialogues Natura Deorum : And / fnall fcarce he fufpe^cd of Partiality y in the cafe y by them that take Notice that there is full as much ( if not fa?* more^ liberty offieighting their Adverfaries fenents to be met with in the Dijeourfes of thofe with whom dijputes. Nor need I make the Interlocutors fpeak^otherwife than freely in a Dialogue yWherein it Was fujfciently intima^ tedy that I meant not to declare my own Opinion of the Arguments proposed, much leffe of the whole Centroverfy itfelfe^therwifethanasitmayby an attentive Reader be guefs^d atbyfome PafJ'ages of Carneades: ( Ifuyy fome Paffages , becaufe / make not all that he faies y ffpe^ dally in the heat of Difpu* tationy mine y ) partly in this Difeourfe , and partly in fame other * Dialogues betwixt the fame Ipeakers *Thc Dialogues here meanr are thofe about Heat, Fire,Hame &c, ( f?en by two Secretaries of the Royal 5ociety)rhat the Au- thor fomexyhere complaines to have been mining with o.her things of his piefcndvafter the haftv removal of his Goods b 7 Night in th - gicat fire of Union. ^ though they treat not immediately of the Elements) Vfhith have long layn A Preface Introdudtory. lajn by me ^ and exfeSl the Entertainment that thefe frefent Difcourfes will meet with, jind in- deed they will much mifiake me , that Jhall con- clude from what I now puhlijh , that I am at Defy- unco with Chymiftry , or would make my Feaders fo. 1 hope the Specimina / have lately publip^d of an attempt to Jhew the ufefulnefs of Chymtcal Ex- periments to Contemplative Philofophers , will give thofe that read them other thoughts of me , and / had a defign ( but wanted opportunity ) to publijli with thefe Papers an EJfay I have lying by mcy the greater part of which is Apologetical for one fort of ChymiBs. a^nd at leaf , as for thofe that know me, / hope the pain I have taken in the fire will both convince them , that J am far from being an Enemy to the Chymifis Art , ( thoug h / am no friend to many that difgrace it by profejfing it , ) and per- fwade them to believe me when / declare that J diSUnguifs betwixt thofe Chymifis that are either Cheats , or but Labor ants , and the true Adepti ; By whome could J enjoy there converfation , I would both willingly and thankfully be infirufled ; efpe- cially concerning the Nature and Generation of Metals: And poffibly, thofe that knew how little J have remitted of my former addiElednefs to makf Chymical Experiments , will fttfdy believe , that one of the chief Defignes of this Sceptical Difeourfe was , not fo much to diferedit Chymifiry , as to give an occafion and a kind of necefiity to the more knowing Artifis to lay afide a little of their over- great Refervednefs , and either explicate or prove the Chymicall 'Theory better than ordinary Chymifis have done , or by enriching us with fame of their nobler fe- crets A Preface Introductory* crets to evince that Their art is able to make amends even for the deficiencies of their Theory : And thm much I fnall make hold to add , that Vi^e fioall much mdervalae Chymifiry ^ if We ima^ gine , that it cannot teach us things farr more uje- ful y not only to Phyfick^ hut to Philofophy , than thofe that are hitherto known to vulgar Chymifis. And yet as for inferior Spagirifis themfelves , they have by their labours deferv^d fo well of the com- mon Wealth of Learning , that methinks ^tis Pity they fijould ever miffe the Truth which they have fo indufirioufly fought. And though 1 he no Ad- mirer of the Theoncal Part of their Art , yet my conjeBures will much deceive me y if the PraB:icat Part be not hereafter much more cultivated than hi- therto it has been y attd do not both employ Phi- lofophy and Philofophers , and hope to make Men fuch. Nor would 1 y that have been diverted by other Studies as well as affairs , be thought to pre- tend being a profound Spagyrifl y by finding fq many faults in the DoBrine wherein the genera^ lity of Chymifts fcruples not to Accjuifce : For befides that ^tis moB commonly far eafier to frame, ObjeBions againflr any proposed Hypothefis , than to propofe an Hypothefis not lyahle to Ob* jeBions ( befides this / fay ) ^tis no juch great matter y if whereas Beginners in Chymiftry are commonly at once imhud with the Theory and Operations of their profeffion y I who had the good fortune to Learn the Operations from il- literate Perfons , upon whofe credit I was nop Tempted to take up any opinion about them y fhould confider things with leffe prejudice y and con- fequently A Preface Introdudory. fe^uently with other Eyes than the Generality of Lf'drners ; And f!)ould be more difpos’d to accommodate the Phenomena thAt occurr d to me to other Elotions than to thofe of the Spagi- rifis And having at firii entertained a fu~ Jpition That the Vulgar Principles were lefe General Anicompreheniive^ or lefe confideratc- ly Deduc'd from Chymkdl Operations , than was beleivd^ it was not uneafte for me both to Take notice of divers Phaenomena , over- look^d by prepojfefi F erf 6ns , that feem'd not to fuite fo wed with the HerniCrical DoHrine\ and to devife fome Experiments likely to furnifh me with Obftliom againft it, riot known to ntany, that having practis'd Chymijlry longer perchance than I have yet liv'd, may have far more^xperience^Than f of particular pro^ cef^es* To conclude , whether the tHotions I have propos'd, and the Experiments I have communh cated, be confiderable, or not, I willingly leave others to Judge', and thk only I P)aU fay for my Self , That I have endeavour'd to deliver matters of FaH, fo faithfuUy, that I may as well ajfifi the U fie skilful Readers to examine the Chymical Hypothefis, /’roz/o;^ the Spagirical Thilofophers to iduRrate it : which if they do , and that either the Chymical opinion, or the Te- ripatetkkji or any other Theory of the Elements ^ differing A Preface Introduftory. diff’ering from that I ant moft inclined to ^fball be intelligibly explicated^ and duly prov d tomej what I have hitherto difcours'd will not hinder it from making a Prnfeljte of a Terfon that Loves Flubluation of Judgment little enough to he willing to be eas'd of it by (iny thing but Error. I . E R R A T A to the Appendix. P Ag, 2, \cad.conirived, p. 2 2.1,6. pfter Vrinouf.v^ Salts, p. 46,1,16. r.from,p. po. 1, 2,p^o nexts. mifl* p.i2 5.1* 2o,i,tibe^. p. 167.]. 5. i'. p.i7i,1.2p.J,k/M^.p.i8o.i, 9.vfrop /eJ.p. 18 5.1-4 • after Mercury.v^ into that red powder 't^hich Chymifif callpvectpitate per fe,and I have found hy tryals purpojelf made^ and clje where related y that this powder without any further additament may he reduced into running Tdercury. p . 2 1 o • 1 . 1 3 . pro in r. from., p, 2 j i . 1 . 1 1 . after vjasy Y.nou p. 2 ^g. 1,6. r this. p. 2^3. 1, ly.r. mpojfihility. lifter perjons.r.mu p.259. l.ii. r.theje notes. p. 2 60.1. uhpro probable X- proportion, p. 1 2.x* eQ dcRroy. 11 The Contents of the Scepticall 0oymifi , and of a Traft annexed to it. Of the Troduciblenefs of Chymical Frinciples, P Hyfiological Confiderations touching the Experiments wont to he employed to E- vince either the IE. Peripatetick^ Elements , or the III Chymicall Principles of mixt Bodies, pag. i. The I. Part. p. 35. The II. Part. p. 103. The III. Part. p. 165. The IV. Part. p. 203'. The V. Part. p. 287. The VI. Part Or a Paradoxical j4p» pendix to the foregoing Treatife, p. 351. The Conclufton. p. 431. The Introduction to the following notes. p. 44 ^ _ Of the Producibletiefs of Chymical Principles, The I. part. Of the Produciblenefs of Salt, p. i. The I. SECT I ON.. Of the Production of Acid Salts, p. 1 1. Then. SECTION. Of the Production of Eolatile Salts. 15 . The III. SECTION. Of the Production of Alcalts or lixiviate Salts, p, 20. The IV. SECTION, p. 46. The II Part. Of the Preduciblenefs of Spirits, The I. SECTION. The INDEX. Of the FroduBion of Vinous Spirits, p. 58. The IL S EGTION, of the ProduBion of Vrinous Spirits, p. 4 <. The III- SEC T ION. Of the ProduBion of j 4 cid Spirits, p. 64. The IV. SECTION. PJ^eVt Ohfervations about the Adiaphorous Spi- rits of Woods and divers other Bodies.'^.'t']. The ill. Part. About the Produciblenefs of Sulphur s.'p. 104. The I. SECTION. Of the Production of Oyles. p. 108. The II. SECTION. Of the ProduBion of inflammable Spirits, p. 1 1 < 5 . The III. SECTION. Of the ProduBion of Conftfient Sulphurs, p. 117 - The IV. Part , Of the ProduBion of Mercury, p. 139- Whether Mercury may be obtained from Me- tals and Minerals : Or { to jpeake Chy- mically ) . Ari dehtur Merctirli Corporunl ? p. 143. Doubts about the Preexi fence of Punning Mercury in Metals, p. 164. Ratio Extrahendi ex Omnibus MetalUs Mef- curiuih Paracelfica. p.196. Extradio Mercurii i Cbrpore Perfedo. p. 199 * _ . , Of the Diffmilitude of Running Mercury s.J>. 203. The V. Part. p. 229. The VI. Part, p* 24ji Fhy-, ( ''ii' c • \ ■ ' r> \ i; " '-n/' •..V. ■ ■ yci ■ "V y " * ' \ '-A t/ A- /A 7 = ■' - \ ^ ^ ^ \." "\ ‘ ‘ ■■- ■ V. :■ .oH * X J 1- •‘vii \ rs r X V . .^ > •■ i .■'y':-W- , .vKy / Advertlfment, T He %eader is de fired to take notice , that as, the Date of the Licence ypit^ nejjes^ thisDookf^fijouldhaioe been D tinted ton^ there has been a mifla^ in the bottomeofthe TitleVage, v^heretheJear 1680 has been put in fiead of the Year i^7P> in vohich it vsfas really T tinted off, though not puhlickly expo{ d to Sale till the Begining of this ^hrlonth offanuary . i <5 o > considerations Touching The experiments wont to he employed to evince either the IV Peripatetiek^ Elements , or the 111 Chymhai Prifi^ eiples ofMixt Bodies. Part of the Firft Dialogue. Perceive that divets of tny Friends have thought it very ftrange to hear me fpeak fo irrefolved- ly, as I have been wont to do i concerning thofe things which fome take to be the Elements ^ and others to be the Principles of all mi>ti Bodies. But I blufh not to ac- knowledge that I much lefs fcruple to Gonfefi that I Doubt, when I do fo, than C2> to profefs that I Know what I do liot : And I fliould have much ftroftger Ex* peflaiions than I dare yet entertain, to fee Philofophy folidly eftabiifli*t,lfmcn would more carefully diftinguifh thofe things that they know, from thofe that they ignore or do but think , and then explicate clearly the things they con- ceive they underftand, acknowledge in- genuoufly what it is they ignore, and profefs fo candidly their Doubts , that the induftry of intelligent perfons might be fet on work to make further enquiries, & the eafinefs of lefs difcer- ning Men might not be impos’d on. But becaufe a more particular accompt will probably be Mpe^ed of my unfa- tisfyednefs not only with the Peripa- teiick, but with the Cbymical Doftrine of the Primitive Ingredients of Bodies : It may pofTibly ferve to fatisfy others of the'excufabDnefs of my difatisfadi- on ro perufe the enfuing Relation of whai'paffeci a wdiile iince at a meeting of perfons of feveral opinions, in a place that need not here be named ; where the fubjedi'^ whereof we have been'fpeakingi was amply and variouf- ly discours’d of. It C3) ^ It was oh one of the faireft dayes of this Summer that theinquificive£/e///^e- rim came to invite me to make a vi/ic with him to his friend Carmadei. I readi- ly confented to this motion , telling him that if he would but permit me to .go ijrd and make an exciife at a place not firroff, where I had at that hour ap- pointed to meet, but not about a bufi-: nefs either of moment, or that could not TV'ell admit of a delay, i would prefently wait on him, becaufe of my knowing Carmadis to be fo converfant with nature and with Furnaces, and fo unconfin’d to vulgar Opinions, that he would proba- bly by fome ingenious Paradox or other, give our mindes at leaft a pleafing Exer- cife, and perhaps enrich them with fome folid inftrwdion,£/ettt^er/»!Sthenfirftgo. ing with me to the place where my A- pology was to be made , I accompanied him to the lodging oiCarmades ^ where when we were come , we v/ere told by the Servants, that he was retired with a Couple of Friends ( whofc names they alfo told us ) to one of the Arbours in his Garden, to enjoy under its coole lhades a delightful protedion from the yet trou*» bkfome heat of the Sun, B 2 £liU’» ( 4 ) "Ehuthmm being perfefily acquainted with that Garden immediately led me to the Arbour, and relying on the inti- mate familiarity that had been longche- rifli’d betwixt him and Carneadrs\ in fpight of my Reluftancy to what might look like an intrufion upon his privacy, drawing me by the hand , he abruptly entered the Arbour, where we found Carneades\T hiloponmi zwAThamiftins^ fit- ting clofe about a little round Table , on which, befides paper, pen , and inke, there lay two or three open Books ; Carmades appeared not at all troubled at this furpnfe, but rifing from the Ta- ble, received his Friend with open looks and armes, and welcoming me alfo with his wonted freedom and civility , invi- ted- us to reft our lelves by him, which, as focn as we had exchanged with bis two Friends ( who were ours alfo) the civiliiies accuftomed on fuch occafions, we did- And he prefently after we had iVated our felves, fimtdng the Books that lay open, and turning tous with a fm ling countenance, fetmed ready to begin fome fuch unconcerning difcourfe as is wont to pafs , or rather waft the time in proraifcuous companies, But CO But Ehutheriiis gueffing at what he meant todo, prevented him by telling him, I perceive Carneades by the books that you have been now Ihutting, and much more by the pofture wherein I found Perfons To qualifi’d to difcourfe of ferious matters, and fo accuftom’d to do it , that you three were, before our coming, engag’d in Tome Philofophical conference, which I hope you will ei- ther profecute, and allow us to be par- takers of, in tecompence of the frec- domev/e have us’d in prefuming to fur- prifcyou, orelfe give us leave to repair the injury we jfhould otherwife do you, by leaving you to the freedom we have interrupted, and punilliing our felves for our boldnefs by depriving our felves of the happineft of your com- pany. With thefe laft words he and I rofeup, as if we meant to be gone : But Carneades fuddenly laying hold on his arme, and flopping him by it, fmile- ingly told him. We are not fo forward to lofe good company as you ftem to imagine; efpecially fince you are pleas’d to defire to be prefent at what we Iha’l fry , about fuch a Subjed as that Yea found usconfidering. For that , being B 3 the the number of the Elements, Princi- ples , or Materiall Ingredients of Bo- dies, is an enquiry whofe trufh is of that Importance , and of that Difficulty, that it may as well deferve, as require, to be fearched into by fuch skilfull Indaga- tors of Nature, as your felves. And therefore wc fent to invite the bold and acute Leucippus to lead usfome light by his Atomical Paradox, upon which we expe oblige me fo to fleclare my own opini- on on theSubjeft i« queftion^ as to af- fert or deny the truth either of the Pe- ripatetick , or the Chymical Dodrine concerning the number of the Elements, but only to (hew you that neither of thefe Doftrineshath been ffatisfadlorily proved by the arguments commonly alledged on its behalfe. So that if I really difcernf as perhaps 1 think I do) that there may be a more rational ac- count than ordinary , given of one of thefe opinions , I am left free to de- clare my felfofit, notwithftandingmy prefent engagement, it being obvious to all your obfervation , thatafolid truth may be generally maintained by no other, than incompetent Arguments. And to this Declaration I hope it will be need-: lefs to add, that my task obliges me not toanfwer the Arguments that may be drawn either for or Thilopo- ww’sOpinion from the T opick of reafon, as oppofed to experiments ; fince 'tis thefe only that I am to examine, and not all thefe peithef , but fuch of them alone,as either of them lhall think fit to infift on,and as have hitherto been wonc to be brought either to prove that his tl ( 15 ) the four Peripatetick Elements, or that ’tis the three Chymical Principles that all compounded bodies confift of.Thefe things ( adds C^rneades') I thought my felf obliged to premife , partly left you lliould do thefe Gentlemen ( pointing at themifim zr\A Philoponus^znd fmiling on them) the injury of nieafuring their parts by the arguments they are ready to propofe, the lawes of our Conference confining them to make ufe of thofe that the vulgar of Philpfophers ( for even of them there is a vulgar) has drawn up to their handsj and partly, that ypu fhould not comdemn me of prefumption/or dif- puling againft.perfons over whom I can hope for no advantage , that I muft not derive from the nature, or rules of our controverfy, wherein 1 have but a nega- tive to defend , and w'herein too I am like on feveral occafions to have the Afliftance of one of my difagreeing ad- verfaries againft the other. Philofonus and Themifiius foon return- ed this complement with civilities of the like nature , in which Eleuthcrius per- ceiving them engaged, to prevent the further lofs of that time of which they were not like to have very much to fpare. (Hi he minded them that their prefent bu(i-’ iiefs was not to exchaiige complcinents, but Arguments; and then addreffiing his fpcech to Carneades^ I eli eem it no finall happinefs (faies be ) that i am come here (b luckily this Evening. For I have been long difquieted with "Doubts con- cerning this very fiibjeft v*?hich you are now ready to debate. And lince a Queftion of this importance is to be now difcufled by perfons that maintain fiich variety of opinions concerning it, & are both fo able to enquire after truth, and fo ready to embrace it by whomfoever and on what occafion foever it is prefen- ted them; I cannot but prbmife my felf that I fliall, before wepart,either lofe my Doubts or the hopes of ever finding them refolved • Eleutherius paufed not here; but to prevent their anfWer, added almoft in the fame breath ; and I am notalittlepleafed to find that you are refolved on this occafion to infift rather on Experiments than Syllogifmes. For I, and no doubt You, have longobfer- ved , that ihofe Dialedlical fubtieties, that the Schoolmen too often employ a- bout Phyliological Myfteries, are wont HU(^ more to declare the wjt of him ( ^5 > that ufes them, than incrcafe the know- ledge or remove the doubts of fober lo- vers of truth. And fuch captious fubtle- ties do indeed often puzzleSc fomctimcs filcnce men , but rarely fatisfy them. Being likethe tricks of Jugglers, where- by men doubt not but they are chea- ted, thou^ oftentimes they cannot der dare by what flights they are impofedl on.And therefore I think you have done Very wifely to make it your bufinefs to confider the Phenomena relating to the prefcntQneftion, which have been af- forded by experiments, efpeeially fince it might feem injurious to our fenfes by whofe mediation we acquire fo much of the knowledge we have of things cor- poral, to have recourfe to far-fetched & abftrai&ed Ratiocinations, to know what are the fenfible ingredients of thofe fen- fible things that we daily fee and han- dle, and areXuppofed to have the liberty to uniwtft ( if 1 may fo Ipeak ) into the primitive bodies they confift of. He an- nexed that, he wiflied tiierefore they would no longer delay his expe<5lcd fa- tisfadlion,if they had nor, as he feared tbey had, forgotten fomarhing prepara- tory to their debate ; and th$t was to lay (r6) fiy down what fhould be all along uftJ derftood by the word Principle or EJe^ ment. Carneades thank’d hiih for bis ad* monition, but told him that they had not been unmindful of fo requifite i thing.But that being Gentlemen & very far from the litigious humour of loving to wrangle about words, or terras, or no‘ | tions as empty ;they had before hisco-* i ming in, readily agreed promifcuoufly | to ufe when they pleafedjElemenfs and i Principles as terms equivalent : and to | underhand both by the one artd the o«^ ther,thofe primitive and Ample Bodies of which the mixt ones are faid to be compofed, and into which they are ulti* mately refolved.And upon the fame ac* count (he added)we agreed todifeourfe of the opinions to be debated , as we have found them maintained by the Ge* | nerality of the affertors of the four Ele- | ments of the one party,and of ihofe that j receive the three Principles on the other, | without tying our felves to enquire feru- I puloufly what notion either Ariftotle or Taracelfm^ or this or that Interpreter, or follower of either of thofe great per- fons, framed of Elements or Principles; our defign being to examine , not what Cl?) thefe or thoPe writers thought or taught, but what we find to be the ob- vious & nioft general opinion of rhofe, who are vrilling to be accounted Favo- rers of the Peripaieiick orChymical Do(ilrine, concerning this fubjed. I fee not (faies Eleutheriu^') why you might not immediately begin to argue, if you were but agreed which of your two friendly Adverfaries fliall be firft heard. And it being quickly refolv’d on that Ihould firft propofe the Proofs for hiS Opinion , becaufc it was the antienter, and the more ge- neral , he made not the company ex- ped long before he thus addrefied him- felf to Eleutheriui , as to the Perfoti leaft interefled in the difpure. If you have taken fufficient notice of the late Confeffion which was made by Carmades, and which ( though his Civi- lity dreffed it up in complem.entall Ex- preflions ) was exacted of him by his Juftice, I fuppofe You will be eafily made fenfible, that I engage in thisCon- troverfie with great and peculiar Dif- advaniages, befides thofe which his Parts and my Perfonal Difabilities would bfing to any other caufe to be C “ main- CiS) maintained by me againft him. ^or he juftly apprehending the force of truth, though fpeaking by no better a tongue than mine, has made it the chief con- dition of our Duell, that Ifliould lay a- fide the beft Weapons I have, and thofel can beft handle; Whereas if I were allowed the freedom, 'in pleading for the four Elements, to employ the Argunients fuggefted to mebyReafon to demonftrate them , I Ihould almoft as little doubt of hiaking You a Pro- felyte to thofe unfever’d Teachers , Truth and Ariflotle^ as I do of your Candour & your Judgment. And I hope you will however confider, that that 'great Favorite and Interpreter of Na- ture, who was (as his Organum tvitneftes ) the greateft Matter of Lo- gtek that ever liv’d , difclaim’d the courfe taken by other petty Philofo- phers ( Antient and Modern ) who not attending the Coherence and Confe- quenees of their Opinions, are more ' follicitous to make each particular O- pinionplaufible independently upon the ; the reib, than to frame them all fo , as nor only to be confiftent together , bUt to fupport each other. For that great Man C 19 I Man in his and -cotnp rehen five lii» Iplkd, foFrain*^ each of Iiis Notions, tfiat being, curioufly adapted into one §yfteme , they need not each of them any other defence than that which their inutuail Coherence gives them : As ’tis in an Arch , where each fingle fione i which if fever’d from the reft would be perhaps defencerefs , is fufficiently Fecot’d by the folidity and entirenefs of the whole Fabrick of which it is a part. How juftly this may be apply ’d tp the prefent cafe, I could eafily fhew You , if i were permitted to declare to You, hoWhormonioas Arifiotles bo- 6 :rine of the Elements is with his 0- ther Principles of Phtlofophy, and how rationally he has deduc’d their number from that of the combinations of the four firft Qualities from the kinds of fimple Motion belonging to finiple bo- dies j and from I know not how many other Principles and Fhanornsna of Nature, which fo confpire with hisi Dodtrine of the Elements , that they mutually ftrengtben and fupport each other. But fince 'tis forbidden me to infifton Reflections of this kind, I muff proceed to tell You , that though the € 2 Af- C20) Aflertors of the four Eleftients value Reafon fo highly, and are furnifti’d with Arguments enough drawn from thence^ to be fatisfi’d that there muft be four Elements, though no man had ever yet made any fenfible tryal to difcover their Number, yet they are notdefti* tute of Experience to fatisfie others that are woiit to be more fway’d by their fenfes than their Reafon. And I fhall proceed to confider the tefti- niony of Experience, when I fliall have firft advertis’d You, that if Men were as perfectly rational, as ’tis to be wilh'd they were, this fenfible Way of Probation would be as needlefs as *tis went to be imperfedt. For it is much more high and Philofophical to difco- ver things a priore , than a poUeriore. And therefore the Peripateticks have not been very follicitous to gather Ex- periments to prove their Dodtrines , contenting themfelves with a few only, to fatisfie tbofe that are not capable of a Nobler Convidlion. And indeed they employ Experimehts rather toil- luflrate than to demonftrate their Do- ebrin s , as AftiOnomers, ufe Sphaeres of paftboard, todefeend to the capaci-i lies C 21 ) ties of Aich as n)uft be taught by their fenfes , for want of being arriv’d to a dear apprehenfion of purely Mathe- matical Notions and Truths. Ifpeak thus Eleatherius C adds Themiflius } on- ly to dp right to Reafon, and not out of Diffidence of the Experiment^ proof I am to alledge. For though I lliall name but one, yet it is fuch a one as will make all other appear as need- lefs as, it felf will be found SatisfadpryJ For if you butconfider a piece of green Wood burning in a Chimney, You vvdlb readily difcerh in the difbarided parts . of it jthe four Elements, of which we teach it arid other mixt bodies to be compos’d. The fire difcovers it felf in the flame by its own light 5 the fmoake by afcending to the top of the chimney, and there readily vanilhing into air, I ike a River lofing it felf in the Sea , fuffici- cntly manifefts to what Element it belongs and gladly reiurnes. The wa- ter in its own form boyling and hifling at the ends of the burning Wood be- trayes it felf to more than one of our fenfes ; and the allies by their weight, their firinefs, & their drynefsjput it paft doubt that they belong to the Element C 3 of pf Earth. If I fpoke ( continues Tht- mfiius') \p iefs knowing Perfons, I would perhaps make'rpme Excufe' fdr building upon fuch an obvious and eJt'fie Analyfis^Vii ’twould be, [fear, injurious, hot to think fuch an Apology needlefs to You, who are too judicious either to> think it neceffary that Experiments to prove obvious truths Ihould be fafr fetch’djor to wonder that amon^ fo ma- ny niixt Bodies that are compounded of the four Elements, fonie pf them ihould Upon a flight Jnalyfis manifeft- ly exhibire the Ingredients they cpnfifl: of. Efpecially fiqce it is very agreeable to the Goodnefs of Nature, tp difclofe, even in fome pf the moft obvious Expe- riments that men make, a Truth fq Important arid fo requifite to be taken notice of by them. Befides that pur nalyfis hy hp'^ much the more obvious we make ir, by fo much the more fuit- able it .will be tp the Nature of that Dodrinc which fiis alledged to prove, which being as clear and intelligible tp the tinderftanding as obvious to the fenfe , tis ho marvel the learned part of Mankind flioUld fo long and fo ge- nerally imbrace it. For this Dodriue < 23 ) is very differetnt from the whimfeys of Chymifis and other Modern Innovators, ofwhofe Hypothefes we may obferve , as Natnralifts do of lefs perfedi: Ani- mals, that as they are hafrily form’d , fo they are commonly iliort liv’d. Forfo there , as they are often fram’d in one fWeek , arC^ perhaps thought fit to be laughed at the next ; and being built perchance but upon two or three Ex- periments are deftroyed by a third or fourth, whereas the dodrine of the four Elements was fram'd by AriSiotle ^fter he had leafurely confidered thofe Theories of former Philofophers which are now with great applaufe revived as difeovered by thefe latter ages ; And had fo judicioufly dete^ffed and fupplyed •the Errors and defeifs of former Hypo- thffes concerning the Elements, that his Dodrine of them has been ever lincp defervedly embraced by the letter'd . part of Mankind : All the Philofophers ;that preceded him having in their feve- rral ages contributed to the compleat- nefs of this Doiiirine , as thofe of fuc- ceding times have acquiefe'd in it. Not has.an ^^ot4ey?^,fo deliberately and ma- -|urfly eftablifhedjbeen called in ^ on on till in the laft Century Taraceljusi.nd fome few other footy Empiricks, rather than C 3S they are fain to call them- felves) Philofophers, having their eyes darken’d , and their Braines troubl’d with the frr oak of their own Furnaces, began to rail at the Peripatetick Do- fl-rine, which they were too illiterate to underhand , and to tell the credulous World, that they could fee but three In- gredients in n ixt Bodies; wLich to gain 'therrfelves the j epute of Inventors, they endeavoured to difguife by calling them, irfread of Eai th, and Fire, and Vapour, SaIt,Siilphur,and 2vlfcrcury;to which they gave the canting title of Hypoftatical Principles. Wit when they came to def- cribe them , they fliewed how little they underfvood what they meant by them , by difagreeing as much from one ano- ther, as from the truth tl ey agreed in op* pofir.g ‘. For they deliver- ihew Hypothe- fes as darkly as their ProceffeS; and’cis almoft as impoflible for any fober Man to find theic meaning, as 'tis for them to find their Elixir. And indeed no- thing has fpread their Philofophy , but their great Brags and undertakings;not- withftanding all which, (faies ThmiftU m C 2<^ ) m fmilir? ) I fcarce know any thing they have pcrfoaned wo'th wondering Et, fave chat they have been able to draw to their Party, and to engage niir' to the Defence of an unin- telligible Hypothe(is^yf\io kncwesfo well as he does, that Principles ought to be like Diamonds , as well very clear, as perfedly folid. ThemiHius having after thefe laft words declared by his filence, that he had finiflied his DiCcourCCiCarneades ad- drefllng himfeif, as his Adverfary had done , to re turned this An* fwer to it, I hop’d for a Demonftration, but I perceive Themi%ius hopes to put me off with am Harangue , wherein he cannot have given me a greater Opinion ,ofhisParts,than hehasgivenmeDiftruft for his ^go^/be/?f,fince for it even a Man of filch Learning can bring no better Arguments. The Rhetorical part of his Diftourfe, though itmake notcheleaft part ofit, I ihall fay nothing to, defign- ingto examine only the Argumentative part, and leaving it to Phiiopomis toan- fwerthofe paffages wherein either P/z- racelfus oxChymitis are concern'd:! Ihall obferve to You, that in what he has faid befides CtO beficIeS) he wakes it his Bufinefs to do thefe two things. The one to propofe and make out an Experiment to de- inonftrate the common Opinion about the four Elements; And the other, to infinuate divers things which he thinks way repair the weaknefs of his Argii- went,from Experience, and upon other Accounts bring fo me credit to the o- therwile defencclefs Dodtrine he main- tains. ' •To begin then with his Experiment of the burning Wood, it feems to me to be obnoxious to not a few confiderable Exceptions. And iirft, if I would now deal rigidly with my Adverfary, I might here malte a great Queftion of the very way of Probation which he and others employ, without the leaft fcriiplejto e vince j that the Bodies commonly call'd mixt, are made np of EarthjiAir^ Water » and Fire , which they aye pleas\j,alfi) to call Elements 5 namely that mpon thejfap-^ 'pos’d Analyfts made' by the fire, of the former fort of ComreteSy there are wont to emerge Bodies refembling tfaofe^ which they take for theElements. For not to Anticipate hero what I forefeel lhalj ( 27 > lhallliavecccafiohto infiflcon J when 1 come to difcourie with Thihpmus con- cerning the right that iire haS t« pafs for the proper and Univerfal Inftru- nient of Analyiing niixt Bodies , not t6 JVnticipare that, I fay, if I Were dif- pos'd to wrangle, I might alled^ ,, that hy Themifiius his Experiinent it would appear rather that thofc he calls Ele- ments, arc made of thofe he calls mia^t Bodies, than mix’d Bodies of the Ele- ments. For in Themifiius^ Analyz’d Wood, and in other Bodies difllpated and alter’d by the fire, it appears, and he cpnfeffes, that which he takes for E- lementary Fire and Water , are made out of the Concrete‘,bttt it appears not that the Concrete Was bade up of Fire and Water. Nor has either or any Man, for ought I know^ of his perfwafi- pn, yet proy’d that nothing can be ob- tained from a Body by the fire tlkt was hot Pre-exigent ' At this unexpeded obje»ffion,not only Themifiiusjhut the reft of the Company appear’d not a littlrfiirpriz’d; but after a while P^/7o/cw»i conceiving his opini- on, as well as that of Concern’d in that Obieftidn , You ^cannot fiire C»8) C faies he to Carneades ) propofe this Difficulty , not to call it Cavill, other- wife than as an Exercifc of wit, and not as laying any weight upon it. For how can that he feparated from a thing that was not exiftent in it. When , for in- ftance, a Refiner mingles Gold and Lead, and expofing this Mixture upon a Cuppeli to the >violence of the fire , thereby feparates it into pure and reful- gent Gold and Lead ( which driven off together with the Drofs of the Gold is thence call’d Lythargyrium Auri') can a- ny. man doubt that fees thefe two fo dif- fering fubftances feparated from the Mafs, that they were exiftent in it be- fore it was committed to the fire. 1 fhouId(replies Cprneades)d\\ow yom Argument to prove fomething,if,as Men fee the Refiners commonly take before hand both Lead and Gold to make the Mafs vonTpeak.of, fo we did fee Nature pull doVn a parceM ofthe Element of Fire,th?t is fancy *d to be plac’d 1 know hot ho^. ^any thoufand Leagues off , contighoys to theOcl?of the Mopn,^nd toblendit with a (quantity pf eachpfthe ^ three o'thef Elements, jtocompofe every niixt Body/ upon whofe Refolution the * ( 29 ) Fire prefents us with Fire > and Earth J and the reft. And let roe add , Fhilofo- ms , that to make your Reafbning co- gent, it muft be firft prov'd, that the fire do’s only take the Elementary Ingredi- ents afunder , without otherwife alter- ing them. For elfe ’tis obvious, that Bo- dies may afford fubftances which were not pre-exiftent in them ; as Flefh too long kept produces Magots , and old Cheefe Mites, which I fuppofe you will not affirm to be Ingredients of thofe Bo- dies. Now that fire do’s not alwayes barely feparate the Elementary parts, butfometimes at leaft alter alfo the In- gredients of Bodies , if I did not exped: ere long a better o^cafion to prove it , I might make probable out of your very Inftance , wherem there is nothing Ele- mentary feparated by the great violence of the Refiners fire ; the Gold and Lead which are the two Ingredients fepara- ted upon the Analyfis being confeifedly yet perfeftly mixt Bodies , and the Li- tharge being Lead indeed 5 but fuch Lead as is differing in confiftence and other C^aliiies from what it was before. To which I muft add that T have fonie- times feen, and fo queftionjefs have you much r30:5- ttUch oftner , feme parcells of Glaffe adhering to the Teft or Cuppel, and this Glafs though Emergent as well as the Gold or Litharge upon your Analyfis, you will not 1 hope allow to have h?en a third Ingredient of the Mafs out of which the fire produc’d it. Both Philofohus and Themiflius were about to reply, when Eleutherius appre- hending that the Profecution of thij i Difpute would take up time^ which might be better employ’d , thought fit to prevent them by faying to Carmades : You madeatleaft half a Proniife, when you firft propos’d this Objection , that : you would not ( now at leaft ) infift on it, nor indeed does it feem to be of ab- folute neceffity to your caufc , that you fhould. For though you fliould grant that there are Elements j it would not follow that there muft be precifely fou r. And therefore 1 hope you will proceed to acquaint us with your ether and more confiderable Objedions againft Th(- miHias^s Opinion, efpecially fince there | is fo great a Difproportion in Bulke be- twixt the Earth, Water and Air, on the one party and thofe little parcells of re- fembling fubftanees, that the fire fepa- rate? C30 fates frotn Concretes on the other part, that can icarcc think that you are feri- ous, v((hen to lofe no advantage againft your Adverfary, you feem to deny it to be rational, to conclude thefe great fim- ple Bodies to be the Elements , and not the Produds of compounded ones. What yott alledge ( replies Carne~ tides ) of the Vaftnefs of the Earth and Water, has long fince made me willing to allow them to be the greateft and chief Mafles of Matter to be met with here below : But 1 think I could fliew You, ifYou would give me leave, that this will prove only that the Elements, as You call them , are the chief Bodies that make up the neighbouring part of the World, but not that they are fuch Ingredients as every mixt Body muft confiftof. But fince You challenge me offomething ofa Promife, though it be notan entireone, Yeti flball willingly performe it. And indeed I intended hot, when I firft mention’d this Objedi- on, to infift on it at prefent againft Themiftius , ( as I plainly intimated in my way of propofing it ) be- ing only defirous to lett you fee , that though Idifcern’d my Advantages , yet C?2) I was Wil'ing to for^?go foHie of them rather than appear a rigid AdveVfary of a Caufe fo weak,that it may with fafe- ty be favourably dealt with. Bat I niuft here profefs, and d lif-e You to take Nociceof it, that though 1 pafs onto another Argumenr, iti: not be» caufe I think this fiift invalid For You will find in the* Progrefs of our Dilr pute, that I had fotne reafcn toqutfti- onthe very W'ay of Probation implby’d both by Peripateticks and Chymifts, to evince the being and number of the Elements. For that there are fiich, and that they are wont to be feparated by i the Analyfis made by Fire, is indeed ta- ken for granted by both Parries, but has not (for ought I know ) been fo much as plaufibly attempt d to be proved by either. Hoping then that vvhen we come to that part of our De- bate , wherein Confiderations relating to this Matter are to be treated of, you will remember what 1 have now faid, and that 1 do rather for a v'bile Puppofc, than abfoluiely f ram the truth cf vvhac 1 have queftion'd , 1 will pt iceea to a- nother Objection. And hereupon Lhuthinm having ' pro'i C33> promis’d him not to be unmindfull , when time ihoiild ferve,ofwhat he had declar’d. I cOnfider then ( faies Carmades ) ini the next place, that there are divers Bodies out of which will not prove in hafte, that there can be fo ma- ny ElemeBts as four extracted by the Fire. And I fliould perchance trouble him iflfliould ask him what Peripare- tick can fliew us, (1 fay not, all the four Elements , for that would be too rigid a Queftion , but ) anyone of them ex- traded out of Gold by any degree of Fire whatfoever. Nor is Gold the on- ly Bodie in Nature that would puzzle an Ariftotetian^Ci\iZi is no more) to ana- lyze by the Fire into Elementary Bo-' dies, fince , for ought I have yet ob- ferv’d both Silver and calcin’d Vemtian Talck, ahdfome other Concretes , not neceflary here to be nam’d, are fo fixt , that to reduce any of them into four Heterogeneous Subftances has hithertd prov’d a Task much too hard, not only for the Difciples of Arifiotle^ bUtthofe QiVulcan^ at ieaft,whilft the latter have employ’d oaly Fire to mafee the Analy^ (is, ( 34 ) The next Argument ( continues Or- tieadesj that I fliall urge againft The- Opinion fliall be this , That as there are divers Bodies whofe Analyfis by Fire cannot reduce them into fo ma- ny Heterogeneous Subftances or Ingie- dients as four, fo there are others which may be reduc’d into more, as the Blood ( and divers other parts ) of Men and other Animals , which yield when analyz’d five diftiaft Subftances Phleg- fne, Spirit, Oyle, Salt and Earth > as Experience has lliewn us in diftilling Mans Blood, Harts-Horns , and divers other Bodies that belonging to the Ani- mal-Kingdom abound with not uneafily fequeftrable Salt. The ■}’ » THE SCEPTICAL CHYiVUST The Fir^i Tart. I Am (faies CarmadeF) fo unwilling to deny Eleutherius any thing, that ., though, before the reft of the Com- pany l am refolv'd to makegood the pare I have undertaken of a Sceptick *, yet I fhali readily , fince you will have it fo , layafide for a while the Perfon of an Adverfary to the Pcripareticks and Chy- mifts; and before I acquaint you with my Objedions againft their Opinions, acknowledge to you what may be (whe- ther truly or not ) tolerably enough added, in favour of a certain number of Principles of mixt Bodies, to that grand i3hd known Argument from x\if: Analyfis D 2 of / 36 rnn scett ical, of coiDpound Bodies, which I may pof- fibly hereaficr be able to confute. And that you may the more eafily Examine, and the better Judge of what I have to fay, 1 lhall caft it into a pret- ty number of diftin^t Propofitions^ tOi which I lhall not premife any thing ; bccaufe I take it for granted , that you need not be advertis’d, that much of what I am to deliver , whether for or againft a determinate number of Ingre- dients of mixt Bodies , may be indif- ferently apply ’d to the four Peripate- tick Elements , and the three Chymical Principles, though divers of my Objcdi* ons will more peculiarly belong to thefe laft nam’d, becaufe the Chymical thefts (ceming to be much more counte- nanc’d by Experience than the other, it will be expedient to infift chiefly upon the difproving of that; efpecially fince mofl: of the Arguments that are im- ploy’d againft it, may, by a little varia- tion, be made to conclude , at leaft as ftrongly againft the lefs plaullble , Ari^ Jiotelicn Dootrine. To proceed then to my Propofiti- ©ns 1 iliali begin with this, That ip CHTMIST. 37 It feemsmt eihfurd to conceive that at the Propof.1; firfi TroduBion of mixt bodies , the Vniverfal Matter vpheveof they among other Parts of the Vniverfe conffiedy fpas aHually divided into little Particles of feveral fz,es and fiapes varioujly mov'd. This ( faies Carneades') I fnppofe you will eafily enough allow. For be- fides that which happens in the Gene- ration, Corruption, Nutrition , and wafting of Bodies, that which we difco- ver partly by our Microfcopes of the cx- tream littlenefs of even the fcarce fen- fible parts of Concretes ; and partly by the Chyniical Refolutions of mixt Bodies, and by divers other Operations of Spagyrical Fires upon them, feems fufficiently to manifeft their confifting of parts very minute and pf differing Figures. And that there does alfo inter- vene a various local Motion of fuch ftnall Bodies, will fcarce be denied ; whether we chufe to grant the Origine of Concretions affign'd by Ef kurus , or that related by Mofes. For the firft , as you Well know, fuppofes not only all D 3 niix| J?ropof. II. THE SCETTICAL mixt Bodies, but all others to be pro- duc’d by the various and cafual occurfi- ons of Atomes , moving thernfelyfes to and fro by an internal Principle inj'the Innnenfe or rather Infinite Vacuum. And as for the infpir’d Hifcorian , He, jnforniing us that the great and Wife Author of Things did not immediately create Plants, Beafls,Birds,&c. but pro- duc’d them out of thofe portions of the pre-exiflent., though created , Matter* that he calls Water and Earth , allows ns to conceive, that theconfiituent Par- ticles whereof thcfe new Concretes were to confift, were varioufly moved in order to thdr being conneded into the Bodies they were, by their various Coalitions and Textures, to compofe. But (continues Carneades') piefuming that the firfi: Propofidon needs not be longer infifted on , I will pafs on to the fecond, and tell you that Neither h if. poffible that of thefe mi-' mte Particles divers o fthe fmallefi and neighbouring, ones were here and there aJSociated into minute Maj^es or Clu~ fiers.,.(ind did by their Coalitions cfinjli- tute great fiore of fuch little primary Concretions « CffTMIsr, - 39 Concretions or Ma/Ses as were not eaftly dijfrpable into fuch ^articles as com- ■pos'd them. To what may be deduc’d, in favour of this Affercion from ,fhe Nature of the Thing it felfj Iwill acid fomething out of Experience, which though I have not known it ufed to fuch a purpofc , feems to me more fairly to make out that there may be Elementary Bodies, than the more queftionable Experiments of Peripateticks and Chymifts prove that there are fuch. I confiderthen that Gold will mix and be colliquated not only with Silver, Copper, Tin and Lead, but with Antimony, Regnlus Marth and many other Minerals, with which it will compofe Bodies very differing both from Gold, and the other Ingredients of the refulting Concretes. And the fame Gold will alfo by common Regk^ and ( I fpeak jt knowingly) by divers other tMjefjftruums ht reduc’d into a feeraing Lfquor, in fo much that the Corpufcles of Goldl will, vvith thofe of the MenSru- t//«,pafs through Cap-Paper, and with them alfo coagulate into a Chryftalline Salt, And I have further try’d , that D 4 with 4© the scevtical with a fmall quantity cf a certain Saline Subftance I prepar’d,! can eafily enough fublime Gold into the form of red Chry- ftalls of a confiderable length; and many other wayes may Gold be diTguis’d, and help to conftitute Bodies of very differ-? ing Natures both from It and from one another, and neverthelefs be afterward reduc’d to the felffame Niraicrical , Yellow, FiKt, Ponderous and Malleable Gold it was before its commixture. Nor 3 S it only the fiaedft of Metals, butthe moft fugitive, that! may employ in fa? vour of our Propofition : for (^ickfilver will with divers Metals compofe an malgam^mih. divers Men flrmwis it feems to be turn’d into a Liquor, with A^ua fartM it will be brought into either a red or white PoW'^der or precipitate, with Oylof Vitriol into a pale Yellow one , with Sulphur it will compofe a blood- red and volatile Cinaber, with fome Sa- line Bodies it will afeend in form of a Salt which will be dilfoluble in water ; mit\t Regnlm of Antimony and Silver I have feen it fublim’d into u kindc of Cryftalsjwith another Mixture I reduc’d it into a malleable Body, into a hard and brittle Subfiance by another: And CUT Ml St. 4 ^ fonie there are who affirm, that by pro- per Additaments they can reduce Quick- filver into Oyl, uay into Glafs, to men- tion no more. And yet out of all thefe exptick Compounds , we may recover the very fame running Mercury that ivas the main Ingredient of them , and was fo dlfguis’d in them. Now the Rea*? fpn ( proceeds Carneades^ that I have reprefented thefe things concerning Gold and Quickfilver,is, That it may not appear abfurd to conceive^ that fueh lit- tle primary MalTes or Clufters j as our Propofitip-n mentions , may remain un- diiripated,notwithftanding their entring into the corapofition of various Concre- tions, fince the Corpufcle of Gold and Mercury, though they be not primary Concretions of the mofl minute Parti- cles of matter, but confeffedly mixt Bodies , are able to concurre plentifully to the compofition of feveral very dif- fering Bodies, without lofing their own NatureorTexture,or having their cohe- fion violated by the divorce of their affociated parts or Ingredients. Give me leave to add ( faies EUuthe- on this occafion , to what you now ohferv’dj that as confidently as fome Chyinift^ 42 the SCETr ical Chyitiifts,and other modern Innovators in Philofophy are wont to objeft againft the PeripatetickSjThat from the mixture of their four Elements there could arife but an inconfiderable variety of com- pound Bodies ; yet if iht Ari^otelians were but half as well vers’d in the works of Nature as they are in the Writings oi: their Mafter , the propos’d Objedion would not fo calmly triumph , as for want of Experiments they are fain to fuffer it to do. For if wt alTigne to the Corpnfcles , whereofeach Element con- lifts, a peculiar fize and fiiape , it may eafily fnOughbe manifeftedj That fuch difiei indy figur’d Gorpufcles may be nringled in fuch variousProport ions, ahd may be connetfted fo niany feveral waies, that an aim oft incredible number'df va;^ ricufiy (Qualified Concrdes may bd com- pos’d of ihtni. Efpecia'fiy ftnce the Cor- pufdes of One Element may barely , by Being affociated aimbhg thtmfelveS, make up little Maffds of differing fize and figifre from their conftituent parts: andfince alfo to the ftrid union of fuch minute Bodies there Teems oftentimes nothingrequifite, beiides the bare Con- tad of a great part of their Surfaces. And CBTMJSt. 45 And hew great a variety of Thod\eS'^^v\d Elements, in regard that all mixt Bodies arecom- pounded of them. But I thought it re- quiffte to limit my Conceffion by pre- mifing the words,»er^ much,\o the word Inconvenience, htCdMPt that though the' Inconvenience of calling the diftindt Subftances, mention’d in the Propofiti- oa Elements or PrimipteSy be not very great,’ cut MI ST, 47 great ’, yet that it is Impropriety of Speech, and confequenrly in a matter of this moment not to be aliogeiher over- look’d. You will perhaps think, as well as I, by that time you (hall have heard the following part of my Diicourfe , by which ycu will bell: difcern vhatCon- ftrutfion to put upon the former Propo- fitions,and how far they may be look'd upon, as things that 1 concede as true,5c how far as things I only reprefent as fpe- cious enough to be fit to be confider’d» And now Eleinherius(com\nwts,Car7ie~ ales') I mull: refume the perfon of a Sce- prick,and as fuch, propofe feme pan of what may be either diSik’c , or at lealt doubted of in the common Hyfot hefts oi the Chy mifts. which if I examine with a little the more freedom, 1 hope I need not defire you (a perfon to whom I have the Happinefs of being fo well known) to look upon it as fomething more luit- able to the Employment whereto the Company has, for this Meeting, doom’d me; than either to my Humour er my Cuftom. Now though I might prefent you ma- ny things againft the Vulgar Chymical Opinion of the three Pr inciples, and the Ex- 4« THE SCETTICAL Exjperiments wont to be alleg’d as De- monftrations of it, yet tkofe ,I fhallat prefent offer you may be conveniently enough comprehended in four Capital Confiderations ; touching all which I lhall only premife this in general, That iince it is not my preferit Task fo muc.h to aflert an Hyfotkefis of njy own , as to give an Account wherefore I fu- ipe<5l the truth of that of the Chymifts , it ought not to be expeded that all my Objedions fhould be of the moft cogent fort, fince it is reafon enough to Doubt of a propos’d Opinion, that there ap- pears no cogent Reafon for it. To come then to the Objeftions thcm- felvesj 1 conflder in the firft place, That i notwithftanding what common Chy- . mifts have prov’dor taught, it may rea- fonably enough be Doubted , how far i and in what fence , Fire ought to be eftecm’d the genuine and univerfal In- ftrument of analyzing mixt Bodies. This Doubts you may remember, was formerly mention’d , but fo tranfiently difcours’d of, that it will now be fit to infill: upon it 5 And manifeftthat it was not fo inconfiderately propos’d as our Advcrfaries then imagin’d. i - But; ; / CHI in I St. 4 ^ But, before I enter any further into this Difquifition, I cannot but here rake noticej that it were to be wifii’d , our Chyniifts had clearly inform’d us what kind of Pivifion of Bodies by Fire niuft dererroine the number of (he Elements : For it is nothing near fo eafy as many feem to think , to determine diftindtiy theEffeds of Heat, as I could eafily ma- nifeft, if I had ieafure to iliew you how- much the Operations of Fire may be diverfify'dby Circumftances. Bur not wholly to pafs by a matter of this Im- portance, 1 will tirft take notice to you, chat Gua]acum (for inftance)burnr witli an open Fire in a Chimney, is fequeftred into Afhes and Soot, whereas the fame Vfood diftili’d in a Retort does yield far other Heterogeneities , (id ufe the Helmontian expreffion ) and is refolv’d into Oyl, Spirit, Vinegar, Water and Charcoal; the [aft of which to be re- duc’d into A,l]ies,requires the being far- ther calcin’d than it, Can be in^a cjole Veflfel : Befides having kindled Amber, and held a clean Silver Spoon , or fome other Concave and fmooth VeiTel over the Sraoak of its Flame , 1 obferv’d the, (Soot into which that Fume condens’d , E' to 50 THE SCETTlCAh * to be very differing from any thing that , I bad obferv’d to proceed from the ftearn of Amber purpofeiy (for that is : not ufual ) diftilled per Je in dofe Vef- I fels. Thus having, for Tryals fake, kin- dled Camphire and catcht the Sinoak that copioufly afcended out of the Flame, it condens’d into a Black and uniffuous Soot, which would not have been guefs'dby the Smell or other Pro- perties to have proceeded from Cam- phire: whereas having f as I fhall other- where more fully declare } expos’d a quantity of that Fugitive Concrete to a gentle neat in a clofe Glafs-Veffel , iC fublim’d up withou t Teeming to have loft anything ofits whitenefs, or its Nature,' both which it retain’d , though after- wards I To encreafed the Fire as to bring it to Ftifion. And , btfidcs Camphire, there are divers other Bodies ( that I elfewhere name ) in which the heat in clofe Veffels is not wont to make any reparation of Heterogeneities, but only a comminution of Paj-ts, thofe that rile fiift being Homogeneal with the others, : though fubdivided into fmaller Particles;) whence Sublimations have been ftiled , ' The Pe files of the Chymifis. But not here CHTMl&r^ ' -ii to mention what I elfewhere take notice of, concerning common Brimflorie once or twice fublim’djthar expos’d to a mo- derate Fire in Subliming- Pots , it rifes all into dry , and almoft taftlefs , FioW- ers5 Whereas being eJtpos’d to a naked Fire it affords ftore of a Saline and Fretting Liquor : Not to mention this ^ I fay, 1 will further obferve to you, that as it is confiderable in the Analyfis of tnixt Bodies, whether the Fire ad on them when they are expos’d to the open Air, or iliut up in clofe VeiTels, fo is the degree of Fire, by which the Analyfis is attempted, of no fmall moment. Fora niilde Balneum m\\ fever unfermerited Blood (for inftance) but into Phlegme Sind Caput mart uum\ the latter whereof (which I have fometiraes had) hard, brittle, and of divers Colours, (tranfpa- fentalmoft like Tortoife-fhell) pfefs’d by a good Fire in a Retort yields a Spirir, an Oyl or two, and a volatile Salt , be- fides another Caput mottuim. It may be atfo pertinent to our preferit Defigne,to take notice of what happens in the ma- king and difliilling of Sope vfor by one de- gree of Fire the Salt, the Water, and the Oyl or Greafe, whereof that faditious E % Con- 52 THE sceptical Concrete is nh?de up, being boyl’d up together are eafily brought to mingle and incorporate into one Mafs ; but by another and further degree of Heat the fame Mafs may be again divided into an oleagenous, and aqueous, a Saline , and an Earthy part. And fo we may obferve that impure Silver and Lead being ex- pos’d together to a moderate Fire will thereby be colliquated into one Mafs, and mingle per minima ^ as they fpeak 5 whereas a much vehtmenter Fire will driveor carry off the bafer Metals (I mean the Lead, and the Copper or other Alloy ) from the Silver, though not, for ought appears, feparate them from one another. Belides, when a Ve^ getable abounding in fixt Salt is analyz’d by a naked Fire , as one degree of Heat will reduce it into Alhes, ( as the Chy- mifts themfelves teach us ) fo , by only a further degree of Fire , thofe Allies may be vitrified and tam’d into Glafs. i will not ftay to examine how far a meere Chymifi might cn this occafion demand , If it be lawful for an Ariiiote- iian to make Afhes, ( which he mifiakes for meere Earth ) pafsfor an Element, beeaufe by one degree of Fire it may be pro* CMTMIST. 53 I producM, why a Chyniift may not upon I the like Principle argue , that Glafs is i one of the Elements of many Bodies, Ibecaui'e that alfo may be obtain’d fiom tnein, barely by the Fire? I will nor, I iky , lofe time to examine this, but ob- fei ve, that by a Method of applying the Fire,fuchfimilaf Bodies may be obtain’d from a Concrete, as Chymifts have not been able tofeparate ; cither by barely burning it in an open Fire, or by barely diftilling it in clofe Veffels.For tome it Teems very ccnfiderable, and I wonder that men have taken fo little notice of it, that I have not by any of the com- mon wayes of Diftillation in clofe Vef- ~elSj feen any reparation made of fuch i volatile Salt as is afforded us by Wood, ivhen that is firft by an open Fire divided into Alhes and Soot, and that Soot is af- lerwards plac’d in a ftrong Retort , and :ompeH’d by an urgent Fire to part with Its Spirit, Oyl and Salt ; for though I fare not peremptorily deny, that in the biquors of Gua]acum and other Woods Jiftill’d in Retorts after the common manner, there may be Saline parts, vhich by reafon of the Analogy may 5retend to the name of Tome kinde of E 3 yola- 54 tub s'cettical volatile Salts; yet queftionlefs there if a great difpariiy betwixt fuch Salts and that which we have fonietimes obtain^ upon ihefirftDiftillationofSoot(though for the moft part it has not been fepa- rared t*i orn the firft pr fecond Reftifica- tion,and fonteiinies not till the third) For we could never yet fee feparated from Woods analyz’d only the yulgar way in clofe veffels any volatile Salt in a dry and Saline form , as that of Soot , which we have often had very Chryftal- lineand Geometrically figur’d. And fhen^whereas the Saline parts ofthe Spi- rits of appear upon diftil- iation fluggiflh enough, the Salt of Soot feems to be one of the inofi: volatile Bodies in all Nature ; and if it be w'di made will readily afcend with the niilde heat of a Furnace, warrn’d on jy by the fingle Wiock ofa Lamp, to the top of tiiC highefc Glafs Vefiels that are com- moaly made ufe of for Dihillation : and befides all this , the tafte and fmell oftheSalt of Soot are exceeding differ- ing from thofe of the Spirits of Gnaja^ cum,Sc.c. and the former notonly fmells & tafits much lefs ijkea vegetable Salt, than like chat of HartS' horn, and other_ Animal C Hr Ml ST. ss j Animal Concretes? but in clivers other i Properties Teems more of Kinne to the I Family of Animals, than to that of vege- i table Salts, as I may elfewhere (God per- mittingjhave an occafion more particu- larly to declare.I might likewifeby fome other Examples manifeft,That theChy- mifts , to have dealt clearly , ought to have more explicitly and particularly declar’d by what Degree of Fire, andin what manner of Application of it, they would have us Judge a Divifion made by the Fire to be a true Analyfis into their Principles, and the Produftions ofictq deferve the name of Elementary Bodies. But it is time that I proceed to mention the particular Reafons that incline me to Doubt, whether the Fire he the true and univerfal Analyzer of mixt Bodies; pf which Reafons what has been alrea- dy ©bjeded may pafs foroiie. In the next place I obferve. That there are feme mixt Bodies from which it has not been yet made appear , than any degree of Fire can feparate either Salt or Sulphurqr Mercury, much lefs all theThree.The moft obvious Inftance of this Truth is Gold, which is a Body |o fix’d , and wherein the Ekmeniary E 4 |ngre* §6 THE SCBTTICAL Ingredients (if k have any^are fo firmly ; united to each other, that we finde not i in the operations wherein Gold is ex- pos’d to the Fire, how violent foever, that itdotsdifcernably fo much as lofe of its fixednefs or weight, fo far is it from being difiipated into thofe Prin- ciples, whereof one at leaft is acUnow- ledgedtobe Fugitive enough*, and fo juftly did the Spagyricall Poet fome- where exclaim , adeo mirk illic comp a gibus harenf. And I muft not omit on this occafion i to inention to yon^'Lkutherim ^ the me- ■ morable Experinsent that 1 remember I » Qajio tti-t with in * .Gafto Clavem^ who,though ciaveus a Lawyer by Proftfiion , feeros to have ‘gj had no fmall Curiofiiy and Experience chryfo- in Chymical affairs ; He relates then , that having'put into one fmall Earthen Vefl'd an Ounce of the molf pure Gold, and into another the like weight of pure Silver, he plac’d them both in that part of a Glafs-houfe Furnace wherein the Workmen keep their Metal, fas pur Englifh Artificers call their Liquid Glafs} continually melted , and that having there kept both the Gold and i ■ the i 1 CHTMlsr. 57 ; the Silver in coaftaRt Fufipn for two ijMoneths together , he afterwards took : them out of the Furnace and the VeCTels, : and weighing both of them again, found that the Silver had not loft above a 1 2^1* part of its weight, but the Gold had pot of his loft any thing at all. And though our Author endeavours to give ns of this a Scholaftick Reafon, which Ifuppofe you would be as little fatisfied with , as I was when 1 read it 5 yet for the mat- ter of Fa whilft our Caput mortuu remain’d in the Retort, it continued black like Charcoal,though the Retort were Earthen, and kept red- hot in a vehement Fire ; but as foon as ever it was brought out of the candenti ~ ~ “ Vefteh c nr MI St. 63 V^effelinto the open Air, the burning Coals did haftily degenerate or fall a- 'funder, without the Afliftance of any hew Calcination, into pure white Allies. And to thefe two I fhall add but this ob- ,rious and known Obfervation,that com- |ffion Sulphur(if itbe pdre & freed from its Vinegar) being leafurely fubliiii’d in jclofe Veffels , rifes into dry Flowers, jWhich may be prefently melted into a jBodie of the fame Nature with that |which afforded them. Though, if Brim- ftone be burnt in the open Air, it gives, ^ou know, a penetrating Fume , which |being caught in a Glafs-Bell condenfes into that acid Liquor called Oyl ofSuL fer Camf dnam. The ufe I would .make of thefeExperiments collated with what 1 lately told you our o^^gricola iS ahis, That even among the Bodies that , are not fixt, there arc divers of fuch a Texture, that it will be hard to make it ;appear,how the Fire, as Cbyraifts are wont to imploy it, can refolve them into Elementary Subftances. For fo me Bodies beifig of fuch a Texture that the Fire can drive them into the cooler and lefs hot part of the Veffels wherein they are in- dHded,ahd if need be, remove them from place 64 the SCETTICAL place to place to fly the greatefl heat more eafily than it can divorce their E-i lements(erpecially withoni the Affiftance! of the Air)we fee that our Chymifts can-|j not Analy?-e them in clofe Vcffels,and ofhop$ under thofe names., are them-^, elves too mach compounded Bodies .tof *afs for the Elements qf fuch. And thus WLch^EleutheriuSyfor the Second Argu- 1 eat that belongs to my Firft Confide- itiqn ; the others I (hall the lefle infill h, bccaufe I have dwelt fo long upon his, ^ _ Proceed we then in the next place t6 onfider. That there are divers iSepara- ions to be made by other means, which ither cannot at all, or clft cannot fn 'ellbe made, by the Fire alone. When told knd Silver are melted into one iafs ,' it Would lay a great pbligationl pon Refiners and Goldimiths to' teach , icral the Art of feparatiug them tHB Sceptical the Fire , without the trouble and cMrge they are fain to be at to fever them. Whereas they may be very eafi- ly parted by the AfFufion of Spirit of ot fort^i which the French therefore call £au de Depart ; So like- wife the Metalline part of Vitriol will not' be To eafily and eonvenienily feptrated from the Saline part even by- a violent Fire, as by the A’ffiifion of cer- tain Alkalizate Salts iti a liquid Form upon the Solution of Vitriol made in common Water. For thereby the acid •S^alt of the Vitriol leading the Copper it had corroded to joj^n with the added i^altSj the MeCalline parr Will be preci- pitated to the bottom alttioftlike Mud. And that f ihay not gi^e Inftanceis only in Efe-compound Bodiesjl will add a not ufelefs one of another kinde. Not only CHymifts have not been able (for ought is vulgarly known ) by Fire alone to fe- parate iriie Sulphur from Aniimony^biit thbiigh y oh may finde in - their Books many plahTfele Proceflfes of Fxtrafting ik^yetbe tlut (hall make Ss many fruit- left TryalHs I have done lo obtain it by, moft oPihem' will, i fappofe, beeaftly pcrfwad^i^attheF^odtt^ions of fuch Pfoccffcs cur MIST. ej P#ocefles are Antimonial ^'■Iphurs ra- ther in Name than Nature. But though Antimony fublim'd by its felfis reduc’d but to a volatile Powder, or Antimonial Flowers, of a compounded Nature like the Mineral that affords them : yet I re- member that fome years ago I fublim’d DUt of Antimony a Sulphu r, and that irt greater plenty than ever 1 faw obtain’d rom that Mineral, by a Method which { (hall therefore acquaint you with, be- :aUfe Chymilts feem not to have taken iotice,of what Importance fuch Experi- nents rh'aybe in the Iridagation of the ''lature , and efpecialiyof the Number >f the Elements. Having then purpofe- y for Tryals fakedigefted eight Ounces if good and well powder’d Antimony viih twelve Ounces of -Oyl of Vitriol n a Well ftopt Glafs-VefTcl for about fijC ir feven Weeks; and having caus’d he Mafs CgroWn hard andbrittle) to be liftillM in a Retort plac’d in Sand, with ftrong Fire ; we found the Antimony '0 be fo opened, or alter’d by the Men^ wherewith it had been digefted> rhatwher^s crude Ahtinibny,, forc’d :ip by the Fire, arifes only in Flowers , lar Antiiuouy thus handled afforded us ’ F 2 partly THE SCEPTICAL partly in the Receiver, and partly jft the Neck and at the Top of the Retort, about an Ounce of Sulphur, yellow and brittle like common Briraftone , and of fo .Sulphureous a fmell, that upon the unluting the Veflels it infected theRooni with a fcarce fupportabk flink. And this sulphur , befides the Colour and iSmell, had the perfedi inflamability of common Brimftone , and would imme- diately kindle ( at the Flame of a Can- dle) and burn blew like it. And though It feem’d that the 16 ng digeftion where- in our Antimony and Menflruam were detain’d, did conduce to the better un-* locking of the Mineral , yet if you have not the leafure to make fo long a Dige-«; IHon you may by incorporating witB powder’d Antimony a convenient Quan- tity of Oyl of Vitriol , and committing; them immediately to Diftillaiion, obtain a little *SuIphur like unto the common one,and more combuftable chan perhaps you will at firft rake notice of.For I have obferv’d, that though ( after its being- firft kindled ) the Flame would fome times go out too foon of its felf , if the fame Lump of Sulphur were held again to the Flame of a Candle, it would be. . fe CHTMlSr. rekindled and burn a pretty while , not only afrer the fecond, but after the third Dr fourth acccnfioo.You,to whom I think I (hewed my way of difcovering fome- thing of Sulphureous in Oyl of Vitriol , may perchance fufpeft, Eltuthniui-, ei« :her that this Subftance was fome Ve- lereal Sulphur that lay hid in that Li. juor,and was by this operation only re- juc’d into a manifeft Body; orelfe that t was a compound of the unctuous parts )f the Antimony , and the Saline ones if the Vitriol , in regard that C as Gim- Ojj« her informs us ) divers learned men vould have Sulphur t© be nothing but mixture made in the Bowels of the Larith of Vitriolate Spirits and a ccr- ain combuftible Subliance. But the ^antity of Sulphur we obtain’d by Di- eftion was much too great to have been itent in theGyl of Vitriol. And that 'itriqlate Spirits are not neceflary to le ConftrudioH of fucli a Sulphur as urs, I could eafily inaniB ft, if I would :quaint you with the feveral wayes by ^hich 1 have obtain’d, though not in fuch lenty,a Sulphu r of Antimony, colour'd ad combuftible like common Brim- one. And though I am not povr minded Jo THE SCEPtlCAL to difcover them, yet I fJiaU tell ypi|, that to fatisfie Tome Ingenious Men, that diftill’d Viiriolate Spirics are nor necef- fary tp the obtaining of futh a iSulphur as we have been conlidering,! did by the bare diftilUtion of only ^'pirit of Nitre, from its weight of crude Antimony fc» parate , in a Ihoft time , a yellow and very inflamable •S'ulphur, which, fpf ought I know , deferves as much the name of an Element, as any thing that Chymift^are wpni to feparate from any Mineral by the Fire. 1 could perhap^ tell you pf other Operations upon Anti- mony, whjereby That may be extra^ed from it, which cannot be forc’d put of it by the Fire; but 1 (hall referve ihepi for a fitter Opportunity,and only annex at pfefent this flight, but not imperti- nent Experimenr.That whereas I lately obferved to you , that the Urinous and common <^alts whereof SalArmoniack, conflirts,reinain’d unfever ’d by theFire in many fucceffive -Sublimations, they may be evfily fcparated, and partly without any Fire at all , by pouring npon ihf Concrete finely powder’d, a -Solution of -Salt of Tartar, or of the -Salt of Wood- Afiies; for upon your diligently mixing # of CHTMIST^^ n of thcfe you will finde your Nof« iu- ! vaded with a very ftrong fmdl of Urine» ; ind perhaps too your Eyes forc’d to wa- I ter, by the fame fnbtle & piercing Body that produces the ftink; both thefe ef- Fe*5ls preceding from hence, that by the Alcalizate i^alt,the Stz .Salt that enter’d :hc compofition of the Sal Armoniacki^ nortify’d and made more fixt,and there- by a divorce is made between it and the volatile Urinous .Salt, which being at )nce fet at liberty, and put into motiori, ijegins prefently to fly away, and to of- end the Noftrils and Eyes it meets with by the way. And if the operation of ithefe .Salts be in conveniet Glafles pro* inoted by warmth, though but by that )f a Bath, the afeending .Steaines may jafily be caught and reduc’d into a pcne-> rant y Heal, may be .Sublim’d , I know not low often , by a like degree; of Fire , vithout fufferingany divorce of the cora- )onenc Bodies, the Mercury may be ea-^ ¥4 ‘JZ THE SC ET TIC At fily fever*Jfrbin the adhering *Sahs, if the iSubliroate be diflill’d from iSalt of Tartar, ^uick Lime, or fuch Alcalizate Bodies.Buri will ratherobferve to you, Eleutheiius, what divers ingenious men have thought fomewhatftrangej thatby fuch an Additament that feems but only to protnote the ^'epa ration, there may be eafily obtain’d from a Concrete, that by the Fire alone is eafi’y divifible into all the Eijemenrs that Vegetables are fupros’d toconfift of, fuch a fimilar tSubftance as differs in many refpeds from them all, and confequently has by 'many of the moft Intelligent Chymifts ‘been denied to be containy in the mixt Body. For I know a way , and have yraftis’d it, whereby common Tartar, Without the addition pfany thing that is notperfe^ly a Mineral, except .Salt- petre, may' by one Diftillation in an Earthen Rdtort be made to afford good ilore of real i’alt, readily diffoluble in water, which 1 found to be neither acid, norbf the fmell of Tartar, and to be almoft as volatile as of Wine it ' felf, -and to be indeed of fo differing a Nature fioih all that is wont to be fepa- r^ied by Fire from Tartar , and divert Learned ' CUT mist. ' 73 ;,carnedl Men, with whom I difcQurs*d )fii, could hardly be brought to be- .eeve, that fo fugitive a 5'alt could be ifFordcd by Tartar, till I afTurM it them jpon my own Knowledge. And if 1 did not think you apt to fufpeft me to be rather too backward than too forward to creditor affirm unlikely things, I could convince you by what 1 have yet lying by me of that anomalous •Salt. The Fcurth thing that 1 lhall alledge to countenance my firft Confideratioii is, That the Fire even when it divides $ ■Body into *Subftances of divers Confi* ;ftences, does not moft commonly ana- lyze it into Hypoftatical Principles, but ■only difpofes its p?arts into new Tex- ,tures, & thereby produces Concretes o,f anew indeed, but yet of a compound Na- ture. This Argument it will be requifite forme toprofecute fo fully hereafter, that 1 hope you will then confefs that ’tis not for want of good Proofs that I dcfire leave to fhfpend my Proofs till the Se^ r/M of my Difcourfe lhall ma|teitmore proper and feafqnable to propofe them. It may be further alledg*d on the be- half of my Firft Confideration , That fomefuchdiftiA^ 3ubftances may be ob- tain’d 74 the sceptical tain*d from fome Concretes witPiout ? Fire, as deferve no Icfs the name of ik E lementary, than many that Chymiftg i extort by the Violence of the Fire. We fee that the Indamable Spirit, or as the Chymifts efteem it, the Sulphur of Wine, may not only be feparated from it by the gentle heat of a Bath, but may be diftill’d either by the help of the Sun-Beams , or even of a Dunghill , being indeed of fo Fugitive a Nature, that it is not eafy to keep it from flying away, even without the Application of external heat. I have likewife obferv’d thataVeffdfull of Urine being plac’d in a Dunghill, the Putrefadion is wont after fome weeks fo to open the Body , that the parts disbanding the Saline iSpi- rit, will within no very longtime, if the Veffel be not ftopt, fly away ofit felf; Infomuch that from fuch Urine I have been able to diftill little or nothing elfe than a naufeous Phlegme, inftead of the adive and piercing iSalt and i^pirit that it would have afforded, whenfirft ex* pos’d to the Fire, if the Veffel had been carefiilly ftopt. And this leads me to confidcr in the Fifth place, That it will be very hard to prove. € JIT MI ST, 75 ;>rpye, that there can no other Body or jvay be given which will as well as the li^ire divide Concretes into feveral ho- nogcnepus Subftances, which may con* ,'equently be call'd their Elements or Principles, as Well as thofe fcparated or broduc’d by the Fire.For fince we have ately fecn,that Nature can fucccflefully :;niplty other Inftriimenrs than the Fire , c gtparate diftindi Subllances from mixC Bodies, how know we, but that Nature las inade , or Art may make, fome fuch Sub^anceas may be a fit InUrument to Analy7e mixt Bodies , or that fome oich Method may be found by Humane Indufti y or Lucie, by whofe means com- pound Bodies may berefolv’d into Other Subftances, than jfuchas they are wont to be divided into by the Eire. And why the Produdts of fuch an Analyfis may not as juftly be call’d the component Prin- ciples of th^ Bodies that affoid them , it will not be eafyto fliew, efpccially lince 1 lhall hereafter make it evident , that the Subftances which Chymifts are wont to call the Salts,and Sulphurs, and Mercuries of BodieSjare not fo pure and Elementary as they prefuroe , and as Hylothefis requires. And this may there 7$ THE SCEETICAL therefore be the more freely prefs’d ap?> on the Chymifts , becaufc neither th^ Taracelfi^nstiiOJiXht Helmontians can re- je6 it without apparent Injury to their tcfpedUve Mafters.For /fe/wwt do’s more than once Inform his Readers, that both Paracel/us and Himfelf were Poffeflprs of the famous Liquor, Alkfhe ^ , which for its great power in refolving Bodies irrefoluble by Vulgar Fires, he fome- where feems to call Ignk Gehenna. To this Liqupr he afcribes , ( and that in great part upon his own Experience) fuch wonders, that if we fuppofe them all true, lam fo much the more a Friend to Knowledge than to Wealth, that I Ihould think the Alkahefi a nobler and more defireable Secret than the Philo- fophers Stone it felf. Of this Univerfa! t)ilIolvent tie relates , That having di- gefted with it for a competent time a piece of Oaken Charcoal , it was there^ by reduc’d ihp a couple of new and di- ftindl Liquors, difcriminated from each ether by their Colour and Situation, and iphat the whole body of the Coal was reduc^ into thofe Liquor? , both of them feparable from his Immortal Menfiruunty which remain’d as fit for fuch Operati- ons CUT MIST, 77 ons as before. And he moreover tells ust in divers places of his Writings, thac by his powerful , and unwearied Agent, he Gouid diffolve Metals, Marchafites , Stones , Vegetable and Animal Bodies of what kinde foever, and even Glafs it felf ( firft reduc'd to powder, ) and in a word , all kind Of mixt Bodies in the VVorld into their feveral fimilar Sub- ftanceSjWithoHt any Rcfidence or Caput moTtuum, And laftly, we may gather this further from his Informations, That the homogeneous Subftances obtainable from compound Bodies by his piercing J.,iquor,were pfientimes different enough both as to Number and as to Nature , from thofe into which the fame Bodies are wont to be divided by common Fir^; Of which 1 fhall need in this place to mention no other proof,ihan that where- as we know that in oU r common Jnaly/ii of a mixt Body, there remains a terreftri* al and very jfixt ^yublfance, oftentimes af- fociated with a *Salt as fixt; Our Author tells us, that by his way he could Biftill over all Concretes without any Caput mwtuum, and cdnfequenrly could make thofe parts of the Concrete volatile# frhich ia the Vulgar ^alpfis would have 7 « THM SCMrriCAL i>een fixr. So ihar if oor Chymifts will not rejeifc the fokinn arid repeated Te* ftiinoriy Of a F^erfon, who cannot bur be ackn6tv;edg*d for ohe of the gr^aicft 5'pagyrifts that they cafi boaftof, they inuft n6t deny that ther6 is to be found in Nature another Agent able to Analyze compound Bodies iefs violently , and both more genuinely and more univer- fally than the Fire. And for my ov^ni part, though I cannot but f?.y on this Oc- cafion what (you know) Our Friend Mr. Boj>/e is wont to fay, when he is askt his Opinion of any ftrange ExperimentJ That tie that hath feen it hath more Rea* /on to ieleeve it^than He that hath not, yet | 1 have found Helmont fo‘ fait hfui a Wri ter, \ even in divers of his improbable Experif j mentsflalwaies except that Extravagant Treatife Magnetica VulnevuCuraiione^ ! Which fonie of his Friends affirm to have I been firft publifh’d by his Enemies} that I think it fOmewhat harfh t o give ; him the Lye, especially to' what he de^ livers upon his own prdoer Tryal. And I have heard from very Credible Eye* witaeiTes fome things , and feen forae others my felf, which argue fo ftrongly, that a cuculaitd Salt , or a enftruum CHTMIST. n ( fuch as it may be ) may by being ab-i ftradcd from compound Bodies , whe- ther Mineral, Animal, or Vegetable, leave them more unlockt than a wary Naturalift would cafily beleeve , that I dare not confidently meafure the Power of Nature and Art by that of the Mtii- ftruums^ and other Inllruments that emi- nent Chyniifts themfelves are as yet wont to employ about the Analy- zing of Bodies ; nor Deny that a Men^ iiruam may at leaft from this or that ffariicular Concrete obtain 'fome appa- rently fimilar Subftance, differing from any obtainable from the fame Body by any degree or manner of Application of the Fire. And 1 am the more backward to deny peremptorily, that there may be fuch ' Openers of compound Bodies, becaufe among the Experiments that make me fpeak thus Warily ,there want- ed not fome in which it appear’d not^ that one of the Subftances,not fcparable by common Fires and Menftruums^could retain any thing of the Salt by which the reparation was made. And here, Eleat&eriut, ( faics Cornea- des ) I iltould conclude as much of roy Difeoarfe as belongs to the firft Con- fidcratioH 99- THE SCETl^AL fideratibn I propos’d,, but that I forefee/ that what I have delivered will appear liable to two fuch fpecious Objedions, that I cannot fafely proceed any further till I have examin’d them.', And firft, one fort of Oppofers will, be forward CO tdl me,' That they do not. pretend by Fire alone to Separate put of all compound Bodies their Hypoftatkal. Principles; it being fufficierit that the Fire divides them into fuch, though af- terwards they employ other Bodies to : colleft the, iimilar parts of the Com-, pourid; a$ ’tis known,' that though they make ufe. of water to cpHcjift the Sajinc , parts of Alhes from the Terreftriai wherewith they are blended,yet it is the Fire only that Incinerates Bodies , and, reduces the fix’d part of tfiem into the; Salt and Barth, whereof Alhes are made up. This Objection is nbtf fconfefs,in- confiderable, and 1 might /u great part, allow ofir, without granting it tomake^ againft me, if I would content my felf tpanfwerj that it, is hot againfb thpfe that make it that I fiave been dilpuiingj but againft thofe V ulgar Chymifts , who themfclvcs believe,and would fain make others do fo , That the Fire is not only' ah CHTMIST. Sf an univerfal, but an adequate and fufH» dent Inftrunient to analyze mixt Bodies with. For as to their Pradice of Extra- ^ingthe fix’d Salt out of AlBe? by tfce Affiifion of Water, ’tis obvious to al- ledge, that the Water does only afi? fenible together the Sait, the Fire had before divided from the Earth: as a Sieve does not further bred^ the Corn, but only bringtogether into two diftinit heaps the Flower and the Bran , whofe Corpufcles before lay proniifcuoufly blended together in the Meal. This I fay 1 might alledge , and thereby exempt my felf from the need of taking any farther notice of the propos’d 6b|edi- on. But not to lofe the Rife it may af- ford roe of Illuftrating the matter under Confideration, I am content briefly to confider it, as far forth as my prefent Difquifition may be concern’d in it. Not to repeat then what has been al- ready anfwer’d,! fay further, that though I am fo civil an Adverfary , that I will allow the Chymifts , after the Fire has done all its work, the ufe of fair Water to make their Extradlions with, in fuch cafes wherein the Water does not co- operate with the Fire to make the I S2 ' THE SCEPTICAL fince I Grant this but upon Sup- pofition that ihe Water ^oes only wafh off the Saline Particles , wntcb the Fire alone hai before Extricated in the Analyz'd Body, it will not be Rcafon- abkjthat this Conceffion Ihould Extend to other Liquors that may Add to what they Diffolve , nor fo much as to other Cafes than thofe Newly Mentioned : Which Limitation I Defire You would be Pleas’d to Bear in Mind till I lhall Anon have Occafion to make Ufe of it. And This being thus Premis’d , I lhall Proceed to Obferve , Firft , That Many of the Inftances I Propos’d in the Preceding Difcourfe are Such , that the Objedion we areCoq- iidering will not at all Reach Them. For Fire can no more with the Affiftance of Water, than vvithout it, Separate any ' of the Three Principles, either from ! Cold, Silver, Mercury, or fome Others i of the Concretes named AboveJ : Hence We may Inferre, That Fire: is not an Univerfal Analyze of all Mixt Bodies, fince of Mewls and Minerals, wherein Chy mills have moft Exercis’d Themfelves, there Appear fcarce Any which they are able to Analyze by Fire, Nay, I t nr MUST. ^ Nay, from which they can Unqueftionf- ably Separate fo n uch as any One of their Hypoftatic^l Principles ; Which may well Appear no froall Difparage- nient, aswell to their Myfothefis^as to their Pretenl'ions. It will alfo remain True, hotwitli- ftanding theObje^ion, That there may be Other Wayes, than the wontM Ana^ lyfis by Fire , to Separate from a Com- pound Body Subftances as Homoge- j neous as thofe that Chymifts Scruple not to Reckon among their Tria Primd I (as fome of them , for Brevity Sake, ^ call their Three Principles. ) Andie Appears, That by Gotiveriienc ' Additaments fuch Subftances may be ! Separated by the Help of the Fire , as ^ could not be fo by the Fire alone . Wit- Befs the Sulphur of Antimony. ! And Laftly, I muft Reprefent , That fince it appears toO that the Fire is but One of the Inftruments that niuft be ! Employ’d in the Refolution of Bodies ^ Wc may Reafonably Challenge the Li- berty of doing Two Things. For wheri ever any though perhaps thdfe Additaments do nor, as Ingrediems,erirer the Compofi- tion of the Obtained Body , but only Diverfify the Operation of the Fire upon the Concrete ; and though that cnTMisr. $s Goncrete by the Fire alone may be Di- videdinto a Number of Differing Sub- ftances, as Great as any of (he Chymiftsj that I have met with, teach us that of the Elements to be. And having faid thus much ( faies Carneades ) to the Ob- ;ed:ioh likely to be Propos’d by fome Chymifl? , I am now to Examine thac which 1 Forefee will be Confidently prefs’cl by Divers Peripaceticks, who , to Prove Fire to be the true Analyzer of Bodies, will Plead, That it is the very Definition of Heat given by AriSotle^ and Generally Received, Congregare Ho- mogenea^ 4^ Heterogenea Segregate , to AfTemble Things of a Refembling, and Disjo) n thofe of a Differing Nature. To thislanfwer. That this Effe^Hs far from being fo Efiential to Heat, as ’ris Generally Imagin’d*, for it rather Seems, that the True and Genuine Property of Heat is, to feta Moving, and thereby to DifTociate the parts of Bodies, and Sub- divide them into Minute Particles, with- out regard to their being Homogeneous or Heterogeneous, as is apparent in the Boyling of Water , the Diftillaiion of Quickfilver , or the Expofing of Bodies to the aftion of the Fire, whofe Parts G 3 either %6 THE SCBTTJCAL either Are not ( at leaft in that Degred of Heat Appear not ) Diflimilar, where, all that the Fire can do, is to Divide the Body into very Minute Farts which are of the fame Nature with one another, and with their Totum^zs their Reduftion by Condenfation Evinces. And even when the Fire feems nioftFoCa«’^rr^«rc flomogenea^ (fcr Segregate Heterogenea^ it Produces that EffetS but by Accident ; For the Fire does butDiffolve the Ce- menr, or rather Shatter the Frame , or Rrudure that kept the Heterogeneous Parts of Bodies together , under one Common Form ; upon which Diffo** liition the Component Particles of the Mi>rr, being Freed and fet at Liberty, do Naturally, and oftentimes without any Operation of the Fire, AlTocia e themfelves each with its Bike, or rather do takethofe places which their Seve- ral Degrees of Gravity and Levity, Fijcednefs or Volatility (either Natural, or Adventitious from the Inapreflion of the Fire ) Afligne them. Thus in the Diftillation ( for Inftance ) of Man’s Blood, the Fire do’s Fit ft begin to Dif- folve the Nexus or Cement of the Body; and then the Water , being the moft ' ■ ' Vo- ' j CUT Ml St, \ 87 Volatile, and Eafy to be ExtraOed , is either by the Igneous Atomes , or the Agitation they are put into by the Fire, fiift carried up , till Forfaken by what carried it up, its Weight finks it down, into the Receiver: but all this while the other Principles of the Concrete Remain Unfever’d, and Require a ftronger De- gree of Heat to make a Separation of its more Fixt Elements; and therefore the Fire muft be Increas’d which Carries over the Volatile Salt and the Spirit, they being , though BeleevM to be Dif- fering Principles, and though Really of Different Confiftency , yet of an almoft Equal Volatility. After them, as lefs Fugitive, comes over the Oyl,and leaves behinde the Earth and the Akali^ which being of an Equal Fixedneffe, the Fire Severs them not , for all the Definition of the Schools. And if into a Red-hoc Earthen or Iron Retort you caft the Matter to be Diftill’d , You may Ob- ferve , as I have often done , that the Predominant Fire will Carry up all the Volatile Elements Confufedly in one Fume , which will afterwards take their Places in the Receiver, either according to the Degree of their Gravity, or acr G cording ,88 THE SCBTt 1C AL cording to the Exigency of their re- fpedive Textures ; the Salt Adhering , for the moft part, to the Sides and Top, and the Phlegme Fattening it fe!f there too in great Drops, the Oyle and Spirit pilacing therofelves Under, or Above one another, according as their Poi derouD nef?. n)akes them Swim or Sink. For ’lis Oblei vable, that though Oyl or Li- quid Sulphur be one of the Etemenis Se- parated by this "S it\Y Analyfis , yet the Heat which Accidentally Unites the Particicsof the other Volatile Princi- ! pies, has not alwayes the fame Opera- tion on this, there being divers Bodies which Yield Two Oyls, whereof the One finks to the Bottom of that Spirit bn which the other Swims ; as I cap Ihew You in fome Oyls of the faihe Deers Blood , which are yet by Mes Nay I can ttiew you Two Oyls carefully made of the fame Parcel of Humane |j Blood,which not only Differ extreamly | in Colour, but Swim upon one another ^ without Mixture, and if by Agitation Confounded will of ihemfelves Divorce again. ' And that the Fire doth oftehtimes di- vide BodiesjUpon the account that fome ■ ' ■ • ^ of C HTM IS r, of their Parts are tiiore Fixt, and fome more Volatile, how far foeyer either of thcfe Two may be from a pure Elemen- tary Nature is Obviou? enough, if Men would but heed it in the Burning of Wood, which the Fire Difllpates into Smoake and Afhes : For not only the latter of thefe is Cpnfeffedly made up of two fuch Differing Bodies as Earth and Salt ; but the Former being con- dens’d into that Soot which adheres to our chimneys, DifcoverS it felf to Con- tain both Salt and Oyl, and Spirit and Earth, C andfonie Ponion of Phlegme too ) which being, all almoft. Equally Volatile to that Degree of Fire which Forces them up, ( the more Volatile Parts Helping perhaps, as well as the Urgency of the Fire, to carry up the more Fixt ones, as 1 have often Try’d in Dulcify’d ColcothaVt Sublim’d by Sal ^momack-l^lei^ed with it ) are car- ried tip together, but tt’^y afterwards be Separated by oth^r Degrees of Fire, whofe orderly GradatiopJ^llowes the Difparity of their Volatflehefs^to Dif- coverit felf. Befides, if Differing Bodies United iuio one Mafs be both fufficient- ly Fixt, the Fire finding no Pans Volatile enough THE SeETTiCAL enough to be-Expell’d or carried up, makes no Separation at alii as may ap? pear by a Mixture of Colliquated Silver and Gold, whofe Component Metals may be ealily Sever’d by Atfua fortk^ or Ap4a Regi6 C according to the Predor minancy of the Silver or the Gold) but in the Fire alone, though vehement, the Metals remain unfever’d, the Fire only dividing the Body into fnialler Par- ticles C whofe Littlenefs may be argued from their Fluidity ) in which either the little nimble Atoms of Fire , or its I brisk and numberlefs ftrokes upon the ! Veflels , hinder Reft and Continuity, without any Sequeftration of Elemen- tary Principles.Moreover,the Fire fome- times does not Separate, fo much a^ Unite , Bodies of a differing Nature; provided they be of an almoft refembling Fixednefs , and have in the Figure of their Parts an Aptnefs to Coalition, as we fee in the making of many Plaifters „ Oyntments, &c. And in fuch Metalline Mixtures as that made by Melting to- gether two parts of clean Brafs with one of pure Copper, of which fome In- genious Trades-men caft fuch curious Patterns (for Gold and Silver Works) as c nr Mist. 9t as I have fomt times taken great Plea- fure 10 Look upon. Sometimes the Bo- dies mingled by the Fire are Differing enough as to Fixidiry and Volatility, and yet are To combin’d by thefiift Ope- raocu of the Fire, that it felfdoes fcarce aiterwai ds Separate them, but only rulve iize them; whereof an Inftance is afiorded us by the Cpmmon Preparati- on of Mirturim VukU , where the Sa- line l as tides of the Vitriol , Sea Salt , and fometimes Nitre, Employ’d to make the Sublimate, do fo unite them- feivts with the Mercurial PartideS made ufeof, fiifi to Make Sublimate, and then lorulcifieit, that the Saline and Meiaibne Parts anfe together in many fiiccclTive Sublimations , as if they all made but one Body. And fometimes too (he Fire does not only not Sever the Differing Elements of a Eody^but Com- bine them fb firmly , that Nature her felf docs very fcldom, if ever, make Dnions ipfs Dilfoluble. For the Fire meeting viih lome Bodies exceedingly and almoft equally Fixt , inftead of making a Separation, makes an Union foftriiSi, that it felf, alone , is unable to Biffolve it ; As we fee, when an Alca? lizate 92 the scett ical lizateiSalt and the Terreftrial Reflduc of the Aflies are Incorporated with pure .Sand, and by Vitrification made one ' permanent Body , ( I mean the cou;fe or greenifli fort of Glafs ) that mocks the greateft Violence of the Fire, which though able to Marry the Ingredients of it, yet is not able to Divorce them. 1 can fhew you Tome pieces of (jlafs which 1 faw flow down from an Earthen Cru- cible purpofely Expos’d for a good ^hile, with .Silver in it, to a very vehe- ment Fire, And fome that deal muef^ in the Fufion of Metals Informe me, that the melting of a great part of a Crucible into Glafs is no great Wonder in their Furnaces. I remember , I have Obferv’d toO in the Melting of great , (Quantities of Iron out of the Oar, by i the Help of ftore of Charcoal ( for they : Affirm that .Sea-Coal will not yield a ' Flame ftrong enough ) that by the pro*- ! digious Vehemence of the Fire, Excited | by vaft Bellows Q made to play by great i Wheels turn’d about by Water ) part 1 of the Materials Expos’d to it was, in* flead of being Analyz’d, Colliquated, and turn’d into a Dark , .Solid and very : Ponderous Glafs, and that in fuch (Quan- tity/ CnTMIST- 93 ity,tbat in fome places I have feen the reiy High-wayesjneer fiich Iron*works, Bended with Heaps of fuch Lumps of jiafle, infttad of ones and Gravel. And 1 have alfo Obfeiv’d, that fome s-ind of Firc-ftone it •Self, havingbeen imploy’d in Furnaces wherein it was ex- pos’d to very fViong and faffing fires, has had all its Fixt Parts fo Wrought on by the fire, as to be Perfedl’y Vitrifi'd, which 1 have try’d by Forcing from it Pretty large Pieces of Perfevl andTranf- parent Glafs. And left You might tS\\n\ Eleutheriuiy that the Queftion'd Definition of Heat may be Demonftra- ted, by the Definition which is wont to be given and Acquiefc’d in, of its contrary Quality, Cold , whofe proper- ty is taught to be tarn HoTnagenea , ^uam ffeterogenea congregart f Give me leave to reprefent to You, thatneithcr is this Definition unqueftionable ; for not to ; Meet. ion the Exceptions, which a Logi- d/i«, as fach , may Take at it , I Gob- fider that the Uuii^n of Heterogeneous Bodies which is .SiipposM tobethe Ge- nuine Prcdtnftion of Cold , is hot Per- form’d by every Degree of Gold, for we fee foe Inflance that in tTrine of Healthy ,94 the sceptical Healthy Men , when the Liquor h^ been iSuffer’d a while to ftaud , ib Cold makes a (Separation cf che Thin ner Part from the Groffer , Sybich S b' iides to the Bottom i arid Growes O pacous there; whereas if the Urina beWarme, thefe Parts readily Mingh again, and the whole Liquor become! Tranfparent as before. And when, bj Glaciation, Wood, THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST ^ Thi Second Fart. HE Second Gonfideration I De- ^ fire to have Notice Taken of, is This ; That it is not fo Sure , as Both Chymifts and Ariftotelians are wont to Think it , that every Seemingly Similar orPiftinft Subftance that is Separated from a Body by the Help of the Fire , was Ere-cxjftent in it as a Principle or Eleinentofit. „ ii , . That 1 may not make this Paradox a Greater than I needs rouft , I will Firfl; Briefly Explain what the Propofition means > before I proceed' to Argue forit.- ' i. And~I fnppofis You wHl.eafiiy Believe S 4 ' ' Thai 104 THE icEVtlCAh That I do not mean that any thing is Sparable from a body by Fjre, that was not Materially pre-exiftcnt in it ;■ for It Far ^Exceeds the power of Meer- ly Naturall Agents , and Confequently of the Fire 5 to produce anew, fo Much as one Atonie of Matter , which they can but Modifie and Alter , not Create; which is fo Obvious a Xruth, that almoft all Se<5ls of Philofophers have Deny’d the Power of producing Matter to Second Caufes; and the and fome Others have Done the Like , in Reference to their Gods themrelves. Nor does the Propofition perempto- rily Deny , but that Tome Things Ob- tain'd by the Fire from a Mixt Body ^ may have been more than barely Mate- rially pre-exiftent in it , ‘fince there are Concretes , ■'"which before they be Ex- pos’d to the Fire afford us fcveral Do^ cuments of their abounding , fome with Salt; and Others with Sulphur. For it will ferve the prefent Turn , if it ap- pear that diverfe things Obtain'd from a Mixt Body expos’d to the -Eire , were not its Ingredients Before ; for if this be |i>ade to appear^ it will be Raxidnall e- J nough CHTMIST. 105 lotigh to fufpedt that Chyroifts may De- :eive themfelves, and Others , in con- cluding Refolutely and llniverfally , thofc Subftances to be the Elementary Ingredients of Bodies barely feparated by the Fire , of which it yet may be Doubted, Whether there be fuch or No; at leaft till fome other Argument, than that drawn from iheAnalyfis^he Brought to refolve the Doubt. That then which I Mean by the Pro- pofition I am Explaining , , That it may without Abfurdity be Doubted whether or no the Diifering Subftances Obtainable from a Concrete Dillipated by the Fire were fo Exiftent in it in that Forme C at leaft as to their minute Parts ) wherein we find them when the Analyjis is over , that the Fire did only Dis-joyne and Extricate the Cor- pufcles of one Principle from thofe of the other wherewith before they were' Blended. Having thus Explain’d my Propofiti- on, I fliall endeavour to do two things, to prove it? The firft of which is to ftiew that fuch Subftances as Chymifts call Principles may be produc’d De novo* ( as they fpeak ) And the other is to make io6 THE SCETICAL make it probable, that by the Fire we may Adually obtain from fome Mixc Bodies fuch Subftances, as were not in the Newly Expounded fence, pre-exi- ftent in them. To begin then with the Firftof thefe;, I Confidcr that if it be as true, as ’tis probable, that Cpntpounded Bodies Differ from One Another but in the Various Textures Refulting from the Eignefs, Shape, Motion, and contri- vance of their fmall parts. It will not be Irrational to conceive that one and the fame parcel of the llniverfall Matter may by Various Alterations and Con- textures be brought to Deferve the Name, fomeiimesofa Sulphureous, and fometimes of a Terrene, or Aqueous Bo- dy. And this I could more largely Ex- plicate, but that our Friend Mr. has promis’d us foroething about Qua- lities, wherein the Theme I now willing- ly Refign him , Will I Queftion not be Studioufly Enquired into. Where- fore what 1 lhall no,^ advance in fa- vour of what I have lately Deliver’d lhall be Deduc’d from Experiments made Divers Years llnce. The firft of which would have been much more con- CHTMIST. 'jo7 confidcrable,butthatby fome interve- ning Accidents 1 was NecelTitaied tq iofc the beft time of the year, for a trial of the Nature of that i defign*d;it being about the middle of May before I was able to begin an Experiment which ihould have then been two moneths oldjbut fuch as it was , it will not per- haps be impertinent to Give You this Narrative of it. At the time newly Mention’d* I caus’d My Gardiner ( be- ing by Urgent Occafions Hinder'd from being prefent niy felf ) to dig out a con- venient quantity of good Earth , and dry it well in an Oven , to weigh it , to put it in an Earthen pot almoft level with the Surface of the ground , and to fct in it a feledled feed he had before re- ceived from me , for that purpofe , of Squalh, which is an Indian kind pfPom- pion , that Growes a pace; this feed I Ordered Him to Water only with Rain or Spring Water# I did not (when my Occafions permitted me to vifit it ) without delight behold how feft it Qrew, though unfeafonably fown; but the Haftning Winter Hinder’d it from attaining any thing neer its due and Wonted magnitude 5 (fori found io8 THE SCETTICAL the fame Autumn , in my Garden > forne of thofe plants , by Meafure , as big about as my Middle) and made me order the having it taken Up \ which about the Middle of OBober was care- fully Done by the fame Gardiner , who a while aftetfent me this account of it| -1 have Weighed the Potnpion with the Stdk.and Leavesyall which Weighed three found wanting a quarter ; Then Itookjhe Earth, baked it as formerly , and found it jufi as much as 1 did at FirBt which made me think Ihad not dry’d it Suficiently : then I put it into the Oven twice More, af- ter the Bread was Erawfi-, mdWeighed it the Second timet but found it Shrink little or nothing. But to deal Candidly with You, E- leutherius , I muft not conceal from You the Event of another Experiment of this Kind made this prefent Summer, wherein the Earth feems to have been much more Wafted ; as may appear by the following account , Lately fent me by the fame Gardiner^ in thefe Words. To give Tou an Account of yirut Cucumbers , 1 have G am d two Indiff^ei- rent Fair Ones, the Weight of them is ten Found and a Halfe,the Branches with the ' Roots CHTMISr, 109 Jioots Wtjghed four Pounds wanting two Ounces ; and when I had weighed them I took theEarth^and bakjd it in fever al Email Earthen Vifl)es in an Oven', and when / had fo done , / found the Earth wanted a Pound and a half e of what it was former- ly', yet I was not fatisfi’d, doubting the Earth was not dry ; Jfut it into an Oven the Second Time , ( after the Bread was drawn.") and after 1 had taken it out and weighed it , T found it to be the Same Weight.So ISuppofe there was no MoiHure left in the Earth. Neither do 1 thinkjhat the Pound and Half that was wanting Was Drawn away by the Cucumber but a great Part of it in theOrdering was inDuPrQand ! the tike) wafted: Ohe Cucumbers are kept by tkemfelvesfteft Tou JJoould fend for the,) ' Btft yej[ in this Tryal, Eleutherius, it ap- pears that though fome of the Earth, or rather the diflfoluble Salt harbour'd in it, were wafted, the main Body of the Plant.confifted of Tranfmuted Water. And I might add , that a year after I caus'd the fornjerly mentioned Ejt- periment, touching large Pompions, to ‘be reiterated, with fo good fuCcefs,that if my memory does not much mis*in- fetrm roe, it did not only much furpafs any jro tJJE SCEVnCAL any that I made before , but feem*tliough) having had an Opportunity to profe- cute an Experiment much of the fame nature with thofe I have been n^>w fpeaking of, for five Years together j obtain’d at the end of that time fo no- table a Quantity of Tranfmuted Water, . ' that ' t nr MIST. 113 that I fliould fcarce Think it fir to have his Experiment, and Mine Menrion’d together, were it nor that the Length of Time Requifite to this may deterr the Curiofity of fonie , and exceed the lea- fure of Others; and partly, that fo Para- doxical a Truth as that which rhefe Ex- periments feeai to hold forth, needs to be Confirm’d by more Wiineff^s than 3ne,efpecially fince the Extragavancies and Untruths to be met with in Hilmonts Treaiife of the Magnetick Cure of Wounds , have made his Teftimfinie^ fufpedted in his other Writings, though as to ferae of the Unlikely matters of Fad he delivers in them, I might fafely undertake to be his Compurgator. But that Experiment of his which I was mentioning to You, he faies , was this. He took zoo pound of Earth dry’d in an Oven, and having put it into an Ear- then VefTel and moiften’d it with Raiii water, he planted in it the Trunk of a Willow tree of five pound Weight ; this he Water'd, as need required, with Rain or with Diftill’d Water ; and to keep the Neighbouring Earth fromi getting into the Veffel, he employ’d a plate of Iron tinn’d over and per- I forated ii4 tHE SCEVtitAt, forated with many holes. Five years be- ing efflux’d } he took out the Tree and Weighed it, arid (with computing the leaves that fell during four Autumnes he found it to weigh 169 pound, and about three Ounces. And Having a- gain Dry’d the Earth it grew in, he found it want of its Former Weight of 200 Pound? about a couple only of Ounces ; fo that 164 pound of the Roots, Wood, and Bark , which Con- ftituted the Tree, feem to have Sprung from the Water. And though it ap- pears not that Helmont had theCurio- iity to make any Analyfu of this Plant, yet what I lately told You I did to One of the Vegetables I nourifli’d with Water only , will I fuppofe keep YoU from Doubting that if he had Diffill’d this Tree, it would have afforded him the like Diffintft Subftances as another Vegetable of the fame kind, /need not Subjoyne that I had it alfo in my' thoughts to try how Experiments to the- fame purpofe with ihofe I related to You would fucceed in other Bodies than Vegetables, becaufe importunate Avo- cations having hitherto hinder’d me from putting my Delign ini Ptadife , / can CHTMIsr. 11 $ iran yet fpeak but Conjedurally of the Succefs : but the beft is, that the Ex^pe- riments already made and mention’d to you need not the Afllftance of new Ones> to Verifie as much as my p^c- fent task makes it concern me to prove by Experiments of this Nature, ; One would fufpttfl ( faies Ekutheri^ jKf alter his long filence ) by what You have been difcourfing, that Y'ou are not far from Hdmonts Opinion about the Origination of Compound Bodies, and perhaps too diflike not the Arguments which he imploys to prove it. f What Helmontian Opinion , and ’what Arguments do you mean ( askes I Carneades ) j What you have been Newly Dif- |COurfing( Eleutkerius') tells us, that You cannot but know that this bold ,and Acu re Spagyrift fcruples not to Af- fert that all mixt Bodies fpringfrom one ^ilementj and that Vegetables , Ani- mals, Marchafites, Stones, Metalls , &c. are Materially but fimple Water dif- guis’d into thcfe Various Formes, by theplaftick orFormativeVertue oftheir feeds. And as for his Reafons yofU may find divCfs ®f them featter’d up and / 2- ' down' ii6 tHB SCEfTIC Ah down his writings ; the confiderabl’fl: of which feem to be thefe three ; The; Ultimate Reduction of mixt Bodies in- to Infipid Water, the Viciffitude of the fiippofed Elements , and the pro- duction of perfectly mixt Bodies out of iimple Water. And firft he affifmes thzixhe Sal circulatus Taracelfi ^ or his lA(\\XQr Alkahefi^dots adequately refolve Plants, Animals, and Mineralls into one Liquor or more, according to their feve- ral internallDifparities of Parts, (with- out , o*r the DeftruClion of their feminal Venues; ) and that the Alkahefi being abBraCted from thefe Liquors in the fame weight and Vertue wherewith it Diflfolv’d them , the Li- quors may by frequent Cohobaiions from ehalke or fome other idoneous matter, be Totally depriv’d of their fe- minal Endowments, and return at laft to their firft matter , Infipid VVater; ; fome other way es he propofeshere and there to diveft fome particular Bodies of their borrow’d fhapes, and make them ^ rcmigrate to their firft Simplicity. ►The fccond Topick whence Helmont drawes his Arguments, to prove Water tq^be • the Material caufe of Mixt Bodies,! told cur Ml ST. tif ■ You was this, that the other fuppos’d • ElemeRts may be tranfrauted iivtoone ; another. But the Experiments by him here and there product on this Occa- iion , are fo uneafie to be made and to be judg’d of, thatlftall not infift on them; not to mention, that if they were granted to be true, his Inference from them is fomewhat difputable;and thereT fore Ifhallpafson to tell You, That as, in his Firft Argument, ourParadoxi- eal Author endeavours to prove Wa- ter the Sole Element of Mixt Bodiesj^ by their Ultimate Refoludqn, when by his Alktihefi^QX fame other conquering Agent , the Seeds have been TeftroyM , which DifguisM them; or when by time thofe feeds are Weari’d, or ExantJated, or unable to Aft their Parts apon the Stage of the Univerfe any Longer ; So ki his Third' Argument he Endeavours to evince the fame Conclufion, by the conftitution of Bodies which he afferts to be nothingbut Water Subdu'd by Seminal Vertues. Of this he gives here & there in his VVritings feveral Inftances, as to Plants and Animals; but divers of them being Difficult either to be tiy’d or to be Underftood, and others of them 1 3 being ^ 1 ^ rnn scETtjcAL j5?hignot altogether Unobnoxious to I •Exceptions, I think you hay® fingl’d out the Principal and lefs iQ.Qeftionable * •Experiment when you lately mention’d ' that of the Willow Tree^ And having thus. Continues Eleutherm^xo Anfwer your Qiieftion, given you a Summary Account of what I am Confident , You Jcnpw better than I do , 1 fhall be very glad to receive YourSence ofit, iftht giving it me will not too much Divert You from the Profecu lion of your Dif* Courfe. .i That If(^ replies Carneades ) was not necdlefly annex’d : for thorowly tp exf amine fuch an Hypothefis and fuch Ar,- guments would require fo many Con-* (iderations, and Confequenily fo much time, that Ifhould not now have the Leafure to perfet!! fuch a DigrelTioh,and much lefs to finifli my Principal Dift ! courfe. Yet thus much I fhall tell You at prefent, that you need not fear my rejefiing this Opinion for its Novelty? fince, however xht Helmontians may iq complement to their Matter pretend it to be a n^w Difeovery, Yet though' the Arguments be for the moft part his, the Opinion it ftif is very Antient: For D/- o^enes ^HTMIST, 1X9 \fj 9 genes Laertius and divers other Authors ffpeak of 7'/6<7 /'w, as the firft among the Grecians that made difquifitions upon 1 nature. And of this Thales^ Remember, i TuUy informs us, that he taught all things • 7 were at firft made of Water. And itma De^ rfeems hy Plutarch and JuSiin Martyr^ \ that the Opinion was Ancienter than he; For they tell us that he us’d to defend his Tenent by the Teftimony of Homer, And a Greek Author, the ( Scholia^ of 4g,ollmim ) upon thefe Words ’£$ }\u©- X.0WJ' aUTjf^ The Earth af Slime vpos made^ Argo<0 nauc. 4l Affirms, ( out of Teao) that the ChaoCy whereof all things were made, was, ac- cording to Hefiod^ yVater j w^ch , fet- iing firft, became Slime, and thjep con- dens’d intofolid Earth. And the fame Ppinion about the Generation of Slime feems to have been entertain’d by 0r» fheusy out of whom one of the Antients ^ cues this Teftimony, gora*, ’Ex. TO xlJicT©' i\vs 0/ fVaUr Slime was made} / ^ M 120 THE sen? l^tCAL Hniverfa- it fcems alfo by what is delivered ir|r t rum rerum out of another Author concern- b ’t!g the Indians^ That they likewife held ' efle , fad- that all things had differing Beginnings, ' er.ai au- that of wliich the World was made, i f^ni mur*- . , ^ di 'jnitmtfi W^S Water. And the like Opinion has I been by fome of the Antients aferib’d' GwJaph. the Pheenkians , from whom Thales \ Jfh 1 5. cjy- himfelf is conceiv’d to have borrow’d [ it; as probably the Greeks did much of; Theologie, and, as 1 am apt to think, of their Phiiofophy too; fince the Devifing of the Atomical Hypothecs commonly aferib'd ro Leucifpm and his Difciple Ve- mo'jrhus^ is by Learned Men attributed to one Mofehm a Phcenician. And poffi- bly the Opinion is yet antienter than fo^ For *iis Icnown that the Phoenicians bor- row’d moft of their Learning from the Hebrews. kxv6. among thofe that acknow- ledge the Books of Mofes , many have been inclin’d to think VVater to Hav? | been the Primitive and Univerfal Mat- ter, by peruiing Che Beginning of Gene» y?j:, wheie the VVaters feem to be men- tion’d as the Material Caufe, not only of Subiana.y Compound Bodies, but of all thole that make up the llniverfc; vijiofe Component Parts did orderly, as .T it CHTMIsr. 121 it were, emerge out of that vaft Abyfle, by the Operation of the Spirit of God , who is faid to have been moving Him- fclf, as hatching Females do, (as the O- riginal nsn“1!!3> Mnahepbet is faid to DeutcrJ Import, and it feenis to fjgnifie in one^^-i*- of the two other places,wherein alone 1 jerem. have met with it in the Hebrew Bible ) ^5- upon the Face of the Waters? which being, as may be fuppos’d, Divinely Im- pregnated with the feeds of all things, were by that productive Incubation qualify *d to produce them. But you ? I prefuine, Expeft that I fhpuld Difcourfe of this Matter like a Naturalift, not a Philolpger. Wherefore llhall add, to Countenance Helmonts Opinion , That whereas he gives not, that I remember, any Inftance of any Mineral Body , nor fcarce of any Animal,generated of Wa-, ter, a French Chymift, Monfieur de i?o« cj^ unlefs I were fatisfied concerning divers Material jCircumftances that our Author has left nnmentioned; though as for the Genera^ lion of Living Creatures, both Vegeta- ble andSenfitive, it needs not feem In- credible, fince we find that our common water C which indeed is of* en Impreg- nated with Variety of Seminal Princi- ples and Rudimentsjbeing long kept in a quiet place will puirifie.and ftink, and then perhaps too produce Mofsand lit- tle Worms, or other Infelis, according to the nature of the Seeds that were lurking in it. Imuft likewife defire yon to take Notice, that as Helmont gives us BO Inftance of the Produdipn of Mine- rals out ofWat^r/o main Argument that he employ’s to prove that they and other Bodies may be refolv’d into wa- ter, is drawn from the Operations of MkaheS y znd confequently cannot be 124 THE SCETTICAL be fatisfa«5lorily Examin'd by You and Me. Yet certainly (faies £/e»Mer/»a) You ’cannot but have fomewhat wonder'd as well as Ijto obferve how great a fiiare of Water goes to the making up of Di- vers Bodies, whofe Difguifes promife nothing neer fo much. The Diftillation of Eeles , though it yielded me fome Oyle, and Spirit, and Volatile SalT , Se- fides the mortuum^ yet were all thefe fo difproportionate to the Phlegm that came from them, ( and in which at firft they boyl’d as in a Pot of Water ) that they feem’d to have bin nothing but coagulated Phlegm, which does likei wife ftrangely abound in Vipers, though they are efteem’d ve^y hot in Operati- on, and will in a Convenient Air iirrvive fomedayes the lofs of their Head5/4nd Hearts, fo vigorowi is their Vivadity. Mails Blobd it felf as Spirituous, and as . Elaborate a Liquor as ’tis reputedydoes fo abound in Phlegniithat,the oth^Day, DilHlIihg fome of it on purpofe t© try the Experiment (as -I had formerly done | in DeeyS-Bloud)out of about feven Oiini | ces and h halfe of pure Bloud we drew neere fix\.Ounces of Phlegm, before any of CHTMIST, lit of the more operaiite Principles began to arife and Invite Us to change the Re- ceiver. And to fatUfie my felf that feme ofthefe Aniniatl Phlegms tvere void e- nough of Spirit to deferve that Name, 1 would not content my felf to tafte them only, but fruitlefly pour’d on them acid Liquors, to try if they contain’d any Volatile Salt or Spirit, which ( had there been any there) would probably have difeover’d it felf by making an Ebullition with the Affufed Liquor. And now 1 mention Corrofive Spirits , I am minded to Inform you , That though they feeni to be nothing elfe but Fluid Salts, yet they abound in Watery as you mayObferve, if either you Entangle, andfo ^iK their Saline Part, by making them Corrode fome idoneous Body , of elie if you mortifie it with a contrary Salt 5 as I have veiy manifeftly Ob- ferv’d in the making a Medicine fome- what like Hdmont's Balfamus Setmech , with Diftiil’d Vinegar inftcad of Spirit of Wine, wherewith he prepares it; For you would fcarce Beleeve ( what I have lately Gbferv’d ) that of that acid Spirit , the Salt of Tartar, from which it is DiftUl’d,. wiU by mortifying and re- taining 1 126 THE SCETTiCAL taining the add Salt turn into worthlefs* ! Phlegm neere twenty otnesics weight j j" before it be fo fully Impregnated as to ' j rob no more Diftill’d Vinegar of its Salt. And though Spirit of Wine Exqui* fitely rediify'd feero of all Liquors to be the moft free from Water, it beiiig fo i Igneous that it will Flame all away j without leaving the leaft Drop behinde it, yet even this Fiery Liquor is by Helmoni not improbably laffirm’d, in ' cafe what he relates be True, to be Ma- terially Water, under a Sulphureous Difguife : For, according to him, in the making that excellent Medicine, fm hn Balfamus Samechy ( which is nor- thing but Sal T Attar i dulcify ’d by Diftil- ling frbni it Spirit of Wine till the Salt be fufficiently glutted with its Sulphur, and till it fuffer the Liquor to be drawn off, as ftrdng as it was pour’d on ) when the Sait of Tartar from which it is Di- ftillM hath retain'd, or depriv'd it of the Sulphureous parts of the Spirit ofWine, the reA, which is . incomparably the greater part of the Liquor, will remi- grate into Phlegm. I added that Claufe f /« caft what hi Relates be 7V«e3becaufe f have not as yet fulSciently iry'd it my CHTMIST. 127 felf. But not only fomething of Expc- timent keeps me from thinking it, as many Chymifts do» abfurd , ( though I have as well as they, in vain try’d it with Ordinary Salt of Tartar) but befides that Hdmont often Relates it, and draws Confequences from it ; A Perfon noted for his Sobernefs and Skill in Spagyrical Preparations, having been askt by me. Whether the Experiment might not be made to fucceed , if the Salt and Spirit were prepar’d according to a way fuit- able to my Principles, he affirm’d to me, that he had that way, I propos’d, made Helmotits Experiment fucceed very^ell, without adding any thing to the Salt and Spirit. But our way is neither Ihort lior Eafie. I have indeed (faies Carneades') fome* times wonder’d to fee how much Phlegm e may be obtain’d from Bodies by the Fire.But concerning that Phlegme i may anon have Occafion to note fome- thing, which I therefore lhallnot now anticipate. But to return to the Opinion of and of Hdmont , I confider, that fuppofing the AlkaheB could re- duce all Bodies into water, yet whether that wat»r,becaufe infipid, muft be Ele- mentary iz8 r HE SCETICAL mentaryjmay not groundlefly be doubt- ed ; For I remember the Candid and: Eloquent Petrus Laurembergius in his i Notes upon SaU’s Aphorifmes affirnies, that he faw an infipid %Menfiruum\}m% was a powerfuil DiflTolventj and (if my Memory does not much mir*infonn me) could dilTolve Gold. And the water which may be drawn from Quickfilver without Addition, though it be almoft Taftlefsj You will I believe think of a differing Nature from . Ample Water, crpecially if you Digeft in it Appropri- ated Mineralls. To which I lhali add but this , that this Confideration may I be further extended. For I fee no Ne- ! oefTity to conceive that the Water men- ■ tion'd in the Beginning of Genefis^diS, \ the Univerfal Matter, was Ample and I Elementary Water ; Ance though we Aiould Suppofe it to have been an Agitated Congeries or Heap conAfting of a great Variety of Seminal Princi- ples and Rudiments, and of other Cor- pufcles At to be fubdu’d and FaAiion’d, by them, it might yet be a Body Fluid like Water , in cafe the Corpufcles it was made up of, were by their Creator m ade fmall enough, and put into fuch an | aduali , CBtMISl. • T29 Motion as might make them ['ilide along one another. And as we now \\iy , the, Sea conhits of Water , ( not- jdthftanding the Saline, Terreftrial,and Ither Bodies mingl’d with it, ) fuch a ,iquor may well enough be called Wa- er, becaul^ that was the greateft of the nown Bodies whereunto it was like; "hough, that a Body may be Fluid e- ough to appear a Liquor, and yet con- tin Corpufcles of a very differing Na- tre, You will eafily believe, if You but, xpofe a good Q^ntify of Vitriol in ftrong VelTel to a Competent Fire. , Or although it contains both Aqueous, tarthy, Saline, Sulphureous, andMetal- ne Corpufcles, yet the whole Mafs dll at firft be Fluid like water, and oyle like a feething pot. ; I might eafily ( Continues Carneades ) nlarge my fe If on fuch ConfiderationSj I were now Oblig’d to give You my udgment of the Thaleftan , and Hel» wntUn Bypothffs. But,Wheiker or no re conclude that all things were at iirft, generated of Water , I may Deduce rom what I have try'd Concerning the jtowthof Vegetables , nourifli’d with, iTaier,aU that I now propos’d to nay SeJ,^ K* ot 130 THE SCEPTICAL or need at prefent to prove,namely that Salt, Spirit, Earth, and ev’n Oyl (though that be thought of all Bodies the nioft opporitetoWater)may be produc’d out of Water*, and confeqiiently that a Chy- julcal Principle as well as a Peripatetick Elenient,niay (in fome cafes) be Gene- rated a new, or obtain’d from fuch a par- cel of Matter as was not endow’d with the form of fuch a Principle or Element before. And having thus, Eleutherius , Evinc'd that ’(ispoffible that fuch Siiblfances as thofe that Chyniifts are wont to call their TriaVrima ^ may be Generated, a new : I muft next Endeavour to make it Probable , that the Operation of the Fire does Actually ( fometinieS) not on* ly divide Compounded Bodies into ftnall Parts, but Compound thOfe Parts after a new Manner , whence Confequently, for ought we Know, there may Emerge, as well Saline and Sulphureous Subftan- ces , as Bodies of other Textures. And perhaps it will affift us in our Enquiry after the Effefis of the Operations of the Fire upon other Bodies , to Confider a little, what it does to thofe Mixtures which being Produdions of the Art of Man, C nr MIST. 13 r Mail, We beft know the Compofition of. You may then be pleas’d to take Nonce that though Sope is made up by the iBdpC'Boylers of Oyle or Greafe , and Sait, and Water Diligently Incorporated together; yet if You expol'e the Mafs jthey Gonftiture to a Graduall Fire in a Retort, You ffiall tiien indeed make a ^Separation, but not of the fame Subftan- 'ces that were United into Sope , but of others of a Diftant and yet not an Ele- Smentary Nature, and efpecially of an Oyle very fiiarp andFoetid,and of a very Differing Quality from that which was Employ’d to make the Sope : fo, if you 'Mingle in a due Proportion, Sal Ar- 'wo«i^7Cii,with Quick-Lime, and Dihill them by Degrees of Fire, You fliall not Divide the Sal Armoniack. from the Quick-Lime, though the one be a Vola- tile , and the other a Fix’d Subftance , but that which will afcend will be a Spi- Ht much more Fugitive, Penetrant, and ftinking, than Sat Armmiaekj and there will remain with the Quick-Lime all, or very dear all the Sea Salt, that concurr’d to make up the Sal Armoniackji con- cerning which Sea Salt Ilhall, to fatif- iie You how well it was United to the K z Lime 132 THE SCETTICAL Lime, infprme You, that 1 have by ma^ king the Fire at length very Vehement, caus’d both the Ingredients to melt in the Retort it felf into one Mafs, and fuch MafTes are apt to Relent in the Moift Air. If it be here Objected, that thefe Inftances are taken from faditi- ous Concretes which are more Com- pounded than thofe which Nature pro-: duces 5 I Ihall reply, that befides that I have Mention’d them as much to Illu- Rrate what I propos’d, as to prove it; it will be Difficult to Evince that Nature her felf does not make Decompounded Bodies, I mean, mingle together fuch mixt Bodies, as are already Compounded of Elementary, or rather of more fimple ones. For Vitriol (for Inftance) though I have fometimes taken it out of MinCi. rail Earths, where Nature had without any affiftanceof Art prepar’d it to my Hand, is really , though Chymifts are pleas'd to reckon it among Salts , a De- compounded Body Confiftingfas I fliall have occafton to declare anon) of a Terreftriall Subftance, of a Metal, andalfo of at leaft one Saline Body, of a peculiar, and not Elementary Nature, And we fee alfo in Animals, that their blood I cur MIST. 133 f |blood may be compos’d of Divers vefy Differing Mix t Bodies , fince we Sad it obferv’d that divers Sea-Fowle taft rank of the Fifli on which they ordina- rily feed ; and Hifpocrates hinifelf Ob- Ferves, that a Child may be purg’d by cheMilke of the Nurfe, iffhe have ta- ken ElaUrium\ which argues that the 1 purging Corpufclesof the Medicament Concurr to make up the Milk of the , Kurfe; and that white Liquor is gene- rally by Phyfitians fiippos’d to be but blanch’d and altered Blood. And I re- member I have obferv’d, not fai r from the Alp , that at a certain time of the Yeare the Butter of that Country was very Offenfive to ftrangers, by reafon of the rank taff of a certain Herb, whereon the Cows were then wont plentifully to feed. But ( proceeds to give you Inftances of another kind j to Ihew that things may be obtain’d by the Fire from a Mixt Body that were not Pre-exiftent in it , let Me Remind You, that from many Vegetables there may without any Addition be Obtain’d Glafs , a Body, which I prefume You will not fay was Pre-exiftent in it, but produc’d by the Fire. To which 1 fhall ■ . ‘ K 3 add 134 TflESCBTflCAL add but this one Exai^ple iwore,natf}e:Iy that by a certain Artificial way of hand- ling Quickfilver , You may witho,u,t Addition feparate from it at lead a 5 ih. or 4th. part of clear Liquor,which with an Ordinary Peripatetick would pafs for Water , and which a Vulgar Chy- mift would not fcruple to call Plilegme,! and which, for cughr I have yet feen or I beard, is not reducible into Mercury a- . gain, and Confequently is more than a Difguife ofit. Mowbefides that divers Chymifls will not allow Mercury to have any, or at lead any Confiderablc (Quantity of either of the Ignoble In- gredients, Earth and “Water ; Befidef this, 1 fay , the great Ponderoufnefs of Quickfilver makes it very unlikely that it Can have fo much Water in it a? ipay be thus obtain’d from ir, fmce Mercury weighs 12 or 14 times as much as wa- ter of the fame Bulk. Nay for a fur- ther Confirmation of this Argument , Iwili add this Strange Relation , that two Fiiepds of mine , the one a Phy-? fitian, and the other a Mathematician , and both of them Perfons of unfufpe- died Credit , have Solemnly aflured me, that after many Tryals they made, to re- duce 4 CHTMIST, 135 duce Mercury into Wafer, in Order to Philofophicall Work, upon Gold iy|.( which yer, by the way, I know prov’d jtUnfuccesfull ) they did once by divers iCohobations reduce a pound of Quick- |filver into aimoft a pound of Water, and J.this without the Addition of any other f!Subftance,but only by preffing the Mer- ,,'cury by a Skilfully Manag’d Fire in ..purpofely contriv’d Veflels. But of I'thefe Experiments our Friend (faies ^Carneades^ pointing at the Regifter of this Dialogue ) will perhaps give You a |niore Particular Account than it is ne- , feflTary for me to do : Since what I have now Paid may fufficiemly evince, that I the Fire may fomeiirnes as well alter : Bodies as divide them , and by it we ipay obtain from a Mixt Body what was not Pre*exiftenc in it/ And how- are we fure, that in no other Body what we call Phlegme is barely fe- parated, not Produc’d by the Action of the Fire: Since fo many other Mixt Bodies are of a much lefs Conftant, and more alterable Nature , than Mer- cury (by many Tricks it is wont to putt upon Chymifts , and by the Experi- ments I told Yt^uof, about an hour K 4 n6 THE sceptical ' ifince) Appears to be. But becaufe I i ftall ere long have Occafion to refuine into Confideration the Power of the Fire to produce new Concretes, I fliall lio longer infift on this Argument at prefent; only 1 niuft mind You , that if You will not dis*believe Hdmonts Rela- tions , You muft confefs that the Tria Triina are neither ingenerable nor in- corruptible Subftances; fince by his AU k/iheji fome of them may be produc’d of Bodies that were before of another De- nomination; and by the fame powerfull MenPiriium all of them may be reduc’d ' into iiifipid Water. ' ' Here was about to pafson to his Third Confideration, when Eleu- being defirouS to hear what he could fay to clear his fecond Geheralj Confideration from being repugnant to what he feem’d to think the true Theo- ry of Million, prevented him by telling him , I fomewhar wonder , Carneades , that You, who are in fo many Points un- fatisfied with the Peripatetick Opinion j touching the Elements & Mixt Bodies, ftiouldalfo feem averfe to that Notion, touching the manner of Million, where- j in the Chyniills ( though perhaps with- i t out CUT Ml ST. 137 <5Ut knowing that they do fo) agree with in oft of the Ancient Philofophers that preceded JriHotle, and that for Reafons fo confiderable, that divers Modern Na- turalifts and Phyfitians , in ocher things unfavourable ejidugh to the Spagyrifts, do in this Cafe fide with them againft the comme^n Opinion of the Schools. If you Ihould ask me ( continues lleutherius ) what Reafons I mean. ^ I Ihould partly by the Writings of ard other learned Men, and partly by my own Thoughts, be fupply’d with more, than ’twere at prefent proper for me to In- fill largely on. And therefore 1 fiiall mention only, and that briefly, three or four.Of thefe, I lhall take the Firft from the ftate of the Controverfie it felf, and the genuine Notion of Million, which though much intricatedby the School- men, I take in fliorc to be this. JriHotlet at leaft as many of his Interpreters ex- pound him, and as indeed he Teaches in fome places, where he profefledly Dif- fents from the Ancients, declares Milli- on to be fuch a mutual Penetration, and perfed Union of the mingl’d Elements, that there is no Portion of the mixt Bo- dy, how Minute foever, which does not contain 138 THE sceptical contain All, and Every of the Four Eie- menfs, or in which , ifyou pleafe, all the Elements are not. And I remember, that be reprehends the Miftion taught by the Ancients, as too llighft orgrofs, for this Reafon, that Bodies mixt ac- cording to their though they appear to humane Eyes » would not appear fuch to the acute Eyes ofaLjiw, whofe perfedler Sight would difcerne the Elethents, if they were no otherwlfe mingled, than as his PredecefTorS would have itj to be but Blended, not llnitedj whereas the Antients y though they did not alUAgree about what kind of Bodies were Mixt, yet they did almoft unani- moufly hold, that in a compounded Bo- die, though t he Mi/cihilia, whether Ele- ments , Principles , or whatever they; pleas’d to. call them , were affociated in fuch fmall Parts, and with fo much Ex- adnefs, that there was no fenfible Part ofthe Maffbut feemfd to be of the-fanjc Nature with the reft, /and with the whole- Yet as to the Atomes, or other Infenfibie Parcels of Matter , whereof each of the Mifcibilia confifted,they re- tain’d each of them its own Nature, be- ing but by Appofition or Juxta Pofitioil united j c nr Ml St. 13^ ; united with the reft into one Bodie. So that although by venue of this conipofi- tion the mixt Body did perhaps obtain Divers new Qualities, yet ftill the Ingre- dients that Compounded it , retaining their own Nature , were by the De- ftrudtion of the Compfifitum feparable 1 from each other, the minute , Parts dif- f ingag’d from thofe of a differing Nar i ture, and affociated with thofe of their ! own fort returning to be again , Fire, ! Earth, or Water , as they were before ' they chanc’d to be Ingredients of that Cawpofitum. This may be explain’d ( Continues Eleutherius^ ) by a piece of Cloaih made of white and black threds interwoven, wherein though the whole piece appear neither white nor black, but of a refuliing Colour, that is gray , y et each of the white and black ,threds that compofeit', remains what it was before, as would appear if the threds were pull’d afunder , and forced each Colour by it feIf.This Cpurfues£7e»ri6e- rim) being, as I underftancj ib the State of the Conti Qverfie,and the Ariflotelians after their ^Mafter Commonly Defi^ ning, that Miftion is MifcihiliHni altera- torumVnio^xhdLl feenis to comport much better 140 the sceptical better with the Opiaion of the Chy- niifts, than with that of their Adverfa- ries, fince according to that as the new- ly mention’d Example declares , there is but a Juxta-'pofiiioxi of feparablo Corpufcles, retaining each its own Na- ture, whereas according to the Aritiote^ lianSi when what they are pleas’d to call a mixt Body refultsfrom theConcourfe of the Elements , the Odifdhilia can- not fo properly be faid to be Alter’d, as Deftroy’d, fince there is no Part in the: inixt Body, how fmall foever, that can be call’d either Fire, or Air, or Wateri or Earth. Nor indeed can I well underftand,how Bodies can be mingl’d other waies than as I hatre declar’d , or at leaft how they can be mingl’d, as our Peripateticks would have it. For whereas Ariffotle tells us , that if a Drop of Wine b» put into ten thoufand Meafures of Wa- ter, the Witte being Overpower’d by fo Vaft a Quantity of Water will be turn’d into it, he fpeaks to my Appre- henfion , very improbably. For though One Ihould add to that Quantity of Water as many Drops of Wine as would a Thoufand times exceed it all, ' ‘ < yet c nr MIST, i4t yet by hisRiile the whole Liquor fhould not be a Crama-^a Mixture of Wine and Water, , wherein the Wine would be Predominant , but Water only ; Since the Wine being added but by a DrOp at a time, would ftill Fall into nothing but Watir, and Confequently would be tur’rid into it. And if this would hold in Metals too, *twere a rare fe- cret for Goldfmiths, and Refiners; For by melting a Mafs of Gold , Or Silver, and by but carting into it Lead or An- timony, Grain after Grain , they might at pleafure, within a reafonable Compafs of time , turn what Quantity they de*- fire, of the Ignoble intckthe Noble Me- talls. And indeed fince a Pint of wine, andaPintof water, amount to about a Quart of Liquor, it feems manifefi? to fenfe , that ihefe Bodies doe not Totally Penetrate one another, as one would have it; but that each retains its own Dimenfions; and Confequently, that they are by being MingPd only di- vided into minute Bodies , that do but touch one another with their Surfaces , do the GraiUs , of Wheat, Rye, Bar- ley\&c. in a heap of feverall forts of Corn : And unlefs we fay, that as when 142 THE SCETTICAL when one meafure of wheat , for Ini ftance, is Blended with a hundred mea^* fures of Barley, there happens only a J^;rf<3-pofition and Superficial Contadl betwixt the Grains of wheat , and as many or thereabouts of the Grains of Barley; So when a Drop of win e is mingl'd with a great deal of water , there is but an Appofition of fo many Vinous Corpufcles to a Correfpoiident Number of Aqueous ones; Unlefs I fay this be Paid , I fee not how that Ab- furdity will be avoyded, whereunto the Stoical Notion of million (namely by , or Confufion) was Liable, ac- cording to which the leaft Body may be co-exrended with the greateft : Since | in a mixt Body wherein before the Ele- : ments were Mingl’d there was, for In- ! fiance , but one pound of water to ten i thoufand of Earth , yet according to i them there mull not be the leaft part | of that Compound, that Confifted not I as well of Earth, as water. But I in* ^ fill, Perhaps , too long ( faies Eleuthe- yius') upon the proofs afforded tne by the Nature of Million : Wherefore I will but name Two or Three other Ar- guments f whereof the firft lhall be, that CUT MIST. 143 ! that according to himfelf , the 11 motion of a mixt Body foliowes the Nature of the Predominant Element ^ I as thofe wherein the Earth prevails » i| tend towards the Centre of heavy Bo- dies. And fince many things make it E- I vident, that in divers Mixt Bodies the Elementary Qualities are as well Aftive, ; though not altogether fo much fo as in the Elements themfelves , it Teems not reafonable to deny the adual Exiftence of the Elements in thofe Bodies where- in they Operate. To which I fhall add this Convin- cing Argument, that Experience mani- fefts, and Arifioth Confeffesir, that the may be again feparated from a mixt Body, as is Obvious in the Chy- inicaTRefolutions of Plants and Ani- malls, which could not be unlefs they did aftually retain their formes in it: For fince, according to AriHotlej and I think according to truth, there is but one common Mafs of all things, which he has been pleas’d to call Materia Pri- wtfjAnd fince tis not therefore the Mat- ter but the Forme that Conftitutes arid Biferiminates Things , to fay that the Elements remain not in a Mixt Bo- dy, 144 T'HJ? SCEtriCAL dy, according to their Formes, but ac> cording to their .Matter , is not to fay that they remain there at all ; Since al- though thofe Pcrtions of Matter were Earth and water, &c. before they con- curr’d ; yet the refuliing Body being once Conftitured, may as well be faid to be fiinple as any of the. Elements j the Matter being ccnfeflfedly of,, the fante Nature in all Bodies, and the Elementa- ry Formes being according to this By- fothefjs perifh’d and abolifli'd. And laftly , and if we will Confult Chymical Experiments , we ihall find the Ad vari rages of the Chymical Do- drine above the Pefipatetick Title little i lefs than Palpable.For in that Operation , that Refiners call Qttartation, which j they employ to purifie Gold, although three parts ot Silver be fo exquifitely mingl’d by Fufion with a fourth Part of Gold, C whence the Operation is De- nominated ) that the. refulting Mafs ac- quires feyeral new equalities, by vertue of the' .Compofifion t and that there is fcarce any fenfible part of it that is not Compos’d.of both the metslls ; Yet if You caft thi^ mixture into AquaEor-^ the Silver will be diffolv’d in the CaTMIST. 14s Menfiruum y and the Gold like a dark or black Powder will fall to the Bottom of!t, and either Body may be again reduc’d into fuch a Metal as it was be- fdre;which lhews,that it retain’d its Na- ture, notwithlfanding its being m\-ntfer Minima with the other; We likewife fee, that though one part of pure Silver be mingled with eight or ten Parts, or mbre, of Lead; yet the Fire will uport [ the Cuppel eafily and perfedly feparate [them again. And that which I would I have you peculiarly Confider on this Oc- Icafion is, that not only in Chymicall Anatomies there is a Separation made of the Elementary Ingredients, but that fome Mixt Bodies afford a very much greater (Quantity of this or that Ele- ment or Principle, than of another; as we fee, that Turpentine and Amber yeeld muchmoreOyl and Sulphur than they do Water; whereas Wine , which isconfefs’d tobe a perfectly mixt Bodie, y eelds but a little Inflamable Spirit , or Sulphur, and not much more Earth; but affords a vaft proportion of Phlegm! or water : which could not be, if, as the Peripateticks fuppofe, every, even of the minuteft Particles, were of thefapie L- Naf 146 THESCEVriCAV Nature with the whole, and confequetit- ly did contain both Earth and Water, and Aire, and Fire;Wherefore as to what Ariflotk principally , and almoft only Objeds, that unlefs his Opinion be ad- mitted, there would be no true and per- fetfl: Miftion , but onely Aggregates or Heaps of contiguous Corpufcles, which, though the Eye of Man cannot difcerne, yet the Eye of a Lynx might perceive not to be of the fame Nature with one another and with their Totum , as the Nature of Million requires, if he do not beg the Queflion, and make Million to confift in what other Naruralifts deny to be requifite to it , yet He at leaft ob- jefts That as a great Inconvenience which I cannot take for fuch , till he have brought as Confiderable Argu- ments as 1 have propos’d to prove the contrary , to evince that Nature makes other Mifdons than fuch as I have al- lowed , wherein the Mifcibilia are re^: duc’d into minute Parts , and United as fttrr as fenfe can difcerne : which if You will not grant to be fufficient for a true Million , he muft have the fanici Qjiarrel with Naiui e her felf, as with bis i Adverfarks. Where^ , V CffTMlST. f47 VVhefefor'0 ( Continues ^Eieutherim ) i- cannot but fottiewhat marvail that Car- nfades Ihould oppofe the Do<5lrine of the Chyniifts in a Particular, wherein: they do as well agree with his old Mi-, ftrefs. Nature , asdiffent from his old Adverfary, Ariflotle. I mull: not (replies Carneades') engage my felf at prefent to examine throughly f he Controverfies concerning Million: And if there were no third things but that I Were reduc’d to embrace abfo- lutely and unrefervedly either the Opi- nion of AriSiotle^ or that of the Philofo- phers that went before him, I Ihould look upon the latter , which the Chy- miftshave adopted, as the more defen- lible Opinion *• But becaufe differing in the Opinions about the Elements from both Parties,! thinkl can take a middle ' Courfcjand Difcourfe to you ofMiftion ' after a way that does neither perfedily , agree , nor perfedlly difagree with ei- ther, as 1 will not peremtorily define s ' whether there be not Cafes wherein fome Thmomena of Million feem to fa- vour the Opinion that the Chymifls Pa- trons borrow’d of the Antients , I fhall only endeavour tdfhew You that therd L 2 are 14 ^ THE SCETTICAt are fome cafes which may keep the i)oubr, which makes up my fecondGe- j; neral Confideration from being unrea- {pnable. I Ihall then freely acknowledge to Yon ( faies Carneades ) that 1 am not o» ver-well fatisfi’d with the Dodlrine that is aferibed to Ari^otle^ concerning Mi- llion, efpecially fince it teaches that the four Elements may again be fepara- ted from the mixt Body 5 whereas if they continu’d not in it , it would not be fo much a Separation as a Produdi- on. And 1 think the Ancient Phiiofo- phers that Preceded Arifiotk , and Chy- mifts who have lince receiv’d the fame Opinion, do fpeak of this matter more intelligibly , if not more probably, than the Peripateticks : but though they fpeak Congruoufly enough, to their be- lieving, that there arc a certain Number of Primogeneal Bodies, by whofe Con- COUrfe all thofe we call Mixt are Gc- ' nerated, and which in the Dedrudioh of i^rixt Bodies do barely part company, and reduce from one another, juft fuch as they were when they came together j yet 1 , who meet with very few Opini- ons that I can entirely Acquiefee in , muft " CHTMIST. 14? e muft confefs to You that I am inclin’d • ;td-.difFer not only from the Arijiotdians^, • I i3Ut from the old Philofophers and the I Chyraifts, about the Nature of Miftion ; • II And if You will give me leave, I fliaU ■ji Briefly propofe to you my prefent No- ’ tion ofic , provided you will lock up- on it , not fo much as an Aflertion as an Hypotbefis^ in talking qf which 1 do not now pretend to propofe and debate the ! whole Dodrine of Miftion, but to fliew I that'tis not Improbable, that fometimes [ mingl’d fubftances may befoftridly u- i nited, that it doth not by the ufuall O- perationsof the Fire, by which Chy- mifts are wont to fuppofe themfelves to have Atialyfis of mix t Bo- dies , fufficiently appear , that in fuch Bodies the MifcibiUa^ that concurr’d to make them up, do each of them re- tain its own peculiar Nature ; and by the Spagyri^is Fires may be more eafily extricated and Recover’d, than Al- ter’d ^ either by a Change of Texture in the Parts of the fame Ingredient, or by an Affociation with fome parts of ano>? iher Ingredient more ftrift than was that of the parts of this or that Mifcibile a- jiiong tl^emfdves. At thefe words EUu^ L 3 ' having' >150 THE SCETftAL having prefsM him toilo what he piro- pos’d,& promis’d to dp what hedefe^dj I confiderthen rcCarnsz Carneadifs^ that , not to mention thofe irapropet diinds of-Miftion , wherein flomo^ene- oz« Bodies are Joyn’d, as when Water Is mingl’d with water, or two VefTels iiiH of the fame kind of Wine with one aiiO* ther, thetniilion I anv now to -difcourfe offeems, Generally fpeaking, to be but an Union fer Minima of any two Or more Bodies of differing Denominati- ons; as w'hen Afiies and Sand are Colli- quatedinto Glafs;or Anrimony andiron imo Regulus Marth\ov"^me andWater are mingl’d, and Sugar is diflblv’d in the Mixture, Now in this general notion of Miftion if does not appear clearly com*- prehended* that the Mifcibilia oi Ingres* dientsdo in their fmall Parts retain their Nathre and remain diftinct in the Compound, that they may thence by the Fire be again taken afunder; For though I deny not that in fome Mi- ffions of certain permanent Bodies this Recovery of the fame Ingredients may be made; yet lam not convinc’d that it will hold in all or even in rooft,or that it is neceffarily deduciMe from Chy najcal^ yCHTMIsr. j$t ' micall Exj^erinipnts, and the trueNo- I ' tion cf Miftioq: To explain this a little, , I affume, that Bodies may be mingl’d , I and that very durably, that are not Ele- : mentary,nor have been refolv’d into E- : lements or Principles, that they may be ( mingPd; as is evident in the Regulm of ) Colliquated Antimony, andiron newly I merstionM;. and in Gold Coyne , which I lafts lo many ages ; wherein generally I the Gold is alloy’d by the mixture of a quantity, greater orlefler,(inour Mints they ufe about a rzth. part ) of either* I filver, or Copper, or both. Next, I con- lider, that there being but one llniver- fal matter of things, as ’tis known that I the Arifiotelians thernfelves acknow- ! ledge, who call it Malerin Trima (about which neverthelefs I like not all their Opinions) the Portions of this matter feem to differ from One Another, but in certain Qualities or Accidents, fe* wet or more*, upon whofe Account the Corporeal Subftancc they belong to receives its Denomination, and is re- ferr’d to this or that particular fort of BodicSj fo that if it come to l.ofe , or be depriv*d of thofe Qualities , though it 'ceafes not to be a Body, yet it ceafes L 4 froag ?52 THB SCMPTICAL from being that kind of Body as a Plant, or Animal, or Red, Green, Sweet, Sowre , or the like* I confider that it very often happens that the fmall parts of Bodies cohere together but by immediate Conta«5t and Reft, and that however there are few Bodies whofe minute Parts ftick fo clofe together, to what caufe foever their Combiiiation be I afcrib^, but that it is poflible to meet with fome other Body, whofe fmall Parts may get between them , and fo dif-;oyn them? or may be fitted to co- here more ftrohgly with feme of theifi, than thofefome cjt) with the reft ; of at leaft may be combin’d fo clofely with them, as that neither the Eire, nor the other ufual Inftruments of Chymi- cal Anatomies Will feparate them * Thefe things being premis’d, I will hot peremptorily deny , but that there may be fome Clufters of Particles, wherein the Particles are fo minute, and the Coherence fo ftrid, or both, that >yhen Bodies of Differing Deriominations , and confifting of fuch durable Gliiftersi happen to be mingl’d , though the Compound Body made up of them may be very Differing from either of cnrmi&r, ^ 153 i j:he Ingredients, yet each of the little Maflfes or Clufters may fo retaindts own ; Nature , as to be again feparable, fuch as it was before. As when Gold and ; Silver being melted together in a Due Proportion (for in every Proportion, the Rehners will tell You that the Ex- periment will not fucceed ) Aqua Tortk will difiblve the Silver , and leave the Gold qntoucht jby which means, as you lately noted, both the Metalls may be I recover’d from the miKed Mafs. But I ( Continues there are other Clufters wherein the Particles ftick not fo clofe together , but that they may meet with Corpufcles of another P.e- nomination , which are difpos’d to be more clofely United with fonie of them, than they were among thif mfelves. And in fUQh pafe, two thus combining Cor- pufeles loftng that Shape, or Size, or Mo- tion, or other Accident, upon whofe Ac- count they were endow’d with fuch a Determinate Quality pr Nature, each of them really ceafes to be a Corpufcle of the fame Denomination it was before; and from the Coalition of thefe there may emerge a new Body, as really one, as either of the Corpufcles w^s before j 54 the SCETTICAL they were mingl’d, or , if you pleafe^ Confounded J Since this Concretion is really endow’d with its own Diftindt qualities, and can no more by the Firej or any other known way of Analyfis^ be divided again into the Corpufcles that at firft concurr'd to make it, than either of them could by the fame means be fubdivided into other Particles. But (faies Bleutherm') to make this more intelligible by particular examples^ ; l£ you diffolve Copper ihJ^uaEortfs^ or Spirit of Nitre, ( for I remember not which 1 us’d, nor do I think it much Ma^ terial) You^may- by Chryftalizing the Solution Obtain a goodly Vitriol? which though by Venue of the Compoficion it have maiiifeftly diverfe Qualities, not to be met with in either of the Ingredi- ents, yet it Teems that the Nitrous rits , or at leaft many of them j may* in this Compounded Mafs retain their for- mer Nature; for having for tr-yal fake DiftillM this Vitriol Spirit, there camd Over ftore of Red Fumes , which by ihatOoloUr by their peculiar ilinke^ an4 by theiiVSowrncfs,manifefted them- felvfes to be. Nitrous Spirits ; and thal ihe remaiflihg Calx continu’d Copper,! I CHTMIsr, fuppofe you'l eafily beleeve. But if sjyou diffolve Minium , which is but Lead IjPowder’dby the Fire, in good Spirit of Ivinegar, and Chryftalize the Solution, »yoti fliall not only have a Saccharine |salt exceedingly differing from both its flngredients ; but the Union off fonie iPart5 of the iMmfiruum withfomeof ithofe of the Metal is fo ftridl , that the (Spirit of Vinegar Teems to be, as fuch, deftroy’dj fincethe Saline Corpufcles i|have quite loft that acidity, upon whofe ‘Account the Liquor was calTd Spirit of Vinegar ; nor can any fuch Acid Parts las were put to Miniumht Separa- |ted byany known way from the Sac* (barum Batumi from them both ; for not only there is no Sowr- nefs at all, but an admirable Sweetnefs to be tafted in the Concretion ; and not only I found not that Spirit of Wine, which otherwife will immediately hifs when mingfd with ftrong Spirit of Vi- negar, would hifs being pour'd upon Saccharum wherein yet the A- cid Salt of Vinegar, did it Survive, may feem to be concentrated ; but upon the Diftillation of Saccharum Satwni by ic Selfl found indeed a Liquor very Pe- netrant THE SCEPTICAL nerrant, but not at all and difFer? ing as well in fmell and other Qualities, as in taft , from the Spirit of Vinegar; which likewife feem’d to have left fome of its Parts very firmly united to the Caput Mortuunif which though of a Lea- den Nature was in fmell, Colour, &c. differing from M.intum ; which brin^ into my mind, that though two Pow;. ders , the one Blew , and the other Yellow, may appear a Green mixture , without either of them lofing its own Colour,asa good Microfcope has fome- times inform’d mej yet having mingl’d Minium a.nd Sal Armoniack, in a requi- fite Proportion, and expos’d them in a Glafs VefTel to the Fire, the whole Mafs became White, and the Red Gor- pufcles were deftroy’d; for though the Calcin’d Lead was reparable from the Salr,yetyouUeafily beleeve it did not part from it in the Forme of a Red Powder, fueh as was the Mittium^ when it was put to the SaP Armoniackj, I leave it alfo to be confiderd , whether in Blood, and divers other Bodies, it be probable, that each of the Corpufcles that concurr to make a Compound Body doth, though fome of them, in cnrmist, ist fome Cfires niay, retain its own Nature ,in it , To that Chymifts may Extricate icach fort of them from all the others , ■wherewith it concurr’d to niake a Body ©f one Denomination. , I know th^re may be a Diftiruftion be- twixt MztXti Immanent^ w|ien the ma- Itcrial Parts remain and retiin their own (Nature in the things tUateriated , as 'fome of the Schoolmen fpeak, (in which I fence Wood, Stones and Lime are the matter of a }io\x^e.^')zx\dTrdnfi^nt-,V}'c\\c\i i in the materiated thing is fo alter'd , as I to receive a new Forme, v>?ithout being , capable Of re-admitting again the Old. In which fence the Friends of this Di- ftinClion fay, that Chyle is the matter of Blood, and Blood that of a Humane Bo-' dy, ofall whofe Parts ’tis prefum“d to be the Aliment. 1 know aifo that it may be faid , that of material Princi- ples, fome are to all mixt Bo- dies, as four Elements , or the Chymifts Tria Prima', others /e- cuUar , which belong to this or that fort of Bodies; as Butter and a kind of whey may be faid to be the Proper Principles of Cream •' and 1 deny not, but that thefe Diftiniftions may in foJme Cafes be THE SCEPTIC AL beofUfe ; but partly by what IhaVtf!*' faid already, and parily by what I ant to fay. You may eafily enough guefs in r what fence I admit them, anddifcerntf that in fuch a fence they will either il- luftratefomeofmy Opinions, or at, leaft ; will not overthrow any of them. To profecute then what I was faying before, I will add to this purpofe, That fince the Major part of Chymifts Cre- dit , what thofe they call Philofophers affirme of their Stone, I may repre- fent to them , that though when Com- mon Gold and Lead are mingled To- gether, the Lead may be fevered almoft un-alter*dfi om the Gold; yet if inftead of Gold a Tant ilium of the Red Elixit be mingled with the Saturn , their Union will be fo indiffoluble in the per- fedt Gold that will be produc’d by it, that there is no known, nor perhaps no poffible way of feparating the diffused I Elixir ixova the fixed Lead) but they < bothConftitute a moft permanent Bo- dy, wherein the Saturn feeins to have quite loft its Properties that made it be call’d Lead , and to have been rather V tranfmuiedby the Elixir, than bately aftbeiated to it. So that it feem$ not al- waifs tntMisr. isf ; ivaies neceflary , that the Bodies that are put together /fr minima^ ihouldeach i) retain its own Nature ; So as when the l Mafs it Self is diflipated by the Fire, to be more dispos’d to re-appear in its ^ Priftine Forme, than in any new one , li which by a ftri(5ler afibciation of its i Parts with thofe of fonie of the other i Ingredients of the Compofitum ^ than with one another , it may have acqui- ^ red* And if it be objefted , that unlefs the I Hypothefis I oppofe be admitted, in fuch I Cafes as I have propofed , there would not be an Union , but a Deftru^ion of I mingled Bodies , which feems all one ! as to fay, that of fuch Bodies there is no miftion at all; I anfwer, that though the Subftances that are mingl’d remain, only their Accidents are Deftroy’d , and though we may with tolerable Con- gruity call them Mifcibil'ia , becaufe they are Diftind Bodies before they arc put together, however afterwards they are fo Confounded that I fhould ra*^ ther call them Concretions, or Refult- ing Bodies, than mixt ones; and though, perhaps fomfeiother and better Accounts may be propos’d, upon which the name of 16(3 THE SC\ETT1CAL 6f miftion liiay remain ; yet if what 1 have faid be thought Reafon,! fhall nbt wrangle about words, though I tliinkit fitter to alter a Ternie of Art, than re- je*fl: a new Truth ^ becaufe it fuits not with it* If it be alfo Obje(fIed that this Notion of mine , concerning miftion i, though it may be allow’d, when Bo- dies already Compounded are put to be mingl’d, yet it is not applicable to thofe iniftions that are immediately made of the Elements, or Principles themfelves; 1 Ahfwer in the firft place, that I herd Confider the Nature of miftion foine- what more Generally , than the Chy- niifts ; who yet cannot deny that there are oftentimes Mixtures, and thofe very durable ones made of Bodies that are not Elementary. And in the next place , that though it may be probably pretended that in thofe Mixtures that are made immediately of the Bodies, that are call’d Principles or Elements , the mingl’d Ingredients may better re- • tain their own Nature in the Com- pounded Mafs , and be mOrc eafily fe. parated from thence;' yet,' befides that it may be doubted, whether there be any fuch Primary Bodies, I fee not why the ! reafon I CUT MIST; i6t || reafon I alledg’d , of the deftrudibility ' of the Ingredients of Bodies in General, Itnay not foinetinies be Applicable to Salt, Sulphur, dr Mercury; ’till it be ihewn upon what account we are to be- ! lee.ve them Priviledged. And however » f ifyou pleafe but to recall to mind, to Iwhat purpofe I to'dyou ar FirB,Inieanc I to fpeak of Miftion at this Time ) you will perhaps allow, that what I have hi- 'therto Difcourfed about it, may not on- ly give fomeLight to the Nature of it in general, (efpecially when I {hall have an Opportunity to Declare to you ,my thoughts on that fubjecfl more fully )but !may on fome Occafions alfo be Service- i able to me in the Infuing Part of this IDifcourfe. But to look back now to that part of our Difcourfe,whence this Excuriion concerning Miftion has fo long diverted ns, though we there Deduc’d, from the differing SubftanceS obtained from a Plant non riftied only with Water, and from fome other things , that it was not necelfary that nature Ihould alwaies' compound a Body atfirft of all fuch dif- fering bodies as the fire could after- wards make it afford; yet this is not ,alf M that i6i the SCBTTlCAt\ 1 that may be colleded from ihofe Exp%* riments. For from them th<^re feems al- fo Deducible fomething that Subv-fettS an other Foundation of the Chyniital Do»Siirle. For fince that ( as we have feen) oiit of fair Water alone,n0t only Spirit i but Oyle, and Salt, and Earth may be Produced ; It will follow that Salt and Sulphur are not Primogeneal Bodies , arid principles, fince they are every Day made out of plain Water by the Texture which the Seed or Seminal principle of plants put it into. And tl\is would not perhaps feem fo ftrange , if through pride or negligence , We were not Wont to Overlook the Obvious ' and Familiar Workings cf Nature; For if We confider what flight Qualities they are that ferve to denominate one of the TriaErinta ^ We fhall find that Nature do’s frequently enough work as great Alterations in divers parcells Of matter ; For to be readily difiToluble in water, is enough to make the body that is fo, pafs for a Salt. And yet I fee hot why from a new fhufling and Dif- pofiiiori of the Component Particles of a body, it fliould be much harder for I Nature to conTofe a body diffoluble in Water CUT MIST. V - ■ Water, of a portion of Water that was roc fo before , than of the Liquid fub- ftanceofanEgg, which will eafily mix with Water , to produce by the bare warnath of a hatching Hen, Membrans, Feathers, Tendons, and otherparts,that are not dlffoluble in Water as that Li- quid Subftance was; Nor is the Hardnefs and Brittlenefs of Salt more difficult for Nature to introduce intoTuch a yeelding body as Water , than it is for her to make the Bones of a Chick out of the tender Subftance of the Liquors of an Egg.But inftead of profeciiting thiscon- fideration, as I eafily might , I will pro- ceed, as foon as I have taken notice of an objedion that lies in my way. For I eafily forefee it will be alledged, that the above mentioned Examples are all taken from Plants , and Animals , in whom the Matter is Faftiioned by the Plaftick power of the feed, or fomething analogous thereunto. Whereas the Fire do's not adt like any of the Seminal Principles, but deftroyes them all when they come within its Reach. But to this I fliall need at prefent to make but this eafy Anfwer,That whether it be a Seminal Principle, or any other which M a' falhions i 64 The SCFTTICAL CHTMlST. fafhions that Matter after thofe vari- ous nianners 1 have mentioned to You, yet 'tis Evident, that either by the Pla- likk principle Alone, or that and Heat Together, or by fome Other caufe capa- ble to contex the matter , it is yet pof- fible that the matter may be Anew contriv’d into fuch Bodies. And 'tis on- ly for the Poflibility of this that I am now contending. The Ci«5) THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST The Third Part. Hat I have hitherto Difcours’d, Tleutherius^(S'A\ti, his Friend to Him) has, 1 prdunie, fhew’n You, that a Confidering Man may very well queftion the Truth of thofe very Sup- 'pofirions which Chymifts as well as Peripateticks, without proving, take for granted^ and upon which Depends the Validity of the Inferences they draw from their Experiments. Wherefore having difpatch’d that, which though a Chymift Perhaps will not, yet I do, look upon as the moft Important, as well as Difficult, part of my Task, it will now Seafonable for tn? to pro-? M 3 ceed M THE SCETTICAL ceed to the Confideration of the Expe- | riments themfeives , wherein they are wont fo n>uch to Triumph and Glory. And thefe will the rather defervea fe- rious Examination , becaufe thofe that Alledge them are wont to do it with fo much Confidence and Oftentation, that they have hitherto impos'd upon almoff all Perfons i without excepting Philofophers and Phyfitians ihemfelves, who have read their Books, or heard them talk. For feme learned Men have been content rather to beleeve what they fo boldly Affirme , than be at the trouble and charge, to try whetheTr or no it be True, Others again , who have Curiofity enough to Examine the Truth of what is Averrd, want Skill and Opportunity to do what they . Defire, And the Generality even of Learned Men , feeing the Chyniifts ( nor contenting therofelves with the Schools to amufe the World with empty words ) Aftually Perforin di- vers ftrange things , and, among thofe flefolve Compound Bodies into feveral Subftances not known by former Phi- i lofophers to be contain’d in therat Men I fay , feeing thefe Things, and Hearihg CHTMIST. i6i c.i Hearing with what Confidence Chy- rejjnifts- Avert the Subftances Obtain’d u ! from Compound Bodies by the Fire ;.| to beihe True Elements, or , (as they 1 1 fpeak) Hypoftatical Principles of them, li are forward to think it but Juft as well , i as M-odeft, that according to the Logi-^ 1 1 Clans Rule, the SkilfuII ArtiHs fliould [be Credited in their own Art j Efpe- [Ciallywhen thofe things whofe Nature they To Confidently take upon them to teach others, are not only Produfti- ons of their own Skill, but fuch as o- I thers Know not elfe what to make But though ( Continues Carneajes'^ the Chymifis have been able upon fome pr ocher of the mention’d Account?, not only to Delight but Amaze , and al- jU)oft to bewitch even Learned Men ; yet Rich as You and I , who are not iHipraftis’d in the Trade , muft not fuf- Yerour Selves to be impos’d upon by .hard Names, or bold Aftertionsjnor to be da^i’d by that Light which Ihoiild but alBft us to difcern things the more clear- ly. It is one thing to be able to help Na- ture to produce things , and another thi^g to Underftand well the Nature . 9 .^ i68 THE SCETTICAL of the things produc’d. As we fee f thar many Perfons that can beget Chil- It dren, are for all that as Ignorant bf the ! Number and Nature of the parts, ef* I pecially the internal ones, that Confti- tutea Childs Body , as they that never were Parents Nor do I Doubt, but you’i excufe me,ifas I thank the Chy- mifts for the things their Analyfisfhtws me , fo 1 take the Liberty to confider how many, andwhat they are, without being aftonifh’t at themi as if , whofoe- ver hath Skill enough to fhew men fonie new thing of his own making*, had the Right to make them beleeve whatfoever he pleafes to tell them con- cerning it. Wherefore I will now proceed to my Third General Confideration , which is, That it does not appear, that Zi6rfe is precifely and Univerfally the Number of the Diftinift Subftances or Elements, whcreinto mixt Bodies are refoluble by the Fire , I mean that *tis not prov’d by Ghymifts, that all the Compound Bodies, which are granted : to be perfedlly mixt , are upon their Chymical AnalyfisdWiiihlti each of the-in into juft Three Diftind Subftances, nei- ther I CRT MIST. 169 I'ther more nor lefs , which are wont to ibclooktupon as Elementary, or may as well be reputed fo as thofe that are fo reputed. Which laft Claufel fub- joyne, to prevent your Obje< 5 ling that fome of the Subftances I may have ocr cafion to mention by and by , are not perfedly Homogeneous, nor Confe- qoently worthy of the name of Princir pies. For that which I ammow to con- fider, is , into how many Differing Subftances, that may plaufibly pafs for ' the Elementary Ingredients of a mix’d Body, it may be Analyz’d by the Fire; but whether each of thefe be on-comr pounded, I referve to examine , when I fhallcome to the next General Con- fideration; where I hop? to evince, that the Subftances which the Chymifts not only allow , biit affert to be the Com- ponent Principles of the Body refolv’d into them, are not wpnt to be uncomr pounded. ^ Now there are two Kind of Argu- ments ( purfues Carneades ) which may be brought to make my Third Pro- pofttion feem probable ; one fort of them being of a more Speculative Na- ture 5 and the other drawn froiit Expe- rience. 170 TMB SC EPTICAL fience. To begin then with the firft of thefe. But as Carneades was going to do as he had (d\d-,Eleutherim interrupted him* by faying with a fomewhat fmiling coun? tenancc ; if you have no mind I fhould think, that the Proverb , That GoodWits havt is Rational andApplica^ ble to You, You niuft not forget now you are upon the Speculative Confide- rations 5 that may relate to the Nuro? berofthe Elements; that your Self did not long fince Deliver and Concede fome Propofitions in Favour of the C hyr mical Dodrine, which I may withouic difparagement to yoU'thmk it uneahe, even for Carneades to anfwer. I have not , replies he , Forgot the. . Conceffionsyou mean; but I hope toO;, that you have not forgot neither with what Cautions they were made, when. I had not yet affumed the Perfon f am now fuftaining. But bowever» I lliall to content You ; fo difcourfe of my Third general confideration, as to- iet You-feCi That 1 am not Unmind- ■ ful cf the things you would have me re- member. cur mist. ■ 17 -^ To talk then again according tp fuch || ■principles as I then made ufe of i ,1 fhall |j repreftnt , that if it be granted rational I to fuppofcj as I then did , that the Ele- ments confifted at iirft of certain fmall andpcimafy Coalitions of the minute ' Particles of matter into Corpufcles ve- ry numerous, and very like each other., i It will not be abfur’d to conceive, that ! fuch primary Clufters may be of far* I more forts than three or five; and confe- } quently, that we need not fuppofe , that I in each of the compound Bodies we are : treating of, there Ihould be found juft three forts of fuch primitive Coalitions, as we are fpeaking of- And if according to this Notion we allow a confiderable number of differing Elements, I may add, that it feenis ve- ry poffible , that to the conftitution of one fort of mixt Bodies two kinds of Elementary ones may fufficef as I lately Exemplify’d to ypu, in that moft dura- ble Concrete, Glafs ,) another fort of Mixts may be compos’d of three Ele- ments, another of four , another of five, and another perhaps of many more. So that according to this Notion, there can be no determinate number aflign’d , as tha^ 172 the sc ept ical that of the Elements, of all forts of com* pound Bodies whatfoever, it being very probable that fome Concretes con» lift of fewer, fotne of more Elements. Nay, it does not feem ImpolTible, accor^ ding to thefe Principles, but that there may be two forts of Mixts , whereof the one may not have any of all the fame Elements as the other confifts of; as we oftentimes fee two words, whereof the one has not any one of the Letters to be met with in the other; or as we often meet with diverfe Eleftuaries,in which no Ingredient ( except Sugar) is com,- mon to any two of them. I will not here debate whether there may not be a multitude of thefe Corpufcles, which by reafon of their being primary arid fimple, might be called Elemeniary , if feveral forts of them lliould convene to eompofe any Body, which are asyetfree, and neither as yet contex’d & entangrd with primary Corpufcles of ocher kinds, but remains liable to be fubdu’d and falhion’d by Seminal Principles, or the like powerful and Tranfmuting Agent, by whom they may be fo connefted a- mong therofelves , or with the parts of one of the bodies, as to make the com- pound ' cm'Misr. in pound Bodies, whofe Ingredients they are^ tefoluble into more, or other Ele- ments than thofe that Chymifts have hitherto taken notice of* To all which / may add i that fince it appears, by what / obferv’d to you of the permanency of Gold and Silver, that even Coipuicles that are not of an Elenientaiy but compounded Nature, i ihay be of fo durable a Texture , as to remain indifToluble in the ordinary Ana^ lyfis that Chymifts make of Bodies fey i the Fire; ’Tis not impofllble but that , though there were but three Elements, yet there may be a greater number of Bodies , which the wonted waies of A- natomy will not difcover to be no Ele- mentary Bodies. But, (faies having thus far, 1 in compliance to you, talk*t conjedural- I ly of the number of the Elements, *tis now time to conftder, not of how many Elements it is poflfible that Nature may compound mix’d Bodies , but Cat leaft as farr as the ordinary Experiments of Chymifts will informe us) of how many Ihe doth make them up, I fay then, that it does not by thefe fufficiently appear to me, that there is . any r 74 the sceptical - . f any one dfeterminate Number of EIe« mencs fcrbe nmformly met with in all the feveral forts of Bodies allow'd to be * perfedly mixt. ' And for the more diftind proof of ' this Propofition, 1 fball in the firft place * Reprefent , That there are divers Bo- dieSi which I could never fee by fire di- vided into fo many as three Elementary fubfiances.l would fain (as 1 faid lately to Philop onus') fee that fixt and noble Me- tal we call Gold feparared into Salt , Sulphur and Mercury ; and if any man will fubmit to a competent forfeiture in' cafe of failing, I lhall willingly in cafe of profpetous fuccefie pay for both the Ma- terials and the charges of fuch an Expe- riment. 'Tis not, that after what I have fry’d my felf 1 dare peremptorily deny,' that there may out of Gold be extraded a certain fubftance, which I cannot hin- der Chymifts from calling itsTindfure or Suiphur;and which leaves the remaining Body depriv'd of its wonted colour.Nor am I Pure, that there cannot be drawn out of the fame Metal a real quick and running Mercury. But for the Salt of Gold, 1 never COuld either fee if, or be fatisfied chat there was ever fuch a thing ! • feparated,' tnrmsr. 17 $ .] feparatcd,/« r?r« 7 K natura, hy tlje relati- |j Ion of any credible eye witnefs. Arid for j the feveral Proceffes that Protn^fe that cffe<3:,the materials that mull: be^roughc || upon are fomewhat too precious and , I coftly to be wafted upon fo groundlefle i adventures, of which not only the fuc- i celTe is doubtful, but the very poffibility i is not yet demonftrated. Yet that which moft deterrs tne from fuch tryalls, is i| hot their chargeablenefs,but their unfa- ij tisfaftorineffe, though they lliould fuc- !i ceed/ For the Extradion of this golden Salt being ill Chymifts Procefles pre- fcribed to be effefted by corrofive firuiims^or the Intervention of other Sa- . line Bodies, it will remain doubtfull to a i wary perfon, whether the Emergent ! Salt be that of the Gold it felf; or of the Saline Bodies or Spirits employ’d to prepare it 5 For that fuch difguifes of Metals do often impofe upon Artifts , I am fure EUutherim is not fo much a ftrangerto Chymiftiy as to ignore. I would likewife willingly fee the three principles feparated from the pure fort of Virgin-Sand, from Ofteocalla^ivova re- fined Silver,frOm C^uickfilver, freed from its adventitious Sulphur, from Venetian Talck, 17 ^ THE SCEPTICAL Taick, which by long detention in ahl extreme Reverberium^ could but divide into fmaller Particles^ not the conftitu- ent principles; Nay, which, when I cau- led it tobekepti I know not how long, in a Glafs-hourefire,canieout in the Fi- gure it’s Lumps had when put in, chough alter’d toanalmoft Amet by ft im colour i and from divers other Bodies, which it were now unneceflary to enumerate. For though 1 dare nor abfolutely afhrme it to be impoffible to Analyze thefe Bo- dies into their TriaPrima\ yet becaufe, neither my own Experiments, nor any competent Teftimony hath hitherto ei- ther taught me how fuch zuAnalyfis may be made, or fatisfy’d pie, that it hath beenfo,! muft take the Liberty to re- frain from beleeving it, till theChymifts prove it, or give us intelligible and pra- dicable Pi ocelTes to perform what they pretend- For whilft they alfeift that.«^- nigmatical obfeurity with which they are wont to puzzle the Readers of their divulg'd Proceffes concerning the Ana- ly tical Preparation of Gold or Mercury, they leave wary perfons much unfaiif- fyed whether or no the differing Sub- ftances,thcy promife to produce,be tru- enTMisr. , 177 . ly the Hypofticical Principles, or only ] fonie intermixtures of the divided Bo". ' dies with thofe employ’d to work upon them, as is Evident in the feeming Chryftalls of Silver, arid thofe of Mer- cury; which though by fome inconfide- rately fuppofed to be the Saks of thofe Metails, are plainly but mixtures of the Metalline Bodies, with the Saline parts ofA^uaFortk or other corrofive Liquors;" as is evident by their being reducible in-^ to Silver or (^ickfilver , as they were ' before. 1 cannot but Confers ( faith : r'm ) that though Chymifts nsay upoa i probable grounds affiniie themfelves A- ! ble to obtain their Tria Primay from A- nimals arid Vegetables, yeti have ofteni wondred that they fhould fo confidently pretend alfo to refolve all Metalline and other Mineral bodies into Salt, Sulphur^ and Mercury. For ’lis a faying almofl: Proverbial , among thofe Chymifts themfelves that are accounted Philofo- phers ; and our famous Countryman Roger Bacon has particularly adopted it j thdiK^ Facilim ejl durum facere^quamde- (iruere. And I fear, with You, that Gold is not the only Mineral from whichChy- N mift? ijS rnB SCEPTICAL jwifts ar^wont fruiilefly to attempt feparating of their three Principles. I know indeedCcontinues Eleutherm')ihzt the Learned even in that book where he takes not upon him to play the Advocate for the Chymifts, but the Umpier betwixt them and the Peripa- teticks, exprelfes hinifelf roundly, thus. Salem omnibus inefie ( mixtis fcilicet ) ^ Sennert. ex m fieri fofie omnibus in refolutionibus conf*^& verfatPs notifftmum fff. And diffenf. in the next Page, Quod de fale dixi^ faies ' pag. 147. he. Idem de Sulphur e diet poteH : but by his favour I muft fee very good proofs, before 1 beleeve fuch general A ffertions, how boldly foever made ; and he that wculd convince me of their truth, muft firft teach roe feme true and prafticable way of feparating Salt and Sulphur from Gold, Silver, and thofe many different forts of Stones, that a violent Fire does not bring to Liroe, but to Fufion ; and not only I, for my own part, never faW any of thofe newly nam’d Bodies fo re- folved j bur Helmont , who was much better vers’d in the Chymical Anatomi- zing of Bodies than either Sennertus or I, has fomewhere this refolute paffage; Hetoon. Sm axena^filicibm dsffaxky non I ^ cnrMikr, 17^ ; Calcar ik^ numtfuam Sulphur cut Mer- cur.iumtrahi pofie\ Nay Qucrcetarius hini- felF, though the grand ftickler for the;; ; TriaTrima-, has this Confeffion ofthe- Irrefolublenefs of Diamonds. ; Cfaith he) omnium faBm Lapidu7n folidtf fimus ac durij[i?n?(6 ex arPliJftma f Theflalo triumprincipiorum unione ac Coh^rentia-, - nulla arte feparationk in Jolutionem^ ^ principiorum fiforum jfdritualium disjun^ ^ipotefi. And' indeed, purfues Eleutheri- us^l was not only glad but foniewhat fur- prized to find you inclined to Admit that there may be a Sulphur and a run- ning Mercury drawn from Goid;for un- ’ efs you do(as your exprefilon feem’d to intimate) take the word Sulphur in a ve- ly loofe fence , I muft doubt whether ! our Chymifis can feparate a Sulphur ' from Gold : For when I faw you make the experiment that 1 fuppofe invited you to fpeak as you did, 1 did not judge ihe golden Tinftu re to be the true prin- ciple of Sulphur extradled froni the Bo- dy , but an aggregate of fome fuch h^hly colour’d parts of the Gold, as a Chymift would have called a Sulphur incombujiU ble^ which in plain Englifh feems to be, little better than to call it a Sulphur N lio* jSo THE SCETTICAL ro Sulphur. And as for Metalline Mcf-^ curies, I had not wondred at it , though you had expreffed much more feverity I in fpeaking of them: For I remember ' that having once met an old-and famous j Arrift, who had long been (and ftill is) Chymift to a great Monarch, the repute 'hp liad of a very honeft man invited me to dcfire him to tell me ingenuoufly whether or no among his many labours, he had ever really ex traced a true and running Mercury . out of MetallS' j to vvhich queftion he freely replyed , that he had never feparated a true Mercury from any Metal jnor had ever feen it re- ally done by any man elfe. And though Cold is, of all Metails,That,whofe Mer- cury Chymifts have inoft endeavoured to extra»ft,and v/hich they do the moft brag they have ex traded ; yet the Experien- ced Angdus Sala^ in his Sfagyrical ac- count of the feven TerreUrial Planers ( that, is the feven metalis 3 affords us this njemorable Teffiraony, to our pre- feat purpofc; Quantjuam (fates he)d£rc. exferii:ntia ta?nm Qcfnam^iultorum Magi- fira/n ■vaca?m/s . ) certe ComfrobaviuMercu- rjum auri adeo fixum^ maturumi ds" cum rdiquk djitfdtm corporis fub^antiis coujungi, CUT MI St. iSr , ! con]ungi , ut nnllo modo retfogredi poffit. I To which he fab-joyfles that he himfelf |i had feen much Labour (pent- upon that I D.efign, but could never fee any fuch } Mercury produc’d thereby. And I eafily ( beleeve what he annexes; that he hadof- * ten feen DeteHed many trickj and ujlmes of Cheating AlchymiBs . For, the I moll: part of thoie that are fond of fuCh I Charlatans^ being unskilful or Credu- : lous, or both, ’tis very eahe for fuch as have fonie Skill, much craft, more bold- nefs, and noConfcience.,to impofe upon them;a.nd therefore, though many pro- ves ’d and divers Perlbns of Quality have told me that they have njade or feen the Mercury of Gold, or of this orthat other Metal;yet 1 have been ftiH apt to fear that either thefe perfons have had a Defign to deceive others; or have h?M not Skill and circumfpefiion enough to keep themfelves from being deceived- You recall to my mind ( Ln^sCarne- ades') a certain Experiment 1 once de- vis’d, innocently to deceive fome per- f^ns and let them and others fee how Jjrtle is to be> built upon 4he affirma- tion of chofe that are either unskilfull N 3 or fSz THE SCBTTICAL or unwary, when they tell us. they have i feen AlchymiHs make the Mercury of | this dr that Metalj and to make thisuthe | more evident,! made my Experiment | much more Slight, Short and Simple , than the Chymifts ufuallpiocefTes to Extrad Metalline Mercuries; which Oi perations being commonly more Elabo- rate and Intricate, and requiring a much more longer time, give the AUhymifis a .greater opportunity to Cozen, and Gon- fequently are more Obnoxious to the Spedlators fufpition. And that wherein 1 endeavour’d to make my Expepment look the more like a 'XxMe Analy fis^ was, that I not only pretended as well as o- thers to extrad a Mercury from the Metal I wrought upon, but likewife to feparate a large proportion of manifeii and inflamable Sulphur. I take then, of the filings of Copper, about a Drachme or two; of common fublimate, pow- der’d, the like Weight ; and Sal Armo- niack. near about as much as of Subli- mate ; thefe three being well mingl’d i together I put into a fmall Vial with a long neck, of, which Ifind better, into a .Glafs Urinall , which ( having firff flopped it with Cotton) to avoid I cur MIST, fSj I the Noxious Fumes, I approach by de- grees to a competent Fire of welf ^ I kindled coals, or ( which looks better, ^ but more endangers the Glafs ) to the ’'Flame of a candle; and after a while ' the bottom of the Glafs being held Juft upon the Kindled Coals, or in the flame. You may in about a quarter of an Hour, or perchance in halfe thac time , perceive in the Bottom of the Glafs Tome running Mercury ; and if then Y*ou take away the Glafs and break it > You fliall find a Parcel of I Quickfilver, Perhaps altogether , and )>erhaps parr of it in the pores of the Solid Mafs ; You fliall find too , that the remaining Lump being held to the yiame of the Candle will readily burn with a greenifli Flame , and after a little, while C perchance prefently ) will in the Air Acquire a Greenifli Blew, which being the Colour that isaferib’d to Copper, when its Body is unlocked, ’Tiseafieto perfwade Men that this is the True Sulphur of Venm^ efpecially fince not only the Salts may be Sup- pos’d partly to be Flown away, and partly to be Sublim’d to the upper part of the Glafs , whofe infide C wiU N ^ 184 THE SCEPTICAL Commonly appear Whitened by them^ but the Metal feems to be quite Pc- 1 ftroy’d , the Copper no longer appearr 1 jng in a Metalline Forme, but almpft in ; that of a Refinous Lump *, whereas inr deed the Cafe is only this, That the Saline parts of the Sublimate together with the Sal Armoni^ckt being excited gnd actuated by the Vehement heat, fall upon the Copper, (which is a Metal they can more eafily corrode, than Sil- ver)whereby the fmall parts of the Mer- cury being freed from the Salts that kept them afunder, and being by the heat tumbled up and down after many. Occurfioas, they Convene into a C)on- fpicuous Mafs of Liquor; and as for the Salts, forae of the more Volatile of them Subliming to the upper part of the Glafs, the others Corrode the Copper,; and uniting themfelves with it dp, Rrangely alter and Difguife its Metal-:, lick Form, and compofe with it a new I kind of Concrete inflamable like Sul-, phur; concerning which I Ihall not now. lay any thing, fince I can Referr You to the Diligent Obfervations which I re- member Mr. Boyle has made concmning fhis Ddde kind of Verdigreafe. iBut Con- . tinues” 4 . V CUT Mist. I §5 tiflues , you know I was not cut put for a Mountebank, and therefore 1 will haften to refunie the perfpnof a Speptick, and take up my difcourfe where Ypu diverted ipe from profecuting it. *' In the next place, then , I confidea*, that, as there are Tome Bodies which yee]d hot fp" many as the three Prin- ciplesr fo|here are many others, that in their flefplutipn Exhibite more princi- ples than three ; and that therefore the ternary number is not that of the Uni- verfaland Adequate Principles pf Bodies. I| you allow of the Pifcpurfe I litely made You, touching the primary Aflb- ciations of the fmall Panicles of matter, ydu will fcarce think it improbable, that of fuch Elementary Corpu Teles there'" may be^ more forts than either three, or four, or five. And If ypu will grant, what will fcarce be deny’d, that Corpufcles of a conspounded Nature may ‘in all the wonted Examples of Chymifts pafs for Elementary, I fee not why you fiiould think it impoflible, that as Aijua Fortis-, or A(]ua RegkwWX make a Separation of colliquatcd Silver and Gold, though the Fire cannot; fo there may i86 THE SCEPTIC JL may be fome Agent found out fo fubtile and fo powerful!, at leaft in refped of thofe particular compounded CorpuH. cles, as to be able to refolve them into thofe mcye fimple ones , whereof they confift, and confequently encreafe the nubiberof tlie Diftind Subftances,where- into the mixt Body has been hitherto thought refoluble. And if that be true , which I recited to you a while ago out o^Helmont concerning the Operations of the Alkaheft^vfhich divides Bodies in- to other Dillind Subftances, both as to number and Nature, than the Eire does; it will uot a little countenance my Conjedure. But confining our feivcs to fuch waies of Analyzing mix’d Bo- dies , as are already not unknown to Chymtfts, it may without Abfurdity be Queftion’d, whether befides thofe grof* fer Elements of Bodies, which they calf Salt Sulphur and Mercury , there may not be Ingredients of a more Subti,le> Nature, which being extreamly little , and not being in thenifelves Vilible j may efcape enheeded at the JundjUres of the Deftillatory Vefiels, though never fo carefully Luted. Fpr let me ^bferve to you one thing, which though, pot ! CHTMIsr. 187 I pot taken notice of by Chymifts, may I be a notion of good ufe in divers Cafes to a Naturalift , that we may well faf- pe«ft, thap there may be feverall Sorts of ’ Bodies, which are not Immediate Ob- je6ls of any one of our fenfes fince we See , that pot pnly thofe little Corpnf- cles that iffue out of the Loadftone, i and perform the Wonders for which I it is juftly admired ; But the effluviums I of Amber, Jet, and other Ele<5fricall j Concretes, though by their efFefts upon ! the particular Bodies difpos’d to receive I their Adion,they feem to fall under the i Cognizance of pur Sighr,yet do they not as Eleft ricai irnmediately Affect any of pur fenfes , as do the bodies, whether nainute or greater, that we See, Feel, Tafte, &c. But, ( Continues ) becaufe you may expe(5t I fhould , as the Chymifts do, confider only the fen- fble Ingredients of Mixt Bodies, let us now fee, what Experience will, even as to thefe, fuggefc to us. It feems then queftionable enough, whether from Grapes varioufly order’d there may not be drawn more diftindt Subftances by the help of the Fire, than from moft other mixt Bodies. For the Grapes i8§ THESCETTICAL Grapes themfelves being dryed into Raifins anddiftill’d , will (befides ^/- Phlegm, and Eaith)yeeld aconfide- rable quantity of an Empyreuraatical Oyle, and a Spirit of a very ditferenc nature from that of Wine. Alfo the un- fermented Juice of Grapes affords other diftill’d Liquors than Wine doth. The Juice of Grapes after fermentation will yeelda Splritus Ardens'j which if compel. tently reftifyed will all burn away with- out leaving any thing remaining. The fame fermented Juice degenerating into Vinegar, yeelds an acid and corroding Spirit. The fame Juice tiinn’d up,armes it felf with Tartar ; out of which may befeparated, as out .of other Bodies, Phlegme, Spirit, Oyle, Salt and Earth: not to m<^ntion what Subftances may be drawn from the Vine it felfe , probably differing from thofe which are fepara.? ted from Tartar, which, is a body by it felf, that has few r-efemblers in the World. And I will further conlider that what force foever you will allow thisiin- lfance,ro evince that there are fome Be* die^ that yeeld more Elements than o-< thers,it can fcarce be deny ’d but that the ^lajor part of bpehes that are divifible CHTMIST, 189 ! into Elements yeeid more than three. ^ For, befides thofe which the Chymifts ? are pleafed to name Hypoftatical , moft bodies contain two others, Phlegme and Earthy which concurring as well as the reft to theconftituiion of Mixts, andbe* I ing as generally, if not more , found in their Analyfis^ I fee no fufficient caufe why they lliould be excluded from the number of Elements. Nor will it fuf- ■ fice to objed, as the Taracdfians are wont to do, that the Tria frima are the moft ufeful Elements, and the Earth and Water but worthlefs and unadive; for Elements being call’d fo in relation to ! the conftituting of mixt Bodies,it Ihould be upon the account of its Ingrediency* notofitsufe, that any thing Ihould be affirmed of deny ed to be an Element; and as for the pretended ufelefsnefs of Earth and Water, it would be confider’d that urefulnefs , or the want of it , de* notes only a Refpe(ft or Relation to us; and therefore the prerence,or abfence of it, alters not the Intrinfick nature of the thing. The hurtful Teeth ofVipers are for ought'Tkftow ufelefs to us , and yet are nof to be deny’d to be parts of theif Bodies ; and it were hard to fticw of what T 90 THR SCRTJCAL what greater life to Us , than Phlegnie and Earthj are thofe Undifcern*d Srars» which our New Telefcopes difeover to Us* in many Blanched places of the Sky; and yet we cannot but acknowledge them Conftituenc and Confiderably great parts of the Univerfe, Befides that whether or no the Phlegm and Earth immediately Ufeful, but neceflary to conftituce the Body whence they are fepatatedi and confequentiy, if the mixt Body be hot Ufelefs to us, thofe con- ftituent parts , without which it could hot have been Th^t mixt Body, may be faid not to be Unufeful to Us : and though the Earth and Water be not fo' honfpicuoufly Operative (after fepara- tion ) as the other three more adive Principles, yet in this cafe it will not be amifs to remember the lucky Fable of Meneniui Jgrippap^ the dangerous Sedi- tion of the Hands and Legs, and other more bufie parts of the Body , againfl: j the feem'ihgly unadive Stomack. And to this cafe alfo we may not unfitly apply that Reafoning of an Apoftle, to ano- ther the Eat fay^becau^e I am not the Eye^ lam not of the Body\ Is it therefore not of the Body ? If the whole Body CHTMiST. I9t ^dy were Eye^ where were the Hearing ? If the whole were for hearmg^ where the fmelling if In a word , fmce Earth and water appear, as clearly and as generally as the other Principles upon the refolu- tion of Bodies, to be the Ingredients whereof they are rhade up 5 and fince they arc ufeful (if not immediately to us, or rather to Phyfitians) to the Bodies they conftituce, and fo though in fome- what a remoter way, are ferviceable to us;to exclude them out of the number of Elements, is not, to imitate Nature. And on this occafion I cannot but take iiotice , that Whereas the great Argu- ment which the Chymifts are wont to employ to vilify Earth and Water , and i make them be look’d upon as ufelefs & unworthy to be reckon’d among the Principles of Mixt Bodies, is, that they are not endow’d with Specifick Proper- ties, but only with Elementary qualities; of which they ufe to fpeak very fligh- tingly , as of qualities contemptible and onaiiive : I fee no fufficient Reafon t for this PratJHce of the Chymifts : For i 'tis confefs’d chat Heat is an Elementary Quality, and yet that an almoft innume- rable company of conlidcrable Things 102 rnESCEtfiCAt are perform’d by Heat , is maiiifeft to them that duly conhder the various Thdmmena. wherein it intervenes as z. principal] Ador; and none ought lefs to ignore or diftruft this Truth than a Chy^- mift. Since alffloft all the operations and Prodiidions ofhis Art are perform- ed chiefly by the means of Hear. And as for Cold it ftlf, upon whofe account they fo defpife the Earth and Water, if they pleafe to read in the Voyages of our Englifli and Dutch Navigators in ^ova Zembla and other Northern Regi- ons what ftupendous Things may be ef- refied by Cold, they^would not perhaps think it fo defpicable. And not to re- peat whar I lately recited to You out of , faracdj'm himfelf, who by the help of : an intenfe Cold teaches to feparate the QuintefTence of Winej 1 will only now obferveto You, that the Confervation of the Texture of many Bodies both a- nimateand inanimate, do’s fo much de- pend upon the convenient motion both of their own Fluid and Loofer Parts,& of the ambient Bodies , whether Air,. Water, Ctc. that not only in homane Bodies we fee that the immoderate or unfeafonable coldnefs of the Air C efpe- cially CHTMTST: ^ 191 cially when it finds fuch Bodies bver- heated)do’s very frequently clifcompofe the Oecommie oi them, and occafion va- riety cf Difeafes ; buLin-the- folid and- durable Body of Iron it felf, in which one would not exped that fuddain Gold Ihould produce any notable change, it may have fo great an operati- on, that ifyou take a Wire, or ocher Bender piece of fteel , and having brought it in the fire to a white heat, You fgffer.it afterwards to cool leafurely in the Air, it will when it is cold be much of the fame hardiiefs it was of before. Whereas if as fbon as You remove it from the fire, you plunge it into cold wa- ter, it will upon the fuddain Refrigera- tion acquire a very much greater hard- nefs than it had before; Nay^and will be- come manifeftly brittle. And that you may not impute this to any peculiar Quality in the Water, or other Liquor, or Ucn^uous matter, Wherein fuch heated fteel is wont to be quenched that it may be temper’d ; I know a very skilful Tradefmaiv, that divers times hardens fteel by fuddenly cooling it in. a Body that is neither a Iiqiior,nor fo much as Jiioift. A tryal of that Nature I remem- O bef J94 tub sceftical ber lhave feen made. And however by the operation that Water has upon fteel quenched in it^ whether upon the Ac- count of its coldnefs and moifture, or upon that of any other of its qualities^ it appears, that water is not alwaies fo inefficacious and contemptible a Body, as our Chymifts would have itpafs for* And what 1 havefaidof the Efficacy of Cold and Heat, might perhaps be eafily enough carried further by other confide- raiions and experiments ; were it not that having been mention’d only upon the By, I muft not infift on itj but pro* ceed to another Subjeft. But, (^^m^utsCarneades') though 1 think it Evident , that Earth and Phiegme are to be reckon’d among the ElemeBCS of moft Animal and Vegetable Bodies, yet ’ris not upon that Account alone, that I think divers Bodies refolu- ble into more Subftances than three. For there are two Experiments , that I have fomet lines made to ffiew, that at leaft fome.Mi5its are divifible into more *Diftinft Subftances than five. The one of thefe Experiments, though ’twill be moie feafonable for me to mention it fully anon, yet in the mean time , 1 ffialt' I CHTMIST, i5>5" tell you'thus much pf itjThat out of two DiftiU’d Liquors which pafs for Ele- 1 iDents of the Bodies whence they are I drawn, 1 can without Addition make a true Yellow and Inflamable Sulphur , noiwithftanding that the two Liquors remain afrei wards Diftinft.Of the ocher Experiment, which perhaps will not be altogether unworthy yofir Notice, I tnuft now give you this particular Ac- count. i had long cbfei v’d, that by the Deftillation of divers Woods, both in Or- dinary, andfom.e unufuall forts of Vef- fels, the Copious Spirit that came over, had behdes a ftrong tah, to be met with I in the Empyreumatical Spirits of many : other Bodies, an Acidityalmoftlikethac of Vinegai: Wherefore I fufpe^ed, that though the fowrifli L^iior Dittill’d, for Inlfance, from Box-Wood, be lookt up- on by Chymifls as barely the Spirit of it, and therefore as one fingle Element I or Principle; yet it does really confift of I two Differing Subftances , and may be I di viable into them ; and confequencly , I that fuch Woods and other Mixes as abound with fuch a Vinegar , may be faid to confift of one Element or Prin» cipie, more than the Ghymifts as yet. O 2 are 196 THE SC EPTICAL are Aware of , Wherefore bethinking my felf, how the reparation of thefe two Spirits might be made, I Quickly found, that there were feveral waies of Com- pafling it. But that of them which I lhall at prefent mention was this , Having Peftill’d a Quantity of Box-Wood fer yi-, and flowly redify’dthe fowrilh Spi- rit, the better to free it both from Oyle and Phlegnse, I caftinto this Redlify’d Liquor a convenient Quantity of Pow- der’d Coral , expeding that the Acid pan of the Liquor, would Corrode the Coral, and being affociated with it Would be fo retain’d by it, that the other part of the Liquor, which was not of an add Nature, nor lie to faften upon the Corals, would be permitted to afeend a- lone. Nor was I deceiv’d in my Expe- dition ; For having gently abftraded the Liquor fiom the Corals , there came over a Spirit of a Strong fmell , and of a taftvery piercing but without any fowmefs; and which was in diverfe qualities manifeftly different , not only from a Spirit of Vinegar, but from fome Spirit of the fame Wood, thatlpur- pofelykeptby me without depriving it of its acid Ingredient And tofatisfy you, CUT MIST. m j you, that thefe two Subftances were of a very differing Nature,! might informe ; you offeveral Tryals that I made, buc I muft not name fome of them, becaufe I ; cannot do fo without making fome un- feafonable difcoveries. Yet this I fhall tell you at prefent that the fowre Spirit of JSojf, not only would, as I juft now ! related , diffolve Corals , which the i other would not faften on, but being ' poiir’dupon Salt of Tartar would imme- diately boyle and hifs,vv^hereas the other would lye quietly upon it. The acid : Spirit pour’d upon Minium made a- Sugar of Lead, which I did not find the other : to do; fome drops of this penetrant fpi- rit being mingl’d with fome drops of the blew Syrup of Violets feem’d rather to dilute than other wife alter the colour ; whereas the Acid Spirit turn’d the Syrup of a reddilli colour, and would probably have made it of as pure a red, as Acid Salts are wont to do, had notits opera- tion been hindered by the mixture of the other Spirit. A few drops of the com- pound Spirit being fliaken into a pretty quantity of the infufion of Lignum Ne~ fhriticum , prefently deftroyed all the blewifh colour, whereas the other Spirit O 3 would 198 THE SCEftlCAL would not take it away. To all which it might be added , that having for tryals fake pour’d fair water upon the Corals that remained in the bortoinof the glafs wherein | had reftifyed the double fpi- rit ( if 1 may focall it) that was firft drawn from the Box, 1 found according to my expeftaiion that the Acid Spirit had really dilTol vied the Corals and had coagulated with then>. For by the affuii- cn of lair Water, 1 Obtain’d a Soluti- on, which (to note that fmgularity upon the by) was red, whence the Water being evaporated, there remained a fo- iuble Sublilance much like the Ordinary Salt of Coral, as Chyraifts are pleas’cl to call that Magiftery of Corals , which they make by diflfolving them in com- mon fpirit of Vinegar , and abftrading the Mun^ruum adSiccitatem» \ know not whether I fhould fubjoyne ou this occa- fion , that 'the fimple fpirit of Box , if Chymifts will have it therefore ^Saline becaufe it has a ftrong tall, will furnilh us with a new kind of ^'aline Bodies, dif- fering from thofe hitherto taken notice •of. For whereas of the three chief forts of iS'alrs , the Acid, the Alcalizate , and the .Sulphureous, there is none that ‘ • -■ feems cur MIST, . 199 j feems to be friends with both the other iwo» as I rnay,eVe it be long , have oc- cafion to fhew ; I did not find but that thefimple fpirit of Box did agree very well (at leafl as farr as I had occafion to try it) both with the Acid and the other Salts. For though it would lye very quiet with fait of Tartar, Spirit of Urine, or other Bodies, whofe Salts were either of an Alcalizate or fugitive Nature ; yet [did not the mingling of Oyle of Vitriol it felf produce any hiffing or EfFerve- jfcence, which you know is wont to en- ifue upon the Afiufion of that highly A- |cid Liquor upon either of the Bodies newly mentioned. I think my felf, ( faies Ekutherius) be- holden to you, for this Experiment^ not only becaufe I forefee you will make it helpful to you in the Enquiry you are now upon, but becaufe it teaches us a Method , whereby we may prepare a numerous fort of new fpirirs, which though more fimple than any that are thought Elementary, are manifeftly en- dow’d with peculiar and powerful qua- Elies, fome of which may probably be of f onfiderable ufe in Phyfick , as well a- ione as affociated with other things; as Q 4 ^ oW 200 TfiE sceptical one may hopefully guefs by the rednefs of that Solution your fpwre Spirit in add of Corals , and by foine other circum- fiances of your Narrative. And fuppo^e Cpu Eleutherm') that you are not fo confin’d, for ^hefeparation ofthe A- cid parts'of thefe compound Spirits from the other, to employ Corals ; but that you may as well make ufe of any Alcalizace Salt, or of Pearls, or Crabs dyes, or any other Body, upon which com- tiion .Spirit of Vinegar will eafily work , and, to fpeak in an tidmontian Phrafe, Exantlaie it feif. ‘ I have not yet nyed, ( faies Cavneades ) of what ufe the mention’d liquors may be in Phyfick, either as Medicines or asMe/t- : ff'ruums : But I could mention now (and may another time ) divers of the tryals ; that 1 made to fatisfy my feif of the dif- ference of thefe two Liquors. But that, as I allow your thinking what you newly told roe about Corals,! prefume you will allow me, from what I have faid already, to deduce this Corollary; That there are divers compound bodies, which may be fefolv’d into four fuch differing .Sub- ftances,as may as well merit the name of PriiieipleS} as thofe to which the Chy- ' ' ■ miffs CHTMIST. 201 ; piifts freely give it. For fince they fcru- ple not to reckon that which I call the V compound Spirit of Box, for the fpirit, t or as others would have it, the Mercury of that Wood,! fee nor, why the Acid li- cjuor, and the other, fliould not each of : thcni,efpecially that laft named, be lookt upon as more worthy to be called an E- I leniemary Principle; fince it muft needs ; be of a more fimple nature than the Liquor, which was found to be divifible into tha^and the Acid Spirit. And this I fu/ther uCe ( continues Car»eai/es) may : bSmade of our experiment to my pre- fent puVpofe, that it may give us a rife to r fufpe(5t, that fince a Liquor reputed by I the Chymifis to be, without difpute, ii Homogeneous, is by fo flight a way divi- f; fible into two diftind and more Ample r Ingredients, foroe more skilful or hap- pier Experimenter than I may find a way either further to divide one of thefe (Spirits, or to refolvefome or other, if not all, of thofe other Ingredients of mixt Bodies, that have hitherto pafs’d among Chyinifts for their Elements or Principles, THE -T^rr;;B', \ ^ i '' --iCi /:, V- . '' ,W> ■ J. . . ■ 'll a 'i , f ■ ' •/;/;; V ■ '■ : . 'V' . ; ri i '^iu' r f :!?r •J ■: ry r; r : .... :bb. I / :'■, ■* 4,'/M ti; '' .Mir: bi /ib j'J Oj \rvi c*^i ;t:ivv ,:V::.' V.-;:- Oci>'.y.. . r-' ^ v:: . ) ‘: ■ t. ' ■ . i-"’ -V' , ^ ‘ ■ • "■ . l-rX ; ' ' ? :t ..x:i : y:.'V ■:■ , ;■ :i".Vi::i i'lXf ■ ^ :'■ 1 ■ 'jJh 0- so rv?4'-;/'i ; ■'/> ■ ',<* .nr; 1 10 i- \ ■ .. '-iij;,n.''; i.Si' ■r ( 203 ) THE SCEPTICAL GHYMIST The Fourth Part. and thus much ( faies Carneades ) may fufnce to be faid of the Num- her of the Diftihft fubftances feparable from mixt Bodies by the Fire*. Where- fore I now proceed to confider the ture of them , and Ihew you . That, though they feem Homogeneous Bodies, yet have they not the purity and fim- plicity that is requifite to Elements, And 1 Ihould immediately proceed to the proof of my' Afferiion , but that the Confidence wherewith Chymifts are wont to call each of the Subftanceswe fpeak of by the name of iSulphur or Mercury, or the other of the Hypofta- 204 the sc EPTICAL ticall Principles, and the intolerable ! Ambiguity ^they allow ihemfelves in • their Writings and ExpreffionSj, makes I it neceflary for me in Order to the t 'Keeping you either from miftakingme, I or thinking I miftake the Controverfie, to take Notice to you and complain of the unreafonable Liberty they give therofelves of playing with Names at pleafure. And indeed if I were oblig’tl in this Difpute, tohavefuch regard to the Phrafeology of each particular Chy- iDift, as not to Write any thing which this or that Author may net pretend, not to contradift this or that fence , which he may give us asOccafion ferves to his Ambiguous Expreffions, llhould fcarce know how to difpute , nor which way to turn my felf. For I find that e- ven Eminent Writers, (fuch as Raymmd Lully , Paracelfus and others ) do fo a- ^ bufe the termes they employ, that as they will now and then give divers things, one namejfpthey will oftentimes give one thing , many Names ; and fomeofthem (perhaps) fuch, as do | much more properly fignifie fome Di- fiind Body of another kind ; nay even in Technical Words or Termes of Arr, ^ thejr CfiTMJST. 205 they refrain not from thisConfound- (ing Liberty ; but will, as I have Ob- ferv’d , call the fame Subftance, fome- tinies the Sulphur , and Sometimes jthe Mercury of a Body. And now I fpeak of Mercury , I cannot but take Notice , that the Defcriptions ithey give us of that Principle or Ingre- ;dient of raixt Bodies , are fo intricate , that even thofe that have Endeavour’d to Polifli and Illuftrate the Notions of |theChymifts, are fain to confefs that they know not what to make of it ei- ther by Ingenuous Acknowledgments , or Defcriptions that are not intelligi- [ble. I mull: confefs ( (aieBEleutherius ) I have, in the reading of Faracelfus and o- ther Chymical Authors, been troubled to find, that fuch hard Words and E- quivocal ExpreffionSjas You juftly com- plain of, do even when they treat of Principles, feeni to be ftudioufly aflfefted by thofe Writers 5 whether to make themfelves to be admir’d by their Rea- ders , and their Art appear more Ve- nerable and Myfterious, or , ( as they would have us th^nk} to conceal from them a Knowledge themfelves judge ineftimable But 20^ THE SCEVrtCAL But whatever C Tales Came odes') theCe Men may proniife thenifelves ^froin a Canting way of delivering the Princi- ples of Nature, they will find the Ma- jor part of Knowing Men fo vain, as when they underftand not what they ' read, to conclude, that it is rather the Writers fault than their own. And thofe that are fo aintbitious to be ad- mir’d by the Vulgar, that rather than go without the Adniiratibn of the Ig- norant they will expofe themfelves to the contempt of the Learned , thofe lhall, by my confenr,freely enjoy their Option. As for the Myftical Writers fcrupling to Communicate their Know- ledge, they might lefs to their own Difparagement, and to the, trouble of their Readers, have conceal’d it by wri- ting no Books, than by "Writing bad ones. If Themi^im were here , he woulR hot flick to fay , that Chymifts write thus darkly, not becaufe they think their Notions too precious to be explain’d, but becaufe they fear that if they were explain'd, men would dif- cern, that they are fart from being pre- cious. And indeed#! fear that the chief Reafon why Chyniifls have written fo r bb- cnTMlSt, 307 obfcarely of their three Principles, may be. That not having Clear and t>i- .ftia6: Notions of them themfelves, they cannot write otherwife than Cbnfufedly of what they but Confufedly Appre- hend : not to fay that divers of them, being Confcious to the Invalidity of ' their Dodrine, might well enough dif- cerne that they could fcarce keep thera- felves from being confuted,but by keep- ing themfelves from being clearly un- derhood But though much may be faid to Excufe the Chynaifts when they write Darkly, and iEnigmatically, about th6 Preparation of their Elixir ^ and Some few other grand Arcana, the divulging of which they may upon Grounds Plau- fible enough efteem unfit ; yet when they pretend to teach the General Prin- ciples of Natural Philpfophers j thisE- ijuivocal Way of Writing is hot to be endur’d. For in fuch Speculative Enqui- ries , where the naked Knowledge of the Truth is the thing Principally aim’d at, what does he teach me worth thanks that does not, if he can, make his No- tion intelligible to me, but byMyftical Termes, and Ambiguous Phrafcs dark- ens what he fliould clear up; and makes me 2o8 the sceptical me add the Trouble of guefling at th© fence of what he Equivocally expreffes^ to that of examining the Truth of what llefeems to deliver. And if the mat*i ter of the Philofophers Stone , and the manner of preparing it, be fuch Myfte- ries as they would have the World be-' lieve them, they may Write Intdligi- bly and Clearly of the Principles of mixt Bodies in General ^ without Dif- covering what they call the Great Work. But for my part (Continues Carneades) what my Indignation at this tin-philofophical way of teaching Prin- ciples has now extorted from me, is meant chiefly to excufe my felf, if I lhall hereafter oppofe any Particular Opinion or aflertion, that forae Followi- er of Paracelfus or any Eminent Artift may pretend not to be his Matters. For^ as I told you long fince , I am not Ob- liged to examine private mens writings, ( which were a Labour as endlefs as unprofitable ) being only engag’d to ex- amine thofe Opinions about the Tria Trima^ which I find thofe Chymifts I have met with to agree in moft: And 1 Doubt not but my Arguments againft their Doctrine will be in great part ea- 1 “ j CUT MIST, 209 (I Illy enough applicable ev’n to ihofe ijprivate Opinions, which they donor fo |dire 61 y and exprehy oppofe. And in- I deed , that which I am now entering I upon being the Gonfideration of the f things themfelves whereinto SpagyriHs [ refolve mixt Bodies by the Fire, if I can I ihew that thefe are not ot an Elementa- [ry Nature, it will be no great matter ( what names, thefe or thofe Chymifts ; have been pleafed to give them. And I k queftion not that to a Wife man, and con£tq\^mi^y io Eleutherm ^ it will be iefle confiderable to know, what Men Have t hought of Things, than what they Should have thought. , , In the fourth and laft place , then, i; I coniider, that as generally as Chyniift^ i are wont to appeal to Experience, and as confidently as they ufe to inftance I the feveral fubftances feparated by the Fire from a Mixt Body, as a fufficient proof of their being its component Ele- ments : Yet thofe differing Subftances are many of them farr enough from Ele- mentary fimplicity , and may be yet look’d upon as mixt Bodies , moft of them aifo reuining,fomewhat at leaft,if not very mUch , of the Nature of thofe f tori- 210 THE SC Eric At Concretes whence they were forc’d.' I am glad C Elmtheriui ) to fee the Vanity or Envy of the canting Chy« niifts thus difcover’d and chaftis’d;and I could wifh , that Learned Men would confpire together to make thefe delu- ding Writers fenfible, that they muft no longer hope with Impunity to abufe the World. For whilft fuch Men are quiet* ly permitted to publilh Books with pro- niifing Titles, and therein to Affert what they pleafe, and contradict others, and ev’n themfelves as they pleafe , with as little danger of being confuted as of be- ing underftood) they are encourag'd to get themfelves a name, at the coft of the Readers, by finding that intelligent Men are wont for the reafon newly menti- on'd, to let their Books and Them a- lone : And the ignorant and credulous ( ofwhich the number is Bill much grea- ter than that of the other) are forward to admire moft what they leaft under* Rand. But if Judicious men skill’d in Chymical affaires fliall once agree to v/rite clearly and plainly of them , and thereby keep men from being ftunn'd y as it were, or impos’d upon by dark or empty Words 5 ’tis to be hop’d that |. triTMISf. 2it jl ihefe men finding that they can no long- : er Write impertinently and abfurdly , ■without being laugh’d at fordoing fo, will be reduc’d either to write nothing, dr Books that may teach us fomething, and not rob mert, as formerly, of inva- I luable Timej and fo ceafing to trouble ! the World with Riddles or Impeftinen- ties, we fhall either by their Books re- ceive ari Advantage, or by their filence fefcape an InOonvenience. j But after all thia is fa id (Continues EleuthermYn may be reprefentediii fa4 I vour of the Chyniifts,that,in one regard the Liberty they take in ufing names, i if it beexcufableac any time, may be j tnorefo when they fpeakof the fubftan- I ces whereintd their Ahaiyfii refolve^ tniitt Bodies : Since as Parents have the Right to flame their own Children, it has ?ver been allow’d to the Authors of new invention's, to Impofe Names upon them. And therefore the fubfedts we fpeak of being fo the Produftions of the Chymifts Art, as not to-be dtherwife , but by it , Obtainable; it Teems but equitable to give the Artifts leav6 to natne them as they pleafe : confidering alfo that none are fo fit and likely to teach us what ihofe Bo- P 2 die^ 212 THE SCETtlCAL dies are , as they to whom we ow’d them. i I told You already C Carneades ') that there is great Difference betwixt the being able to make Experiments^and ;j the being able to give a Philofophital Account of them. And 1 will not now add, that many a Mine-digger may meet, whil’ff he follows his work, with a Genim ora Mineral which he knowes not what to make of, till he fliewes it a Jeweller or a Mineralift to be inform’d what it is. But that which I would rather have here obferv’d, is , That the Chymifts 1 am ; now in debate with have given up the Liberty You challeng’d for them , cf iifingNames at Pleafure , and confin’d' thenifelves by their Defcripiions, though ^ bur fuch as they are, of their Principles} fo that although they nsight freely have call’d any thing their Analyfis prefents them with, either Sulphur, or Mercury, or Gas,or Blas,or what they pleas’d;yec when they have told me that Sulphur C for inftance ) is a Primogeneal and fimple Body, Inflamable, Odorous, &c. they muff give me leave to dif believe them, if they tell me that a Body that > is either compounded or uninflaraable is I c nr Mist. 213 ;|fuch a Sulphur} and to think they play Iwi'h words, when they teach that Gold i and fome other Minerals abound with Incombuftible Sulphur , which is as p o )er anEvpiehlouj as a Sun-lTiine Nigbr,o^ Fluid Ice. ' File heforel delcend to the Menrion ;lof irticulars belonging to niy Fourth IGonfideraiion , 1 think it convenient to 'IprendF a; iew Generals; fome of which il FiaU vile lefs need to infift on at pre-^ ijfear, becaule 1 have Touched on them joiready. ! And firft / niuft invite you to take tiodce of a certain pafTage In Helmont ; which though I have not Fpund much hee- ded ’py his Readers, He Himfelf mentims as a notable thing, and I take to be a ve- ry confiderable one; for whereas the Di- fliird oyle of oyle- olive ^ though drawn iHud mtabile > in vim ejje Spiri- ium quendam mitmem ulierioru £? mbihqru qmlitatU pavticipem ,quam qui imn^aiate per diJiiUationem eli- citur-i diciturque aqua vita dephJeg- mata, quddjaciliiu in jlmplid Oli- varum olei) ad oculum jpeEtatur* a^ippe difiillatum oleum abfque terum am tegular um additamenio > quodque oleum Fhilofophorum did- tur^ multum differt ah ejus oleitatCy qu£ elicitur prim reduSto oleo fim* plict in partes dijjimulares fola di- gejiione Salts circulaU FaraceU fid appojhione; jiquidem fal dreu., latum idem in ponaerc ^ quant ita-^ ubus prijiinis ah oleo Jegregatur poJlqt{am oleum o livamm infui heterogendtates efi difpftuw, l uk'c enim tunc Oleum Qlivamm ex oleoyprout C5* fuavtjjimm vini fpiritm a vino hoc paEtofeparanturdongeq^ ah, aqua vita acritmnia diJlinUm^ Hclmom. Aura vitalis, pag. 72 j. P 3 fir 214 the SCErtlCJL . per ft is (as 1 have try ’d ) of a very iharp and fretting Quality, and of ai^ odious taft, He tells us that Simple oyle being only digefted with Faracelfuis fal circulatum^ is reduc’d into diffimilar parts, & yeelds a fweet Pyle, very differ- ing from the oyle diftill’d , from fallet oyle; as alfp that by the fame way there may be feparated from Wine a very fweet and gentle Spirit, partaking of a far other and nobler quality than that which is immediately drawn by diftilla- tipn and call’d Vephlegmd Aqua vita , from whofe Acrimony this other fpirir is exceedingly remote, although ihe fai circulatum that makes thefe Anatomies be feparated from the Analyz’d Bodies , in the fame weight and with the fame qua* lities it had before;which Affirmation of Hdmont if we admit to be true, we mu ft acknowledge that there may be a very great difparity betwixt bodies of the fame denomination (as feveral oylcs, or feveral fpiritpfeparabie from compound Bodies:For,befides the differences I ftiall anpn take notice of , betwixt thofedi- ftill’d Pyles that are commonly known to ChymiftSjit appears by this, that by means of the Sal Circulatum, Tbere may cur MIST. 215 he quite another fqrt of Oyles obtain’d from the fame Body ; and who knowes but that there may be yet other Agents found in Nature , by whofe help there may, whether by Tranfniutation oro- therwife, be obtain’d from the Bodies Vulgarly eali'dMixt, Oyles orother fub- ftances. Differing from thofe of the fame Denomination , known either to ' Vulgar Chymifts, or even to Helmmi Himfelf: but for fear You fhould tell me, that this is but a conjedlure groun- ded upon another Man’s Relation, whofe Truth we have not the means to Expe- limerit, 1 will not Infift upon it; but leaving You to Confider of it at lea- fure,I fhall proceed to what is next. Secondly, then. If that be True which was the Opinion of LeucippustDemocri- t///, and Other prime j4natomifii of old, and is in pur dayes reviv’d by no mean PhilofophersjnamelyjThat pur Culinary Fire , fuch as Chymifts ufe, confifts of fwarmes of little Bodies fwiftly moving, which by their fmallnefs and motion are able to permeate the follideft and Compafteft Bodies , and even Glafs it Self ; If this C I f^y ) be True, fince we fee that In flints and other Concretes, P 4 ~ ilie ii6 TBESCETTICAL the Fiery part is Incorporated with the Groffer, it will not be Irrational to con- jecture , that muliitudes of thefe Fiery Corpufcles , getting in at the Pores of the Glafs, may aflociate thenifelves with the parts of the nn>ft Body where- on they work, and with them Confti- fute new Kinds of Compound Bodies , according as the Shape, Size, and other Affe»5tions of the Parts of the Diffipa- ted Body happen to dirpofe them , in Reference to fuch Gombinations; of which alfo there may be the greater Number; if it be likewife granted that | the Corpufcles of the Frre t though all I exceeding minute, and very fwiftly mo- ved, are not all of the fame bignefs, nor Figure;^ nd if I had not Weightier Confiderations to Difcourfe to you of; I could name to you , to Countenance what I have newly faid, fome particu- lar Experiments by which I have been Deduc’d to think , that the Particles of an open Eire working upon fome Bo- dies may really Aflbciare themfelves therewith , and add to the Quantity. But becaufe I am not fure , that when the Fire works upon Bodies included jn Glaffes , it does it by a reall Tra- c nr MI St, 217 jeftion of the Fiery Corpufcles them- leivcs 5 through the Subftance of the Glafs, I will proceed to what is next to be mention^. Icould(faies£/e»?^m'^«)help you to Tome Proofs , whereby I think it may be made very probable, that when the Fire ads immediately upon a Body, feme of its Corpufcles may flick to thofe of the burnt Body , as they feem to do in Quicklime, but in greater numbers and more permanently. But for fear of reta rding your Progrefs , I ftiall defire you to deferr this Enquiry till another time , and proceed as yott intended. You may then in the next place ( faies obferve with me , that not only there are fome Bodies , as Gold , and Silver, which do not by theufual Examens, made by Fire, Difeover them- felves to be mixt 5 but if ( as You may Remember I formerly told You ) it be a De-compound Body that is Dilflpa- ble into feveral Subftances, by being expos’d to the Fire it may be refolv’d into fuch as are neither Elementary , nor fuch as it was upon its laft mix- turc Compounded of; but into new Kinds 2i8 the sceptical Kindis of mixts. Of this I have already given You fotne Examples in Sope , Su- gar of Lead, and Vitriol. Now if we lliall Confider that there are fome Bo- dies, as well Natural , (^as that I laft nam’d) as Faditious, manifeftly Pe- compounded ; That in the Bowells of the Earth Nature may, as we fee flie fometimes does , make Arrange Mix- tures *, That Animals are nouri’lhd wit^ other Animals and Plants ; And , that thefe themfelves have almoft all of them their Nutriment and Growth , either from a certain Nitrous Juice Harbour’d in the Ppres of the Earth , or from the Excrements of Animalls,orfrom the pu- trify’d Bodies , either of living Crea- tures or Vegetables, or from other Sub- llrances of a Compounded Nature; if, | fay, we confider this, it may feem pro- bable, that there may be among the Works of Nature (not to mention thofe of Art) a greater number of De-com- pound Bodies , than men rake Notice of; And indeed, as I have formerly alfo obferv’d , it does not at all appear, , that all Mixtures muft be of Elemen- tary Bodies; but it feems farr more probable , that there are diyers forts of cm Mi ST, S^I9 Kpompound Bodies , even in regard of I. all or fome of their Ingredients, con- i lider’d Antecedently to their Mixture. i For though feme feeni to be made up I by the immediate Coalitions of th^ E- ^ lenients, or Principles thenifelvesV 3nd i therefore may be call’d Frima or Mifia Primaria\ yet it Teems that many Other Bodies are mingl’d ( if I may fo fpeak) at the fecpnd hand, their imme- diate Ingredient? being not Elementary, but ihefe primary Mixt newly fpoken of ; And from divers of ihofe Secon- dary forts of Mixts may refult,by a fur- ther Compofition, a Third fort , and fo onward?. Nor is it improbable , thae fome Bodies are made up of Mixt Bo- dies, not all of the fame Order, but of feyeralj as ( for Inflahce ') a Concrete may confift of Ingredients., whereof the one may have been a primary , the other a Secondary Mixt Body ;Cas I have in Native Cinnaber , by my way of Re- folving it , found bpth that Courfer part that feems more properly to be Oar, and a Coipbuffible Sulphur , and a Running Mercury;) or perhaps without ahy Ingredient of this latter fort, it may be composed of Mixt Bodies, fome of them 120 TUB, SCE-BT ICAt them of the firft, and forae of the third' Kind; And this may perhaps be fornc- what Illuftrated by reflecting upon what happens in fome Chymical Pre- parations of thofe Medicines which they cail their Bexoardici^m s. For firfl:, they take Antimony and Iron, which may be look’d upon as Prima Mifla\ of thefe they compound a Starry Regulm , and to this they add according to their In- tention, either Gold, or Silver, which makes with it a new and further Com- pofiiion. To this they add Sublimate , which is it felf a De-compound body , - C of common Cbiickfilver, and divers Salts United by Sublimation in- to a Chryftalline Subftance ) and from this Sublimate, and the other Metal- line Mixtures, they draw aLiquotjwhich may be allow’d to be of a yet more Compounded Nature. If it be true, as Chymifts affirm it, that by this' Art fome of the Gold or Silver mingl’d with the Regulm may be carry’d over the Helme with it by the Sublimate ; as indeed a Skilfull and Candid perfon complain’d to me awhile fince , Th^c an experienc’d Friend ofHis and mine,^ having by fucha way brought over a great CHT Misti 221 1 great "Deal of Gold , in hope to do c foraething further with ir , which might y be gainful to him > has not only mifs’d i of his Aim , but is unable to recover i his Volatiiiz*d Gold out of the Anti- ! monial butter, wherewith it isftridly I United. i Now ( Continues Carneades D if a Compound body coniift of Ingredients I that are not meerly Elementary ; it is I not hard to conceive, that the Subilan- f ces into which the Fire Diflblves it y I though feemingly Homogeneous e- nough , may be of a Compounded Nature ^ thofe parrs of each body that are moft of Kin alTociating themfelves into a Compound of a new Kind. As I when ( for example fake ) I have caus’d I Vitriol and SalArmoniackyZXid Salt Pe- tre to be mingl’d and Diftill’d together, the Liquor that came over manifefted it felf not to be either Spirit of Nitre,or of Sal Armoniacki or of Vitrioll. For none of thefe would diffolve crude gold, whichyet my Liquor was able readily to do; and thereby manifefted it felf to be a new Compound, ccnfifting at leafi: of Spirit of Nitre , and Sal Armoniackjt ( for the latter diffblv'd in the former^ will 222 THE sceptical will Work on Gold } which never- i thelefs are not by any known way fe- ' parable , and confequently would no^ pafs for a Mixt Body, if we QUr felvcs did nor, to obtain it, put and Diftill to- gether divers Concretes ^v^hofe Diftin»51: Operations were known before hand. And) to add on this Occafipn the Ex- periment I lately promis’d You, be- caufe it is Applicable to our prefenc purpofCj I fliall Acquaint You, thatfuf- peding the Common Gyleot* Vitriol! not to be altogether fuCh a fimple Li- quor as Chymihs prefume it, I mingl'd it with an equal Or a Double Quantity ( for I try’d the Experiment more thart oUce) ofcOmriion Oyle of Turpentine, fuch as together with the other Liquor I bought at file Drugfters. And ha- ving carefully ^for the Experiment is Nice, and fomewhat dangerous) Di- Ifill’d the Mixture in a fmall Glafs Re- tort, I obtain'd according to my De- lire, ( befides the two Liquors I had put in ) a pretty Quantity of a certaine fub- Itance, which flicking all about the ■ Neck of the Retort Di.fcover’d it felf ■ to be Sulphur,not only by a very ftrong Sulphureous fraell, and by the colour of Briinftonc CHTMtSr. 225 Brimftone'*, but alfo by this^ That be- ing put upon a coal, it was immediate- ‘ly kindl’d, and burn'd like common Sul- iphur. And of this Subftance 1 have ;yet by itie fome little ParcellSi which You may command and examine when ,! you pleafe. So that from this Experi- \ ment I may deduce either one i Or both ! of thefe Propofitions 5 That a real Sul- phur may be made by the Conjun(ftion ' of two fuch Subftances as Chymifts take } for Elementary, And which did not ei- ther of them apart appear to have any fuch body in it; or that Oyle of Vitrioll though a Diftiil’d Liquor, and taken for part of the Saline Principle of the Concrete that yeelds it , may yet be fo Compounded a body as to contain , be- I fideS its Saline part, a Sulphur like com- I mon Brimftone j which would hardly be it felf a finiple or un-compounded body. 1 might C puifues Carneades ) remind You, that I formerly reprefented it, as poflible, That as there may be moreE- iements than five, or fix ; fo the Ele- ments of one body may be Different from thofe of another; whence it would followjtbat from the Refolution of De- compound iu the scettical compound Bodies , , there may reful! Mixes of aa altogeihier new kind « by the Coalition of Elements that never perhaps conven’d before. I might,! fay^ miird You of this, and add divers things to this fecond Confideration 5 but fot fear of wanting time I willingly preter- mit them to pafs on to the third, which is this. That the Fire does nbt alwaies barely refolve or take afunder^but may alfo after a new manner mingle and com- pound together the parts (whether Ele- rhentary or nor) of the Body Diflipated W h. ^ 1 This is fo evident, (faies Carneades') in j fome obviousExamples,that I cannot but ' wonder at thejr Supinenefs that have hot taken notice of it. For when Wood being burnt in a Chimney is dilRpated by the Fire into Sm.oake and AlheSjthat fmoake compofesfoct, Which is fb far from being any one of the principles! of the Wood , that (as I noted above)j you may by a further Andyfis feparatfii five orhx diftih(Si fubftances from it. And as fpr the remaining Afties,the Chymifts therafelves teach us , that by a further- degree of fire they may be indiffolublyj united into glafs. Tis true , that the -4- c nr MI ST. 223 ( waly/is vyhichthe Chymifts principally j| build upon is made, not in the open air,* e|,but in clqfe Veilels; but however , the » Examples lately produc’d may inyirq ,you fhrcwdly to fufped, That heat may )f as well cprapourid as diffipate the Parts r .of mixt Bodies: and not to, tell you, that |jl have known a Vjtrification made even ivin clofe veffels,^! muft remind you that the Flowers bf Antimony , and thpre of |Sulphur,are very mix'd Bodies, though i they afcend in clofe veffels^: . And . thac I’twasin ftopt glaffes that I brpught^upi ; the whole Body of Camphire. . And ii whereas it may be pbjeded, that all thefe i> Examples are of Bodies forc’d up in a j dry, not a Fluid forme , as are the Li- j quors wont to be obtain’d by diftillati- on; I anfwer,Thai befides ’tis ppflible^ I thataBody may be chang'd from Con- j fiftent to Fluid, or from Fluid to Cofl-> fiftent, without being otherwife much I altered , as may appear by the Eafinefs wherewith in Winter, without any Ad- dicicnor Separation of Vifible Ingredi- ents, the fame fubftance may be quickly harden'd into brittle Ice, and thaw’d gain into Fluid Water y Befides this , I lay it would be confider’d,thaE common ^ick« 226 Tnn SCEVtltAh Quick-filver it felf, which the Erhinert* teft Ghy mifts confefs to be a mixt Bodyi ■ tnay be Driven over the Helnie in Priftine forniie of Quickfilver , and con- ; lequentiy, in that of a Liquor. And cer- tainly ’tispoffible that very compdun-; ded Bodies may concurr to Conftitute Liquors; Since, not to mention that 1; have found it polTible, by the help of a ctix.£im Menfiruum^ to diftill Gold it felf ! through a Retort, even with a Moderate Eire: Let- us But cbnfider what happens in Butter of Antimony. Eor if that be carefully red:ify’d,ir may be reduc’d in- to a very clear Liquor; and yet if You caft a quantity of fair water upon it , there will quickly pfecipiiate a Ponde- rous and Voir^itive Calx, which made be- fore a conhderable part of the Liquor, and yet is indeedCthough fome eminent Chy mills would have it Mercurial ') an Antimonial Body carryed over and kept dilTolv’d -by the Salts ofthe Sublimate, and cohre^Uently a compounded onejas i ■You m^y-ifnd-,df You will have the Cu- Yiofity to 'Examine this White powder By a skilful'Redudion. And that You may not think that Bodies as compoun- ded, as flowers* of Brimftone, cannot be brought CRT MIST, brought to Cpncurr to Gpnftirnre Di- iiilJ’d Liguorsj And aifo That You may ;rot imagine with Divers Learned Men that pretend no fmail skill in Chymiftry, ;ihac at leaft no mixt Body can be ibrought over the Helme,but by corrofivp ■Salts, I am ready to Ihew You, when You, Ipleafe, among Oiiherwaies of bringing over Flowers of Brimfione ( perhaps I imight add even Mineral SulphursXome, iwherein I employ none but Oleaginous ibcdies to make Volatile Liquors, in ivyhich not only the colour, but ( which (is a much furer mark ) the fmell and fonie Operations mamfeft that there is jbrpughc over a Sulphur that makes pare [of the Liquor. I One thing more there is, EleutAerim^ (fates Cameades)vvhich h fo pertinent to my prefent purpofe, that though I have, touch’d upon it before, I cannot but on this pccallon take notice of it. And it is this V That the Qualities or Accidents, uppn whofe account Chytnifts are wont, tp call a portion of Matter by the name of Mercury, or fpme other of their Prin- ciples, are not fuchbuc that ’tisppfll- blc as Great (and therefore why not the. like ) may be produc'd by fuch changes' 228 THB SCEPTICAL of Texture, and other Alterations ^ asJ the Fire may make in the fmall Parts of a Body. I have already prov’d , when I tiifcoofs’d of the fecond General Confi- deration, by what happens to plants nourilh’d only with fair water , and Eggs hatch’d into Chickens ^ that by changing the difpofition of the compo- nent pans of a Body , Nature is able to effeft as great Changes in a parcell of Matter reputed finular,as thofe requifite to Denominate one of the Tria Vrimd, And though Helmont do fomewhere . wittily call the Fire the Deftruftor and the Artificial Death of Things ; And al- though another Eminent Chymift anc Phyfitian be pleas’d to buiM upon this. That Fire can never generate any thin^ but Fire; Yet You will, 1 doubt not, b( of another mind , If Yoii confider hoW many new forts ofmixt Bodies Chy miffs fhemfelves have produc’d by meam of the Fire’.andpartictflarlyjif You con- fider how that Noble and Permanent Body, Glafs, is not only manifeftly pro- duc’d by the violent afiion of the Fire, bur has never, for ought We jcnow,beer produc’d any other way. And indeed h feems but an inconfidcrate Affenion o fonn CHTMIST, 229 )oHie JleUnontians , that every fort of 'Body of a Peculiar Denomination muft DC produc’d by foine Seminal powerj as [think I could evince, if I thought it fo necclTary j as it is for me to ha(ten to ivhatl have further to difcourfe. Nor leedit much move us, that there are 'ome who look upon whatfoever the Fire is employ’d to produce, not as up- bn Natural but Artificial Bodies. For there is not alwaies fuch a diffei ence as many imagine betwixt the one and the other ; Nor is it To eafy as they think, bleat ly to afilgne that which Properly, IConftantly, and Sufficiently , Difcrimi- Inates them. But not to engage my felf |in fo nice a Difquificion,it may now fuf- Ifice to obferve, that a thing is couinion- iy termed Artificial , when a parcel of patter is by the Artificers hand,or Tools, or both , brought to fuch a ffiape or iForm , as he Defign’d before-hand in ifiis Mind : Whereas in many of the iChymigal Produdlions the effed would be produc’d whether the Aiitificer iu- tendcd it or no ; aud is oftentimes very much other than he Intended or Look’c for ; and the Inftruments employ’d, are pot Tools Artificially falhion’d and ? fhapcd THE SCBVriCAL fliaped, like thofe of Tradefnien, for i this or that particular Work; but, for :il the moft part, Agents of Natures owii a providing, and w'hofe chief Powers of i Operation they receive from their own i|i Nature or Texture, not the Artificer* i: And indeed, the Fire is as well a Natnra) ii Agent as Seed: And the Chymift that I iniployes it, does but apply Natural A- i gents and Pa-tiehts , who being thus i brought together , and adling accordiii^ i! to their rdpedive- Natures, perforhie ' the work thenifelves; as x^pples. Plums, or other fruit, are natural Prcdudtions, though the Garden bring and fafien to- gether the SciensSt the Stock, and both Water, and do perhaps divers other waies Contribute to its bearing fruit*- But, to proceed to what 1 was going to fay; You may obferve with me, ther 'm-, that, as I told You once before, Qualities fleight enough may ferve to denominate a Chymicai Principle, por, when they anatomize a compound Body by the Fire, if they get a Subftance in- Ban!afeie,and that will not mingle with Water, that they prefeRcly call Sulphur^ whatisfapid and DifToluble in Watery that rouftpafie for Salt 5 Wharfoever is i f ■ fix’d ’ CHTM1S7-: 23 X ^^xdand indiffoluble in 'Water, that they name Earth. i\nd I was going to add, that Whatfoever Volatile fubftance (itbey know not w^hat to make of, not to fay, whatfoever they pleafe , that they Cali Mercury. But that thefe C^alities Imay either be produc’d, ptherwife than by fuch as they call Seminal Agents, or may belong to bodies of a compounded Nature, maybe Ihewn, among other iinftancesjin Glafs made of alhes, where •the exceeding ftrong-tafted Alcalizate (Salt joyning with the Earth becomes infipid, and with it conftiiutes a Bodyj ■which though alfo dry, fixt and iridiffo- ifluble in Water, is yet raanifeftly a mixt iBody; and made fo by the Fire it felf. A.nd I remember to our prefent pur- ipofe, that Belmont^ atnongft other Me- dicines that he commends , has a Ihorc procefs, wherein, though the Diredions for Pradice are but obfcurely intima- ted; yet I have fome reafon not to Dif- believe the Procds, without affirming or denying any thing abou t the . vertiies of,, the remedy to be made by it. Quatido pag?°ra, (faies he) oleum c’wnamomi ds'c. fuo fall alcali mifcetur ahf of Saccharum Saturni^ow t of whichB^^w- i /nz^safluresUs, that he diftill’d, befides , a very fine fpirit,no lefs than two Oyles, ; the one blood-red and ponderous, but ' the other fwimming upon the top of the Spirit, and of a yellow colour; of which he faies that he kept then fome by him, to verify what he dilivers. And though 1 remember not that I have had twodi- ftinft Oyles from Sugar of Lead, yet that it will though diftill’d without ad- dition yeeld fome Oyle , difagrees not with my Experience. I know the Chy- mifts will be apt to pretend, that thefe Oyles are but the volatiliz’d fulphur of lead ; and will perhaps argue it from what Beguinus relates, that when theDi- flillationis ended , you’l find a Caput Mortuum extreamly black , and ( as he fpcaks) mll'm momfnfhdiS if the Body, or at 03 234 the SCETTICAL at leaft the chief part qf the Metal it fdf were by the diftillation carried over the Helnie.But lince you know as well as | thztSaccharum Saturnii^ a kind of Ma- giftety, made only by calcining of Lead per /e, diffolving it in diftill’d Vinegar, and Chryftalyzing the folution; if I had leafure to tell You howDifferinga thing I did upon examination find the Caput yiortuum , fo flighted by Beguinm , to be from what he reprefents it, I beleeve you would think the conjefture pro- pos’d lefs probable than one or other of thefe three; either that this Oyledid formerly concurr toconftitutetheSpirit of Vinegar, and fo that what pafTes fora Chymical Principle may yet be further refoluble into diftindt fubfiances^or that fome parts of the Spirit together with fome parts of the Lead may conftitute a Chymical Oyle, which therefore though it pafs for Homogeneous, may be a very compounded Body: cr at leaft that by theaftion of the DiftilTd Vinegar and the Saturnine Calx one upon another, part of the Liquor may be fo alter’d as to be tranftfmted from an Acid Spirit in- to anOyle, And though the truth of ei- ther of the two former conjedures would CHTMIST, *35 would make the example I have refle- ftedon more pertinent to my prefent argument; yet you’i eafily difcern , the Third and laft Conjedure cannot be unferviceable to confirm fome other paflages of my difcourfe. To return then to what I was faying juft before I mention'd Expe- riment, I lhall fubjoyne, That Chymifts muft confefs alfo that in the perfetftly Dephlegm’d fpirit of Wine , or other Fermented Liquors, that which they call the Sulphur of the Concrete lofes, by the Fermentation, the Property of Oyle, (which the Chymifts likewife take to be the true Sulphur of the Mixt) of being unminglable with the Water. And if You oHenii a- will credit Helmont, a pound of the pu- reft Spirit of Wine may barely by aqua help of pure Salt of Tartarfwhichis but ‘viucom- the fixed Salt of Wine) be refolv’d or Tranfniuted into fcarce half an ounce of tari ficca^ Salt, and as much Elementary Water as amounts to the remaining part oi u\t jaiu,cate- mention’d weight. And it mayfasl think I formerly alfo noted) be doubted, whe- ther that Fixt & Alcalizate Salt, which tnemaiu.' is fo unanimoufiy agreed on to be the Saline Principle ot incinerated Bodies, vitaii. be 23 ^ THE SC EPTICAL be nob as ’tis Alcalizate, a Produdion < of the Fjre? For though the raft of Tarr |< tar, for Example, feem to argue that it |i contains a Salt before it be burn’d, yet that Salt being very Acid is of a quite | Differing Taft frona the Lixiviate Salt ! of Calcin’d Tartar. And though it be not truly Objeded agaiaft the Chy raifts, that they obtain all Salts they ipake, by reducing the Body they work on ^ kico Afties with Violent Fires, (fince Hartshorn, Amber> Blood, and divers ocher Mixts yeeld a copious Salt before they be burn’d to Afhes) yet this Vo- latile Salt Differs much, as we fhall fee anon , from the Fixt Alcalizate Salt I fpeak of ; which for ought I remem- ber is not producible by any known Wciy, without Incineration, ’Tis not unknown to Chymifts,that Quickffiver may be Precipitated, without^ddition, into a dry Powder , that remains fo in - Water. And foiiii^ eminent Spagy- r/fti, and even Ra'miund Lully hintfelf, teach, that meerly by the Fire Quick- | ftlver may inconvenient Veffels be re- duc’d ( at leaft in great part) into a thin Liquor like Water, and mingla’- blewithit. So that by the bareAdion of CHTMlsr. 237 df the Fire, ’tis poffible, that 'the parts of a mixt Body ihould be fo difpos’d after new and diifering manners , that it may be fometimes of one confiftence, fometimes of another; And may in one State be difpos’d to be mingl’d with Water, and in another not. I could alfo fhew you , that Bodies from which apart Chymifts cannot ob- tain any thing that is Combuftible , may by being affociated together, and by the help of the Fire, afford an in- flamable Subftance. And that on the other fide , ’tis pofTible for a Body to be inflamable, from which it would ve- ry much puzzle any ordinary Chymilf, and perhaps any other, to feparate an inflamable Principle cr Ingredient. Wherefore, fince the Principles of Chy- mifts may receive their Denominati- ons from C^ialities, which it often ex- ceeds not the power of Arc , nor al- y^aies that of the Fire to produce ; And fince fuch Qualities may be found in Bodies that differ fa much in other Qualities from One another, that they need not be allow’d to agree in that pure and fimple Nature, whieh»Princi- ples, to befo indeed, muft have; it may juftly 238 THE SCEPTIC AL juftly be fufpe(5led , that many Pr©^ dujftions of the Fire that are jhew’d us by Chymifts , as the Principles of the Concrete that afforded thein, may be but a hew l^ind of Mixts. And to annex, on this Occafion, to ihefc argu- ments taken from the Nature of the thing, one of thofe which Logicians call ad Homimm , I •fihall defire You to rake Notice , that though Paracelfm Him- lelf 5 and fome that are fo mifiaken as to think he cculd not be fo , have ven- tur’d to teach , that not ronly the bo- dies here below , but the ■Elements themfelves,and all the other Parts of the Univerre, are compos’d of Salt, | Sulphur and Mercury ; yet the learned ; Sennertus, and all the more wary Chy- ■ mills, have rejeded that conceit, and do ' many of t hem confefs, that the Tria PrL are each of them m^de up of the four Eleriiehts ; and others of them make Earth and Water iponcurr with Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, to the-Con- ftitution of Mixt bodies. So that one fort of theCe S/'^^yr/if/,notwitbllanding the fpecious Tides tlieytgive to the pro- dudions of the Fire , do in effect grant ^hat X contend fpr»' And» ;4ff the p- CHTMIST. ^ 239 ther fort I niay well demand , to whac •kind of Bodies the Phlegm and dead Earth , to be met with in Chymical Re- solutions, are to be referr’d? For either they inuft fay, with Taracelfus , but a- gainft their own Conceflions, as well as againft Experience, that thefe are alfo compos’d of the Tria Prima, whereof they cannot feparate any one from ei- ther of them; Or elfe they muft con- fefs that two of the vafteft Bodies here I below, Earth, and Water, are neither of "them compos'd of the Tria Trima\ ! and that consequently thofe three are ! not the Univerfal , and Adequate In- , -gredients , neither of all Sublunary Bo- il dies, nor even of ail mixt Bodies. I 1 know that the chief of thefe Chy- I mifts reprefent, that though the Diftindt 1 Subftances into which they divide mixt r bodies by the Fire, are not pure and Ho- mogeneous; yet fince the four Elements i into which the pretend to refolve the like bodies by the fame A- geirt, are not Ample neither , as them- felves acknowledge, ‘ds as allowable for the Chy mifts to call the one Prind* pies, as for'tbe Peripateticks to call the ■Other Elementss fince in both cafes the Ira- 240 THE SCEPTICAL Impofition of the naine is grounded ori^ ly upon the Predominancy of that Ele- ment whofe name is aferib’d to k. Nor fhall I deny, that this Argument of the Chyiniftsisno ill one againftthe^r/^o-- But what Anfwer can it prove to me, who you know am difputing as well againfr the AriBotelian Elements , as the Chymical Principles ,• and niufi not look upon any body as a true Prin- ciple or Element, but as yet compoun- ded, which is not perfedly Homogene- ous, but is further Refoluble into any number of Diftinft Subftances how fmall foever.. And as for the Chymifts calling a body Salt, or Sulphur, or Mer- cury, upon pretence that the Principle df the fame name is predominant in it , That it felf is an Acknowledgment of what I Contend for; namely that thefe produefions of the Fire, are yet Com- pounded bodies. And yet whilft this is granted, it is affirm’d.^ but notprov’d, that the reputed Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury, confifts mainly of one body that defer ves the name of a principle of the fame Denomiaatibn. For how do Chymifts make it appear that there af e any fuch ptimicire and fiiuple bo- cnrmisT, 2^1 in thofe we are fpeaking of ; fince f *iis open the matter confefs’d by the an- fwer lately made, that thefe are net fuch? And if they pretend by.Reafon to evince, what they affirm , what becomes of itheir confident boahs, that theChymift If whom, they therefore, after Begulnus^ kail a pijtlofophus or Opifex Senfatm) can ^convince our Eyes , by manifeftly jftiewing in any mixt body thofe fimple pbftances he teaches them to be com- hpos’d of And indeed, for the Chymifts ito have recourfe in this cafe to other [proofs than £xperiments,as it is to wave the grand Argument that has all this ilwhile been given put for a Demonftra- jtive One; fo it releafes me from the ob- jl.igation to profecute a Difpute wherein jiam not engag’d to Examine any but iExperimental proofs. I know it may plaufibly enough be Reprefented, in fa- vour of the Chy mills, that it being evi- dent that much the greater part of any thing they call Salt, orSulphur,or Mer- [cury, is really fuch; it would be very ri- gid to deny thofe Subftances the names aferibed them, only becaufe of Tome flight mixture of another Body ; fince not only the Peripateticks call panicu- R lat 242 THE SCEtritAL lar parcels of matter Elementary^ i, I though they acknowledge that Ele- ,) ments are not to be any where found j pure, at leaft here below ; And fince e- j fpecially there is a manifeft Analogie 8c Refemblance betwixt the bodies obtai- nable by Chymical Anatomies and the principles whofe names are given them; | I have, I fay,confider’d that thefe things- j may be reprefented ; But as for what is drawn from the Cuflomepfthe Peripa- i teticks, I have already told You , that I though it may be employ’d againft • Them, Yet it is not available agaipft me, who allow nothing to be an Element * that is not perftdly Homogeneous. And ! whereas it is alledg’d, that the Predo- • minant Principle ought to give a name to the fubEance wherein it abounds 5 I > anfwer, that that might much more rea- fonably be faid, if either we or the Chy- mifts had feen Nature rake pure Salt, pure Sulphur, and pure Mercury, and compound of them every fort of Mixc Bodies, But,hnee ’tisto experience that they appeal, we muft not take it for granted, that the Diftill’d Gyle (for in- ftance) of a plant is mainly composM of / the pure principle call’d Sulphur , tfU they ' CHTMIST. ~ 243 ttieyhave given us an ocular proof, rhac there is in that fortof Plants fuch an Ho- iirrogeneous Sul|)hiir. For as for the fpe- ;cious argunienr, which is drawn from the 'fclefemblaiice betwixt the Produ6lions jof the Fire, and the Refpewlive , either \Arifioteliatf Elements, or Chymical Prin- feipies, by whofe names they are call'd; it Will appear more piaufible than co- ‘genr, if You will but recall to mind the iftate of the controverfie ; which is not, whether or no there be obtain’d from mixt Bodies certain fubftances that a- gree in outward appearance, or in fonie iC^ta’iities wiihQitickfilvef or Brimftone, ,;r feme fuch obvious or copious Body; But whether or no all Bodies confefs’d to be perfe< 5 i:Iy mixt were compos’d of, and lare refoluble into a determinate number of primary unmixt Bodies. For , if you ikeep the Bate of the queftion in your !Eye , you’leafiiy difeerne that there is ;much of what fliould be Denionftrated , left uriprov’d by thofe Chymical Expe- riments we are Examining. But C not 10 repeat what 1 have already difeover’d more at large) Ifhall now fake notice, that it will not prefently follow, that be- caufe a Produffion of the Fire has fomc R 2 affinity -44 SC ET 1C At affinity with feme of the greater Maffes of matter here below , that therefore they are both of the fame Nature, and de- ferve the fame Name ; for the Chymifis are not content , that flame fliould be look’t upon as a parcel of the Element of Fire, though it be hot,dryjand adtive, becaufe it wants fome other Qualities belonging to the nature of Elementary fire. Nor will they let the Peripateticks call Afltes, or Quicklime, Eat th,nctwith- flanding the many likenelTes between them:becaufe they are not taftlefs, as E- lementary Earth ought to be: But if you fliould ask me, what then it is,that all the Chytnical Anatomies of Bodies do piiove,if they prove not that they confif!' of the three Principles into which the fire refolves them? lanfwer that their Difle* 6:ions may be granted to piove , that tome niivt bodies ( for in many it will not hold) are by the fire, when they are included in dofe Veffels, (for that Con- dition alfo is often requifite) diffoluble into feveral Subflances differing in fome Qualities, but principally in Confiflence. So that out of OTioft of them maybe obtain’d a fixt Subftance partly faline , and partly infipid, an, undiiouV CHTMIST." 245 4 induous Liquor, and another Liquor or ' pore that without being un^iuous have manifeft tafte. Now if Chymifts will ** |3gree to call the dry and fapid fubftance 'Salt, theUnduous liquor Sulphur, and ''.’he other Mercury, 1 lhall not nmch ipuarrel with them for fo doing : But if i:hey will tell me that Salt, Sulphur, and i:Mercury,are fimple and primary bodies ^whereof each raixt body was adftially ’ Compounded, and which was really in it fjntecedenriy tothe operation of the fire, ‘they muft give me leave to doubt whe- I'ther ( whatever their other arguments may do ) their Experiments prove all this. And if they will alfo tell me that the Subfiances their Anatomies are wont to afford them, are pure and fimilar , as Principles ought to be, they mufi: give me leave to beleeve ray own fenfes; and their own confeflidns, before their hare *Afiertions. And that you may not '(£/e«t6?r//^5)think. I deal fo rigidly with" them^becaufe I fcruple to Take thefe Produdlions ofthe Fire for fuchas the Chymifts would have them pafs for, up- on the account of their having fome af- finity with them ; confider a little with me, that in regard an Element or Princi- R 3 pie 246 the SCETtlC AL pie ought to be perfedly. Similar and Homogeneous, there is no juft caufewhy i Ihould rather give the body propos’d the Name of this or that Element or Principle, becaufe it has a refeniblance to it in fonie obvious Q^uality , rather than deny it that name upon the ac- count of divers other Qualities, wherein the propos’d Bodies are unlike j and if you do butc'onfider what flight and ea- fily producible qualities they are that fuffice,as I have already more than once obferv’d, to Denominate a Chymical Principle or an Element, you’l not, I hope, think hiy warinefs to be deftitutt; either of Example, or elfe of Reafoii. tor we fee that the Chymifts will not iWo'w Jr iftotelians that the Salt in Allies ought to be called Earth, thouglj the Saline andTerreftrial part fyniboliz? in weight,in dryuersyin fixuefs and fu- ftbility, only becaufe the one is fapid and difloluble in Water, and the other not ; BefideSj we fee that fapidnefs anc^ volatility are wont to denominate the Chymifts Mercury or Spirit 5 and yet how many Bodies, think you, may agree in thofe Qualities which may yet be of very differing natures, arid difagree iri ( CHTMISt. 247 qualities either more numerous, or more jConfiderable,'or both. For not only Spi. fritof Nitre, Aqua Fortis, Spirit of Salt, Spirit of Oyle of Vitriol , Spirit of Al- lu me, Spirit of Vinegar, and all Saline Liquors Diftill’d from Animal Bodies, but all the Acetous Spirits of Woods freed from their Vinegar ; All thefe, I Ifay, and many others mufr belong to the |(Chymifts Mercury, though it appear not why Tome of them Ihould more be I comprehended under one denominati- I on than the Chymifts Sulphur, or Oyle fhould likewife be ; for their Dihill’d ' Pyles arealfo Fluid,VoIatile,andTaifa- i ble, as well as their Mercury; Nor is it NecefTary, that their Sulphur fhoiild be f lindtuous or DifToluble in Water , fince 1 they generally referr Spirit of Wine to ■ Sulphurs, although that Spirit be not Llnduous, and will freely mingle with Water. So that bare Inflamability muft I conftituce the EflTence of the Chymiils i Sulphur; as uninflamableuefs joyned ■ with any tafte is enough to intitle a Di- ftilFd Liquor to be their Mercury. Now fince I can further pbferve to You, that Spirit of Nitre and Spirit of Harts- hprne being pour’d together will boyle R 4 and 248 rHBSCETtlCAh and hiffe and co(Te up one anothei?: into the air , which the Cbyinift§ tnake fignes of great Antipathy in the: Natures of Bodies, (as indeed thefe; Spirits differ much both in Tafte, Smell, and Operations ) Since I elfewhere tell you of my having made two forts of Oyle out of the fame mans blood, that would not mingle with one ano- ther*, Andfince I might tell You Divers Examples I have met with, of the Con*- trarietyof Bodies which according to the Chymifts muft be huddl’d up toge-r ther under one Denomination *, I leave you to judge whether fuch a multitude 1 of Subftances as may agree in thefe fight Qualities, and yet Difagree in O-' thers mote Confiderable, are more wor- thy to be call’d by the Name of a Prin- ciple ( "Which ought to be pure and homogeneous ) than to have appellati- ons given them that may make them differ, in name too , from the bodies from v/hicb they fo wildly differ in Na- ture. And hence alfo, by the by, you may perceive that ’tis not uureafonabie to diftrufl: the Chymifts way of Argu- mentation, when being unable to Ihew us that fuch a Liquor is (for Example) CHTMIST, 249 ^purely faline , they prove, that at leaft t|falc is much the predominant principle, s becaufe that the propos’d fiibftance is ;ftrongly Tafted » and all Taft proceeds f: om fait ; whereas thofe Spirits , fuch asfpirir of Tartar, fpirit of Harts-hprn, and the like, which are reckoned to be the Mercuries of the Bodies that afford them, have manifeftly a ftrong and piercing taft, and fo has (according to what 1 formerly noted ) the fpirit of Box &c. even after the acid Liquor that concurrM to cornpqfe it has been [ feparated from it. And indeed , if fapid- i nefs belong not to the fpirit or Mercuri- al Principle of Vegetables and Animals; 1 1 fcarce know how it will be difcrimi- nated from rheir Phlegm , fince by the abfence orinflamabilfty it muft be di- ftinguifli’d fiotfi their fulphur which af- fords me another Example, to prove how vnacurare the Chymical Dotftrine is in our preftnt Caf* 5 ft nee not only the fpifits of Ve^t 4 bles and Animals^ but theiiOyles are very ftrpngly tafted, as he that Ihall but wet hi^ tongue with Ghymical Oyle of Cinjianion or of Cloves , or even of Turpentine , may quickly find, to his fmart. And not only I ISO THE sceptical I never try’d any Chymical Oyles whofe taft was not very manifeft and ftrong^ bat a skilful and inquifitive pe^dbn whq midsdt hisbulinefs by elaborate opet rations to depurate Chyancal Oyles, & reduce them to an Elementary finiplici- ty, Infqrmes us, that he never was able to make them at all TafUefs ; whence I might inferr, tliat the proof Chymifts confidently, give us of a bodiesbeing fa- line, is fo far from deraonftrating the Predominancy, that it does not clearly Evince fa much as the pi^efence of the faline Principle in ir.Buc 1 will notfpur- fues ) remind you, that the Volatile fait of Harts-horn , Amber , Blood &c. are exceeding ftrongly fcen- 1 ted,no'iwithftanding that moft Chymift§ i deduce Odours frqm Sulphur, and from fhem argue the PredptpinanGy of that Principle in the Odorous bodyi becaufe I muft not To much as add any new Ex^ amples of the incompetency of this fort of Chymical arguments; fince having al- ready detain'd You but too long in thofe generals that appertain to my fourth confideration *tis time that I proceed to the particulars them fe.lyes , to which I thought fit they fhould be previous : I Thefe CHXMISr, 351 f Thefe Generals (continues Carneades') I being thus premis’djwe might the better j furvey the Unlikenefs that an attentive t and unprepofTefs’d obferver may take j notice of in each fort of Bodies which t the Chyroifts are wont to call the falts I or fuiphurs or Mercuries of the Concre- ' tes that yeetd Them, as if they had all a fimplicity,& Identity of Nature; where- as falts if they were all Elementary would as little differ as do the Drops of j pure and fimple Water. ’Tis known r that both Chymifts and Phyfidans af- ), cribe to the fixt falts of calcin’d Bodies the vertues of their concretes; and con- fequently very differing Operations. So we find the Akali of Wormwood much commended in diftempers of the fto- mach 5 that of Eyebright for tbofethat have a weak fight; and that of Guajacum (of which a great Quantity yeelds but a very little fait ) is not only much com- mended in Venereal Difeafes, but is beleeved to have a peculiar purgative vertue » which yet I have not hadocca-? iion to try. And though,! confefs, I have, long thought, that thefe Alcatixate falts are, for the moft part, very neer of kin, and retain very little of the properties 252 the sceptical of the Concretes whence they were -fe«- parated; Yet being minded to Obferve watchfully whether I could meet with’ any Exceptions to this General Obfer- vaticiij 1 cbferv*d at the Glafs-houfe^ that fometimes the Metal (as the Work- men call it ) or Mafs of colliquated In- gredients, w'^ by Blowing they fafliion into Veflels of divers lhapes, did fome- tinies prove oi a very differing colour, andaforaewhat differing Texture, from what was iifual. And having enquired whether the caufe of fuch Accidents might not be derived from the peculiar Nature of the fixt fait employ’d to bring the fand to fufipn , I found that the knowing(l; Workme’n' imputed thefe Mif-advehtures to the Alhes , of fotne certain kind ofWood,as having obferv’d the ignobler kind of Glafs I lately men? tion*d to be frequently produc’d) when they had employ’d fuch forts of Alhes^ which therefore they fcruple tomakp ufe of, if they took notice of them be- forehand. I remember alfo, that an In^ duffrious Man of my acquaintance ha- ving bought a vaft quantity of Tobacco ftalks to make a fixt Salt with, I had the Curiofity to go fee whether that Exotick' Plant, ! t nr Mist, 253 , [plant, fo much abounds in volatile fair, would afford a peculiar kind olAl- kali',and I was pleas’d^io find that in the- Lixivium was'not BecelTary,as is ufual, to evaporate a|l the Liquor, that there might be obtain’d a Saline Calx-, confifting like lime quench’d in the Air of a heap of little Corpufcles of unre- garded fhapes: but the fixt fait Ihot in- to figur’d Chryftal, alnioft as Nitre or Sill ar maniac k^and other u'ri calcin’d falls are wont to do; And I further remember that I have obferv’d that in the fixt fait ofUrine, brought by depuration to be ve- whiie , a taft not fo unlike to that of common fait, and very differing from the wonted cauftiek Lixiviate taft of o- ther falts made by Incineration,But be- caufe the Inftances I have alledg’d of ,the Difference o^ Atcalizate [alt zre but few, and therefore I am ftill inclin’d to think, that moft Chymifts and many Phyfitians do , inconfiderately enough and without Warrant from Experience, afcribe the Venues of the Concretes expos’d to Calcination, to the falts ob- tain’d by it ; I lhall rather to ilhew the Difparity of falts mention in the firft Place the apparent Difference betwixt 254 THE sceptical the Vegetable fixt falls arid the 'Animai Volatile ones : As (for Example ) be- twixt fall of Tartar, and fait of Harts- horn; whereof the^former is fb rixt that ■’twill indure the brQnt of a violent Fire,’ and ftand in fufibn like i Metal; v/here- as the other (befides that it has a diffe- ring taft arid a very differing fmelOis fo' far from being fixt, that it will fly away in a gentle heat as eafily as fpirit of Wine it felf. And tb this 1 fhall add, in the next place , That even among the Volatile Talcs themfelves, there is a con- fiderable Difference, as appears by the diftind Properties of ( for Inftance) fait of Amber, fait of Urine, fall of Mans Skull, ( fo much extoll’d againftthe fal- ling Sicknefs) and divers others which cannot efcape an ordinary Obferver. And this DiveiTity of Volatile falts I have obferv’d to be fometimes Difcern- ableeven to the Eye, in their Figures. For the fak of Harts-hbrn 1 have ob- ferv*d tb adhere to the Receiver in the foi meaimoft of a PardlteUpifedon;, and of the Volatile fait of humane blood ( long digefted before diftiliation, with fpirit of Wine ) I c^h fhevi/ y ou ftore of grains of that Figure which Ceotmtrici’^ chtmist: 255 \ws c^^B.hornhm\ though t dare not /undertake that the Figures of thefe or Ibiher Saline Chryftals ( ifl may fo call fThem) will be alwaies the fame, what- 3.ever degree of Fire have been employ’d ito force them up, or how haftily foever j^hey have been made to convene in the ifpirits or liquors ^ in the lower part of vwhichl have ufually obferv'd them af- iter a while to flioor. And although, as I : lately told You, 1 feidom found any i Difference, as tb Medical Venues , in the fixt Salts of Divers Vegetables; and accordingly I have fufpe(ffed that moft of thefe volatile Salts, having fo great a Refeniblance itl fmell, in taft, and fugi- tivenefs, differ but little, if at all , in their Medicinal properties : As indeed 1 have found them generally to agree in divers of them (as . in their being fome- tmnflrat ciiMn spirhum Jalinutn what Diaphoretick adore nequicquam and very Deopila- ^ i Vrtn^x ; In eo tawen cjfenualiter tIVe)Yet 1 reniem- iiverjumyqmdfpmtm taiu crmris ber Helmont feme- Epile^iam^ non autem fpirtUti I . ^ falU lot it. where informs as, Hdmonr. Aura Vitalis. that there is this Difference b&twixt the faline fpirit of Urine and that of Mans blood, that the* former 256 THE. SCETTICAL former Will not cure the lEpilepfy , bun the Latter will. Of the EflRcacy alfo of ■ ) the Salt of Common Amber againft the ‘ fame Difeafe in Children, (for in Grown " |Perfonsit is not afpecifick)Iniay elfe- 1 where have an Occafion to Entertain ‘ You. And when I confider that to the ' Obtaining of thefe Volatile Salts ( efpe- ' dally that of Urine) there is not requi- i fte fuch a Deftrudive Violtnce of the Fire, as there is to get thofe Salts that niuft be made by Incineration, I am the' more invited to conclude, that they may differ from one another and con- fequently recede from an Elementary Simplicity. And, if I could here Ihew Yon what Mr. Boyle has Obferv’d^ i touching the Various Chymical Di- ‘ ftindions of Salts ; You would quickly j difcern , not only that Chymifts do give themfelves a ftrange Liberty to call : Concretes Salts, that arc according to their own Rules to be look'd upon as. very Compounded Bodies ; but that a* mong thofe very Salts that feem Ele- mentary, beeaufe produc’d upon the Anatomy of the Bodies that yeeld them, there is not only a vifible Difpa- rity, bur, tofpeakin the common Lan- guage, i t nr MIST 257 l^uage, a manifeft Amipathy or Contra- riety: As is evident in the Ebullition ind hilTing that is wont to tnfue, when the Acid Spirit of Viniol , for ifuftance, is pour’d upon pot aihes , ok Salt of Tartar. And I fhall beg leave of :his Gentleman) f fares Carmades') caft- ;ng,his Eyes on me , to let me obferve ;0 You out of fome of his papers , par- ticularly thofe vvherein he treats of fome Preparations of Urine , that not only one and the fame body may have [two Salts of a contrary Nature , as he, i^xemplifies in the Spirit and Alkali of Nitre; but that from the fame body Sjthere may without addition be obtain’d ithree differing and Vifible Salts For He Relates, that he obferv’d in Urine, noc only a Volatile and Chryffalline Salt, and afixt Salt, but likewife a kind of Sai Armoniack^^ or fuch a Salt as would fublime in the form of a fait , land therefore was not fixe , and yet was far from being fo fugitive as the Vo- latile falt5 from which it feem*d alfo 0-, therwife to differ.I have indeed fufpefled that this may be a Sal Ar maniac^ pro- perly enough fo call’d, as Compounded ©f the Volatile fai t of Urine, and 25§ the SCEVTlCAh fixt of the fame Liquor, which, as I ted, is not unlike Tea- fait; but that it felf argues a manifeft Difference be* twixt the falts, fince fuch a Volatile fait is not w ont to Unite thus wich an ordi- nary Alcali^ but to fly away from it in the Heat. And on this bccafion 1 re-» anember , that to give fon:e of my Friends an Ocular proof of ibe diffe- rence betwixr the fl>fr and Volatile fait off the famb Concrete ) Wood, I de- vis’d the following EKperiment. I took common Venetian fublimate , and dif-' folv’d as much of it as I well could in^ fair Water:, then I took Wood Afbes, aRdpounng on them Warfiie Water, Diflblv d their fait ; and filtrating the Water, as foon asl found the Lixi~ z^/^wfufficiently fliarp upon the tongue,' I referv’d it for ufe ; Then one part of the former folution of fublimate drop- pingalitcle ofchis Diffolv’d Fixt fait of Wood, the Liquors prefencly turn’d of an Orange Colour; but upon the other part Of the clear folution of fub- limate purling foine of the Volatile fait of Wood ( which abounds in the fpirit of foot } the Liquor immediarely turn’d white, alraoft like Miike, and af- ter haVe raid concern- ing the Difference of fairs,! might add what I formerly told you ,concerri- CHTMIsr. 259 ter a while let fall a white fedimenc, as the other Liquor did a Yellow one. To all this that I . . • ' ^llquando oleum Cmn^tmomi cl fuo fali t^lcaU mijcetur abfque omr ni acfuay trium mcfijium tjartificiofa occultaque cnculatione , totum in fa- lem volatilem commutatum eft. Helmonr. Tria Prima Chymicorum» &c. pag. ing the fimple fpirit of Box , and fuch like Woods, which differ much from the other fairs hitherto mention’d, and yet would belong to the faline Princi- ple, if Chymifts did truly teach that all Tafts proceed from it. And I might alfo annex , what I rioted to you put of Helmont concerning Bodies , tvhich, though they confifl in great part of Chynrical Oyles , do yet ap- pear but Volatile falcs; But to infift on thefe things, were to repeat; arid there- fore I lhall proceed. This Difparity is alfo highly eminent in the feparated fulphurs or Chyroical Oyles of things. For they contain fo much of the fcent,and raft, and vertues, of the Bodies whence they were drawn^ that they fefim to be but the Material Crafis (if 7 may fo fpeak ) of their Concretes. Thus the Oyles of Cinna- S 2 riiOFii 26 o rnESCETTlCAL mon, Cloves, Nutmegs and other fpi- -j ces, feem to be but the United Aroma- |i tick parts that did ennoble thofe Bo- j{ dies. And ’cis a known thing, that Oyl i] cf Cinnamon , and Oyle cf Cloves , C which I have likewife obferv’d in the ii Oylesof feveral Woods) will fink to h the Bottom of Water; whereas thofe of Nutmegs and divers other Vege- ] tables will fwim upon it. The Oyle H (abufively call’d fpirit)of Rcfesfwims , at the Top of the Water in the forme i of a white Butter, which I remember not to have obferv’d in any other Oyle 1 drawn in any Limbeck; yet there is a i Way C not here to be declar’d ) by which I have feen it come over in the forme of other Aromatick Oyles, to the Delight and Wonder of thofe that be- held it. In Oyje of Anifefeeds, which I drew both wiih, and without Fer- mentation, lobferv’d the whole Body of the Oyle in a cool place to thicken into the Confiftence and Appearance of white Butter , which with the leafi: heat refum’d its Former Liquidnefs. In the Oyle of Olive drawn over in a Re- tort j I have likewile more than once feen a fpontaneous Coagulation in th-e Receiver ; I CHTmiST. 26 1 iJleceiver : And I have of it by me jthus Congeal’d ; which is of fuch a ftrangely Penetrating fceni,as if ’iwould Perfo»ate the Nofes that approach it. The like pungent Odour T alio obferv’d in the Difrill’d Liquor of common fope, ® wnich forc’d over from Minium y lately '' afforded an oyle of a moft admirable Pener aniyt And he muff be a great ftraiiget> both to the Writings and pre- parati '-ns of Chymifts^ that fees not in theOyl :s they diftiil from Vegetables and Animals, a confiderable and obvi- ous Dincrence. Nay I fhall venture to Biddy Lieut her ius. ( what perhaps you will think of kin to a Paradox ) that di- I vers times out of the fame Animal or j Vegetable, there may beextradledOyles I of Natures obvioiifly differing. To which purpofe I fhall not infift on the I fwimtning and finking Oyles , which I have fomeiimes obferv’d to float on , and fubfide under the fpirit ofCuaja- cumy and that ofdiversother Vegeta- bles Diftill'd with a ftrong and lafling Fire ; Nor fhall I infill on the obfer- vaiion elfewhere mention’d, of the di- vers and unmingleable oyles afforded us by Humane Blood long fermented and S 3 Digelled 2^2 THE SCETtlCAL Digefled with fpirir of Wine, becaufe thefe kind of oyles nsay feein chiefly t to differ in Coafiftence and Weight , ij being all of them high colcurd and a- | duff. But the Experiment, which I de- | vis'd to make out this Difference of the i oyles of the fame Vegetable , ad Ocu- I turn , ( as they fpeak ) was this that followes. I took a pound of Anife- feeds, and having groily beaten them, caufed them to be put into a very large gjafs Retort almoft filled with fair Water; and placing this Retort in a fand Furnace, 1 caus’d a very Gentle heat to be adminifired during the firft day , and a great part of the fecond, till the Water was for the moft part drawn off, and had brought over with it at leaft moft of the Volatile and Aro- matick Oyle of the feeds. And then encreafing the Fire, and changing the Receiver , I obtain’d befides an Empy- reutnatical Spirit, a quantity of aduft oyle; whereof a little floated upon the $pirit, and the reft was more heavy, and net eafily feparable from it. And whereas thefe oyles were very dark, and fmell’d ( as Chymifts fpeak^ fo ftrongly of the Eire , that their Odour " ‘ did cur MI ST. 263 (did not betray from what Vegetables they had been'forc’d; the other Aroma- ^/V(LOyle was enrich’d with the genuine fmell and tali of the Concrete; & fpon- taneoufly coagulating it felf into white butter did manifefi: it felf to be the true Oyle of Anifefeeds ; which Concrete I therefore chofe to employ about thfs Experiment, that iheDifFerence of thefe Oyles might be more confpicuoQs than it would have been, had I infiead of if deftill’d another Vegetable. I had almoft forgot to take notice, that there is another fort of Bodies, which though not obtain’d from Concretes by Diflillation , many Chymihs are wont to call their Sulphur 5 not only becaufe fuch fubftances are, for themoft part, high colour'd, (whence they are aUo, and that more properly, called Tin- ^ures)as diffolv’d Sulphurs are wont to be;but cfpecially becaufe they are, for the mofl: part, abftraded and feparated from the reft of the Mafs by Spirit of Winetwhich Liquor thofeiiien fuppoling to be Sulphureous, they conclude, that what it works upon, and abftrafts,muft be a Sulphur alfo.And upon this account they prefume, that they can fequeffer S 4 the 2^4 7'//'^ SCETTICAL the ftilphur even of Minerals and Me- ^llsifroin known that they can- not by fire alone feparate it. To all This I Ihall anfwer; Thaf if tliefe fequeftred fubfiances were indeed the fulphur? of fhe Bodies whence they are drawn, there would as well be a great Difparity be- twjxt Chymical Sulphurs obtain’d by $pirir ofWine, as I have already fhewn there is betwixt thofe obtain’d by Diftil- lation in the forme ofOyleg : which will be evident from hence, that not tourge that themfcives afcfibe diflin^f vertues to Mineral Tindiure,extolling the Tin- cture of Gold againft fuch and fuch Dif- eafes; the Tincture of Antimony, or of its Glafs, againft others? and fhe Tin- cture of Emerald againft others ; ’tis plain, that in Tintftures drawn from Ve- getables , if the fuperfluQUs fpirit of Wine be^diftiil’d off, it leaves af the bottom that thicker fubftance which Chymifts ijfe to call the of the Vegetable. Andthat thefe ExtraCfs are endow’d with very differing^ialities ac- cording to the Nature of the Particular Bodies that afforded theni(thoughIfear feldoni with fo much of the fpecifick ver- tues as is wont to be imagin’d^ is freely con- cm' Ml ST, 2<55 pppfefs’d both by rhyfuians and Chy. nufts. But Bleutherius (faies Carneada ) we may here take Notice that the Chy- inifts do as well in this cafe, as in many others allow themfelvesa Licenfe tp a- bufe Words : For not again toaigu^ from the differing properties of Tin- ctures, that they are not exadly pure and Elementary Sulphurs 5 they would ealily appear not to be fo much as Sul- phur’s, although we fhould allow Chy- niical Oyles to deferve that Name, For however in fome Mineral Tindures the Natural fixtnefsof the extraded Body does not alwaies fufFer it to be eafily further refoluble in to differing fubffan- cesi Yet in very many extraCls drawn from Vegetables, it may very eafily be manifefted that the fpirit of Wine has not fequeftred the fulphureous Ingredi- ent front the faline and Mercurial ones; but has difi’olv’d ( for I r^ke it to be a Solution ) the finer Parts of the Con- crete (without making any nice diftin- dion of their being perfedly Sulphure- ous or not) and united it felf with them into a kind of Magiftery which confe- quently muff contain Ingredients or Parts of feveral forts.Fbr we fee that the " ffones 266 TTIE SCEPTICAL Hones thar ar" rich in vi. riol, being of? ten drench’d with rain-Water, ihe Li“ <5uor Will then exirada fine and rranf. parent lubfiance coaguidble into Vitri- ol; and >et though this Vitriol be readi- ly diflioluble in Water, it is not a true Elementary Salt, but, as You know, a body refoluble into very differing Parts, whereof one (as I fhall have occafion to tell You anon) is yet of a Metalline,and confequenrly not of an Elementary Na- ture. You may confider alfo , that com- mon Sulphur is readily diffoluble in Oyle of Turpentine, though nptwithftanding its Name it abounds as well, ifnotas much, in Salt as in true Sulphur;witnefs the great quantity of faline Liquor it affords being fet to flame away under a glafs Bell. Nay 1 have , which perhaps You will think ftrange , with the fame Pyle of Turpeiitine alone eafily enough diffolv’d crude Antimony finely powT der’d into a Blood- red Balfam , where- with perhaps confiderable things may be perform’d in Surgery.Andifit were now Requifite,! could tell You of fome other Bodies, (fuchas Perhaps You would not fufpeft) thar I have been able to work upon with certain Chymical Oyles. cnrMist. 267 But inftead of digreffing further I fliall iuake this ufe of the Example I have nam’d. That ’tis not unlikely , but that Spirit of Wine which by its pungent taft, and by fonie other ^alkies that argue it better, ( efpecially its Reduci- blenefs, according to Helmont , into Al^ ctf/tjand Water,) feenis to be as well of a Saline as of a Sulphureous Nature, may well be fuppos’d Capable of DiflTolving Subfiances , That are not meerly Ele- mentary fuphurs’, though perhaps they piay abound with Parts that are of kin thereunto.For I find that Spirit of Wine will diflblve Gumm LnCca^ Benxoine-,dind the Rejinoui Parcs oijallap, and even of 0uajacam’y whence we may well fufpeft that it may from Spices, Herbs, and o- ther lefs compared Vegetables, extraft fubRances that are not perfed Sulphurs but mixt Bodies.And to put it paft Dif. pote, there is many a Vulgar Extract drawn with Spirit of Wine, which com- mitted to Diftiilation will afford filch differing fubftances as will Loudly pro- claim it tohavebeen a very compounded Body.So that we may juftly fufpedfjthat even in Mineral Tinduresit will not aU waies follow , that becaufe a red fub- ' ftance ?68 TtiE SC n?r IC AL, ftance is drawn from the Concrete by ‘ fpirit pfWine, that Subf ance is its true ' and Elementary Sulphur. And though iQtne of thefe Extracts may perhaps be inflamablej Yet, befi ies that others are nor, and befides that their being reduc’4 to fuch Minutenefs of Parts may ijiuch facilitate their taking Fire;befides this, I fay, We fee that common Sulphur, common Oyle, Gumni Lac, and ma? ny Undtuous and Refinous Bodies , will fiame well enough , though they be of very compounded Natures : Nay Tra- vellers of Unfurpedted Credit affure llsj as a known thing, that in fonic Nor- thern Countries where Firr trees and , Pines abound , the poorer fort of Inha- bitants ufe Long fplinters of rhofe Re- linous Woods to burn infiead of Can- dles. And as for the rednefs wont to be met with in fuch folutions,! could eafily ihew, that his not necelTary it Ihould proceed from the Sulphur of the Con- r Crete, Diffolv’d by the Spirit of Wine; if i had leafure to manifeft hpw much Chymifts are wont to delude themfelves and Others, by the Ignorance of thofe o- tber caufes,upon whcfe account fpirit of ■\yine and other Mmiiruims may acquire a CHI'' MJ St. 269 a red or feme other high colour. But to returne to our Chynncal Oyles, fup- pofing that they were exadtly pure ; Yet 1 hope they would be , as the beft fpirit of Wine is , but the more infia- mable and deflagrable. And therelore fince an Oyle can be by the Fire alone Immediately turn’d into fl me, which is fomething of a very differing Nature from it : I fhall Demand how this Oyle can be a Primogeneal and Incor- ruptible Body, as moft Chym'ifls would have their Principles; Since it is further refoluble into flame, which whether or no it be a portion of the Element of Fire, as an Ariflotelian would conclude, is certainly fomething of a very differ- ing Nature fiom a Chymicai Oyle, fince it burnes,and fl}ines,and mounts fwiftly upwards ; none of which a Chymicai Oyle does, whilft it continues fuch. And if it fhoiild be Objeded, that the Difiipated Parts of this flaming Oyle may be caught and colleded again into Oyl or Sulphur; I fhall demand , v/hat Chymift'appears to have ever done it; and without Examining whether it may not hence be as well faid that fulphur is but compaded Fire, as that Fire is but diffus’d 270 THE SCEVTICAL diffus’d Sulphur , I Ihall leave you to confider whether it liiay not hence be argu’d, that neither Fire rior Sulphur are primitive and indeftrudlible Bodies; and I fliall further obferve that at leaft it will hence appear, that a portion of matter may, without being Compoun- ded with new Ingredients , by having the Texture and Motion of its fmall parts chang’d , be eafily , by the -means of the Fire , endow’d with new Quali- ties, more differing from them it had before, than are thofe which fuffice tb difcrirainate the Chymifts Principles from one another. Wearetnext to Confider, whether in the Anatomy of mixt Bodies , that which Chymifts call the Mercurial part of them be un-compounded, or no. But to tell You True , though Chymifts do tinanimoufly affirm that their Refoluti- ons difcover a Principle, which they call Mercury, yet I find them to give of it Defcriptions fo Differing , and fd .ffilnigmatical , that I , who am riot a- fiiam’d to confefs that I cannot under- hand what is not fence, muft acknow- ledge to you that I know not what to make df them. himfelf, and there- CUT MIST. 271 i therefore, as you will eafily beleeve,nia- ' iiy of his Followers , does fomewhere call that Mercury which afcends upon the burning of Wood, as the Peripate- ^ ticks are wont to take the fame fnioake ' for Air? and fo feems to define Mer- ; cury by Volatility, or C if 1 may coyne fuch a Word) Effumability. But fince, I in this Example, both Volatile Salt and I Sulphur make part of the fmoake,which does indeed confift alfobothof Phleg- matick and Terrene Corpufcles , this Notion is not to be admitted ; And I find that the morefoberChymiftsthem- felves difavow it. Yet to fhew you how little of clearnefs we are to expetfl in the accounts even of IzitrSpagyrifis^hQ pleas’d to take notice, that ’^eguinm^ even in his Tyrociniimt Chymkum,vfntteii for the Inftrudion of Novices, when he comes to tell us what are meant by the Tria Trima j which for their being Principles ought to be defin’d the more accurately and plainly, gives us thisDe- fcription of MercOry ; Mncurius (faies he ) ille acidus^fermeahilis^pe- cJjym. netrabilis^ atherem^ ac purijfmm , a tjm omnis Nutricatlo, Senfm^ Motus , Vires , Co/or^Sj SemHytiffue Tr^ptop^r^ tetar- datio. 272 THE SCEPTICAL datio. Which words are not fo much a . , ^Definition of it , as^ znEncomiumi an4r , yet Quercetanus in his Defcription of | the fame Principle adds to thefe , di- veis other Ipithets. But both of them, , to skip very many other faults that may | be found with their Metaphorical De- fcripcions, fpeakincongriicufly to the Chymifts own Principles. For if Mer- cury be an Acid Liquor, either Her- meticai Pbilofophy muft ei r in afcrihing all Tafts to Salt, or elfe Mercury muft^ not be a Principle, but Compounded of a Saline Ingredient and fomewhat elfe. LibiiviU'S^ though he find great, fault with the obfcuriiy of what the Chymifts write concerning their Mer- curial Principle , does yet but, give us i'uch a Negative Defcription of it , as how favourable foever to the. Iria Prima^ is not fatisii’d with. Arid, this Senmrtm Himfelf , though the Learned’ft Champion for the Hypofta- ilcal Principles, does almoft as frequent- ly as jufrly complain of the unfails- fatfiorinefs oi" what the Chymifts teach concerning their Mercuryj and yet he, himfelf ( but with his wonted niodefty) | Subftirutes inftead of the Defcriptiorv i CHTMIST. 273 ! of Libayiut, another, which many Rea- ders, efpecially if they be not P and bone-Afhes , or calcin’d Harts- i horn , which Refiners choofe to make Tefts of, as freeft from Salt,feem unlike: I and he that fhall compare either of thefe infipid alhes to Lime, and much more I to the calx of Talck, ( though by the affufion of water they be exquifitely dulcify ’d)will perhaps fee caufe to think; them things of a fomewhat differing I tiaturc. And it is evident in Colcothar that the exafteft calcination , follow’d by an exquifite dulcification , does not alwaies reduce the remaining body into Elementary Earth; for after the fait or Vitriol (if the Calcination have been too faint) is drawn out of the Calcothar, the refidue is notearrh,buta mixt body, rich in Medical virtues (as experience has inform’d me) and which Angehs Sala aflfirmes to be partly reducible into malleable Copper; wfiiehl judge very probable « for though whep I was ma- THE SCBTICAL king Experiments upon Colcotharj I was deftirute of a Furnace capable of i giving a heat intenfe Enough to bringi fuch a Calx to Fufion; yet having con- je(5ur’d that if Colcothar abounded with that Metal , Aqua Fortis would find it out there, I put feme dulcifi’d Colco^ thar into that and found the Liquor according to niy Expe6atL on prefently Colour’d as Highly as if it had been an Ordinary Solulioh of Cop* pet. THE C2S7) THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST The Fifth Fart. Ere Carmades making a paufe , I muft not deny ( faies his Friend to him ) that I think You have fufficH i ently prov’d that thefe diftind Subftan- j ces which Chymifts are wont to obtain from Mixt Bodies, by their Vulgar Di- ftillation , are not pure and firaple e- nough to deferve, in Rigor of fpeaking,' 1 the Name of Elements, or Principles. But I fuppofe You have heard, that there are fome Modern who I give out that they can by further and .more Skilfull Purifications, fo reduce the feparated Ingredients of Mixt Bo- dies to an Elementary limplicity. That the 288 THE SCETTICAL the OylesCfor Inftance)extra(SecI from Mil Mixts ihail as perfectly referable one Another , as the Drops of Water do. If you remember ( replies Carmadts) that at the Beginning of our Conference with Thilofom^ , I declar’d to him ber fore the reft of the Company, that I would not engage my felf at prefent to do any more than examine the ufual proofs alledg’d by Chymifts,for the Vul- gar doftrine of their three Hypoftatical PririciplesjYou will eafily perceive that I am not oblig’d to make anfwer to what you newly propos’d ; and that it ' rather grants, than difproves what I have been contending for: Since by pre- ' tending to make fo great a change in the reputed Principles that Diftillatiori affords the common Spagyri^s^ ’tis i plainly enough prefuppos’d, that before fuch Artificial Depurations be made, theSubftances to be made more finiple ' were not yet fimple enough to be look’d I upon as Elementary ; Wherefore in cafe the Artifls you fpeak of could per- form what they give out they can , yet I ftiould not need to be alham’d of ha- ving queftipn;d Vulgar Opinion touching t nr Mist, touching the Tria Pf-ima. And as to the thing it felf, 1 Ihiii freely acknowledge to you , that I love not to be fo>-Aa d in deteimining things to be ivnr oibHe, till 1 know and have confidei d t ic means by which they are propos’d to * e effected- And therefore I lhall not pe- remptorily deny either the poffibdity i f what thefe Artifis promife, or n y of- fent to any juft Inf rence; however de- ftrudivc to my conjectures, that m be drawn from their performances. B c give me leave to tell you withall , that becaufe fuch promifes are wont C as Experience has more than once in- form’d me) to be much more eafily made, than made good by Chy miffs , I muff: withhold my Beleef from their af- rertions,rill their Experiments exaft it; and muff: not be fo eafie as to expeCi: before hand, an unlikely thing upon nd’ ftronger Inducements rhan areyer given me.- Befides that I have not yet found by what I have heard of thefe Artifts ^ that though they pretend to bring the feveral Subftaaces into which the Fire has divided the Concrete , to an exqui- fite firaplicity ^ They pretend alfo to be able by the Fire to divide all Concretes; U Minerals f 290 THE SCEVtlCAL Minerals, and others , into the fame number of Diftinft Subftances/ And in the mean time I muft think it im- probable , that they can either truly fe- parate as many differing Bodies from Gold ( for Inftance ) ©r Ofiiocolla^ as we can do from WinCj or Vitriol; or that the Mercury (for Example) of Gold or Saturn would be perfedtly of the fame Nature with that of Harts- horn; and that the fulphur of Antimo- ny would be but Numerically different from the Dift ill'd butter or Oyle of Ro- I fes. But fuppofe { Eleutherm) that you Ihould meet with Chymifts, who would allow you to take in Earth and Water into the number of the prin- ciples of Mixt Bodies^ and being alfo content to change the Ambiguous Name of Mercury for that more in- i telligible one of fpint, fhould confe- quently make the principles of Com- pound Bodies to be Five; would you not think it fomething hard to rejed fo-plauiible an Opinion , only becaufe ; the Five fubftances into which the Fire divides mixt Bodies are not exadly ; pure, and Homogeneous ? For my p itc ! (Coni- • ^ CBTMISr, 29t t Continues EUutherius') I cannot buc thiiik i[ foniewhat ftrange, in cafe this bpiniorl be nottrue, that it ihould fall oiit fo luckily, ihat fo great a Variety of Bodies ftiould be Analyz’d by the Fire into juft five Diftinft fubilances; which fo little differing from the Bodies that bear tbofe names, may fp Plaufibly be call’d Oyle, Spirit, Salt , Water, and I tarth. The Opinion You now propofe ( an- fwers Carneades ) being another than that i was engag’d to examine , it is not 'requifite for me to Debate atthispre- fentinor fhould I have leafure to do it throughly. Wherefore I iha 11 only tell you in General, that though I think this Opinion in fome refpeds more defenfi- ble than that of the Vulgar Chyniifts; yet you may eafily enough learn from the paft Difeburfe what may be thought S of it: Since many of the Objeftions made ^gainft the Vulgar Dodrine of the Chy-^, miftsfeeni, without much alteration, employable againft this Hypothesis allb* For, befideS that this Dotftrinedoes as \veil as the other take it for granted , ' ( what is not eafie to be prov’d) that! the Fire is the true and Adequate Ana- II 2 lyzer 29» the sc EPriCAL lyzer of Bodies , and that all the Di- ftind fubitances obtainable from a mixt Body by the Fire, were fo pre-exiftent in it, that they were but extricated from each other by the Analyfist, Befides that this Opinion, too , afcribes to the Produdions of the Fire an Elementary fimplicity , which 1 have fliewn not to belong to them; and befides that this Doctrine is lyable to fome of the o- ther Difficulties, wherewith That of the Tx'iaTrima is incumber’d i Befides all this, I fay, this quinary number of E- lensents, ( if yoti pardon the Exprefli- on ) ought at leaft to have been- re- ftrain’d to the Generality of Animal and Vegetable Bodies, fince not only among thefe there are fome Bodies, (as I formerly argu’d) which, for ought yet has been made to appear , dp con- iiff , either of fewer or more fiinilar fubftanccs than precifely Five. But in the Mineral Kingdom, there is fcarce one Concrete that has been evinc’d to be adequatly divifible into fuch five Principles or Elements, and neither more nor lefTe, as this Opinion would have every mixt Body to confift of. And this very thing ( continues Car- modes') c nr MI ST. 293 mades ) may ferve ro take away or leP. fen your Wonder , that juft fo many Bodies as five Ihould be found upon the Refolution of Concretes. For fince we find not that the firb can make any fuch Analysis ( into five Elements ) of Metals and other Mineral Bodies whofe Texture is more ftrong and permanent, it remains that the Five Subftances un- der confideration be Obtain’d from Ve- getable and Animal Bodies, which Cpro- bably by reafon of their loofer Con- texture ) are capable of being Diftili’d. And as to fuch Bodies, ’tis natural e- Dough, that , whether we fuppofe that there are, or are not, precifely five E- lemenis, there ftiould ordinarily occur in the Diflipated parts a five Fold Di- verfity of Scheme; C if I may fo fpeak ) For if the Parts do not remain all fix’d, as in Gold, Calcin’d Takk, &c. nor all afcend , as in the Sublimation of Brim- ftone , Camphire , &c, but after their Diffipation do affociace thetnfelves into new Schemes of Matter; it is very like- ly, that they will by the Fire be divided into fix’d and Volatile ( I mean, in Re- ference to that degree of heat by which they are*deftill’d ) and ihofe Volatile U 3 parts 294 SCETTICAL pans will, for the moft part, afcend either in a dry forme, which Chymiftf are pleas’d to call, if they be Taftlefs 3^ Flowers; ifSapid, Volatile 3 alt 5 or in a Liquid Forme, And this Liquor muft be either inflamable,and fo pafs for oyl, or not inflaniable, and yet fubtile and pungent, which may be call’d Spirit; or elfe ftrengrhlefs or infipid, which inay be nam'd Phlegme ,’ or Water, And as for f;he fixt part, or Caput Mor~ tuum^ it will moft commonly confift of Corpufcles , partly Soluble in Water, or Sapid , ( efpecially if the Saline parts were not fo Volatile, as to fly away be- fore ) which make up its fixt fait; and : partly infoluble and infipid, which therefore Teems to challenge the name 1 of Earth.But although upon this ground 1 one might eafily enough have foretold, '! that the differing fubftances obtain’d from a perfectly niixt Body by the Fire i Would for the moft part be reducible j to the five newly mention’d States of! Matter; yet it will notprefently follow, : that thefe five Diftinft fubftances wete litnple andprimogeneal bodies, fopre-, exiftent in the Concrete that the fire does but take them afunder.w Befides' ' that CUT Mist. 255 that it does not appear, that all Mixt BodkSj (witnefs, Gold, Silver, Mercu- ry, &c.) Nay nor perhaps all Vege- tables, which may appear by what we faid above of Camp hire , Benzoin , &c. are refoluble by Fire into juft fuch dif- fering Schemes of Matter. Nor will the Experiments formerly alledg*d per- mit us to look upon thefe feparated Subftances as Elementary , or imcom- pounded. Neither will it be a fuffici- cnt Argument of their being Bodies that dtferve the Names which Chy- mifts are pleas’d to give them , that they have an Analogy in point of Confiftence , or either Volatility or Fixinefs , or elfe fome ocher obvious Quality, with the fuppos’d Principles , whofe names are afcrib'd to them. For, as I told you above , notwithftanding this Refemblance in fome one Quality, there may be fuch a Difparity in others, as may be more fit to give them Dif- fering Appellations , than the Refem- blance is to give them one and the fame. And indeed it feems but fome- what a grofs Way of judging of the Nature of Bodies, to conclude without Scruple, that ihofeniuft be of the fame XI 4 Nature 296 TMB SCBVTICAL Islarure that agree in fomefuch Gene- ra' Quality, as Fluidity, Drynefs , Vo- laiiliiy, and t he like : fince each of ihofe Quaiitiep, or States of Matter, may Comprehend a great Variety of Bo- dies, otherwife of a very diiFering Na- ture; as we may fee in the Calxes of Gold, ofViiripl,and of Venetian Talck, compar’d with common Aflics 5 which yet are very dry, and fix’d by the ve- hemence of the Fire , as well as they, And as we may likewife gather fioiu what I have fotmerly Obferv’d, ’touch- in; the Spirit of Box Wood 1 which though a Volatile, Sapid, and not infla- mable Liquor , as well as the Spirits of Harts-horn , of Blood and others , ( and therefore has been hitherto call’d, the Spirit , and efteem’d for one of the Principles of the Wood that affords it ) may yer, as I told You , be fubdh vided into two Liquors, differing from one another, and one of them at leaf!: , from the Generality of other Chymical Spirits. But you may your felf, if you pleafe,’ fpurfues Carneades') accomodate to the fiypthefis yoM propos’d what other par- ticulars you lhall think applicable to it, ‘ in cnrmisr. 297 in the foregoing Difcourfe. For I think ir unfeafonable for me to medle now any further with a Controverfie, which fince it does not now belong to me, Leaves me at Liberty to Take my Own time to Declare my Self about it. EUutherius perceiving that Carneades was fomewhat unwilling tofpend any more time upon the debate of this Opinion , and having perhaps fome thoughts of taking hence a Rife to make him Difcourfe it more fully another time, thought not fit as then to make any further mention to him of the pro- pos’d opinion, but told him; I prefume I need not mind you, Car-- mades-i That both the Patrons of the ternary number of Principles , and thofethat would have five Elements, endeavour to back their Experiments with a fpecious Reafon or iwo;and efpe- cially fome of thofe Embracers of the Opinion laft nam’d ( whom I have con- vers’d with, and found them Learned men) aifigne this Reafon of the necefliiy of five diftind Elements; thatotherwife mixi Bodies could not be fo compoun- ded and temper’d as to obtain a due con- fifteace 29 S THE SCEPTIC AL fiftence and competent Duration. For Salt (fay they) is the Basis of Solidity ; and Permanency in Compound Bodies, : without which the other four Elements ' might indeed be varioufly and loofly j blended together, but would remain in- compacted; but that Salt might be dif- folv’d into minute Parts , and convey’d to the other Subftances to be compa»5i:ed by it, and with it, there is a Neceifity of Water. And that the mixture may not be too hard and brittle,a Sulphureous or Oyly Principle tnuft intervene to make i the mafs more tenacious; to this a Mer- curial fpirit ntnft be fuperadded ; which i^y its activity may for a while permeate, and as it were leaven the whole Mafs, ’ and thereby promote the more ex- Ouilite mixture and incorporation of the Ingredients. To all which (laftly)a portion of Earth muff be added, which by its drynefs and porofity may foak lip part of that water wherein the Salt was dillolv’d, and eminently concurr with the other ingredients to give the whole body the requifite conhftence. I perceive ( faies Carneades finiling ) , that if it be true, as ’twas lately noted i from the Proverb, That good Wits have ' had. ; - jt C nr MIST. 299 hadMemorieSyYonh^vtxhdii Title, as well as a better , to a place among the good Wits. For you have already pore than once forgot , that I declar’d to you that 1 would at this Confe- rence Examine only the Experiments of my Advcrfaries, not their Specula- nve Reafons. Yet ’tis not ( Subjoynes Carmadas') for fear of raediing with the Argument you have propos’d , that I decline the examining it at prefent^ For if when we are more at leafure,yoii fhall have a mind that we may So- lemnly confider of it together; I am confident we fliall fcarce finde it infolu- ble.' And in the mean time we may ! obferve, that fuch a way of Arguing : may, it feems,be fpecioufly accommoda- j ted to diftering Hypotheses, For I find ’ ’that , and other Afiertors of I the Tria Trimay pretend to make out by I fuch a way, the requifitenefs of their i Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, to confiitute , jnixt Bodies , without taking notice I of any necelTity of an Addition of Water and Earth, And indeed neither fort of Chymifts feem to have duly confider’d how great Variety there is in the Textuyes and Con- 300 THE SCEPTICAL Confiflences of Compound Bodies ; and how little the confidence and Durati- on of many of thmfeem to accommo- date and be explicable by the propos’d- Notion. And not to mention thofealmoft incorruptible Subftanccs obtainable by the Fire , which 1 have prov’d to be fomewhat Compounded, and which the Chymifts will readily grant not to be perfe<5l!y n)ixt Bodies: C Not to menti- on thefe, 1 fay ) If you will but recall to mind fome of thofe Experiments, whereby I fiiew’d You that out of com- mon Water only roixt Bodies (and even living ones) of very differing con- fiftences, and refoluble by Fire into as many Principles as other bodies ac- knowledg’d to be perfe*5Uy mixtjmay be produced if you do this, 1 fay, you will not, I fuppofe,beaverfefrom beleeving, y' Nature by a convenient difpofition of the minute parts of a portion of matter may contrive bodies durable enough, & of this, or that, or the other Confiftence, without being obligM to make ufe of all, much lefs of any Determinate quan- tity of each of the five Elements, or of the three Principles to compound fucli bodies of. And I have ( purfues Carne~ ades ) ; CHTBUt, 3® I ^^des') fomething wonder'd^ Chymifts iHiould not Gonfider, that there is fcarce; jany body in Nature fo permanent and pindiff; litble as Glafs 5 which yet theni- ilfelves teach us may be made of bare Afhes, brought to fufion by the meer Violence of the Fire; fo that, fince Alhes are granted to confift but of pure Salt andfimple Earth, fequeftred ftom I all the other Principles or Elements, I they muft acknowledge, That even I Art it felf can of two Elements only » or, if you pleafe , one Principle and one I Element, compound a Body more du- i rable than almoft any in the World, j Which being undeniable , how will they prove that Nature cannot com- pound Mixt Bodies, and even durable Ones , under all the five Elements of Material Principles. , I But to infill; any longer on this Occa- fional Difquifition, Touching their O- i pinion that would Eflablifli five Ele- ments, were to remember as little as You did before, that the Debate of this matter is no part of my firft undertak- iog;and confequently,that I have alrea. dy fpent time enough in what 1 look hack upon but as a digreffion, or at belt an Excurfion. And 502 TfJE SCETTICAL Eleutherius^ Carnt- des ) having at length gone through the four Confiderations I propos’d to Dif- courfe unto you, 1 hold it not unfit, for fear my having infifted fo long on each bf them may have made you forget their i'er/Vi, briefly to repeat them by telling you, that Since, in the firfi: place, it may jufily be doubted whether or no the Firfe be , as Chy mills fuppofe it, the genuine ancl Univerfal Refolver of mixt Bodies; Since we may doubt , in the next i)lace , whether or no all the Diftin<5i: Subfrances that may be obtain’d from a" mixt body by the Fire were pre-exiftent there in the formes in Which they were feparated from it 5 Since alfb, though we flioii Id grant the Subftances feparable from mixt Bo- dies by the fire to have been their toniponeiit Ingredients, yet the Number of fuch fubftances does not appear the famein all mixt Bodies; fome" of thefli being Rcfoluble into more differing fubftances than three, and Others not being Refoluble into fo many as three;' And Since)Laftly,ihofe very fiibfltances that are thu^s feparated are riot for the C Hr MIST. 503 imbft part pure and -Elementary bodies, bat new kinds of mixts ; Since,I ray,thefe things are fo, I hope you will .allow me to inferr , that the Vulgar Experiments(I might perchance have Added, rhe Arguments too) wont to be Alledg’d by Chymifts to prove, that their three Hypoftatical Principles do adequately compofe all mixc Bodies, are not fo denionftrative as to induce a wary Perfon to acquiefce in their Po- ntine, which, till they Explain and prove it better, will by its perplexing das knefs be more apt to puzzle than Hitisfy con- fidering men, and will to them appear |incumbred with no fmall Difficulties. I And from what h as been hitherto de- duc’d ( Continues ) we may Learn, what to Judge of the common Pradice of thofeChymifts,who becaufe they have found that diverfe compound [ Bodies ( for it will not hold in All) can t be refolv’d into,or rather can be brought to afford two or three differing Subftan- ices more than the Soot and Afhes, wherein to the naked fire commonly di- vides them in ourChyranies,cry up their own Sed for the Invention of a New^ Philofopby.Eotiiic of them, as Helmsnt &c. ftyling 304 the SCETICAL ftyling themfelves Philofophers by the i Fire; and the moft part not only afcri- bingj but as far as in them lies, engrof- ling to thofe of their Seft the Title of PHILOSOPHERS. But alas, how narrow i§ this Philofo- ' phy, that reaches but to fbme of thofe ' compound Bodies i which we find but | Upon, or in the cruft cr outfide of our ter-^ ' reftrial Globe, which is it felfbuta point in comparifon of the vaft extended Uni- ' verfe, ofwhofe Ofher and greater parts the Doftrine of the Txia Trima does not give us an Account i For what does it teach us,either of the Nature of the Sun, which Aftronomers affirme to be eight- ; fcoreSc odd times bigger than the whole Earth? or of that of thofe numerous fixt Starrs, which, for ought we know, would very few, if any of them, appear infer!- , our in bulke and brightnefs to the Sun, if they were as neer us aS He ? What does- the knowing that Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, are the Principles of Mixt Bo- dies , informe us of the Nature of that vaft, fluid, and iEtherial Subftance , ' that feems to make up the interftel- i lar, and confequehdy much the grea- teft part of the W orld ? for as for the ■ opinioa . CUT Ml ST, 305 jbpitllon conimonly afcrib’d to TataceU |/?«, as if he would havi'e not only the ifour Peripatetick Elements, but even ithe Celeftial parts of the llniverfe to konfift of his three Principles, fince the modern Chymifts thenifelves have not jthought fo groundlefs a conceit worth [their owning, Ifhall not think it worth |niy confuting. I Bu 1 1 fliould perchance forgive the Hy» ipothefis I have been all this while exa- mining, if, though it reaches but to a ve- ry little part of the World , it did at [leaft give us a fatisfa»flory account of thofe things to which ’tis faid to reach. But I find not, that it gives us any other than a very imperfect information even about rnixt Bodies themfelves: For how will the knowledge of the Tria Trima difcover to us the Reafon,why the Load- ftone dr awes a Needle, and difpofes it to refpC( 5 l the Poles, and yet feldotn pre- Gifely points at them? how will this Hy- pbthefis reach lls how a Chick is formed in the, Egge,Or how the Seminal Princi- ples of Mint, Pompions, and other Ve- getables, that I mention’d to You abovej can fafliion Water into Various Plants,- each of them endow’d with itspeculiat X and 3o6 the scettjcal and determinate fhape, and with divert fpecifick and difcriminating Qualities ? How does this Hypothefis fliew us, how much Salt, how much Sulphur, and how much Mercury muft be taken to make a Chick Or a Pompion ? and if We know that: what Principle is it* that manages V thefe Ingredients, and contrives (for in- Ifance) fuch Liquors as the White and Yolk of an Egge into fuch a variety of Textures as is requifite to falhion the Bones, Veines,ArterieSj Nerves, Ten- dons, Feathers, Blood, and other parts of a Chick; and not only to falhion each Limbe,but to conned them altoge- ther , after that manner that is moft congruous to the perfedion of the Ani- mal which is to Confift of Them ? For to fay, that fonie more fine and fubtile part ©f either or all the Hypoftatical Principles is the Diredor in all this bufi- hefs, and the Archited of all this Elabo- rate ftrudure, is to give one occafion to demand again , what proportion and way of mixture of the Tria Trima affor- ded this Architeilonick3'pi^^t , ^nd what Agent made fo skilful and happy a mix- ture? And the Anfwer to this Queftion, if the Ghyniifts will keep themfelves ■ CHTMlSr^- 307 ' Mthin their three PrincipleSjWill be ly- able to the fame lnconveniencejthat the Anfwer to the former v/as. , And if it were not to intrench upon the Theame ' of a Friend of ours here prefenr,! could eafily profecute the Imperfeftions of ‘the Vulgar Chymifts Philofophy, and ' fliew you, that by going about to expli-, . care by their three Principles,! fay not, all the abftrufe Properties of niixt Bo- dies, but even fuch Obvious and more i familiar Ph^enomenazs Fluidity & Firm- iiefs^TUe Colours and Figures of Stones, Minerals, and other compound Bodies, The Nutrition of either Plants or Ani- mals, the Gravity of Gold or Quickfilver compar’d with Wine or Spirit of W ine;' By attempting, I fay, to render a reafon of thefef to omita thoufand others as j difficult to account for) from any pro* I portion of the three fimple Ingredients, I Chymifts will be much more likely to ' difcredit themfelves and their Hy^othe^ \ than fatisfy an intelligent Inquirer after Truth. But finterpofes ii/ewf,^m««)This Ob- 1 jedionfeemsno more than may be made agafnft the four Peripatetick Elements. Aftd indeed almoff againft any other //>- X 2 fQthfsis 3o8 TI^E SCETT ICAL pQthefis^ that pretends by any Determi- nate Number of Material Ingredients to render arcafon of che ?h aflignes this noble ufe of the 7V/> Fr/>» But (faies Carmades^vt^umm% a more ferious Look) to conlider a little more particularly what youalledgin favour pf the Chymical Dotftrine of the Tria Trima^ though 1 fhall readily acknowr ledge it not to be unufeful, and that the Divifers and Embracers of it have done |o iw li! r d, f I the Common-Wealth of Learning fome ; Cervice, by helping to deftroy that ex- celBve tlfcem, or rather veneration, wherewith the Dodrine of the four Ele- ments was almoft as generally, as unde- 1 iervediy entertain’d; yet what has been ] alledg’d concerning the ufefulnefs of the Tria Prmajfeems to me liable to no i contemptible Difficulties. ■ And fit ft, as for the very way otPro- bation , which the more Learned and more Sober Champions of the Chymical caufe employ to evince the Chymicai Principles in Mixt Bodies, itfeemsro me to be tarr enough from being convin- cing.T his grand and leading Argument , your CHTMIST. 313 jrour Sennertus Himfelf, who layes Great weight upon it , and tells us , that the rnoft Learned Philofophers employ this way of Reafoning to prove the moft ' important things , propofes thus : Vbi~ cunque (faies eadem afebU- ones dsr qualitates infunt-y per commune quoddam Principium infint necejfe eH , si' cut omnia Junt Graviapropter terrantyca- lida propter Ignem. At Coloresy Odores^y Saporesyefje ^ (J(^ fimilia alia y mi- ner alibusy LMetallUtGemmhy ^LapidibuSy PlantiSy Animalibm in/unt. Ergo per com- mune aliquodfrincipiumy^ fub)eb\umyin- funt- At taleprincipium non funt Ele- menta. NuUam enim habent a^tales quali- tates producendas potentiam. Ergo alia principiay unde ftuanty inquirendafunt. In the Recital of this Argument, Hid.itsCarneades') ! therefore thought jRt to retain the Language wherein the Author propofes it, that I might alfo retaine the propriety of fome Latine TermeSjto which I do not readily re** member any that fully anfwer in Eng- lifh. But as for the Argumentation it felf, ’tis built upon a precarious fuppo^ fition, thatfeems to me neither ‘De- i monftrable nor true j for, how docs it appear 314 the sceptical appear, that where the fame Quality is to be met with in many Bodies , it muft belong to them upon the Account of fotiie one Body whereof they all par- take ? ( For that the Major of our Au- thors Argument is to be Underftood of the Material Ingredients of bodies , appears by the Inftances of Earth and Fire he annexes to explain it, ) For to begin with that very Example which he is pleas’d to alledge for himfelfj how can he prove , that the < 5 raviiy of all Bodies proceeds from what they par- ticipate of the Element of Earth? Since we fee, that not only common Water, but the more pure Diftiird Rain Water is heavy ^ 'and Quickfih ver is much heavier than Earth it felfi though none of my Adverfaries has yet prov'd, that it contains any of tha^ Element. And I the Rather make ufe of this Ex, ample of Qn icklilver, becaufe I fee not bow the Affertors of the E- lements will give any better Account of it than the Ghymifts. For if it be demanded how it cotmes to be Fluid, they will anfwer , that it participates much of the Nature of Water. And indeed, according to thern, Water may CHTMIST. 315 |uay be the Predominant Element in it » fince we fee , that feverall Bodies* which by Diftillation afford Liquors that weigh more than their Caput tMor* tuum^ do not yet cpnfift of Liquor e» nough to be Fluid. Yet if it be deman- ded how Quickfilver comes to be fo heavy, then ’tis reply’d, that tis by rea- fon of the Earth that abounds in it; but iince, according to them, it muft confift aifo of air , and partly of Fire, which they affirme to be light Elements , how comes it that it Hiould be fo much hea- vier than Earth of the fame bulk, though j to fill up the porofities and other Cavi- I ties it be made up into a mafs or pafte with Water, which it felf they allow to be a heavy Eiement. Bqt to returne to our Spagyrifis ^ we fee that Chymical Pyles and fixt Salts , though never fo exquifitely purify *d and freed from ter- I reftrial parts, do yet remain ponderous i enough. And Experience has inform’d I me, that a pound, (for inftance) offorae of the heavieft WOods , as Guajacum, that will finke in Water, being burnt 1 to Aflies will yeeld a much lefs weight I of them (whereof I found but a fmall I part to be Alcalizatc) than much light- er Si6 THE SCETTICAL er Vegetables : Asalfothat the black Charcoal of it will not fink as did the wood, butfwrau which argues that the DifFering Gravity of Bodies proceeds chiefly from theparticular Texture , as is manifeft in Gold, the clofelf and Conipadlefl: of Bodies, whkhis many times heavier than we can poflibly make any parcel of Earth of the fame Bulk. I will not examine , what may be ar- gu’d touching the Gravity or Q^uality Analogous thereunto, of even Celeftial bodies, from the motion of the fpots a- boutthe Sun, and from the appearing equality of the fuppos’d Seas in the Moon ; nor confider how little thofe Th.mdmena would agree with what Sen' hertm prefumes concerning Gravity. But further to invalidate his fuppofition , I fliall demand, upon what Chymical Principle Fluidity depends?A nd yet Flu- idity is, two or three perhaps excepted, the moftdiffufed quality of theuniverfe^ and far more General 0an almofl: any other of thofe that a.re to be met with in any of the Chymical Principles, or Aristotelian Elements ; fince not only the Air, but that vaft expanfion we call Heaven, in comparifoh of which ^ CHTMISt^ ?i7 ' bur Tefreft rial Globe(fuppofing It were all Solid) is but a point ; and perhaps too the Sun and the fixt Stars are fluid bodies. I demand alfo, from which of the Chymical Principles Motion flowes ; which yet is an afFedion of matter much more General than any that can be deduc’d from any of the three Chymical Principles. I might ask the like Queftion coflcerning Light, which is not only to be found in the Kindl’d Sulphur of Mixt Bodies but (not to mention thofe forts of rotten Woods? and rotten Filh that fliine in the Dark) in the tails of living Glow-wormes , and in the Vaft bodies of the Sun and I Stars. I would gladly alfo know , in which of the three Principles the <^a- lity , we call Sound , refides as in its proper Subjed ; flnce either Oyl fal- ling upon Oyle, or Spirit upon Spirit, or Salt upon Salt, in a great quantity , and from a ccnfiderable height , will I make a noife , or if you pleafe, create a found , and ( that the objedion may : reach the Ari^otelians') fo will alfo wa- I ter upon water, and Earth upon Earth, I And I could name other qualities to be i met with in divers bodies , of which I fup- >4 3i« THE SCEPTICAL fappofe my Adverfaries will not in hafte aflign any Subjeft, upon whofe Account it muft needs be , that the quality be- longs to all the other fevcral bodies. And, before I proceed any further, I muft here invite you to compare the fuppofilion we are examining, with fome other of the Chyniical Tenents. For, firft they do in effed: teach, that more than one quality may belong to, and be deduc’d from , one Principle. For , they afcribe to Salt, Tafts, and the ' power of Coagulation ; lofulphur, as well Odours as inflamablenefs 5 And fome of them afcribe to Mercury , Co- lours i as all of them do effumability , as they fpeal^. And on the other fide, it is evident that Volatility belongs in <:oihmon to all the three Principles , and to Water too. For ’tis manifeft that Chymical Oyles are Volatile ; That al- fo divers Salts, Emerging upon the A- nalyfis 6f many Cojncreies,are very Vo-, latile , is plain frqm the fugitivenefs of Salt, ofHarts-hornY, fleih, &c. afcend- ji ing in the Diftilladon of thofe bodies, f How eaftly water may be made to af-f cend in Vapours , there is fcarce any < body that has nor obfervM.' And as : i fOif CBTMlsr. 319 for what they call the Mercurial Prin- ciple of bodies, that is fd apt to be rais’d in the form of Steam , that Faracelfm and others define it by that aptncfs to fly up; fo that ( to draw that inference by the way ) it feems not that Chy- niifts have been accurate in their Do- dirineof qualities , and their refpeftive Principles, fince they both derive feve- ral qualities from the fame Principle, and muft afcribe the fame quality to al- nioft all their Principles and other bo- dies befides.And thus much for the firft thing taken for granted 5 without fuffi- cient proof, by your Semertm : And to add that upon the By ( continues Came- ades) we mciy hence learn what to judge I of the way of Argumentation , which ! that fierce Champion of the JriHote- \ lians againft the Chymifts, Jnthoniusj^ i Guntherm Billichim employes, where he/» I pretends to prove againft Begm'nus^ that inot only the four Elements do irame-cs? I diately concurr to Conftitu te every mixt body, and are both prefent in it , and obtainable from it upon its Diflblution; but that in ihe Tria Frima themfelves, whereinto Chy mifts a re wont to refolve mixt Bodies, each of them clearly dif- , covers redivi^ 74. 320 The SCEPTICAL covers it felf to confift offourElementsi The Ratiocination it felf ( purfues Cat~ neades') being, fomewhat unufual , I did the other Day Tranfcribe it, and ( faies He, pulling a Paper out of his Pocket) it is this. Ordiamur^ cum Beguim-, d lignd viridi^ quod fi concremetur-i videbis in fu- dire Aquam^ in fumo Aerem, inflamma ^ \ Prunis Ignem^ Terr am in cineribus: Quod si Begaino flacuerit ex eo colligere humi^ dum aquofum^ cohibere humidum oleagi- ' nofum^extrahere ex cineribus falem% E- go ipfi in unoquoque horum feorfim quatu- or Element a ad oculum demonflrabo^ eodem artificio quo in ligm viridi ea demonftravi. \ Humorem aquofum admoveho Igni. If ft Aquam EhuUire videbiU inVaf ore Aerem \ confficiet^ Ignem fentiet in afiu^fluaminm ■ Terrdi in fedimento afparebiU Humor j forro Oleaginofus aquam humiditate dsr iditate per fe^ accenfus vero Ignem flam’" mafrodit^fumo Aerem ^ fuligine y nidore , amurca terram^ Salem denique ipfe Beguinus ftccum Vocat dsrTerreSirem , qui ' iamen nee fufus Aquam^ nec cauHica vi ig^ nem celare fotefti ignk veroEiolentia iti halitus verjus nec ab Aere fe alienum ejft demonfirat'i Idem de Labie, de OvtSy de fe* mine Lini , de GaryofhyUis j de Nitro ^ I cnrmisT. fale Mdrinoy denifjue de Antimmlo^^md fuit de Lignoviridi Judicium ‘y eadem de illorum -^artihus-, (jiias Beguinus adduch^ fententia y qua de viridis ligni humore aquofoy qua de liquore ejufdem 6leofi>, qu^ de pale fuit. This bold Difcourfe ( refumes Carried* deSy pulling up again his Paper) I think it were not very difficult to confute, if his Arguments were as confiderable, as our time will probably prove fhort for the remaining and more neceffaiy Pare of my Difcourfe • wherefore referring You for an Anfwer to what Nvasfkid con- cerning the DiffipatCd Parts of a burnt piece of green Wood, to what I told themiftiud on the like occafion, I might tafily Ihew You, how flightly and fuper- iicially our Guntherus talks of the divi- ning the flame of Green Wood into his: 'our Elements; when he makes that va- 3our to be Air , which being caught in Slafles and condens’d, prefently difeo- /ers it felf to have been but an Aggre- gate of innumerable very minute drops )£ Liquor;and when he would prove the iPhlegmes being compos’d of Fire by :hat Heat which is adventitious to the Liquor, and ceafes upon the abfence of . Y what 322 THE SCETtlCAL what produc*d it (whether that be art Agitation proceeding from the motiort of the External Fire, or the prefence of a Multitude of igneous Atomes pervading the pores of the Veffel, and nimbly per- meating the whole Body of the Water) I might, 1 fiiy, urge thefe and divers j other Weakneffes of his Difcourfe. But i I will rather take Notice of what is more pertinent to theOccafion of this Digref- lion, namely, that Taking it for Grantedi that Fluidity f with which he unwarily i feems to confound Humidity)muft pro- ceed from the Element of Water, he makes a Chymical Oyle to Confift of that Elementary Liquor; and yet in the very next Words proves, that itconfifts alfo of Fire, by its Inflamability; not re- membring that exquifiiely pure Spirit of Wine is both more Fluid than Water itfelf, and yet will Flame all away without leaving the Leaft Aqueous Moifture behind it; and without fuch an Amurca and Soot as he would De- duce the prefence of Earth from. So that the fame Liquor may according to > his Doftrine be concluded by its great Fluidity to be alraoft all Water; and by its burning all away to be all difguired. Fire c nr MIST. 325 Fire. And by the like way of Probati- on our Author would ftew that the fixt fait of Wood is compounded of the four Elements. ForCfaies he ) being turn’d by the violence of the Fire into ; fteames , itfliews it felf to be of kin j to Air; whereas I doubt whether he ever i faw a true fixt Salt (which to become I fo> inuft. have already endur’d the vio- i lence of an Incinerating Fire) brought: ' by the Fire alone to afcend in the Forme I of Exhalations; but I do not doubt that if he did, and had caught thofe Exhala- tions in convenient Veflefs, he would ! have found them as well as the Steames \ ol common Salt, &c.of a Saline, and nor an Aereal Nature. And whereas our Au- thor takes it alfo for Granted, that the i Fufibility of Salt muft be Deduc’d from [Water, it is indeed fo much the EfFedt of heat varioufly agitating the Minute Parts of a Body, without regard to Wa- ter, that Gold C whi that the one fub- ftance is Opacous, and the other fome- Y' 3 ' what 326 THE SCETTICAL what Diaphanous, nor that they differ- in Divers other Particulars; If we con- fider thofe things, I fay , we fhail hardly think that both thefe Subftances are Elementary Earth; And as to what is rometimes objetffed, that their Saline Taft is only an Effeft of Incineration and Aduftipn,it has been elfewhere fully reply ’d to, when propos’d by ThemifliuSy and where it has been prov’d againft him, that however infipid Earth may perhaps by Additanients be turn’d into Salr,yet*tis not like it Ihould be fo by the Fire alone: For we fee that when we refine Gold and Silver , the violenteft' Tires We can Employ on them ^ive them not theleaft Relifli of Salt- nefs. And I think has right- ly obfery’d, that the Allies of fome Concretes contain very little fait if any at all; for Refiners fuppofe that bone- afties are' free from it, and therefore makeufe of them for Tefts and Cuppels,/ which ought to be Deftitute of Salt , left the Violence of the Fire ftiould bring them to Vitrification ; And ha- ving purpofely and heedfully tafted a Cuppel made of only bone-afiies and fair W.ater, which I had caus’d to be ex- pos’d ^CHTmiST. 327 Tpos’d to a Very Violent Fire, acuated by the Blaft of a large pair of Double Bellows, J, could not perceive that the force of the Fire had imparted to it the leaft Saltners,or fo much as made it lefs Infipid. But ( faies CArmad^s ) fince neither You nor 1 love Repetitions,! flrall not now make any of what elfe was urg'd zga.m^tThemiiim^h\xt rather invite You to take notice with me , that when our Authour, though a Learned Man, and one. that pretends skill enough in Chy- I miftry to reforme the whole Art, comes to make good his confident Underta- lking, to give us an ocular Demonifrati- on of the immediate Prefence of the four Elements in the refolution of Green Wood, He is fain to fay things that a- gree very little with one another. For about the beginning of that pafiTage of His lately recited to you, he makes the fweat,as he calls it, of the green Wood to be Water, the fmoak Aire , the fliining Matter Fire, and the Alhes Earthjwhere- as a few lines after , he will in each of thefe, nay ( as ! juft now noted ) in one Diftindl Part of the Alhes, ftiew the four Elements.So that either the Y 4 3zS THE SCETTICAL lysis muft be incomperent to prove that u Number of Elements, fince by it the 1 burnt Concrete is not reduc’iiinto Ele- ! snejuary E>odies,but into fucH as are yet I! each of them compounded of the four Elements; or elfe thefe Qualities, from r which he endeavours to deduce the i prefence pf all the Elements in the fixt : fait , and each of the other feparated ! fubftances,will be but a precarious way of probation: efpecially if you confider, ! that the extradled/^/c^// of Wood, being, j for ought appears^ at leaft as Emilar a Body, as ary that the Peripateticks can Ihewus, if its differing Qualities muft ^rgue the prefence of Diftin»5t ElementSj It will fc^rce be poflible for them by a- ny way they know of employing the fire upon any Body, to fliew that any Body is a Portion pi a true Element: And this recals to my, mind, that I am now but In an occafional excurfion , which aim- ing only to fliew,that the Peripateticks i as well as t|ie Chymifis take in our, pre-' feni Conrrpverfie fomeihing for gran- ted, which tjhey ought to prove , f lhall :^eturne to niy exceptions, where I ended the firft pf them, and further tell you, ihat neither is that the only precarious thing , CUT MIST. 329 thing that I cake notice of in Smmrtus 'his Argumentation ; for when he in- iferrs 5 that becaufe the equalities he iMentions, as Colours, Smels, and the like , belong not to the Elements, they therefore muft to the Chymical Princi- plesj he takes that for granted j .which will not in hafle be prov’d ; as I might jhere manifeft , but that 1 may by and ■ by have a fitter opportunity to take no- j tice of it. And thus much at prefent may ftiffice to have Difeours’d againft the Suppofition, that almoft every (Quality I muft have fowe AKvxfiv TsaTny ^ as they I fpeak, fome Native receptacle, wherein as in its proper Sub)eft of inhefion it peculiarly refides;and onwhofe account that quality belongs to the other Bo- dies, Wherein it IS to be met with. Now ! this Fundamental fuppofition being once Deftroy’djWhatfoeveris built upon I it, muft fall toruineofit felf. But 1 confider further, that Chymifts I are ( for ought I have found ) far from I being able to explicate by any of the TriaFrima, ihofe qualities which they pretend to belong primarily unto it, and in mixt Bodies to Deduce from it. ’Tis true indeed, that fuch qualities are 330 THE SCEPTICAL are not explicable by the four EIe» merits; but it will not therefore follow, ' that they are fa by the three Hermetical | Principles; and this is it thatfeems to i have deceivM the Chyniifts , and is in?, ideed a very common aiiftake amongft i moft Difputanis , who argue as if there could be but two Opinions concerning the Difficulty about which they con- tend; and confequently they inferr,ihat if their Adverfaries Opinion be Errone- ous, Their’s rouft needs be the Truth; whereas many queftions, and efpecially in matters Phyfiological, may admit of fo many Diifering that ’twill be very inconfiderate and fallacious to concIade.( except where the Opinions are predfely Contradidfory) the Truth of one from the falfity ofanother. And in our particular cafe ’tis no way necef- fary, that the Properties of mixi Bodies muftbe explicable either by the Her** metical, or the AriftoUlian Hypothifis ; i there being divers other -and more plaufible waies of explaining them, and erpecially that, which deduces qualities from the motion, figure, and contri- vance of the froall parts of Bodies ; as I think might befliewn-, if the attempt were CHTMJST, _ 331 lArere as feafonabkjas I fear it would be iTedio^is. 1 will allow then, that the Chymifts ido not c^ufelefly accufe the Podrine of the four Elements of incompetency to explain the Properties of Compound jJbodies.And for this Rejection of a Vul- igar Error* they ought not to be deny’d y hat praife men may defervefor ex° iploding a Doftrine whofe Irnperfedli- iions are fo confpicuous, that men need- [led but not to fliut their Eyes , to dif- licover them. But I am miftaken , ifour Hermetical Philofophers Themfelves need not, as well as the Peripateticks , have Recourfe to more Fruiffull and Comprehenfive Principles than ihtTria frima , to make out the Properties of the Bodies tl^ey converfe with. Not to accumulate Exahiples to thi§ pur- pofe, Checaufe I hope for a fitter op- I portunity to profecute this Subjed) let US at prefent only ppint at Colour,that you may guefs by what they fay of fo obvious and familiar a Qitality , how little InftrudUoo we are to expedfrom the TVwFr /wtf in thofe more abftrufe ones, which they with the Ar 'MouUans Rile Occult. For about Colours , nei- ther ( 531 THE SCETT ICAL ther do they at all agree among them- felves, nor have I met with any one, of which of the three Perfwafions foever, that does intelligibly explicate Them. The Vulgar Chymifts are wont to af-, cribe Colours to Mercury in divers places attributes them to Salt; Sennerttfs^ having recited their dif? fering Opinions , DiflTents from both; Ta' ilV referrs Colours rather unto Sul- * phur. But how Colours do , nay , how they may, arife from either of ihefe Principles, I thiiik you willfcarce fay that any has yet intelligibly explicated. And if Mr. will allow me to Biew you the Experiments which he has col- lected about Colours, you will, 1 doubt notjconfefs that bodies exhibiie colours, not upon the Account of the Predomi- nancy of this or that Principle in them, but upon that of their Texture, and e- fpecially the Difpofition of their fuper? ficial parts, whereby the Light reboun- ding thence to the Eye is lo modifi’d, as by differing Impreffions varioufly' to affeft the Organs of Sight. I might here take notice of the pleafing variety of Colours exhibited by the Triangular glafs C as ’tis wont to be call’d} and de- mand. I cnrmisr, m mand, what addition or decrement of either Salt, Sulphurjor Mercury, befalls the Body of the Glafs by being Prifma- tically figur’ds ^nd yet *tis known, that without that lhape it would not af- ford thofe colours as it does. But bc- caufe it may be obje<5i:ed j that thefe are not real, but apparent Colours ; that I may not lofe time in examining the Piftinftion , I will alledge againft the Chymiftsj a couple of examples of Real and Permanent Colours Prawn from Metalline Bodies ; and reprefent, that without the addition of any extraneous body , Quicklilver may by the Fire a- lone, and that in glaflfe VelTels, be de- priv’d of its filver like Colour , and be turn’d into a red Body 5 and from this red Body without Addition likewife may be obtain’d a Mercury bright and Specular as it was before}So that I have here a lafting Colour Generated and Deftroy ’d (as I have feen } at pleafure, without adding or taking away either Mercury, Salt, or Sulphur ; and if you take a clean and flender piece of har- den’d Reel, and apply to it the flame of a candle at fome little diftance Ihort of the point , You iTiaU not have held , the 334 StETlCAL the Steel long in the flame, but Y6S lhall perceive divers Colours , as YeU low , Red and Blew, to appear upoii the Surface of the metal , and as it were run along in chafe of one another towards the point J So that the fame body , and that in one and the fame part , may not only have a new colour produc’d in it, but exhibite fucceflively divers Colours within a minute of an hour, or thereabouts? and any of thefe Colours may by Removing the Steel from the Fire, become Permanen t , and laft many years. And this Produftion and Variety of Colours cannot reafo- nably be fuppos’d to proceed from the Acceflion of any of the three Princi- ples , to which of them foever Chy- mifts will be pleas’d to afcribe Colours; efpecially confidering , that if you but fuddenly Refrigerate that Iron, firffc made Red hot, it will be harden’d and Colourlefs again 5 and not only by the ^iame of a Candle, but by any other equivalent heat Conveniently appli’d, the like Colours wiU again be made to appear and fuccwd 6ne another,as at the Firft. But I muft not any further pro- f^cute an OcCafiqnal Pifcourie, though CHTMIST, 33§ that were not fo Difficult for me to do, as I fear it would be for the Chy- mifts to give a better Account of the other Qualities, by their Principles,than they have done of Colours. And your SemertusB.'mi'elf ( though an Author I much value) would I fear have been ex^ ceedingly puzl’d to refolve, by the Tria Prima, halfe that Catalogue of Pro- blems, which he challenges the Vulgar Peripateticks to explicate by their four ConfJniA Elements. Andfuppofing it were true, ‘ that Salt or Sulphur were the Princi- pie to which this or that Quality may be peculiarly referr’d, yet though he that teaches us this, teaches us fome- thing concerning That quality , yet he Teaches us but fomething. For indeed t he does not Teach us That which can ^ in any Tolerable meafurefatisfie an in- quifitive Searcher after Truth. For , what is it to me to know , that fuch a quality refides in fuch a Principle or E- :lement, whilft 1 remain altogether ig- norant of the Caufe of that quality, iand the manner of its produdion and Operation? How little do I know more than any Ordinary Man of Gravity, if I know but that the Heavinefs of mijtt bodies 336 THE SCETTICAL bodies proceeds from that of the EartJi they are compos’d of, ifl know not the reafon why the Earth is Heavy ? And how little does the Chyroift teach the Philofopher of the Nature ofPurgati- on, if he only tells him that the Purga- tive Vertue of Medicines refides in their SalttfFor , befides that this muft not be conceded without Limitation , fince ; the purging parts of many Vegetables ; Extradled by the Water wherein they | are infus’d, areatmoftbut fuch com- pounded Salts, (I mean mingl’d with Oyle, and Spirit, and Earth , as Tartar and divers other SubjetSs of the Vegeta- ble Kingdom afford) And fince too that Quickfilver precipitated either with ; Gold, or without Addition, into a pow- der , is wont to be firrongly enough Ca- thartical, though the Chymifts have not yet prov’d, that either Gold or Mercu- ( ry have any Salt at all , much lefs any that is Purgative; Befides this , I fay, how little is it to me, to know That ’tis the Salt of the Rhubarb ( for In- ftance) that purges, if I find That it does not purge as Salt ; fince fcarce any Elementary Salt is in fmall quantity Ca- thartical. And if 1 know not how C fir MI ST. 317 Pargation in general is effeded in a Hu- mane Body? In a word, as ’ds one thing to know a mans Lodging^ and another, to be acquainted with him ; fo k may be one thing to know the fubjed wherein a Quality principally refideSi and another thing to have a right notiori and knowledg of the quality it felf.Now that which I take to be the reafoh of this Ghymical Deficiency 5 is the fame [upon whofe account I think the Arifto^ tdian and divers other Theories inconi- jpetent to explicate the Origine ofQua- llities. For I am apt to think, that men iwill never be able to explain the Fhtem- mena of Nature, while they endeavour to ^deduce them only from the Prefence and iProportiort of fuch or fueh material In- tgredients,and confider fuch ingredients or Elements as Bodies in a ftate of reft; whereas indeed the greateft part of the affedf ions of matter, and confequdntly of the Phenomena of nature, feems to de- pend upon the motion and the contri- vance of the fmall parts of Bodies. For 'tis by motion that one part of matter adts upon anoiher^and *tis, forthe moft part, the texture of the Body upon which the moving parts ftrike,that modifies y* Z motion TtiB SCETTICAL motion or lnipi eflion,aiidconrurrs with it to the produ(5tion of thofe Effeds which make op the chiet pan of the Na- turalifts Theme. But Eleutherius) me thinks for all this, you have left fomc part of what lalledg d in behalf of the three princi- ples, uiianfwer*d. For all that you have laid will not keep this from being a - ufeful Difcovery, that fince in the Salt ^ of one Concrete, in the Sulphur of ano“ ther, and the Mercury of a third, the Medicinal vertue of it rtfidesjthac Prin-; ciple ought robe feparated from the ref>, and there the defired faculty muft' be fought for. ' ■ I never denyed ( Replies Carneades') that the Notion of the Tria Prima may beoffome ufe, but (continues he laugh., ingi) by what you now alledg for it,' it Will but appear, That it is ufeful to A- ' potheca ties', rather than to Philofo- phers : The being able to make things ' Operative being fufficienr to thofe whereas the Knowledge of Caufes is the'^ Thing looked after by Th fe. And let me Tell You, EUuthnim^ even this it' felf will need Co be entertained with fbme caution. For nr Mist. 339 r. For firft , it will not prefently fol- i low, That if the Purgative or other ver- tue of a Simple may be eafiiy extraded by Water or Spirit of Wine, it Refides in the Salt or Sulphur of the Concrete; Since unlefs the Body hath before been fefolved by the Fire, or feme Ocher Powerful Agent, it will, forthemoft part, afford in the Liquors I have na- I med, rather the finer compounded parts : of it felf, Than the Elementary ones. As I noted before. That Water will diffolve not only pure Salts, but Chryftals of Tartar, Gumme Arabick, Myrrhe and Other Compound Bodies. As alfo Spirit of Wine will Diffolve not only the pure Sulphur of Concretes, but like- wife the whole Subftance of divers Re- I finous Bodies, as Benzoin, the Gum- nious parts of Jalap, Gumme Lacca, and Otherbodies that are counted per- I fedly Mixt. And we fee that the Extrafts ' made either with Water or Spirit of j Wine are not of a fimple and Elemen- I tary Nature, but Maffes corififting of the loofer Corpufcles , and finer pa!rts pf the Concretes whence they are Drawn; fince by Dift illation they may be Divided, into more Elementary fub- ^ancest Z 2 Next 340 THE SCErriCAL Next, we may confider That even when there intervenes a Chyniical re- folution by the Fire, 'tis feldom in the Saline or Sulphureousprinciple,as fuch, that the defir’d Faculty of the Concrete Refidesj Butj as that Titular Salt or Sulphur is yet a mixt Body, though the Saline or Sulphureous Nature be predo- minant in it. For, if in Gbymical Re- folu lions the feparated Subftances were pure and fimpie Bodies, and of a per- fedi Elementary Nature; no one would be indued with more Specifick Vertues, than another; and their qualities would RiiFeras Little as do thofe of Water. And let me add this upon the by. That even Eminent Chymifts have fuifer'd themfelves to be reprehended by me for liieir over great Diligence in purifying fome of the things they obtain by Fire from mixt Bodies. For though fuch coinpleatly purifyed Ingredients of Bo- dies might perhaps be morefatisfadtory to our Uudet Banding ; yet others are often moreufeful to our Lives; the effi- cacy of fuch Chymical Produdtions de- pending moft upon what they retain of the Bodies whence they are feparated, or gain by the new affociatlons of the Dif- CHTMISt. 341 fipated among themfelvesj whereas if they were meerly Elementary , their ufes would be comparatively very fmall; and the vertues of Sulphurs, Salts , or Other foch Subftances of one denomina- tion, would be the very fame. And by the Way ( Ekutherim ) I am inclin’d upon this ground to Think, That the artificial refolution of compound ! bodies by Fire does not To much en- rich mankind, as it divides them into theirfuppofed Principles; as upon the fcore of its making new compounds by new combinations of the dilfipated parrs of the refolv’d Body. For by this means the Number of mixt Bodies is confide- rably increafedj And many of thofe new produdiions are endow’d with ufeful qualities; divers of which they owe not to the body from which they were ob- tain’d , but to Their newly Acquired Texture. But thirdly, that which is principally I to be Noted is this, that as there are di- ! vers Concretes, whofe Faculties refide in fome one or other of thofe differing Subftances, that Chymifts call their Sul- phurs, Salts, and Mercuries , and con- fequently may be beft obtain'd, by ana- Z 3 lyzing T^elmont, P'larm. & Difpens . Nov.pag, 4^ Be 34? THE SCETtlCAL lyzing the Concrete whereby the defir- ed Principles may be had fever’d or freed ' from the reft ; So there are others where- in the nobleft: properties lodge not in the Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury , but depend immediately upon the fornij or ( ify< u will)refulr from the determi- nateftrudure of the Whole Concrete; and confequently they that go about to exrrad the Venues of fuch Bodies, by expofing them to the Violence of the Fire, do exceedingly miftake, and take the way to Deftroy what they would obtain. I remember that Helmnnt himfelf fomewkeie conftftes, That as the Fire betters fome things and improves their Venues, fo it fpoyles others and makes them degenerate. And elfewhere he judicioufly affirmes , that there may be fometimcs greater vertue in a fimple, fuch as Nature has made it, than in any thing that can by the fiie be feparated from it. And left you fhould doubt whether he means by the vertues of things thofe that are Medical; he has in one place this ingenuous confefljon;Cre- ■do (faies he) [mflicia in fiia fi7Tr{>licitaU ■ejfe fiiffudintiafrofanatiom omnium mor~ ■ ' borum CHTMIST. 34? : /or?/;77.Nay,Barrhius,even ina comment I upon jBp^wVz«5,fcfurIes not to make this j acknowledgment ; Valde ahjurdum T ’ .. (faies hc)ex omnibus rebus extruBafacereyg^j^ Begu!^* ' Julia, quintas ejfenti os', puefertim ex i. fdantiisper fe flane ’ elfubtilibus vel mogeneu, ^uales funtZJmones, Coralliai tMofcus^Ambra^iS'C.Con(onZ’C\i y where- unto he aifo tells Us, (and Vouches the famous Platerus, for having candidly gi- ven the lamL Advei tifemtnr to his Au~ ditors, ) that Tome things have greater venues, and better {uittd to onr humane nature, when unprepar’d, than when they have pafl the Chymifts Fire; as we fee, faies my Author , in Pepper; of which fome grains fwallowed perform more towards the relief of a Difiemperd fto* mack, than a great quantity of the Oyle of the fame fpice. It has beenCpurfues Carneades)hy our Friend hereprefentobferv’d concerning Sali-petre, that none of the fubftanceSi into which the Fire is wont to divide it, retaines either the Taft, the cooling ver- tue, or fome other of the properties of the Concrete 5 and that each of thofe Subftances acquires new qualities not to be found in Salt-Petre it felf. The Z 4 ^ Alining 344 THE SCETTlCAL ihining property of the cay Is of glowt worms does furvive but fo ihort a time the little animal made confpicuous by it, that inqmfitive men have not fci upled publickly to deride Baptifta Porta and others; who, deluded perhaps with Tome Chymical rurmifes,have ventur’d to pre-? fcribe the Qiflillation of aWarer from the tayles ofGIowwormes,as a fare way to obtain a liquor fliining in the Dark. To which t fhail now add no other ex^ ample than that afforded us by Amber; which, whilft it remains an iniiie body, is endow’d with an Electrical faculty of drawirjg to it felf feathers, ffrawcs, and : fuch like Bodies •, which 1 never could j obferve either in irs Salt, its Spii it , its ' Oyle, pr in the Body 1 remember I once made by the reunion of its divided Ele- ments; none ot t hefe having fuch a T ex- tureasrhe intire Concrete. And however Chymifts boldly deduce Cuch and fuch properties fronr this pr that proportion of their component Principles; yet in Concretes that abound with, this or that . Ingredient, ’tis not alwaies fo much by venue of its prefence , nor its plenty, that the Concrete is qualify 'd toper- form fuch and luch Effedls; as upen the I account I CHTMIST. 345 recount of theparticular texture of that :|and the other IngredientSjaflbciated af» I ter a determinate Manner into one Con- 1 Crete: though pofTibly fuch a proportion r of that ingredient may be more conveni- :| ent than another for the conftituting of 1 fuch a body. Thus in a clock the hand ( is mov’d upon theDyaI,the bell is ftruck* 'and the other adHons belonging to the I engine are perform’d , not becaufe the . , Wheeles are ofbrafs or iron, or part of i| o«e metal andpart of another, or becaufe M the weights are ol Lead , but by Vertue of the fize, /liape, bignefs, andco*apta- I lion of the feveral parts; which would j performe the fame things though the ^ wheels were of Silver, or Lead,or Wood, and the W eights of Stone or Clay; pro- vided the Fabrick or Contrivance of the engine were the fame : though it be not to be deny’d , that Brafs and Steel are more convenient materials to make clock- wheels of than Lead, or Wood. And to let you {tt^Ehutherim^ that ’tis fometimesat leaft, upon the Texture of the fmall parts of a body, 8e not alwaies upon the prefence, or recefs, or increafe, or Decrement of any one of its Principles, that it may lopfe fome ^6 run SCEPTICAL fuchQualities,and acquire Tome fuch Q- thers as are thought very hrongly inhe- rent to the bodies they Refide in ; I will add to what may from my paft dU fcourfebe referr’d to this purpofe, this Notable Example, from my Own expe- rience; That Lead may without any ad- ditament, and only by various applica- tions of the Fire, lofe its colour; and acquire fometiraes a gray , fometimes a ycllowilli,fometimes a red,fometimes an amethyHme colour; and after having paft through thefe,and p rhaps divers others, again recover its leaden colour, and be made a bright Body. That alfo this Lead, which is fo flexible a metal , may I be made asbrittle asGlafle,and prefent- k ly be brought to be again flexible dnd | Malleable as before. And beftdes, that | the fame lead, which I find by Mkrofm- | fes to be one of the moft opacousbodies i in the World, may be reduced to a fine i tranfparent glafs ; whence yet it may ? return to an opacous Nature again; and all this, as I faid,withoiit the addition of any extraneous body, and meerly by the manner and Method of expofing it to. the Fire. But ( id.mCarmades ') after having - . already;. CUT Ml ST. 347 already put you to fo prolix a trouble, it is time for me to relieve you with a promife of putting fpeedily a period to jit; And to make good that promife,! lhall from all that I have hitherto difcourfed with yoUjdeduce but this one propofiti- on by way of Corollary. [That it may as yet be doubted., whether or no there be any determinate Number of Elements i Or ^ if you fleafe^whether or no all compound bo- dies , do confiSi of the fame number of Ele- mentary ingredients or material Princi- ples. ] This being but an inference from the foregoing Difcourfe, it will not here- .quifite to infill: at large on the proofs of it ; But only to point at the chief of Them, and Referr You for Particulars to what has been already Delivered. In the Firfl: place then , from what has been fo la rgely difcours’d,it may ap- pear, that the Experiments wont to be brought, whether by the common Peri- pateticks,or by the vulgar Chymilfs, to demonftrate, that all mixt bodies are made up precifely either of the four E- lements, or the three Hypoftatical Prin- ciples, do not evince what they are al- ledg’d to prove. And as for the other > * ‘ common (11 I£ 111 K II 348 THE SCETTICAL common arguments, pretended to b( drawn from Reafon in favour of the A riftotelian Hy^othefts(i for the Chymifti- are wont to rely almoft altogether upor ^ Experiments 3 they are Commonl> grounded upon ruch unreafonable Qt precarious Suppofitions, that ’tis alto- gether as eafie and as juft fo r any man tc rejed them, as for thofe that take them for granted to aflertthem, being indeed all of them as indenionftrabie as the conciufion to beinferr*d from themjand fome of them fo manifefily weak and prooftefle; that he niuft be a very cour- teous adverfary, that can be willing to grant them; and as unskihul a one, that can be compelled to do fo, J| In the next place, it may be confide- 4 red, if what thcfe Patriarchs cf ihtSpa.i gyri/ls, Paracelfus and Belmont^do on di- 1 yers oCGafionspofitively deliver, be truei ^ namely that the Alkahefi does Refolve! all mixt Bodies into other Principles than the fire, it muft be decided which of the two refolqiions (that made by the ' Alkahefi^ox that made by the fire) fiiall determine the number of the Elements, before we can be certain how many there are. And CUT Mist, .r- 349 And in the mean time, we may take ^otice in the laft place, that as the di- fl:in<5t fubftances whereinto the Alkahe^ divides bodies, are affirm’d to be di-ffer- ing in nature from thofewhereunto they are wont to be re- Novi faxiktn C? JapiJtf $nme$ in memm faJem fuo faxo aut JapiJi C? ^^uiponderanUm reducere abf^uis omm frorfus fuJphure aut JSdercuriom Hclmont. pag, 4^0. duc’d by fire, and 10 be obtain’d from fome bodies more |in Number than From fome others ; fince he tells us, he could totally reduce all forts of Stones into Salt only, where- as of a coal he had two diftinct Liquors . So, although we fhould acquiefce in that refolutipn which is made by fire,we find not that all mixt bodies are thereby di- vided into the fame number of Elements and Principles^ fome Concretes afford- ing tiiore of them than others do ; Nay and fometimesthis or that Body afford- ing a greater number of Differing fub- ftances by one way of management, t han the fame yeelds by another. And they that out of Gold, or Mercury, or Mufco- vy-glafs, will draw me as many diftindl fubftances, as lean feparate from Vitri- ol, or from the juice of Grapes varioufly order’d, may teach me that which 1 ffiali very 350 The SCBTTICAL CHTMISl very Thankfully learn. Nor does it ap peai more congruous to that variety thai fo much conduceth to the perfedlion oi theoUniverfe, that all Elemented bodies be compounded of the fame number of Elements, than it would be for a lan- guage , that all its words fhould confift of the fame number of Letters. THE THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST OR, Ere Carneades having Difpach’t what he Thought Requifite to op- ipofe againft what the Chyniifts are 'vvont to alledge for Proof^f their three Principles, Paus’d a while, and look’d iabout him, to difcover whether it were Time for him and his Friend to Re- joyne the Reft of the Company. But i Tie Sixth Fart. 352 THE sceptical forbid Them to^Profecute their DiP- €ourfe a lirtle further, Paid to his Friend, - ( who had likewife taken Notice of ; the fame thing ) I halfe expeftcdi Car- ■ mades^xhztzhtr you had fo freely de- ■ clar*d Your doubting, whether there be any Determinate Number of Elements, You would have proceeded to qUeifion ' whether there beany Elements at all. And I confefs it will be a trouble to me if You defeat me of ray Expedlation ; efpecially finceyou fee the leaftire we have allow’d us may probably fuffice to examine that Paradox ; becaufe you have fo largely Deduc’d already many Things pertinent to it, that you need but intimate how you would have them ' Apply ’d , and what you would inferf : from them. Carneadrs having in Vain reprefented that their leafure could be but very rtiort, that he had already prated very long, that he was unprepar’d to main- tain fo great and fo invidious a Para- dox, was at length prevail’d with to tell his Friend; Since, Eleutherius^ you will have me Difcourfe Ex Tempore of the Paradox you mention,! am content, C though more perhaps to exprefs my Obedi- A>im!Ar.,v x 3:^3 ©bedienGe,.th;sm 4By Opiniop ) , to t^eil you tihat C fuppiOJu^g the Truth, or i zjro^^^and Ffperiehce think to } the contrary ). may be '‘f'rouhled with jjgreat aijd Jfcavy ftones in their Kidr neys and Bladders , though they Feed ,but iipOTi Grafs and other Vegetables, ,that are perhaps hut Difguifed Water, jt will not feem improbable that even [fome Concretes of a mineral Nature^, [may Likewife be form’d of Water. , j We may further take notice, that as a Plant may be riouriflit, and corf- fequentiy may (ponfift of Common wa- ter; fo may both plants and Animals , ) (' perhaps even from their Seminal Ru- i dinients ) conhft of compound Bodies , I Aa 3 with- 35§ TJin SCEFTiCAL without having any thing meerly Ele- mentary brought them by nature to be ' compounded by them; This is evident in divers men, who whilft they were Infants ' were fed only with Milk , afterwards ■ Live altogether upon Flelh, Fifli,Wine, and other perfedly Mixt Bodies. It may be feen alfo in flieep, who on fome ' of our Englilh Downs or Plains, grow ‘ very fat by feeding upon the grafs, with- out fcarce drinking at all. And yet more manifefliy in the magots that breed andgrow up tq their full bignefle within the pulps of Apples, Pears, pr the like Fruit. We fee alfp, that Dungs that abound with a mixt Salt give a much more fpeedy increment to Corn and o- ther Vegetables, than Water alone would do : And it hath been affur’d me, by a man experienc’d infuch matters, that fonietimes when to bring up roots very early, the Mould they were plant-; ed in was made over-rich, the very fub-i ftance of the Plant has tafted of the Dung. And let us alfo confider a Graft of one kind of Fruit upon the upper bough of a Tree of another kind. As ^for inftance)the Scion of a Pear upon a White-thorne ; for there the afeending Li<]Uor CMTMIST. 3S9 J^iquor is already alter’d , either by the rope, or in itsafeem by the barkjorboth wayes, and becomes a new mixt body : as may appear by the differing qualities to be met with ip the faps of feveral treesjas particularly, the medicinal ver- tue of the Birch- Water ^ which I have fomeiimes drunk upon Helmonts great ! and not undeferved commendation. Now the graft jbeingfaften’d toiheftock, I muft neceffarily nourilh its felf^and pro- ( 4tice its Fruit, only out pf this com- pound J uice prepared for it by the ftock, being unable to come at any other ali- ment. And if we conlider , how much of the Vegetable he feeds upon may(as we noted above ) remain in an Animal; we may eafily fuppofe , That the blood of thatAnimal who Feeds upon this, though it be a Well conftituted Liquor > and have all the differing Corpufcles, tha^ make it up, kept in order by one prefiding form,may be a ftrangly Decompounded Body,ipany of its parts being therafelves | Decompounded.So little is it Ncceffary I lhat even in the mixtures which nature I her felf makes in Animal and Vegetable j Bodies, fhe Ihould have pure Elements hand to make her compoiitions of. ^ Having S6o THE SC-Br^^PCJL Havin^Taid thus much touchihg’fbe cbhftitutiori of PlahcS and -Anin>atl*^^‘'4 might perhaps be able to fay 'as iliucW touching that ofMrnerals, and even Me- tals, if it were as eaiy for us to make"<:)?i perimentjin Order to theprodudion^f thefe,' as of ihofe. Bur the growth incren»etit'Of Minerals being ufually a work of excefllvely longtin)e , and foP the nioli: part perform’d in the bowels of the Earth, where we cannot fee it, t iiUi# iaflead cf Experiments make ufei on thi&ocGafion, of Obfervations. That iloncs were not all made at onc-ei but that ‘lome of them are nov/ adsye^ generated; may (though itbe deny 'd by fome) be fully prov’d by feveral exama plesj of'v/hichT ftail noty fcarce alledg any other, than that famous place in Prance k.nown by the name oiLes Caves Goif/yiamr where the Water failing fr'oni the upper Parts of the cave to the ground 'does prefcntly there condenfe into Ikrla Ifones^Tof fueh figures as: the drops, fal» ling eithei feverally or upon one anoiheri and ^coagulating preftndy into Ifonuj chanceeib exhibit. Of thefe ftones fonie Ingenib'iis.Friends-of ours, that went a while- fince to vifit that place , did me CUT MIST. 361 the favour to prefent me with fonie that they brought thence. And I remem- ber that both that fober Relator of his V'oyiges ^ Van Lin fchoten and another good Author, inform us that in the Dia-? mond Mines (as they call them ) in the i: Indies-^ when 'having dig’d the ' Earth, though to no great depth, ihe]y find Diamonds and take them quite a* .. way ; Yet in a very few years they find I in the fame place new Diamonds pro* , duc’d there fince. From both which Relations, erpecially the firft, itfeems probable that Nature does not alv,’aies . flay for divers Elemtnrary Bodies, when file- is to produce ilones. ; And as for Metals tliemfelves, Authors of good note ! affure us, that even they were not in the 1 beginning pi^oduc’d a c once altogethec, but have been oBferv’d .to grow; fo that .what was nor s;Mi neral or Metal before, ' became one afterwards - 'Of this it were : eaiie to alledg many •teflimonies of prcr- feffed » Chymifls. But that 'they may , have the greater authority,! fliall rather prefent you with a few borrowed from nao r e u n fu fp ed ed w r i t er s . Sulphuric Mi-’- neram ( as the inquifitive IF. Fallopius notes ) nutrix efi ealoris fubterrand fabri THE SCEPTICAL f^bri feu Archdti fontium ^ miner alium ^ Infra ten am cUiffme renafci te^antur Him ^oria CHetallicatio centum anmrum intermittebatur^ ^ ite-r rum illuc revertebantur , fojjfores teperife max imam copiam ferri regeneratamPN h ich hiftory not only is countenanced by FaU /o/’/«#,fronithe Inconi which the Iron of that Ifland yeelded the Puke of Florence. in his time; but is mention’d more ex- preiTely to our purpofe by the Learned Ctfalpinm. Vena (faics \\t) ferri copio^i^ ma eft in Italia \ oh earn mbilitatallvot Tyrrheni marie Infnla incredihiH f^opiu. ttiamnoftrk temper thus earn gignens'Nam, terra qu£ eruitur-, dum vena ofoditur tota^ procedente tempore in venom convertitur. Which lail: claufe is therefore very nota- ble, becaufe from thence we may deduce, that earth, by a Metalline plaftick prin- ciple latent in it, may be in proceffe of time chang’d into a luetaL And even^- CffTMJSr. 365 grjcola hinifelf, though the Chytuifts complain of him as their adverfary, aC'- knowledges thus much and morejby tel- ling us that at a Town , , ; called 6erma- ; f^y ^thcy dig up Iron in Utudinem btpedaneam akisJd de^ the Fields, by finking rnatumd^m foiim w>» ditches two ropt deepj And adding? that within the fpace of * ten years the pitches are digged again for Iron fince produced , As the fame Metal is wont to be obtain’d in Jlva, Alfo concerning Lead, nor to mention what even G^Mn notes , that it will in- creafe both in hulk and Weight if it be long kept in Vaults or Sellers, where the Air is grofs and thigk, as he colleds from the fweliing of thofe pieges of Lead that were imploy'^d to fallen toge- ther the parts of old Statues. Not to 1 mention this, I fay^ BoCCacius Certaldm, \ as I find him Qnoted by a Diligent ' Writer, has this Pafiage touching the ) Growth of Lead. Felfularum mons^^dLits I he ) in Hetruria , Florentia civitati ini’- t minens t lapid’ejsflambarios hahet\ quifi j excidantur , brevi temporis Jpatio , mvk i incrmefitisinflaurantur\ut(jLTmexesmY \ Author ) tradit Boccacius CertalduSy oui 364 the sceptical idiCra 'Wput k jadixe excr£vijse digituhongir tudimh teBk efi Dtj, q.m quf- modi v'gpuA ahpeB u 'adtniiiabi^ -les Domi £<£ ^libs Jixpe monBravit o^mor/; I mean from this, that upon xhtAnalyfis of Mineral bodies they ate reA>ly’d into thofe differing fubftan- B b 2 ces» 372 . THE SCETTICAL ces. That we may therefore examine this Argument, Let us pi oeeed to confi* der what can be alledg’d in behalf of ' riieLlenients from the Refolutions of ' Bodies by the fire; which you remember ' was the fecond Topick whence I told you the Arguments of my Adverfaries were defum’d* And that I may firfl: difpatch what I have to fay concerning Minerals, I will ’ begin the remaining part of my dif- courfe with confidering how the fire di- vides them f i And firft, I have partly noted above j that though Chymifts pretend from fome to draw fait, from others tunning Mer- cuiy, and from others a Sulphur? Yet ; they have not hitherto taught us by any | way in ufe among them to feparate any one principle, whether Salt, Sulphur, or Mercury , from all forts of Minerals wiiliourexcepiion And thence 1 may be allow’d to conclude that there is not any of the Elements that is an Ingredient of ail Bodies, fince there are fome of which it is not fo. In the next place,fuppofing that either Sulphur or Mercury were obtainable from all forts of Minerals. Y*ec ftill this Sulphur CUT MIST. 37^ Sulphur or Mercury would be bur a i compounded, not an Elementary body, I as I cold you already on another occalii ipn.And certainly he that takes notice I of the vonderful Operations of Q^uickfil- ver, whether it be common , or drawn from Mineral Bodies, can fcarce be fo inconfidcrate as to think ic of the very fame natu re wish that immature and fu- gitive fubftance which in Vegetables & Anintals Chyniifts have been pleas’d to icall their Ivlercm y So that whenMercu- jry is got by the help of the fire out of a ( metal or other Mineral Body, if we will i notfuppofe that it was not pre exiftent fjin i', but produc’d by the aftion of the • Ifirt upon the Concrete, we may at ieaft fuppofe thfs 0|,!ickfiiver to have been a iperfed Body of its own kind ( though iperhaps lefs heterogeneous than more fecundary mixts) which happen’d to be mingl’d minima^3,nd coagulated with the other fubftances, whereof the Meral or Mineral confified. As may be exeni- plyfied partly by Native Vermilion wherein iheQuickfiiver and Sulphur be- ing exquifitely blended both with one a- nother , and that other courfe Mineral [Huff ( what ever it be} that harbours Bb 3 ihenij 374 TflE SCEPTICAL them, make up a red body differing c- nough from both; and yet from which part of the Quickfilver, and of the Sul- phur j may be eafily enough obtain'd ; Partly by thofe Mines wherein nature has fo curioufly incorporated Silver with Lead, that 'tis extreamly difficult, and yet poffible, to feparate the former out of the Latter ; And partly too by native Vitriol , wherein the Metalline Corpufcles are by skill and indufVry fe- parablefrpm ihefaline cnes,though they be fo con*coagulated with them , that the whole Concrete is reckon’d among : Salts. And here I further obferve, that 1 ne- ver could fee any Earth or Water, pro- perly fo call'd , feparated from either Gold or Silver C to name now no other Metalline Bodies) and therefore to re- tort the argument upon my Adverfaries, I may conclude, that fince there are ; fonie bodies in which, for ought ap- pears, there is neither Earth nor Water; | I maybe allow’d to conclude, that nei- ; ther of thofe two is an Univerfal In- gredient of all thofe Bodies that are ' counted perfedfly mixr, which I defire * you would remember againft Anon. It CHTMIST. 375 It may indeed be objedled, that the reafon why from Gold or Silver we can» not feparate any moifture , is , becaufe that when it is melted out of the Oar , the vehement Fire requifite to its Fufion forc’d awdy all the aqueous and fugitive moifture ; and the like fire may do from the materials of Glafs. To which I lhall Anfwer , that I Remember I read not long fince in the Learned Jsfefbus Acofla-, who relates it upon his , own oblervatipn ; that in America Natual (where he long lived) there is a kind of .md McAl Silver which iht Indians cdi[\Pa‘p as fometimes (faieshe) they find pieces 1.3. c.5.p! very fine and pure like to fmall round roots, the which is rare in that metal, but ufual in Gold ; Concerning which metal he tells us, that befides this they find fome which they call Gold ingrains, , which he tells us are fmall morfells of Gold that they find whole without mix- , ture of any other metal, which hath no 1 need of melting or Refining in the i fire. I remember that a very skilful and credible peiTon affirmed to me, ihar be- ) ingin the Hungarian mines he had the ; good fortune to fee a mineral that was Bb 4 there 37 ^ THB sceptical ’ there digg’d up, wherein pieces of Gold ; of the length , and alfo almoft of the , bignefs of a humane Finger , grew in the Oar, as if they had been parts and Branches ol Trees. And I have my ielf feen a Lump of whitilh Mineral , that v/as brought as a Rarity to a Great and knowing Prince, wherein there grev/ here and there in . the Stone , which looked like a kind of ; fparr, divers little Lumps of f.ne Gold, . (for fuch I was affured that Tryai had I manifeLed it to be ) fome of them i Seeming to be about the Bigneis of ' peafe. But that is nothing to what our A cotia fubjoynes, which is indeed very memorable, namely , that of the mor- fels of Native and pure Gold , which we lately heard him mentioning, he had now and then feen fome that weighed many pounds-, to which! ftall add, See that 1 my felf have feen a Lump of inthefcri- Qar not long fince digged up ^ in w^hofe anf ftony part there grew , almoft like raffage ofTrecs, djveis parcels though not of 1 yet of C what perhaps Mineralifts ^ -will more wonder at) another Metal which feenied to be veiy pure or un^ mixc CHTMISt. 377 Biixt with any Hetercgeneous Subftan- ces , and were feme of them as big as my Finger, if not bigger. But upon ' Obfervations of this kind, though per- ! haps 1 could, yet 1 niufi: not at prefenr, I dwell any longer. To proceed Therefore now f faies k Carneades) to the Confideration of the \ Anal) [is of Vegetables , although niy I Tryals give me no caufe to doubt bur t that out of moft of them five differing lii Subftances may be obtainM by the fire, 5 yet I think it will rot be fo eafily De- ii monff rated that thefe deferve to be i call’d Elements in the Notion above ex* I plain’d. And before I defcend to particulars, i 1 lhall repeat and premife this General Confideration, that thefe differing Tub* i fiances that are call’d Elements or i Principles, differ not from each other as ! Metals, Plants and Animals, or as fuch 1 Creatures as are immediately produc'd each by its peculiar Seed, and Confli* tutes a diflinft propagable fort of Crea- tures in the liniverfe $ but thefe are on- ly Various Schemes of matter or Sub- llauces that differ from each other, but in confiflence (as Running Mercury atid the 3?8 THE SCETTICAL the fame Meral congeal'd by the Vapor of Lead) and fome very few other ac? cidents* as Taftjor Smel, or Inflama- bility, or the want of them. So that by a change of Texture not impoflible to be wrought by the Fire and other A- gents that have the Faculty , not only to dilTociate the froall parts of Bodies, but afterwards to conneA them after a ^ new manner , the fame parcel of mat- ter may acquire or lofe fuch accidents as may fuffice to Denominate it Salt, or ; Sulphur, or Earth. If I were fully to . clear to you my apprehenfions con- ■ cerning this matter , I Ihould perhaps ■ be obliged to acquaint you with divers ! ofiheConjedures (fori rauftyet call them no more ) 1 have had Concerning | the Principles of things purely Corpo- real: For though becaufe I feem not fatisfi’d with the Vulgar Doftrines, ei- ther of the Peripatetick or Paracelfi- an Schooles, many of thofe that know me, ( and perhaps, among Them, Eleu- thenushxmitM) have thought me wed* dedto the Epicurean Hyfotkefis^ (as others have miftaken me for an HeU mmlicn) yet if you knew how little ! Con verfant I have been with Eficurean Authors , CHTMIST. 379 Authors, and how great a part of Lu-^ himfelf I never yet had the Cu- riofiiy to read , you would perchance be of another mind; efpecially if I were to entertain you at large, I fay not, with my prefent Notions; but w'*' my former thoughts ccmcerning the Principles of things. But, as I faid above , fully to clear my Apprehenfions would require a Longer Difcourfe than we can now have. For, I fhould tell you that I have fometimes thought it not unfit, that to the Principles which may be allign’d to things, as the World is now Confii- 1 tuted, w’e fhould, if we confider the i| Great Mafs of matter as it was whilft the Univerfe was in making , add ano- ti ther, which may Convenienily enough I be call’d an Architedtonick Principle < or power 5 by which 1 mean thofc i Various Determinations , and that t Skilfull Guidance of the motions c of the fmall parts of the Univerfal t matter by the moft wife Author of li things, which were neceffary at the be- j ginning to turn that confus’d Chaos into t this Orderly and beautiful World; and ? Efpecially, to contrive the Bodies of A- nimals 380 THE SCEPTICAL nimals and Plants, and the Seeds of thofe things whofe kinds were to be propagated. For I confefs I cannot well Conceive, how from matter, Barely put into Motion, and then left to it felf, there could Emerge fuch Curious Fa- , bricks as the Bodies of men and perfed Animals, and fuch yet more admirably Contriv’d parcels of matter,as the feeds , of living Creatures, I ihould likewife tell you upon what ! grounds, and in what fence. I fufpeded the Principles of the World , as it now | is, to be Three, Matter^ UMotion and , B-eft. I fay, as the World mn> iS ^ be- caufe the prefent rabrick of the Uni- \ verfe, and ei'necially the feeds of things, ! together with the eftablilht Courfe of j Nature, is a Requifite or Condition, , upon whofe account divers things may be made out by our three Principles, 1 which otherwife would be very hard , if poifibie, to explicate. . I ihould moreover declare in gene-, ral ( for I pretend not to be able to do . it otherwife) not only why 1 Conceive that Colours, Odors, Tafts, Fiuidnefs . and Solidity, and thofe other qualities , that Diveififie and Denominate Bodies may CHTMIST. 3S1 nay Intelligibly be Deduced from 'heCc three ; hut how two of the three i|Epicurean Principles(which,I need not •i:ell you, are Magnitude , Figure, and ) Weight ) are Themfelves Dtducible rom Matter and Motion ; fince the Latter of thefe Varioufly Agitating , jnd, as it were, Diftrading the Former, huft needs disjoyne its partsjvvhich be- ng Adiually feparated muft Each of them iiecefTarily both be of fome Si2e, ind obtain fome lhape or other. Nor did I add to our Principles the ian partly for other ReaforrsL ’vhich I niufl: not now ftay to iniift on; iind partly becaufe it feenis to be ra- ?[her an Antecedcnt,or a Terminus, a quo^ j:han a True Principle , as the flarting- iPoft is none of the Horfes Legs or cLimbs. I I fhould alfo explain why and how ntade Reft, to be, though not fo confi- derablca Principle of things, as Moti- on; yet a Principle of them; partly be- :aufe it is (for ought we know) as An- irient at leaft as it, and depends not upon jMotion,norany other quality of niat- [:er; and partly, becaufe it may enable the Body in which ic happens to be , I both f j 82 the sceptical both to continue in a State of Reft till fome external force put it out of that ftate , and to concur to the produftion of divers Changes in the bodies that hit againft it, by either quite ftopping i orlefsning their Motion (whilft the bo- i dy formerly at Reft Receives all or part i of it into it felQor elfe by giving a new i Byafs, orfome other Modification, to i Motion, that is, To the Grand and Pri- | mary inftrument whereby Nature pro- ' duces all the Changes and other Qua- ' lities that are to be met with in the i • World. 1 I Ihould likewife, after all this ex- ; plain to you how, although Matter, Mo- ( lion and Reft , feem’d to me to be the i Caiholick Principles of the Univerfe, I ' thought the Principles of Particular bo- j dies might be Comniodioufly enough j reduc’d to two,nameIy ilitherwife altering the par- iklcs of the^matter, doesibfing it to a 5 ai^e “ ^ ■ Ce ^ Fbf Otkneautem Alcali adjita pinguedine in aqueuin liqm- rem,qui tandem met a ^ fimr f lex aquafjti reducitur^ ( videre eR in Safone^Lazurh laPid€ 0 ) qmties fer adjunSa fixa femen Ifingm^ dinU defonit. Hdmonc. 388 THE SCEPTICAL For I know (faies he, in the place formerly alledg’d to another purpofe)a way to reduce all ftones into a meet Salt of equal v/eight with the ftone whence it was produc’d, and that without any of the leaft either Sulphur or Mercury ; which affeveration of my Author would perhaps feem lefs incredible to You, if I durft acquaint You with all I could fay upon that fubjeft. And hence by the W'ay you may alfo conclude that the Sul- phur and Mercury , as they call them, that Chymifts are wont to obtain from compound Bodies by the Fire, may poffjbly in many Cafes be the produfti- ons of it ; fince if the fanie bodies had been wrought upon by the Agents em- ploy’d by Helmontt they would have yeelded neither Sulphur nor Mercury, & thofe portions of them, which the Fire would have prefeniedUs in the forme of Sulphureous and Mercurial Bodies, would have, by Hdmonts method , been exhibited to us in the form of Salt. But though (faies Eleutherittt') You have alledg’d very plaufible Arguntents againlHhe itr/V Prima^ yet I fee not how will be polhble for you , to avoid ac- knowledging that Earth and Water are c nr HIST, 3§9 Elementary Ingredients, though not of Mineral Concretes, yet of all Ani- mal and Vegetable Bodies; Since if any of thefe of what fort fpever be commit- ted to Diftillation, there is regularly and conftantly feparated from it a phlegme or aqueous part , and a Cafut Movtmm or Earth. I readily acknowledge C anfwers Carneades') it is not fo eafy to rejed Wa- ter and Earthfand efpecially the former) as ’ds to rejed the 7r/4 Prima^^ro'^a be- ing the Elements of mixt Bodies ; but ^is not every difficult thing that is im- poiTible, I confider then, as to Water, that the chief Qualities which make men give that name to any vifible Subftance, are that it is Fluid or Liquid, and that it is infipid and inodorous. Now as for the taft of thefe qualities, I think you have I never feen any of thofe feparated fub- i dances that the Chymifts call Phlegme i which was perfedly devoid both of Taft and Smell .* and if you objed , that yet it may be reafonably fuppos'd, that fmce the whole Body is Liquid,the mafs . is nothing but Elementary Water faintO ; iy imbu’d with fqmeof the Saline or Cc i " Sul- 396 tnn SCBfTTCAX. Sulphureous parts of th6 fame Con- crete} which it retainM with it upon its Separation from the Other Ingredients^ To this 1 anfwer , That this pbjeftion would not appear fo firongas it is plau- sible, if Chymifts Underftood the Na- ture of Fluidity and Compa cerning the change of Quickfilver into I Water;For that water having but a very I faint taft, if any whit more than divers I of thofe liquors that Chymifts referr to I Phlegme, By that estperiment it feems } evident, that even a metalline body, and * therefore much more fuch as are but , Vegetable or Animal, may by a Ample fe operation of the Fire be turn’d in great J part into Water. And f nee thpfe 1 dif- ' pute with are not yet able out of Gold, 1 or Silver, or divers other Concretes to feparate any thing like Water; 1 hope I I may be allow’d to conclude againft ' '' ' Them , 394 SC EFTIC AL Them, that water it felf is not an Uni^ verfal and pre-exiftent Ingredient of Mixt Bodies- Butas for thofe Cbymifts that, Sup- pofing with me the Truth of what /feZ-r mont relates of the wonderful : EfFe^ffs, have a right lo prefs me with his Authority concerning them, and tq alledge that he eoiild Tranfmute all re- pmed mixt Bodies into infipid and meet Water; To thofe I (hall reprefenu That ! though his affirmations conclude nrong-? ' ly againft the Vulgar Chymifts ( againft I whom I have not therefore fcrupTd to i Employ Them) fince they Evince that the Commonly reputed Principles or ingredients ofThings are not Permanent and indeftrufiible, fince they may be further reduc’d into Infipid Phlegme i differing fr6 them all; Yet till we can be : Allow’d to examine this Liquor, I think i it not unreafonable to doubt whether it : be not fomething elfe than meer Water. < For I find not any other reafon given. | by flelmont of his Pronouncing it fo.than | tfiat it is infipid. Now Sapour being an i Accident or an Affedion of matter that , relates to our Tongue, Palate, and other || Organs of Taft, it may very poffibly be, ij that s CBTMISr. 395 that the fnfjall Parts cf a Body may be bf fiich a Size and Shape , as either by 1 their extream litElenefs,orby their flen- idernefs, or by their Figure, to be una- ble to pierce into and make percepti- ble Iropreflioh upon the Nerves or Membranous parts of the Organs of Taft, and yet may be fit to work o- therwife upon divers other Bodies than meer Water can , and confequently to iDifclpfe it felf to be of a Nature farr e- inoughfrom Elementary. In Silkedyed iRed or of any other Colour, wiiilft ma- ny Contiguous Threads make up a jskein, the Colour of the Silke is con- fpicUous;but if only a very few of them be look^t upon, the Colour will appear Imuch fainter than before- But if You Itake out one fimple Thread, you ftiall |not eafily be able to difcern any Colour j at all? So fubtile an Objed having not I the Force to make bpon the Opticlc sNerve anlmpreflion great enough to be ( taken Notice of. It is alfo obferv’d,that 5tbe bcft fort of Oyl- Olive is aimoft taft- illefs, and yet I need not tell you how f exceedingly diftant in Nature Oyle is fcfrom Water. The Liquor into which il told you, upon the Relation of Lully 59^ the SCETTlCAt an Eye-witnefs,that Mercury might Tranfniuied, has fometimes but a very Languid, if any Taft; and yet its Ope-ji rations even upon fome Mineral bodies ! are very peculiar. Quickfilver it felf al- ! Co, though the Corpufcles it confifts of i be fo very fmalkas to get into the Pores i of that Clofeft and compafteft of Bo- dies, Gold, is yet (you know) altogether Taftlefs. And our Helmout fever^l times tells us, that fair Water, wherein a little Quantity of Quickfilver has lain for i fome time, though it acquire nq certain i Taft or other fenflble Quality from the i Quickfilver; Yet it has a power tode- ftroy wormes in human Bodies; whicfi \ he does much,but not caufeJefsly extoll. ! And 1 remember, a great Lady,that had been Eminent for her Beauty in Divers Courts, confefs*d to me,that this infipid | Liquor was of all innocent wallies for foe Face the be.ft that llie ever met; with. And- here let me conclude my Dift courfe , concerning fuch waters or Li- quors as I have hitherto been exami- ning, with thefe two Confiderations. Whereof the firft is. That by reafon of our being wont to drink nothing but Wine, CHTMl'Sf. '397 Wine, Bear, Cider , or other ftrongly tafted Liquors, there may be in feveral ,of thoCe Liquors, that are wont to pafs for infipid Phlegme, very peculiar and Diftind Tafts, though unheeded (and perhaps not to be perceiv’d ) by Us. ■For to omit what Naturalifls affirm of I Apes, ( and which probably may be j^true of divers other Animals) that they [ have a more exquifite palate than Men: i.amongMen themfelvcs, thofe that are cwont to drink nothing but water, may ;,(as I have try’d in my felf) Bif- i .cern very fenfibly a great Difference of ITafts in feveral waters , which one un- r ’accuftomed to drink water would take ; to be all alike infipid. And this is the of my two Gonfideratibns. The 0- ftheris , That it is not impoflible that the GorpufeleS, into which a body isdif- |(ipated by the Fire,may. by the Opera- rfCtion of the fame fire have theiir figures fo altered, or may be by affocia lions IfiiWith one another brought into litile i,!'Maffes of fuch a Size and Shape, as not to be fit to make fenfible Irapreffions oti ii|the Tongue. And that you may not think fuch alterations impoffible, be to coiifidef with me , that not only THE SCMFTICAI only the fliarpeft Spirit ©f Vinegar hi« ving diilblved as much Cofall as it cau, i will Coagulate with it into a Subftance, i which, though folubje iti fivaier Ulje fair* i is incomparably lefs ft.tongly Tafted ' than the Vinegar was before; but (what i is more coiifiderable ) though the } cid falts that are carried iip with Q;uick- iilver in the preparation of copipooh.'^ fublimate are foiharp , that being moi- !l frenedwith water k will Corrode fo^nie i re-fublini’d with afull proportion of in- |] iipid C^ickiiiver, Conftitutes C as you I know) that Fafiitious Concrete which f the Chymifts call iMercurius dfilcki l hot bee a ufe it isfweet, but becaufetbe |i Iharpnefs of the Corrofive Salts is fo a taken away by their Combination with ^ the Mercurial Corpufcles , that the I whole 'mixture when it is prepar’d is | judg’dro be infipid. „ | And thus ( continues Carneades') ha- | ying given you fome Reafons why I re- * fufe to admit Elementary w^ier for a l conftaht Ingredien t of Mix t Bodies , , it i will bn eafie for me to give you an Ac*» | count why I alfd . . ! cnrmst, For firftjit may well befiirpeftcci that many Subftances pafs among Chyniifts under the name of Earth, becaufe , like it, they are Dry, and Heavy, and Fixt , which yet are very farr from an Ele-* nientary Nature. This you will not think improbable. If you recall to mind what I formerly told you concerning what Chyroifts call the Dead Earth of things j and efpecially touching the cop- per to be drawn from the Ca^ut Mor- of Vitriol; And if alfo you allow me to fubjoyne acafual but memorable Experiment made by Johannes Agrko- upon the Terra Damnata Qi Brim- ;ft^Dne. Our Author then tells us (in !iis notes upon Popius) that in the year ItAai he made dn Oyle of Sulphur ; the j'etnaining he reverberated in a noderate Fire fourteen dayes ; afrer- I vaiJds he put them well luted up in a ( iVind Oven , and gave them a ftroiig jFire for fix hours, purpofing to calcine t Ihe to a psrfedt Whitenefs , that . Iiewre Grapes, which exprefs’d yeeld Verjuice, a Liquor very differing in fe- ll veral qualities both from Wine and o- i ther Liquors obtainable front the Vine: ii Thefe fowre Grapes, being by the heat of the San concoiffed and ripened , turne I to well rafted Grapes j Thefe, if dry’d j in the Sun a-nd Diftill’d , afford a faetid j Gyle and a piercing Emfyreumatical Spi- i rtr, but not a Vinous Spirit; Thefe ' dry'd Grapes or Raifins,boyl'd in a con- ! venient proportion of Water, make a i| fweet Liquor, which, being betimes di- ftill’d, afford an Oyle.& Spirit much. like * Ee thofe i '' 4iS THE SCEtriCAt thofe of the Raifins thenifclvcS} Iftiie juice of the Grapes be fquees:’d out and put to Ferment, it firft becomes a fweet and turbid Liquor, then grows leffe fweet and more clear, and then affords in common DiRillations not an Oyle but a Spirit, which, though indamable like Oyle, differs much from it, in that it is not fat, and that it will readily mingle with Water. I have likewife without Addition obtain’d iU proceffeof time ( and by an eafie way which l am ready to teach you ) from One of the nobleft forts of Wjne, pretty ftorC of pure and Curioufly figured Chryftals of Salt, toge- ther With a great proportion of a Liquor as fweet alinoft as Hony ; and thefe I obtained not from Muft , bat True and fprightly Wine; befides the Vinous Liquor,the fermented j uice of Grapes is partly turned into liquid Dregs or Leeze, and partly into that cruft or dry feCuIan- cy that is commonly called Tartar; and this Tartar may by the Fire be eafily di- vided into five differing fubftances;four of which are not Acid, and the other not fo mariifeftly Acid as the Tartar it felfj The fame Vinoius Juice after fomc time, eijpecially if it be not carefully CHTMlSt. 419 ^kept. Degenerates into that very fowre Liquor called Vinegar} from which you may obtain by the Fire a Spirit and a Chryftalline Salt differing enough from the Spirit arid Lixiviate Salt of Tartar. And ifyou poure theDephlegiii’d Spirit of the Vinegar upori the Salt of Tartar, there will be produc'd fuqh a Conflift or Ebullition, as if there were fcarce two more contrary Bodies in Naturejand of- tentimes in this Vinegar you may ob- fervepart of the matter to be turned into an innumerable company of fwimming Animals, which our Friend having divers years ago obferyed, hath in one of his Papers taught us how to difcover clear- ly without the help of a c^/crq/co/e. Into all thefe various Schemes of matter, or dlfferingly C^ualifyed Bodies^' betides divers others that j purpofely forbear to mention , may the Water, I that is imbibed by the foots of the Vine, I be brought, partly by the formative po- I wer of the plant,and partly by fuperve- I nierit Agents or Caufes, without the vi- 1 hble concurrence of any extraneous In- i gredient} but if we be allow'd to add to i the Produdions of this irahfmuted Wa- I ih i few rither rubftances,we may mtich Ee a ericjeafe 420 THE SCEPTICAL enci eafe the Variety of fuch Bodie.Tj al- though in this fecond fort of Produdti- ODS, ihe Vinous parts feeni fcarce to.re- tain any thing of the much more fix’d Bodies wherewith they were niingi’d , but only to have by their Mixture with them accuir’d fuch a Difpofition , that in their recefs cccafion'd by the Fife they came to be alter’d as to fhape, or BignefSjOr both, and aflbeiated after a New manner, Thusj as I formerly told you , I did by the Addition of a Caput Movtuumof Anrimony, and feme other Bodies unfit fer Difriiiation , obtain from crude Tartar, Bore of a very Vo- latile and Chryftaliine Salt, differing ve- ry much in fmtli and oiher Qualities from the uCuall falts of Tarrar.- Eur Q£A.\t% Eleutherim ^ interrupting hill) at thefe Words ) if you have no re- ffraint upon you , I would very gladly before yon go any further, be n)Oie par- ticularly infomi’d, how you make this Volaiile Salt, becauTe fyou know )ihac fuch Multitudes of Chymifts have by a fcarce imaginable variety ofwaies, at- ' tcmpicd in Vain the Volatilization of j the Sail of Tartar , that divers leavned Ep joyr.itfs fpeak as if i t were inipoffi file . to * CHTMIST. 42 r to make any thing out of Tartar j that ihall be Volatile in a Saline Fornte , or, as To me of them exp refs ir, in forma fic- ca. lamveryfarr fiom thinking ( an- fwers Carneades) that the Salt i have mentiofi’d is that which Taracelfm. and fdelmont mean, when they fpeak of SalTurtari Volatile^ and afcrihe fuch great ^nings to it. For the Salt I fpeak of falls extreamly IFort of ihofe Vei- tues, not Teeming in its Taff, Srnel , antt Other Obvious (^laiiiies, to diner very n.'Uch (though fornerhing it does diner) from Salt of Hirts-hom, ar.d other Vo- latile Salts dravvii f;om the DiflilFd Parrs of Animals. Nor have I yet made Ttyals enough to be Ture, that it is a pure Salt of Tartar without parti» cipating anything at all of the Nitre , , or Antimony. But becauTe it Teems i more likely to proceed from the Tar- i tar, than from any of the other In- f gredients,and becaufe the Experiment’ I is in ir Telf not Ignoble, and Luciferous I enough ( as ihewing a new way to pro- : duce a Volatile Salt, contrary to Acid, t Salts, from Bodies that otherwiTe are l ObTerv’d to yeeld no fuch Liquor, bu c I either pnij, or chiefly, Acid ones,) I \ ' Ee 3 ihall, 42 z tub SCBPT JCAL lhall, to fatisfie you , acquaint you be» fore any of my other Friends with the way I now ufe (for I have formerly us’d fome others) to make it. Take then of good Antimony , Salt- petre and Tartar , of each an equal Weight, and of Quicklime I^lfe.the Weight of any one of themj let thefe be powder’d and well mingrd; this done, you mufthave in readinefs a long neck ^r Retort of Earthjwhich muft be plac’d in a Furnace for a naked t ire, and have at the top of it a hole of a con venient Bignefs, at which you maycaftin the Mixture,aadpferent!y flop it up againj this VefTel being fitted with a large Re- ceiver muft have Fire made under it, till the bottom of the fides be fed hot , and then you muft caft in the above pre- par’d Mixture,by aboute halfe a fpoon- f^ul (moreorlefs)ata time, at the hole made for that purpofe 5 which being nimbly ftopt, the Fumes will pafs into the Receiver and coadenfe there into a Liquor, that being redifi’d will be of a pure Golden Colour, and carry np that colour to a great height ; this Spirit a- bounds in the Salt I told you of, part of which may eahly enough be feparated CUT MI ST. 425 by the way I ufe in fuch cafes , which is, to put the Liquor into a glafs Egg, or bolthead with a long and narrow Neck. For if this be plac’d a little in- clining in hot fand, there will fublime up a fine Saif, which, as I told you , I find to be much of kin to the Volatile Salre of Animals : For like them it has a Saltifii, not an Acid Salt^ it hifles up- on the AiFufion of Spirit of Nitre, or Pyle of Vitriol; if precipitates Corals Difiblv’d in Spirit of Vinegar; it turnes the blew Syrup of Violets immediately green ; it prefently tutnes the Solution of Sublimate into a Milkie whitenefs; and in fumm, has divers Operations like thofe that I have obferv’d in that fort of Salts to which I have refembled if : and is fo Volatile, that for Diftinftion fake, 1 call it Sal Taxtari Fugitivus. What vertues it may have in Pnyfickl have not yet had the opportunity to tryj but I am apt to think they will not be defpicable. And befides that, a very In- genious Friend of mine tells me he hath done great matters againft the ftone with a Preparation not very much Dif- fering from ours; a very Experienc’d Germane Chymift finding that I was Ee 4 un- 424 iSCETTlCAL unacquainted with the waies of making this fait, told rpe that in a great City in his Country, a noted Chymift prizes it ib highly, that he had a while fince pro- cur'd a Priviledge from the Magiftrates, that none but He, or by bis Licence, lliould vent a Spirit made almoft after the fame Way with mine , fave thaf he leaves out one of the Ingredients, name- ly the QjLiick-lime. But, (continues Car~ neades^ to refume my Former Difcourfe where your Curiofuy interrupted it ; Tis alfo a common pradice in Frmc^ to bury thin Plates of Copper in the Marc ( as the French cali it ) or Husk? of Grapes, whence the Juice has been fqueez'd out in the Wine-prefs; and by this means the more faline parts of thofe Husks, working by little and lit- tle upon the Copper , Coagulate Themfelves with it into that Blewilh Green Subftaace we in Englifli call Verdigreafe. Of which 1 therefore take Notice, becaufe having Diffill’d it in a Naked Fire, 1 found, as I expeded, that by the Affociation of the Saline with the Metalline parts, the former were fo, alter’d, that the Diftill’d Liquor, even without Rediification, feem’d by fmell CUT MIST. 425 . , end Taftj ftrong almoft like Acjua For- : and very much furpalTed (he purtil , and moft Redifi’d Spirit of Vinegar that '1 ever 1 made. And this Spirit I there- I fore afcribe to the fait of the Husks al- ! ter’d by their Co-Mixiure wirh theCop- !; per C though the Fire afterwards Di- I voice and Tranfmuce iheni ) becaufe I i found this latter in the bottom of ih? II Retort in the Forme of a Crocm or red- i difli powder: And becaufe Copper. i$ ! of too fluggilli a Nature to be forc’d over in clofe VeiTcls by no frrpnger a ; heat. And that which is alfo fome- I what Remarkable in the Difiillation of I good Verdigreafe , ( or at leaft of that ifortthatl us’d) is this, that I Neve^- could obferve that it yeelded me any oyl, ( unlefs a little black dime which was feparaied in Reftif cation may pafs I for Oyle} though both Tartar and Vine- jgar,(efpecia!ly the former) will by Di- i ftillation yeeld a Moderate proportion j of it. If likewife you poure Spirit of Vi- : negar upon Calcin’d Lead, the Acid Salt of the Liquor will by its Commixture with the Metalline parts , though infi- pid, acquire in few hours a more than I Saccharine fweetnefs ; and thefe Saline I/ parts 4|6 the sc E?r ical parts being by a ftrong Fire DiftiJlti from the Lead wherewith they were imbody 'd, will, as I formerly alfo noted to a Different purpofe, leave the Me- tal behind them altered in fome quali- ties from what it was , and will them- felves afcend, partly in the Form of an imdiuous Body orOyie , partly in that of Phlegme , but for the greateft part in the Forme of a fubtile Spirit, in* dow’d , befides divers new Qualities which I am not now willing to take no- ^tice of , with a ffrong fm?!! very much other than that of Vinegar, and a pier- cing taff quite differing both from the Sowrenefs of the Spirit of Vinegar, and Ahe Sweetnefs of the Sugar of Lead. To be fhort,as the difference of Bo- dies may depend meerly upon that of the fchemes whereinro their Common matter is put ; So the feeds of Things, the Fire and the other Agents are able, to alter the minute parts of a Body ( ci- ther by breaking them into fmaller ones of differing ffiapes , or by Uniting to- gether thefe Fragments with the un- broken Corpufcles, or fuch Corpufcles among Themfelves ) and the fame A- gents partly by Altering the ffiape or bignefs c nr Mist. A%i bignefs of the Conftituent Corpufcles of a Bodyjpartly by driving away feme of them , partly by blending others with them, and partly by fome hew manner of connc6ing them , may give the whole portion of matter a new Texture of its minute parts, and thereby make it de* ierve a nety and Diftinft name. So that j| according as the fmal| parts of matter ‘ recede from each other, or work upon each other, or are connetfkd together I after this or that determinate manner , I a Body of this or that denomination is ‘ produced, a§ Tome other Body happens j thereby to be alter’d or deftroy’d* i Since then thofe things which Chy- i| mifts produce by the help of the Fire are but inanima^ Bodies; hnee fuch fruits of the Chymifts skill differ from one a- ( nother but in fo few qualities that we i fee plainly that by fire, and other A- gents we can employ, we can eafily e- noughwork as great alterations upon matter, as thofe that are requifite toj change one of thefe Chymical rrodufti- ons into another;Since the fame portion of matter may without being Compoun- ded with any extraneousBody,orat leaft Element, be made to put on fuch a va- . . ’ ricty 4-28 TflE SCEPTIC AL riery of formes, and confequenrly to be ( fucceflively ) turn’d into fo many dif-^ fering Bodies; And face the matter, cloath’d with fo many differing formes* was originally bur wa[er,and that in its paffage through fo many tranfformatir ons , it was never reduc’d into any of thofe fubftances which are reputed to be the Principles or Elements of mixt Bodies, except the violence of the fire, which it felf divides not Bodies into perfedlly fimple or Blementaiy fubffan- ces, but into new Compounds; Since, 1 fay, thefe things are fo,I fee not why we muft needs beleeve that there are any PrinJogenealiSc fimple Bodies, of which, as of Pre-?exiffcnt EietneniS, Nature is obliged to compound all others. Nor do I fee why we may not conceive that fhe may produce the Bodies accounted mixt out of one another by Varioufly altering and contriving their minute parts,wirh^ out refolving the matter into any fuch fimple or Hcmogeneous fubftances as are pretended Neither, to difpatch, do I fee why it fliould be counted abfurd to think, that when a Body is refolv’d by the Fire into its fuppos’d fimple Jngre- dientSjthofe fubftances are not trueand proper cur Mist. - •proper Elements, but rather were , gs it were, Accidentally produc’d “by the fire, which by Diflipating a Body in- to minute Parrs does, if thofe parts be ihut up in Clofe Veflels, for the moffc part neceffarily bring them to AfTodate Themfelves after another planner than before, and lb bring Them into Bo- dies of fuch Different Confiftences, as the Former Texture of the Body and Concurrent Circuinflances make fuch disbanded particles apt to Conffitute; as experience fiiew'S us (and I have both noted it, andprov'dit already) that as there are foase Concretes whole parts, when diflipated by fire, are fitted to be put into fuch Schemes of nut- ter as we call Oyle, and Salt, and Spi- rit j So there are others, fuch as are ef- pecially the greateftparc of Minerals^ whofe Corpufcles being of another Size or figure, or perhaps contriv’d a- . mother Way, will not in the Fire yeeld 1 Bodies of theJake-Co-nfiAencesj but ra- ther others of differing Textures ; Not (to mentipt), that from Gold and fome other Bodies , we fee not that the Fire Separates anyDiftind Subftancesat all ; Inor that even thofe Similaf Parts of Bodies 430 THE iSCEPTICAt Bodies, which the Chymifts Obtain by the Fire, are the Elements whofe names they bear, but Compound Bodies, upon which, for their refemblance to them in confiftence, or fome other obvious Qua- lity, Chymifts have been pleas’d to be- llow fuch Appellations* tHE CHTM/Sf. 43t THE CONCLUSION. . ^jP Hefe laft Words of Carneades be- ^ iog foon after follow’d by a noife which feeni’d to come from the place where the reft of the Company was, he :took it for a Warning , that it was time ( for him to conclude or break off his Di- • fcoiirfe ; andtoldhis Friend; By this itime I hope you £tQyEleuther}us^ that if Belmonts Experiments be true , it is no abfurdity to queftion whether that Do' ifirine be one, that doth nor Affert Any Elements in the fence before explain’d. But becaufe that , as divers of my Ar- guments fuppofe the marvellous power of the Alkahe^ in the Analyzing of iBodies , fo the Effeds afcrib’d to that power are ft) unparaUeU’d and ftupen^ dousv 432 run Sc eptic AL dous, that though I am not fure but that there may be fuch an Agent, yet little lefs than Teems requifite to make a man Ture there is. And confe- qiiently I leave it to you to judge, how fan- thofe of my Arguments chat are built upon Alkabefiical Operations are Weakned by that Liquors being Match- lefs; and lhall therefore defire you not to think that I propofe this Paradox that rejeds all Elements, as ap Opinion equally probable with the former part of my difcourfe.For by that, I hope, you are fatisfied, that the Arguments, wont to be brought by Chymifis to prove That all Bodies confift of either Three Principles, or Five, are far from being fo ftrong as thofe that I have employ’d Co prove, that there is not any certain and Determinate number of fuch Prin- ciples or ElenientS to be ihet with Uni- verfally in all mixt Bodies. And I fup- pofe I need not tell you, that thefe An- ti^hymkalVdirdido^itt might have been manag’d more to their Advantage ; but that having not confin’d myCuriofity to'‘ Ghymical Experiments, 1, who-^am but' a young Man, and younger Chymift tan yet be but flenderly furnifhed vvith' 4^3 ■ the^i, in r£fierfnic <2 to fagreat and di^-* <:uk a Task as you itnpes’d u,.pon inei 3efides f hit } to tell yon che T r v t h , I durft not enjploy Ipajeeven of the beft Expeiinients I am ajCquaifitedwithjbe* caule I muft net yet dyfclofe thenjj but how^eyer , I think I may prefume that v/hat I have hitherto pjrcQnrfed will induce you to chinkjthatChyniifts have been much more happy in finding Ex- periroents than the Caufes of them ; or in affignifig the Principles by which phey may -beft be explain’d. And indeedj .when in the writing I meet . with 'Tucb Phantaftick and Un-intel- 1 ligible Difeourfes as that Writer often I f>,u2Zel$ &;tires hisReader w'**, father’d jupon fuch excellent Experiments, i as though he feldoin clearly teach- es,! often find he knew ; methinks the 1 .Chymsifts, in their fearches after truth , i are not unlike the Navigators of Solo~ I mqns 7 / gathered divers Notes, ( feme of them y;onfjder able for bulk ) to be inferted here and there j as uilargements in the next Idition, whofe volume 1 was not Unwilling fomewhat to encrenfe , not only becauje I thought Truth in general^ a thing worthy that the lovers of it Jhould take pains to dijcover , and eifa^- hlifi) it, but becaufe^ 1 lookid upon the \truth enquired after, in the Sceptical! Cby{a\(i,asofno mean importaneey ejpe- dally fince the miftakes that very many have made about it , have I fear , not irnly heenprejudicial to Natural Philofo- phy , but have, by fever all Men-, us welt Learned as Ignorant, been adopted both into the jfeaulations , and praliife of Fhyfitians’, whoje Art being cenverj ant about the Health and Life of Man , Do~ Urinal errours in it , cannot but be dan* gerons, and therefore ft, as much as k poffiblCyto be foUcitouJly avoided , or re- mov’d, Thtfe inconveniendes 1 hop’d The Authors Preface. might in Jomemeafure be obviated 5 if it were further made affear by Expe- riments as well as Reafonings-^ that the vulgar doHr me of the Tria Priiiia « at lean very queftienable, or uncertaine and v.^ry narrow./^or the contrary perfua/ionSy about thefe Principles i has mijled divers Learned Men to give^ and take up with precarious and fuperficial accounts of divers Phenomena ofNaturCy by which meams they have been diverted from employing their Witts ( wherein divers of them axe happy ) in the invefiigatioH of the true and fmtdamentall caufeSy the difeovery whereof y muld have enabled themy inflead of dark.and fuperfeialy to give intelligible andparticular explica- tions of thoje Phafnomena, and many others. The diference between the ac- counts given of the fame Phaenomena, by the HypoHaticaly and by the Mechanical FrincipleSy may be feen exemplyfiedy by particular inflances in other Papers \ Wherefore 1 flsall proceed to obferve as to PhyficPj that befides the miSak.es which 1 doubU divers Learned Men have by another valuation of the DoHrine of the Triapnma, been led intOy in rela- tion to thecaufes of divers things that occur to humane Bodies , and even in Cl^ymical The Authors Preface. Chytnical oferations\ helides thi^ I fay^ I fiat that the too confident opinion of the DoHrine J queflion has made divers fraSlitioners of Phyfick , make wrong estimates of Medicines. But after I had waited a competent time , Iperceiv d no Author vouch faf'd the Scepticall Chym\h an anfwer\ but a very Ingeni- ous tJiian , from whom I chiefly expe^ Hed it^ told me , that he had indeed de- ftgdd to write one, but was hindered by confidering , that I had fo ftated the cafe, that an anfwer could not confute that Book,, by any meer Ju^ification of the Chymifls Trinciples,ftnce he would he obliged alfo to defend the Chymical Dobirine as’tfs generally taught by the ' vulgar Chymifis', and make good the Arguments by which they are wont to maintaine it. Since *tis only that Dobirine and thefe Arguments.J.hat 1 declare my felf in that difeourfe to queftion ; and he himfelf did not think, them found and i valid. By thefe encouragements , I was 1 induced to comply with the earneH foli- , citations of the Printer, for another Edition, but he dying foon after , and the Perfon to whom the right to di/pofe of the Englifli legally came^ having 1 3 The Authors Preface. left England, contimted out af it^ for dwers Tears , the diffute belween the Stationers that pretended to it-, and • treated about it ^ la^ied Jo Ung^ that a Traveller la^ h^ pcffed this way told an ac(juant(ince of mine , that he had [then ( which was two or three years a- goe ') feen nine fenerallhziiwe hnpref- fjons of it^fince when .^another has been brought me made at Geneva. This num<- her of Editions ( in none of which I have, added on altered aWord) and the nume- rous citations 1 have mett with oj it ^ in favourable Writers , made me unwilr ling to confound, or trouble, Readers bf interweaving Additional Nutes., with the Body of the Difcourfe\ andfobyoh- liging thofe that fhould hereafter Vouchjafe to mention any of the inferted fajfages of it-, to cite the Edition as weU as the Book.- And. there fore I was eaftly inchndyby want of Health ond Leajure, to peril! e againe deliberately the whole T reatife,to fupprefs all thoje Notes-, th^t i could not readily and conveniently re* ferr to three or four of the chief heads » J intended to enlarge upon , and without altering the form.e of the Book, wherein it ■hasfroif dfo fortunate to leave it intirt*, The Authors'Preface. and fuhlif) my Additions al/o hy them^ /elves by way of Appendix. This in mj Intention was to conftfi of four heads ^ Z^eProducibletiefsofCbymicall Prin* dples» 71&^ uncertainty of the vulgar Analyfes made by diftillation. The va- rious effeds of the fire according to the differing waies of employing it. Anddouhts whether there be any Ele- ments, or material Trinctples of mixt Bodiesf one or more in the fenfe vulgar- ly received. But finding by the Statio- ners e^imate , that the notes refer d to the three lafi Titles , are not near fo large as thofe that belong to the firSi ; yet they would make the hoof to which they fhould be added , and which is already printed , of too great a thickr nefs in proportion to its other dirnenm f ions , / thought fitt to refertje the a- ther papers for another opportunity^ and at this time annex nothing , but what concerns the Producibltnefs of Ch)- tnical Principles. But yet becaitfe there are fame ge- nerall Advertifements that do jomewhat ’ more belong to this part of our defignd Appendix that now comes forth , than to any of tht reH , / mufi not deny them a The Authors Preface. ^ xoomt in this Vreface^ which Ifhall conclude with them. 1 might juflly enough alkdg , in excuje of incoherence of fame of the par-' ticulars that follow next after one a- mther in the fubfe^uent difcourfe , that this being confufedly but a ColIe(5lion ( or if you pkafe ^ Rhapfody)of loofe ItloitiftMmcre pardonable^ than JlrangCy that fome of them fhould cwani apt con- nexions and the fiile of the difcoufe they compofe Jhould want uniformity. But ‘tis not fo much myprefent Work, to make Apologies, as to give Adver- tifements, and therefore 1 JfjaU proceed to tell you in the fiift place, that though the following difcourfe have in fome places a fomewhat Dbgmaticail drefs,yet it is cheifely meant ias becomes an Ap- pendix to a Sceptical to excite and affiX a further inquiry, and accord- ingly the reader may perceive it to have been my care , not fo much to play the part of a Logical Opponent, as to take occafon to Jett dawn variety of expe- riments and obfervations , that whatever Hypothefis about the Material prin- ciples of mix t Bodys pjatl prove fitt to be pitch'd upon , it may be founded an The Authors Preface. c» a lef ( infufficient Jilflory of matters of faB C relating to that fubjehi')lhat Chymifis have been wont to take in ; j and may be fo framed.^ as not to be lya" ble to thofe objeHlons and difficulties , that will be here mett with , and yet i ferhafs were not thought of oratleafi i were not duely takjn into confideration-t I when the vulgar^^ypotht^s of the Tria pritna was eftabliff)' d. Vpon this ac- ii Count I am not without hofe^ that the following experiments and confderations^ though proposed by way of ob]elHons^ i may do fame fervice to the inquirers into ; the material Principles of things ; by I obliging the ChymiHs , at leafi , to re* f forme their dolirine about them , and build it more cautioufly ^ and that upon a larger , as well as more folid founda* tion of Natural Hiftory. The fecond thing whereof I apt to advertife the Reader^ k that I would not have him infer from any thing that ( prompted by the exegencies of my de- fign')I have f aid in the followingpapers, that I either do undervalue , or would decry Chymiftry.^ or Chymifts them/ elves I indifcriminately, por J have a very differing The Authors Preface. i^iff'ermg efieem of the Notionall and of the Pra^icall fart of Chymrflry, For divers of the opinions Maintained hy Spagirifts jW Jt ext epting their grand Hypothefis of the three Principles , I have been inclind to quiSiion not only /w 4* Naturalift, but as r // 4 Man have an infiru- ment which other men bavenot,-tnd much more, if it bean excellent one, he may be able with it to performe other things , than they can without it. "The Europeans by the helpeoffo flight an Engine as a Mill ajjifted by a far flight er inflrument a feive can eafily divide Corne into Bran and Meal and Eloure, which even thof t Ame- ricans,/ere Voithout much difficult"^ fitted for theTrefs: hut others of them lay jeatterd up and doV^n amon^it many others , about differing fubjeBs in hisThi^ lofophical Memorials ^ 'Qfhich partis cuUrs not being ready at hand, when the EnfuingNotes tt^ere fent to Oxford to the Primer^ they could not be publifh’d with the rejl ^ hut mujl expeB fome other opportunity ^ to appear abroad ^ either alone • or in their company. Terhaps the Reader '^ill not need to he told that hefides the ./Applicati- on of fome of the Bxpmments con* taimd in the folioTVing T^otes^moU of the Experiments themfelves are new, ’But Jo many years are pafl, betwixt The AdvcrtiTcmcnt. hetfl^ixt the firft Edition of the 6*cep- tical Chymift , and the fccond that now tomes forth ; that it may he reqmjite ( though, other wife it ' Ti^ould be improper ) to advertife this Reader , that he is not to think, that the Author has borroli>ed from others thvfe Experiments and 'N.'iti- ons , that may be met with in ’Bookes written in inter years , as laeii as in the Sceptical Chymift. For the firjl Englifh Edition haVmg been put forth in the year i66i, and never ftnce by the Author at ali en- largd, or alter’d, "twill fu^iaently Ihe"^ that this Book could not bar.- row from thofe that never H’>ere fern till after ^ and perhaps hmg after \\hwas publifhed. 14' huh Advert tifement may he p irticulaf iy ap; ly d to the late Learned Treatife, Intitu- led Philolophia Vectis 6c Nova ^ Vnherein in one long Chapter may be ^^2 met The AdveniPement. met tpithan Abridgment of a eat part of the , Experiments and ^atioctnaiions of the Sceptical Chymift , without any mention there made y either of the great and famous Authors T\ame , or his 'Book in which they firU appear. I hough the Latine Verfion of that^reatife^ was puhltjl'>’d many years ago ^ and reprinted many (lines ftnce. ^4nd though thts he not the only VPriter ^ that hath thought ft to make tfe of ^onllJerable portions of the S'cep- licail Chymill, without oThning it^ 1 thought , what he has been pleased to do ^ rrijuired to haVe particular Tiotice taken of it: becaufe, though his modefiy hath pirfwadtd him to conceal hii hu Learned Book > hath made him fo jufUy famous ^that if the ByCade* w.f re not advertised, he might eafriy fujpe^f that Ivlc Boyle had not lent to but borrow^ J "9 id The Advertiremcnt, I ed of an Juthor^li>ho appears fo ca 2 fable of enrichmg the Curious with excellent things of hu own. And up- pon the fame grounds 1 thinke it necefSary to ohjerye , that the Hx-~ I ferments to be met '^^tth in Mr. I Boyles Hiftoy off ’olours, hav- ; ing heen fublijh'd many years ago, ! couldnot he borroH>*d from that mofl 1 ingenious Treattfe ^ though in that Chaffer of k Itfbich tre tes deco* loribus , 20. and ^o. Bx- ‘ periments, (If I mtfrememher not the : number) will be found the fame 'toith the like 2 ^umber of Mr, BoyleS; ! whofe Tsfame , though elfe'Oahere >e- ry civilly taken notice of on fome other occajion^ is in that whole Chap- ter left unmention d, I might here informe the Rea- der , that the Sceptical Chyinift 1 having been many years our of : 'Print ^ it chanc'd that Tvhm the 'Hotes , The AdvcrtiTcrwcnt^ I i Kotes^thatmake np. the foUo'^ingJp* I pendi)t ywere drawn together for the i ^rtfs , this jiuthor had not a 'Book At ham^i by comparing] whereof hflth \ the pantetdars of his drfignd Ap- pendtx, be might be lure ro avoid, {what he now bat hopes he hath-) the fttffeting any thtnv to pafje in the latter^ that is truly cotnetdent , 'tVith what already extant tn the former, (i m and how will k appearein every Aialy/rs ma.dQ by fire, that the Salt C for inftaace ) thereby obtain’d was not produc’d by the Chymicall operations^ but was I preexiftent in the body in minute parts, which by the a(Stion of the fire . were only extricated and feparated • from the other Principles or Ingredi- ents, and afterwards brought together: . fince in cafe the Chymicalfiippofiiion ! be erroneous, not only the obtained ■ Salt may be in part due to a new Produftion or Tranfmutation , but I part of that which was really fait, if ; any fuch thing there were antecedent- i ly to the Analyfis , might be either ! deftroyed by the operation , or made to appear under feme other forme. ( I ) OF THE PRO D U Cl BLENESS Of Chymicall Principles. The firft Part. Of the Producihlenefs of Salt* Mong the fubftances up- on w hich Chymifts have conferr’d the Tirle of Principles, feenis in their eftimate to have had the Precedency , fince they are wont to name it firft in the enumera- tion of their Trin Prima. And ’tis generally granted, that Saits are wont to be the moft confiderable and aAive parts obtain’d by , Chymifts from mixt bodies.. And yet perhaps , the 2 Of the Pr.oducthlentfs. the invifible particles that compofe the viiible portions of a Salt may be fuch, and fo conftrued as to be fit to make gnd to have perhaps adu- ally made other portions of matter endowed with thofe C^alitieS , for which Chymifis are wont to call a body fulphureous or mei urial, as may be inftanced in the Inflamnuhi- lity of Nitre. Wherefore it may de- ferve a greater meafure of curiofiey, than feemes to have been employed or even defign’d by vulgar Chymifrs , to enquire, whether iS' Of Which Conjedure though have not a perfed indan£e,yet we'^haTe’a Pro- bable one in that vyhich t fckll here- V o/ Chymival Prlnci^ies» $ after deliver concerning the making of Fixt Nitre. For though the Chvy- ftaUs of well purifyed Salt peter. may be kept many weekes or months in an ordinary Lodging chamber ( for I had not occafion to try it In .a cellar ) without relenting by the moi- fture of (he Air ; yet if without the ad- dition of any body dift'oluble in water or moift aire it be in great part re- duced, as perhaps it; may , be almoft in a trice, to a fixt Alcali, this Salt will be eafily enough penetrable by the vapours that rove up and downe in the Aire, and will by that moifiure, in no long time, be brought to re- lent,and at length wull bc refolved into a liquor very Analagous to that which the Chymifts make of Salt of Tartar left in moift Cellars todeliquate. As for the Sapor , which is the fecond Qualification to be confidered in the vulgar Notion of a Saline body, I doubt, whether the necelfity of it be agreeable to another Principle of theirs j and to experience. For Ms , plaine that chymicall oyles,:even thofe pure ones that they call Ejfentiall , or ^vea Ethereal ones, are highly fapidj B arid 6 of Troducihlenefs fand yetjthefe not diffolving in watt-ri ' it feenies there is no ftridt conne- eet Wines will but too often without addition degene- rate into foure vinegar, which will diflblve Corail and divers ftones , cal- cin’d Lead, and feverall other mine- rails. The raine water that is imbibed by the roots of Trees is in thofe that bear Lemmons and Berberies changed into liquors, abounding with faline CorpufcleSj that enable them toafFe(51: the Tafte , and adl on powdered pearles, and feverall other Bodies as Acids are wont to do. Alfo Guajacum and divers other woods, that do not at all tafte foure, will, being djftilled in Retorts, afford fpirits that are furnilhed wdth ftore of Add particles, which, as 1 have tryed, will hifs upon Ac all s , and will diffolve Corail , and even lead itfelfe calcin’d into Mi~ nittm , and make Saccharum Saturniof it. Many other vegetable Bodies alfo B 4 do 12 Ofthz Troducihletiejs \ alforded firfi: a fowre phlegm , and then a penetrant fpirit lharper than it, leaving behind it in the veflel fome few fpoonfulls of a dark coloured liquor, which being fett afide, and fulFered to reft, did in a great part, Ihoot into tranfparent Chryftalls large but thin^ almoft like thole of Silver difiblv’d in A^ua foriis ; They appeared prettily figured at the ed- - ges but were fo odiy connected a- mong chemfelves , ihac I was not able to refer them to any of the known Geometrical figures; and their brittlenefs made them the lels tra- flable , but their fmeli which w'as firangely piercing and not inoffenfive argued them fo be of the fame nature with the Acid fpirit which had come bver with them. But ' bfChymhal TrinClples* 19 But there is a more conftant and icafy way of producing fuch a Vola- jtile fait, as my obfervanon menriori’s. [For if Amber be gradually and wa- rily diftill’d it v ill afford befides the phlegm, fpirit and oyle, a dry fubftance which though the Chymifts 'call the Volatile fait of Amber , I ji found to be really of an Acid nature , ' by feveral of thofe tryalls, by which i we are wont to difcern, that a body i belongs to the family of Adds* fiJc HeU montium in Bias humano 43. 26 Of the VroduciBlenefs The ill. SECTION. of the prodtfBion of AlcatTs or Lixiviate Salts. He third and laft fort of Salfs,| which vs e' are to endeavour foi fliew to be producible, arc the /ilcalies or Fixt Salts ^ wh>ch feerhe to have ati Antipathy with Acid ones , by makinj^ a confiidl with them , and exercifing diverfe operations contrary to their ’s , ( as I have in another Difcourfe more fully declared. ) As for the Origifie of thefe Fixt Salts of Burnt Bodies, the Spagirifts are not of the fame mind about it. For, the almoft univerfall Opinion of the Chymifts that preceded Belmont^ and the more common opinion even pf later Chymifts feeros to have been, that thefe fixt Alcalies are preexiftent in mixt Bodies, and that the fire does but feparate or extricaste them from the ocher parts of the conipounded Body. But Helmoni ( followed in; I ' ofUy 'nical TrinCi'pUs, a i that hy feverall Chyniifls that dif- fenc from hirii in oih«r points) has ingenioufiy conjedtur’d , that thefe Lixivial fairs do notpreexift in their Alcalizate forme in the Bodies that afiord them , but are Produdions of the Fire » by whofe Violent adlion a part of- the Salt , which in the Concrete is naturally all volatile, l^y’s hold of fome parts of the fulphur of the fame Body , and both together, are coHiqnated and fixe into ari which Fixation he fomewhere exemplifies by that which happens, when Salt- Peter and Arfenick^^ that are both volatile , being expofed to the fire , are by it’s operation fluxe dnd made to fix one another. But though this account be ingenious , yet'l doubt , whether it be fo cleare and fatisfadory , erpecially fince ’tis applyed to all fixt Alcalks , as the Embracers of it thinke iti For, befides that it may be queftibn’d whe- * • ther it have yet been well proved c what flelmont teaches ; that all the Salt <5f mixt Bodies before cheif combiiftion is volatile it is not de- clared, what volatile fait is meant, C thbugb 22 Of the TrodudhUnefs though it be plaine, that fome Bo" dies that afford a fixt Salt , do abound in Acid fpirits, as Oake, Box, and many other Vegetables ; and others , as Hartshorne , Blood , Urine &c. abound with urinous , that exercife hoftiiity with Acids: And 1 have found that from fome Bodies 1 could obtaine both Acid fpiiirs, arvd fuch as are wont to be called Vrinaus. ’Tis not eafy to expkine how the Volatile Salt comes to unite it felfe fo intimately with the oyle ( or fulphur ) and though it be alfo volatile it felfe to compofe with it a Body capable of enduring the violence of the Fire , fince we have more than once tryed, that the Volatile Salt of Urine , or of Harts homeland a Chymicall oyle, as of Turpentine or any fuch , being put together , the Salt will indeed affo- eiate to it felfe fome particles of the Oyle, but will neverihelefs in their company fublime in the forme of a Salt , with a very gentle fire. And f*?-the Example, that Helmmt fome- montium whei'c givcs of Aifenick and Nitre, fatisfy me , becaufe that i5c. - when ofChymicalPrinciples. 25 when I made equal parts of thofe two Bodies co be mingled , and in a frronge Crucible fulminated toge- ther , a great part of the mixture was driven away by the fire , fo little alter’d, that ’(is very dangerous to be too bold wirh the fumes, and a 0 ood part of what remained was fixr only in compaiifon of the esude Arfenickjbut not comparably to Salt of Tartar, or foine fuch o her true and the conftancy of the parr, that was more fixt , may probably be aferibed to the Salt-peter, vvhich we know will without the help of Arfenick afford a great deal of fijfc fait, if about halfe of it be burnt away, by the help of powdered Charcoal, or fome other convenient additam nt. It may alfo ferve to weaken this in- ftance of Helmohts-) that thefe are o- iher inftances , in which we may_ obferve , that no fuch thing happens as his Hypothtfis may make one ex- ped:. For common Sulphur is by Chy- mifls faid to abound in an Oyiy parr, upon whofe account it is very inflam- mable, infomuch that they would have other inflammable Bodies to be C z fa 24 Producihlenefs. fo , by their participating of Sulphur. That this concrete alfo abounds in Sale, is evident, according to their principles, by the acid iMenftruum afforded by it, that goes under the abufive name of Ohum Sulphuris fir Camfanam. And yet thefe Ingredi- ents, combin’d by nature, make up a Coiiciete whith is fo volatile , that both in ciofe vcirells and the open fire, *tis almoft tctally volatile. And in that mixture of highly dephlegm’d fpirics of Wine and Urihe , that HeU 7nQntca.\h the off a alba ^ though the Urinous falts do manifeftly combine themfelves with the fpirit of Wine, which being tctally inflammable, the Chymifts referr to their oyle, or fulphur, yet the coagulated mixture do’s not by this affociation of Ingre- dients growfixt, but proves very vo- latile. I will not here urge , in favour of rhe common opinion of the Chy- miffs ot' the Preexiffence of Alcalies in mixt Bodies, that a Corpufcularion may fay two not inconfiderable things; whereof the yfrff is, That there is no need of fuppofing a Colliquation of fahs with buiphurs , Oyles , or any I cf ChymicalPrincifhs, 25 I thing dfe to produce fixt {alts ; ' fince , btfides that that fuppofition , do’s not explaine , how two volatile i bodies come to compote one that is [ fixt, *iis plaine, that a body yet more j fixt may be made without any alToci- I ation of differing Principles. For the I Earth, that together with the Alcali remainesin the afhesofa burnt Body, I is more fixt than the Alcali it felfe , and yet derives not its Fixity from any conabination of Elements , or Principles, but from the groffenefs, folidity, or weight, and unfitnefs for ‘ avolation of the Gorpufcles it con- lifts of. And the Corpufculariaa may add in the fecond place, that whereas forne inftances are alledg’d wherein there is fuppofed a lellening of the quantity of the fixt Akali of the Concrete, by operations that are faid to carry off the volatile fair, be- fore the Body comes to be incinera- ted ; It may be anfwered, that perhaps thofevery operations, did but rarefy and volatilize part of the preexiftenc Alcali t andfo left the lefs of it to be recover’d by burning; as the Cbyimfts i;eli us, that Fermentation rarefy ’s the C 3 oyly 2 6 Of the Vroduciblentfs oyly parts of the of Grapes , and fubriiizes them into vinous fpirits, and fo do’s nt.uch kfien the qiiantiiy of theoyle. And when PFoor/ is burnt in a Chimney, 'tis not in the forme of an acid fak , which is the only that is commonly obfei v"d to be driven away by Dihi latioH in cloi'e veffels , but in chat of an Urinous falc > ( which iS a kin to Aknly's , and an Enemy to cids ) that ihe fdine part of tire wood is made to afcend-; as may appear by the Difiillation of Soot. Such Ar- guments as thefe, a Corpufcnlar Pbi- lofopher might > as 1 was faying, iiige in favour of the mtjre received Spa- giricall opinions. But mfread of in- lifting on them , I Iftall only invite you to rake notice cf what 1 obf? rve in Selt-peter. For, though by diflik laticn or any other way that we yet know, there is no oyle to he fepara- ted from it ; yet above halfe the body of it may be eafily and quickly turn’d into a fixi fait, in Colour^Tafte, and Operation, much like that of Tar- tar, and other incinerated Vegetables.- AndTuch an Alcali I have made with- out the help of injeded Coalcs or any ether ofChy?niccdPrincifUs> 27 other Body furnifhed with a combu- ftible Sulphur 5 fo that it feenis not, at leaft univerfally true, that to the Production of an Alcali^ there is ne- ceffary to be at hand an oyle, or Sul- I phur to be laid hold on by the volatile I ialt, and fixt together with it. But ; this Experiment is far more congru- ous to our Doctrine, which derives all thofe faits from the (he , fbape , and folidity or weight of the faline Corpufcles, fince the hme Salt peter^ whofe greater portion may , by the operations newly mention’d , be re- duc'd to a Ext Akali ^ may, by being diftilPd with a convenient Bol’(s,have . its greater portion brought over in the forme of an Acid fpjvit, or fait, which it felfe may afterwards be made materially to concurr to the Produdi- . on of an Alcali. I might add, that even from one of Helmonts own Ex- very Macke ^ and a little of it, being taken out with a wire , tafte fiery upon the tongue, ( which may happen in about halfe an houre or an houre according to the quantity of matter, and degree of Fire ) Then take Out the blackeft or deeply red mixture, which will very eafily Im- bibe the moifiure of the Aire , and you may finde it ; at ieaft whiles 'tiS hot and dry,' of a rh6re fiery Lix- ivitf Taftd rhai' Salt ^f Tartar it of Chymkal Frinciptest 37 ftlfe. Ic will make an Ebullition with Acid fpirits > and precipitate diverfe folutions made with them , it v*^i!l turne Syrup of violets green, and ;n fh^rr difcover ic felfc many* wayes to be ol an Alcalizare nature, though it be afTociated with a Sul- phur, that may by diverfe methods be made appeare to be contained plenrifuliy in it. it is alfo confidcrable on this oc- cafion , how the fame Bcdy , with- « out the addition of any other Salt, may , by the various manner of the fires application to it , be made to afford , either little elfe than Acid Sait’s, or a lefTer or greater quantity of AUalh For, if fine Salt-peter be dexieroufiy dHiilfd with about thrice it’s weight of fome fit Earth, (but not as IS uiuail , with powder’d Bricl.es , } it will, fometimes afford very near as much Spirit of Nitre as the Salt weighed, and though this like other liquors, be not without phlegmatick parts, yet btfides that it may be doubted , whether moff or many of them were not produc’d by the tranfmuting opeiadon of the fire^ B we 38 Of tht TroducibUmfs we may fuppofe, thar five parts of fix, or fix of feven have been di- flill’d into dephlegm’d fpirit. 1 But if according to the way 1 haVe j elfewhere circUmftannally delivered} I fayoiih: ( which is by frequent injecfting in- to flux’d Salt- peter , fmall peices Redinte- of kindled Charcoal, till one can make it flafli no .more at all,) you ‘ * make fix’d Nitre, you may obtaine from Niire thus handled halfe it’s .weight and perhaps better , of an Jilcalizcite Salt , that many would by it’s rafre and operations guefs to be Salt of Tartar. - I But to fltew yet further how much the PredudHon of this Mcali depends upon the operation of the fire, which as ’lis variouflly applytd, may vaiy the Texture of the Salt- peter , my Conjediures led me to try the following Experiment , which 1 did wi;h ihccefs from the beginning 5 We tooke a pound of good Salt-perer , which was but greily beaten C for it fliould not be finely po nder’d ) and having laid it on a Conical heap upon a flatt tile, that the aire might on all Tides have accefs of Chymkal Principles. 39 accefs to it , wee Caufed the upper part of it to be k'lidltd by a little fragment of burning coal ( which may be afterward thrown away ; ) then we caufed the Laborant with an iron rod dexteroufly to ftirr the kindled part of the Nitre $ that the Ignition might be prefently commu- nicated to as many parts of the Saif, as was poflible ; and this nimble ftirring of the Mafs , that the fire might be more dtffufed , and more parts might be obverted to the Aire, we caufed him to continue to the end of the operation: by which me- thod within fewminmes, we obtained, more than once, out of i6. ounces of Salt-peter, about lo. ounces or better of fixed Nitre, very lixivia! in tafte and operation ; and for the colour it was of a pleafant greenifli blew, and deeper than Salt of Tar- tar will ufually be brought to , by being ( in a Crucible, _) kept twenty times as long, in a good fire. The other fcopes and ufes defin’d in this new and quicke way of ma- king the ^Icali q/ Nitre belong to an- other difcouife , the Experiment » D 2 which 40 Of the Pr&duotblenefs wl'jichwili rcarcefucceed wiihout ade’ - trous management*being here nieniio* ned fo liew,whac quantity of AlcaH- zate fait may by a ditreang opera- tion of the fire, be obrainVi from Nitre \ which ( crude Nhre ) in diftiilaEicn skilUuny made for the pur- pofe , may be in great part driven over, ill the forme of Acid fpirit,and Phlegme , and leaves fo linle true ^'cnh behind it , that I have won- dered at it, being fonietimes fcarce able to find was not melted. And of an ounce, that was put in, there wan- ted but foure graines, which fmall lofs might eafily be imputed to di- vcrfe accidents. After what is faid of the Produ- being at leaft fomewhat that was of a nature very differing from Salt of Tartar,fince it was not like ii, fiery on the tongue, and was indiffo- luble in water, as Earth, but not Salt of Tartar , is knowne to be. 4 6 of the Vrodiidbkmjs TJie IV.SliCTION. I T may bring fome illuftration and * add fonie probabiliry ro what has been difcouiVd about the produ- cibler.e/s of falls ; if we confider what hapi e as in the Compofitions and Decompoficions of faline particles and ibeir operations on other bodies and bn one another. For if it appear tJIat by tbefe manifeft and Mechani- cal wayes , fuch Alterations may be made and fuch qualities produc'd , as are either altogether or very near as confiderable , as thofe which dif- criminate the feveraj families of Salts formerly fpoken of from one ano- ther , and form this or that Chymical principle; it wilhl prefume, be judg- ed the more credible , that thefe fa- milies of Salts may be either tranf- mured into one another, or other- wife proAucd , and fo may hot be Primordial and Immutable beings in the fenfe wherein the Chymifls would have them to befuch«Ihave elfwhere taken notice of the Produdion of Vitriols, i o/Chymical VrincipUs. 47 Vitriols, fal Arraoniac , Bora^t , and u nr- diverfe other fadirious fairs , which reafon , I fhal not infill: ©n ojfcrj^wL them here, the rather becaufe it may t’-e fuffice for my prefent piirpo e , to take notice of two Salts , whereof the one is meerly faditious ,and the other fuch in great part , and yet each of thefe by a very flight and eafie way of ordering it , afforded me differing faline Concretions, fome of which refembled a Salt which many judg the moft Ample and natis. ral that we yet know of. To fiiow then , that comnson fait it felfthat feems the moft primitive and fimple amongft grofs and vifible falls may be produc’d by a change of Texture made in body’s very diffe- ring from common Salt, I fhall recite an experiment which though it have fomeiiroes failed me, yet it has di- vers times anfwered my defire , thotmh 1 fhall now relate but that Angle one of my laft tryals that fucceeded beft. That which our Claffmen C2i\\fandever,3ind thtlFreftcA,o{ whom probably the lianae was borrowed, fiiindwer 4 ^ Oftke Producihlenefs J i-iindever , and is you know that recre* hient that is nmde when rne materials ol Glais,namtly snd afixt lixiz.iate Al- cali^ havin'^ been firfl: h iked top'ether , and then kept long in fufiun,tbe mi ; tore carts up the fuperfluons (ait, which the woik-men afc-iwaids take off nienkioned by the waiters of CouifeS !| of Chyinifsry, I have thought Hit ji to employ about feversl purports, invited thereto by conrtdering the ,■ iifual way wherein it is prodne-d. jj! For ia /a/fdezjer we have a bait which r vas once altogether Lixiviate , bur ^ which having been kept Jong nidctd [ in a rtfonge fire with fand(or flints k or pebbles) ntufl have bad its faline . eorpufcjes varioufly and forcibly J ground or rubb’d againrt another, and , againft the pai tides of the fahd , foine of which it may alfo have diJToIved and retained with it, by / which rude juftlings and mutual At- ^ tririons, I thought it very Probable, l that the Alcali niuft not only have btea confiderabJy altered, bur vark “ with Ladles Worth.' This Mi nera lifts ' oufly ofChpnkal Trinciples. 49 sully too , foUTe parrs bei,ng changed more and aber a ditfe! ing manner than piheis , by winch means fanckver may coniift of ponions differingly quaiify’d both in leference to the lixiviate fait that was att firft employ’d and to one Aacther. We toov a pretty quantity of good {andive>\ and having diffolved it in fair wattTj and filtered it, we fet it jto evapora e in a digeflive furnace , till a faline cruft j as if it were a thin plate ofIce,fpread it felf upon the top of the liquor, then fuffcring it to cool and chryftallize, we broke the mentioned cover to come at the Chiyftalls, and fet the liquor w’ehad pc u red oti from them to evaporate further and fiioot again: and in this Method we proceeded whileft we jtidg* ed worth While to do foiby this means we obtained good ftore of Chiyftalls , whofe figures w^ere not the farn ,but ma- ny of them differing enough, though nioft of them tranffarenc and prettily fihap’d,as if nature had at once affeifted variety in their figuration & yet confin’d her feif to Geometrize ; but the chief tiling for which 1 raention this ex- periment, 50 (f the Froducihlenefs periment , h , hy this way of pro- ceeding, 1 ntofe chan once obtain’d ( not on the Very furface of the wa er , as is ufual in the concretion I of fea-falt) hut in other parts , and Chiefly beneath the furface of theSaline plate formerly mentioned , a confide- rable number of grains of Salt, that bet* ter anfwered to the defcription ofCom- «ion fait, than diflolvedand filter’d fea- falt It Icif is wont Co dojfonhefe grains that were of no defpicable bignefs were as like little Cubs or die’s, as if they had been made byaskiifuljewelier, and their Sui faces had a fmoorhnefs glofinefs much fiirpafllng whatever I had obAr- ved in Maiine O) CommonSalt* I may confirm the difference I have mentioned to be between fari‘ dever and Ccmnion Alcali's , if I here add that feme while ago having fet a good quantity of filtered folution of fmdeveno Coagulate in a cool place, & the! eby brought a great pan ohhe fait to coagulate into Chryftalls , almoft like thofe of Nitre, bat fo very Diapha- nous that divers of them were clear as roch chtyftall it felfe;I did not obferve them to relent by the nioiflure of ih§ of ChymkalTrincipIes. 5f : the Aire in along time, though the Glafs they were kept in were neg- ligently enough covered with paper i only , which argues their Texture i to have been ren?ote enough from ^ that which is proper to AlcaU's, And to Ihew that they were alfo i Salts of a peculiar nature , 1 fliall further obferve , that if they were ' expos’d though but to a gentle heat, ; they would in no long time loofe their Tranfparency , and be reduc’d to a white and fine Calx , which : being weighed and redifiblved in wa- ter, and made again to Chryftallize, ' would be Diaphanous , and conco- ; agulare with it felf fo much of the water , as fuffic’d to give a very no- table increafe of the weight Sandtver , which' afforded me the I fii fi: of the two Inftances I promifed you of the Produffion of falts, is one of thofe body’s that many would reckon amongft thofe that are al- inoft meerly Artificial. Ilhall now mention a fecond inftance of a bocy wherein Art feems to have little to do fave the eafy extrication of its par- ticles, from thofe wherewith nature had 52 0/ the ProducihUnefs bad blended it in a Humane body: If \\\cn Jdans urine after having been kept fome weeks in a clos’d vefTel be expofed to a moderate fire,firft it will yield a fpirit and a Volatile f. iviunt', and becaufe laftly it would make no conflidl with the fpirit of fair, as an Alcali would have done, but did make of a folution of til- ver in Aqua forth a white precipi. tare like that we make of that me- tal with fea-falt, but nor with AlcalPs. And becaufe a mifchance unfeafona- E blyde» $4 Of the TroducihUnefi deprived me of the caput moHuuin ■ ^ of domeftick Urine prepared in my . I*' own Laboratory* I was fain to prd- ! cure a fupplyoffixt fait of Urine made * by a diligent Spagirift of my acquain- ® tance , who had wrought much updn that liquor ^ artd having diflblved and filtered a pretty quantity ofthi$ fait 7 and fuffered the folution to * evaporate flowly,till it began tOhave a skin , I found the Chryftals it af* forded in a cool place to be fome of them an Inch or two long , and ftiap’d almoft like Chryftalls of Ni- tre, fave that they were fharpcr at both ends , and to many of them were faftened ftore of minute and ob* long Chryftalls prettily fliap*d, which were placed almoft perpendicularly upon the greater portions of fait, which by this means obtained a lhapcj ; not much unlike that which the French > Engineer’s call chevd de frife: thefe Chryftalls as they did not refemble ■ common Alcali's in there .figures^ fo i they were unlike to them in divers other refpevfts. for though fome oylfe of Tartar per ddiquium being poured upon fome of them, there enfued no manifeft o/ ChymicM Frimtples, 5 5. I banifeft commotion, as is wont to be t produc’d when that liquor is mixc I with a fait , where an Acid is pre- I dominant , yet being beaten and I niixt with an Acid fpiric as that of I Common fait, they made not the I leaf!: ebullition or confli6l , though ' they were ftirred Up and down to I excite it , nor did aqua fortis^ good ; enough to be worthy of that name, I produce 'any luffing noife or froth \ when it was put upon the fait ofU- I fine , though at length it diffolved I a good proportion ot it. And though : ftrong oyk of Vittiol being put upon fome of the foreihehiioned Chryftalis , did readily Work uport them and in corroding them excite a good num- ber of bubbles, yet that did not fur* prife me , nfor make me conclude the fait to be Alcalizate , becaufe I have bbferved oyle of Vitriol ( the not fpirit of fait or Aqua fovtis ) to work after the like manner upon common fait, of which that the fixt fait of tirine did participate! judge very pro- bable , fartl’f upon the account of \}CitTh place, bec:iufe''Chymifts are not wont ! to care for extrading the fixt fait : of it, ( which is therefore common- ' ly prefiimedto belike other AlcalPs ') . but as foon as they have diftill’d the : faline fpirits, throw away all the reft as nothing worth ,* which praffife , as generallas it is, I cannot commend, I for, though I am not altogether of jVc/- i monts mind, where hefaies,that Wi/^ i dom dePpifes tho/e that diPpife the in^ \ dagation ofVrine^ and refufe by the fire to fearch out its Contents ; yet I think, that thofe who underhand the myftical writings of fome'of the beft Chymicair, Philofophers of former times , will look upon it as a more tolerable Hyperbole , than ether Men 1 or even Vulgar Chymifts imagine it to be, e E 3 The ( 5 8 Of the VroiucibUmfs The Second Pare* j • • ■ ■ ■ !* t Of the Ttoducihlentfs | , 0 / Spirits. The r. SECTION. Of the FrodaBion 9f Vinous Spirits^ A S for W'hat the Chymlfts call*S)’i- rit , they apply the Name to fq many differing things, that this vari- ous and ^mbiisuous life of the t w , , . ^ . feemes to me no meane proof , that they have -no cl eare 'and fewled No- tion of the Thing. Moft ©f them are indeed wont in the genefaU to give the nam? Spirit to a^ny >diffill’d Volatile liquor that is not infipid, as is Fhlegmt , oi ' inflamniable, as OyU:^ But under this generall Terme they ’ conipreitend liquors, that ahe not only of a differing, but rauilfcejaGCofeling to. their Principles , of a quke contrary nature ; feme of them beipg Spirit ofNitre, ofSaitjand of Vinegar/ ofChymical Prindples* it felfc; and fome of them Vrinous^ or\ as fotne would have it. Volatile , which are fuch Enemies to (the former, that, as foon as they are put together in due proportions, they itumultuate and grow hpr , and ufualjy continue to fight till they have difarm- ed or niortifyed each other. Befides ihefe twoHoftile Families of Spirits, ' there is a third fort, which they call ' Vinous or inflammable , which though i very fubtile and penetrant , is not manifeftly either Acid, or Alcalizate; I fay, manife^iy ^ becaufe the Tafte ^nd fmellof this fart of Spirit is differ- |ing from both the forts laft named; I and yet isreferr’d to one, or the o- Ither of ihetn , by feme Learned Spa- girifts; with whom 1 neither need, nor defire to difpute about this matter; iince it may fuffice for my purpofe , ifit can be made out, that all ihe three forts of Spirits above mentioned , tlie Vinous or inflammable yX\\tVr incus Q'c A le alizate Acid may be pro- duced, and confequently may be other than Primevall bodies. And to begin with the firft named, thefe Vimns Spirits are fo prpducible >4 by 6o OftheTroditciblemfs by Art, tjiiac we ft^lrJome find them p oduGed by natur-S alone , which does indeed make the juice of Grapes, but does not make wine , nor the Spirit of wine, unlefs , by the help of Man , that juice be prefs'd out, and fermented. And the cafe is yet more plaine in the ardent Spirits made of Ale, Beere , and in the like vinous fpiiits made by the decoding and fermenting the feeds and other parts of Vegetables. And ’tis obfer- y ible to our putpofe , that MiS ( or the Juice of grapes newly prefs’d out ) does nor in difiiJiation yeild a Vinous and inflan m ble Spirit. And I remember, 1 had once thepleafure to laugh at a Man , otherwife very ingenious , who , to catch the fubtile Vinous Spirit that he would have me thinke was loft in the common way of handling wort, made it worke in a huge Copper Limbeck, to catch the Spirituous parts that he thought would otherwife fly away ; by which meanes, infl:e»d of the ardent fpirit he expedcd, he got nothing in his Receiver but a naufeous Phlegroi I have aifo found by Tryall, that Raifons . (which of Chymical Principles. I (which we know are but dryed grapes) I being diftill’d alone afforded an ^cid and Enipyreutnaticall » but nota vi- I nous Spirit, whereas , when I care* I fully fermented them with a due pro- portion of water , they would afford me in diffillarion an ardent fpirit like that of wine. If it be objeded, as I prefume it will, that the Vinous and inflamma- ble Spirit , that is by fermentation obtained from body’s , was adually ' in them before , and is only exiri* I cated by Fermentation , I anfwer , , that this is Gratis diHum ^ and is therefore not to be admitted till it be proved ; fipce Raifons, and filch ocher Fermentable body's do not , I upon the fuppofed Analyfts made by DiftilUtion , afford a Vihoas Spirit, but one that is very differing from it** I And I fee not , why the change of Texture may not turn fome part of the Juice of Grapes, into a Vinous and inflamniable liquor, flnce a little further change is able to turne the fame Juice into a liquor that is Acidy and neither Vinous nor inflammable, as ’twas before, And I have found by 6z Of the Trodmihlenefs by tryall, that even this Vinegar ^ crude as it is, being Satiated with of Lead tnadeji>er/e , would afford a Spirit not acid , but of a very dif- fering Tafte, and inflanimable , like |he fpirituous parts of wine. And if it Ihoiild be further objefted , that thefe inflammable Spirits were not produced by thefe operations , but, preexifting in the newly exprefs’d juice of Grapes, were only extri- cated by Fermentation, and being after- wards cover’d or difguis’d by the acid particles of the Vinegar, were againe extricated by diftillation,the Acid fairs having fixe them feivts upon the Lead they corroded , and thereby given the Spirits leave to forfake them: If,| fay , this beobje<5led , I might tefery you to a more full anfwer that I have elfewhere given. And at prefent ,ir m^y ferve the turne, that I put you in mind againe, that the Objt<5iioit alledges no fhmomena to make ap* peare the aftiiall pre,exilS;ence! of vi-, sious fpirits , either in the juice of Grapes , or in the folution of Lead. And though I need bttt .deny what is barely affirmed ) not proved ; yet to ofChymical Principles. tp examine this matter further than I had found others to have done , I did ( as I elfewhere mention ) make a Saccharum Saturn! with an Acid liquor made without Fermen- tation , or the Addition of any li- quor, from Wood it felfe ; and then> diftilling it alfo without any Addi- tament, 1 had, ( as I expeded ^ a Spirit that readily took fire and burn t away in a blew flame > like that of Spirit of Wine. I know another Objedion may be framed from the do- driiie offome Chymifts, who would have Spirit pfWine toconfift of the oy- ly parts of the juice of grapes rarefyed and fubtilized. But with thefe learned Men*' for fuch Iknow fome of them to be ) ,1 have not here any need tp enter into a difpute, fince, without examining whether their opinion be true • or no, if it be admitted » it will be confiftent enough with mine. For to fay , that by fubtiliation , rare- fadion , a peculiar kind of .Commix- ture with the Phlegm, dr the, like meanes , the oyle contained in the Juice of Grapes , ( and feperable from it 3 in the forme of Qyle , if — ; ■ ■ i| 64 Of the Producihknefs h be diftill’d before it be fermen- ted; J becomes fpirit of Wine , is but to afligne the Modus whereby Vinous Spirits are produced, but Bot to deny there Produdion. And all that niy purpofe requires . is, that it be proved or granted, (hat inflammable Spirits are really pro- duced , by what way foever they come to be fo. I fliall add, that though experience Witneflrs , that Honey b ing skillfully fermented with a due proportion of water , will yeild a greater plenty of in- flammable Spirit than the Wine it felfe,that is made in diverfe Countt ies, yet when we have carefully diftrli’d Honey before fermentation , it afford- ed us a great proportion of confi- derably acid Spirit , that, would idif- folvc fome Metalls, but fo little oil, that the paucity feemed ftrange , and made it appear unlikely enough, that fo inconfiderable a proportion of that liquor, Ihp^uld be rarcfiable into fo much ardegt fpirit, as may be ob- tain’d from well fennented Honey, . ,, • : .The of CbymicalTrinc'tfles. ^5 The II. SECTION. [ Of the ProduBiori bf Vtimus Spirtts. j 1 Proceed now " to the other fort of Spirits , as thofe of Hartf- I home , Piood , Sal-Arinoniac , foot, ot wood &c. That we have formerly call’d Z^rinous^ becaufe of their great affinity in many Qualities, to the mose familiarly known liquor ^ Spirit ofVrine. Bat as for thefe , 1 know not , Wi^eiher it will be necelTary to treat of their Origine apart j fince, for ought Experience has yet affu- red me , thefe Spirits are not fmple but compounded bodyes , confifting of the Volatile fait of the Concrete that afforded them , diffolv’d in the Phlegm , and for the moft part ac- companyed with fome little oil, at firff undifcerned by the Eye though afterwards it grow Vifihle. The pre- fence of this Oil in moft Spirits , belonging to this family , may be probably argued from the deep Tin- ^ dure 66 bftht Troduciblenefs Gure that in proceffe of time, ipirit of Hartf-horne , of Blood , and di- verfe other fubjetfts, will acquire by Handing, though prefently after their diftillation, and Firft Or fecond Re- ctification , they were cleare , and colourlefs as water; The oily portion, whichjwhils’t ’twas in vefy tftinute par- ticles, lay conceal’d in the mixture^ becoming difcoverable in proceffe of time by their extricating tbcrafclves a little , and affbciating, though nof fo farr as to emerge aiid flote , yet far enough to difclofe themfelves by the colour they give the liquor. But in. Spirit drawn by the help pf an Alcali^xom Sal-Armoniac a Concrete not abounding in oily parts , like Hartf'horrte, blood &c. kept not only for many raonths,but diverfe yeares, C obferved no fuch diTcolouratioo, which was one inducement to make me in fpeaking of the Oleaginoufhefs of Urinous Spirits, to employ the word wolf rather than the word dll. Having therefore hitherto by Recti- fications and Digeftions obferved no- thing in thefe Vrimus Spirits but a Chriftalline Volatile Salt j moft cOm- jnofily ofChymicalTrincifhs^ 67 ^jmonly feperable in a dry forme, and ' the PhUgm 'nvfdiZ dflfolved in, befides fome Oleaginous F articles that had C though at tirft unperceivedly )affo- ciated themfelves toit; I fee ho great need to trouble you, with particular Inftances about this fort of Spiritu- ous liquors ; what has been fa'id y making it allowa^ble for metoreferre you , to what 1 deliver about the ProdttlUon of Saks , where that of P'olatile ones is mention’d. Of the] Troduciblenefs The III. SECTION. ) Of the TroduBiofi of Acid Spirits* A S for Acid Spirits that forne of them may be generated or pro- duc’d feenis probably dcdu- cible partly from what has been al- ready delivered ( in the firft part of thefe notes ) concerning the Produ- dlion of Acid Salts ; and partly from what will be ere long recited of Acid as well as of Vrimus and of Vinous Spirits, obtain’d by diftillation from one arid the lame body. And if we take the word Acid , as I ufually do in thefe notes , in a familiar fenfe , without Cryptically diflinguilhmg irj from thofe fapors that are a kin to it , perhaps the fpirii of fea-falt and that of Nitre 4nay be fitly enough propos’d as Inftances of the produ- ction of Acid fpirits. Forthoughye-^- fait and its diftill’d liquor have up- on fome bodies the like operations; of ChjmiM V'rincifUt. 69 as either of them will precipitate 'j ver our of Aqua fortit ^ ytl uo\ only the tafte of thefpirir of fait C espe- cially ihat which rifes laft in diftilJa” tion) is exceeding different from thric of crude fait, nor only in ftremh and I peneirancy , but in this, that, the ! fpirit is highly acid.* Whereas the crude fait has a tafte net properly audi bur that which by a diftinft: name is in Latin commonly call’d Salfus^^nc\i as that which predominates in Brinei and it does not appear ^ that this acid fpirit did as ftich preexift in the fait whence it was obtain’d, fo that we may fuppofe it to have beeri made rather by tranfmutation, than extrication. And the like 1 think mayCand that with greater probabi- lity ) be faid of Che fpirit of N/Vre; for though this be highly acid , yet the N/7re that afforded it is not at all fenfibly acid and this new ve- hement tafte of the fpirituous parts^ as well as their great efficacy in diffolving Metals ^ and divers other bodies, leems to have been produc’d by the Violent aiftion of the fire , ( agreeably to what I formerly noted; F ^hieh m u ' ^6 xjf thtTroducihlemf^ which by cleaving the Nitrous cor- pufcl€S,or by rubbing them one againft anot her, or by both thefe wayes, and perhaps by fome others ^ makes a comminution ©f them into fragments or particles , which both becaufe of their fmalnefs and lightnefs may be elevated by the a^ion of the fire, and becaufe of the fame MinutenelS and their fharp and pointed figures may geir into the Pores of many other body’s and divide their parts. I know that Chymifts may oojeiff, that all the Acid fpirii that can be deftilled from NiVre, was really pre* exiftent in|^it^ and only clogg*d and difguis’d by the AcnlizaU Ingredient Wherewith it was aflbciated , as may appear by what I my felf relate of the fpeedy way of making Salt-Peier^ by putting a due proportion of the fpirit of JSlitre to the Al call t or fixt pare of N//re , that remains, after the falt-peter has been fulminated or burned. But to tilts I anfwer , that this proves indeed , ( what I readily grant ) that Salt-p^eter may be Artificially compounded of a Nitrms Spirit and a fixt Acali , hxn does ffChymieal Principles. 71 i does not prove that Nature does al- ' wayesjorfo much as Ordinarily pro- duce Nitre by the fame wayes, that is, by Compounding it of the fame ingredients i for it does not appear, i that wherever /alt-petet is generated j in the Earth, Nature has before hartd laid in a prOvifion of Lixiviate Salt, which ( at leafi: in ihefe Countreys) I is not tvont to be made withouc the violence of an (incinerating fire hnd of Corrofive Spirits , to obtain which or either of them, Artifts arc i fain to employ Vehement fires; where- as it feems that falt peter is flowly generated in the Earth by gradual or fucceflive Alterations of forne I* doneous Matter , wherein for ought I have obferved , not an Acid but ari Vrinous fait is predominant, as may be made probable by what I have formerly related about Earth, that had long lain covered with pigeons dung in a dove-houfe, which 1 found in Deftillation to yeeld a fpi- : rit and fait, much like thofe of . tine. Therefore I will not aifirm , I that Nature does never employ Akalfs and Acid Spirits to make Fa fiilti 72 Of the Troduciblenefs faltfeter , yet I fee not that Chymifts have hitherto given us , or per- haps offer’d us any cogent proof , that file muft neceffarly do fo. I further obferve this more confide* rable Argument , that , according to what I formerly noted, faltfeter d.efrill’d in clofe Vefiels afforded us but an inconfiderable quantity of fix t fait , and- that too , was but a very imperfect Alc^li 5' thought the quantity of Nitrous Sffirii ’wzs 1 great enough to perfwade us f that not anything near fo much as was warning of the entire Weight of the falufeter had pafs’d into the Recei- ver. And elfwhere 1 relate , that a freind of mine with the helpe of a peculiar Clay obtain’d near a pound of Spirit of Nitre frorti a pound offaH-feier \ whereas on the other fide by a differing way of Managing it , and Without Additamecit , I obtain’d , as 1 there relate , about ten ounces oi fist Nitre from a pound of falt-petei: whence it feetns pro-* bable , that ihe fame fubflance that in crude Nitre is almoft infipid, may bv an operation of the fire be de- m‘d I of Ckymkal Principles. 73 ftill’d into a highly jf^cid Spirit , as well as by another operation and way of management , be brought in- to the nature of a fixt and CaufVick ^Icali, It may alfo be worth con- fidering, whither the Spirits of Nitre themfclves , when after being made fui juris they compofe a diftintfl li- quor and are fpecificated , may not be deprived of their Acid Nature , and may become or at leaft ma- terially concurr to make up a fixt Akali: For if fea-falt, which Chy- mifts do not pretend to contain any fuch Akali , be thoiowly difToIved I in a fufficient quantity of Spirit of I Nitre , and impregnated 1 this com- pounded fait will , as I have for- I nierly noted , yeeld a confiderable !i proportion of fixt Akali like that of falt-peter , which is as likely ; to proceed from the Nitrous , as from the Marine part of the reful- 1 ting fait; and if it do , it will make 1 it the more prpbable , that it is ' not neceflary , that the faline cor- [; pufcles of Spirit of Nitre fhould be primordial bodies , lince they may be deftroy’d or turn’d into o- V i ther 74 Ofithi Troducihletlefs ther falts i which is not lefis rer pugnanttQthe nature of zTrincifle^ than *^tis to i)e De Movo produci» ble from a body Jhat was npt A:^ before. ‘ ' 75 ofChymical Principles. The IV. SECTION. I T niJy add much probability, to what has been above difcourfed, ; concerning the produciblenefs of the differing forts of Spirits ; if it ihall appeare , that the fame body , meerly ! by different wayes of ordering it , I may be eafily enough brought to af- ford , either Acid^ or inflammable , or ' f^olatile commonly called Vrinous fpi- rits , as the skilfull Ariift pleafes. An Inftance of this may be afforded us , by fome Legumens, as Peafe, or Beanes ; which if they be newly ga» thered anddiftilled in a Retort, 'twill I prefume be eafily granted , ihae they will like many other green ve- getables afford, befides a great deal of Phlegme, an Acid Spirit, and if I much mifremember not , I had fuch a fpirit from either peale, or beanes, or both, after they had been kept long enough to loofe their verdure.* Bat if thefe feeds be at a fit time duely fermented with common water,, B 4 I Of the f'roduc'thlemfs. 1 thinke it will not be doubted,but that they, as well as other mealy feedSi >yill yeild ant ardent fpiric , but it will not fo eafily be fufpediedf much lefs beleeved , that without adding any thing to them , or med- ling with them, barely by keeping them in a dry place, for a certaine number of months , they will yeild a fpirit that by one, that did not know whence it proceeded , would be judged near of kin to the fpirit of ^r/»e:,or of Hart f home jo other faline liquors drawn from animall fub- ftances; for having diftill’d thefe Le- gtimen s, by themfelves , without any additament, and without fo much as breaking them , they afforded me fpirits , not only far more like in fmcU to thofe, I have compared them to,t)i3n they were either to AcidorVi- mus Spirits, but very like them , in more intimate qualities.* fince they would , as the Spirit of Vrine and Martfhorne , make a coiifliff > with Aid fpiibs, turne Syrrope of Violets greene , diffolve Copper blew , pre- cipinte a folution of fublimate into a \Vhite fubltance; tind in a Word performe of Chymical Principles. 77 performe thofe things , which I many yeares ago delivered in the Trad about CoiowrJ, and feverall ingenious writers have fince embraced , as the diftinguifhing markes of Volatile and Vrimus faltSjOr fpirits. I Cdy falts or Spirits^ becaufe 1 found that thcfe drawn from Vegetables , as well as thofe afforded by Aniraalls, may eafily by a dexterous fublima cion be brought to exhibit many of their nobler parts in the forme of a dry fait , as well as in that of a fpirituous liquor. Another inftance I fhall take from the juice of grapes, though Chymifts will perhaps thinke it ftrange, that llhould undertake to accommodate it to my prefent purpofe, but there is no great myftery in the bufinefs, for the frefli juice of grapes or muff, though fweet in tafte , will if it be timely diftill’d 10 the Confiftence al- moft of a Syrrope ^ yeild a copious flegme, but not an ardent Spirit: if the fuperfluous moifture be skilfully evaporated, there will remaine a kind of R06 or Sapa of a pleafant tart- nefs, which I -have known ufed in forae places , ( as efpecially in, or neare 7? Of the frodudbUmfs neare Suixerland^t ) for an excellent ingredient of fauces, and alfo, ro be fpread upon bread to be eaten in- ftead of butter. But if this Raifinee or Sapa were prefently diftilled, I fuppofe it would yeild no Vinous ^ but an Acid Spi- rit: I fuppofet becaufe for want of Vineyards ia England ^ I could not examine any liquor taken out of great VelB-lls of Muft,and therefore can- not fay precifely and experimentally, what dillilled liquors it would afford^ ]|)!ice I know not certainely whether the great quantiry of the fweet lU quor ^ and its continuance for fome time ( though not a long one ) in llie Bate of what they call Muft^ may not fomewhat alter it’s produdioiis, butif,asit is probable, that diverfity be not conliderable , I may fafely fuppofe , that the Vinous fpirit af- forded by the Juice of Grapes, after fermentation has turned it into Wine, is a produced thing, and was not in that forme preexiftent in the Juice j for having purpofely caufed ripe grapes to be moderately prcfs’d, that t^ieih Juice may without tnuch dreggy ^ ~ V m^tief ofChymical VrincifUs» 73 niatter be Squeezed out, we putthis liquor into a glafs head and body and diftilling it with a gentle fire, we obtained a fcarce credible pro- portion of fleginei And then tranf- ferring the fomewhat infpiflated re- mainder into a Retort, after having kept Tome of it C which had a grate- full mixture of fweetnefs and acidity) for Raifmee^ we profecuted the di- ftillation with a ftronger fire , and obtained not a Vinous , but an Adi Spitit, as we found not only by it’s fmelland tafte , but by it’s corroding fragments of Corall , even in the cold, by it's growing fvveet upon Minium^ &c. Agreeably to which experiment I found by tryall , that Raifons which confift chiefly of the Juice of Grapes * infpiflated in the skins o^ huskes by the avolition of the fuper- fluous moiffure through their pores, being dHlill’d in a Retort did not afford any Vinous , Rut rather an Acetous Spirit, that* as an AcidW- quor , would worke upon diverfe bo- dies , as fpirit of' Vinegar would have done , and yet as it was formerly noted , ’tis known Raifons be- So Of the Prodacihlene^ ing in a due proportion fermented with common water will after a cer^ taine time afford a Vinous and ine- briating liquor; and though this time ■ in the better fort of »he i nowne wayes t of making art ficiall wines, is wont to amount to many months, yet I have pradlifed a way (which confifts chiefely in a determinate pro- portion of the water to the Kaifonsf) by the help of which the liquor in very few weekes becomes fit to .| drinke , and confequently to afford by difiillation a Vinous fpirit 5 but this only up6n the by. I fhall n'w add, which probably you will thinke fomewhat ftrange , that from the Juice of Grapes evert after it has been duely fermented, there may be Obtained a diftilled li- quor, which having not found men- tioned in Authors, J thought that I might take the liberty to name , and upon the account of it’s taftc, and fome other qualities to call it the Acid fpirit of Wine: to fatisfy you therefore, that there is fucha liquor, 1 will not make ufe of Rhenif) win,e Or othep wines, thap are thought to relilh b Chytnical frincipUs. 8 1 relifh of Acidi but I will acquaint you , with an Evperimenc that I chofe to make upon Sack , as a Wine fully yipe , and more remote from an Acid and Tartarcus nature, than thofe are wont to be, that are made in lefs hot Climates. We tooke then feme good and having a digeftive Furnace^ and in a glafs- head and body flowly drawne off the Ardent fpirit firft , and then the Phlegm , ( which even in this generous Wine was copious ) till there remained a liquor of the confi- ftence of a fomewhat thin fyrup , we removed it into a Retort, and di- ffill’d it by degrees- of fire , whereby we obtained , befides a fourifh flegme that came firft over , a true acid fpi- rit , as appeared not only by the tafte , but by the hifling noife and numerous bubbles that v,ere produ- ced, when we poured it upon a Lix- iviate fait 5 as alfoby this, that ha- ving put it upon powdered Coralls, it began briskely to diffolve them, even in the cold ; we likewife made it cor- rode fome metalline, and minerall bo- dies , of which ’tis not here neceffa- ry to give you an account , no more than Bi B/lhe Producibhmfs than of the black fubftance that re* inaiiied after the diftillation ; only tvvo things i will here intimate about them. , The one, that as this Acid fpi- rit of Wine has its origination diffe- ring from that of other known Acid fpirics , and even from fpirir of Vine* gar, fo I thought it not irratioflill to conjefiure , that it might have fotne peculiar (jualities , whofe difcovery I leave you (if you think k worth the while) Id profecute; only by way of tncouragenjent , as well as hint , I fhall tell you , that having put fotne of it , for a certaine reafon, upon filings Gfeopper, in fuch manner that fonse of theni , after being wetted with the fpiiit, fhduld remaine e:t- pos’d to the Aire ) and others lye beneath the liquori 1 found though the ttyalls #ere made ih the cold j that in a day dr two, the eXpofed filings had gained a fne blewifhgreeh Colour , but the fpirit that fwam up- on the other filings 4 did in few houi t acquire a fine rednefs:, #hich after- wards in two or three dayes degefte- raied into a colour, like that of the f II f 1 1 I of Chymical Trinciples* 8j win note, relates to the Caput tMor- tuum of chediftiUed Wine, which I found a more fixe body than one would have exoefted , and it is that though probably the finer part belong- jing as toother Vegetable mixts, fo to the Juice of Grapes, being attenuated and fubtilized was changed into art iardent fpirit, and therefore appea- red not in the diffillation , in the jfornie of Oyie, yet ’tis not Unlikely that the courfer part of the oleagi- inous fubftance remained ftill in the Caput Mortuum : for holding it in the flame of a Candle , I obferved that it would partly exhale in thick fmoke, partly melt , and as it were fry , and and partly burn with an aftual flame, which was not only Continued While the flame of the Candle cheriflied it^ but would after it was removed from the Candle , continue a pretty while to flame upon its own account , and a parcell of it , being caft upori quicke , (but not upon flaming ) coales , burned with a blaze , al- moft as if it had been Amber , or Bitumen. I could here tell you , of fine Chrysalis of Wine , that i many yeares 84 0 -f the Produciilemfs >' yeares fince made by a peculiar] way , of the above mentioned ex- 1 trad; of Sacke , bur this may be elfe- ' where more fitly mentioned. i To recurne therefore to our Juice i of Grapes, we fee thatmeerly by a ; feemingly flight difference in the^ management of ir f it may be made to afford either a P^imm, Or A>:id fpi- rit , andlfhali now add, that it may alfo be brought to yield a Volatile or Vrimm one 5 for ’tis known that irt ' prccefs of time. Wine affords tar^ and though Cbymiks fuppofe the fpitit of Tartar \o be of a quite differing nature from that oiVrint and of iS’ooi , and though I have elfe- where flievvn that Tartar diffiiled the common way affords a double fpirir, namely m Acid ^ and another that I thought fit to call Anonymom,.i yet I elfewhere ikow that by a peculiar . and flow way of operating j I have been able toobtaitte( though perhaps , not conftahcly) ft dm brude Tartar ^ without any Additament,a fpirituous fubffance 4 that ih tafte ^ fmell , and divers manifeft operatidfe^much more referabled the Vdlattill fpifii 6f Vtine^ dr of Chywcal Trinclphs , 8 Or rather that of Soot , obrainej as mine of Tartar was , by meere di- ftillatipn , than an Acid Spirit: vvith^ which/ fo {irrie did they agreejic' was difpored to njake a conilid?: as foon as they were put togedier. Buc fach a kind of fubftance may be far more eafiiy obtained from the Lees of Wine, than from Tar^ tar j for having been accidentally informed , that an expert Chymift in Germany had found the way to gee ftore of folatiie Salt from lees of Wine, I refolved to try whither it might nor be done without any ad- dition , and having procured fome of the beft lees ( I could get ) Rhe- nijh Wine , I caufed them to be ex-- pofed ih broad Veffells to the Sun, and the free aire^ ( which circiim- ftance yet I am not fure is neceffary ) that they might -leafurely be dryed, if nor alfo be impregnated in order to the Volatility oi their faline parts. Then thefe dryed faeces being care- fully diftilled in a Retort by degees of tire, the liquor w^as flowiy redH- fyed,by which nieanes there afeend** ed before the Phlegm a fpirituous G 86 Of the TroducibUnefs pert, which would turne Syrup of Violets greene , precipitate diffolved fublimate into a white powder, foon colour it felfe upon Copper with a deep blew , and in Ihort do feveral things , by the performance of which we have elfewhere diftinguilhed latile Salts and Spirits, from Acid^ and frcni Vimus ones. By all fuch Tiyalls upon the Juice of grapes, we may inferr the truih, we intended to prove by them , namely that the fauve matter as it is differingly ma- naged , may be made to afford an A~ cidi behd s one that is truly Acetous) a Vimits zwd. 2 , Volatile fpiiit: befrdes that , ex abundant i it may alfo be made to yeild, as I have noted in meniicning the diftillation of Tartar^ another fort of fpirituous fubftauce , as yet Anonymous. of Chymkal Principles* 87 Nero obferzjatkns about the Adiapho- rous fpirits of Woods and dive rs other Bodies, and now having f;In upon the inentibning of this forr of TpiriiS that I have call’d Anonjmom , fince I Remember not that the notice I gave the Publique of them has engaged any writer to examine them 5 i am ccepiicai content on this occafion to touch uponchymlff fome of the more quicke and eafy try-^ alls that I have made about this kind of Liquors, that I may both excite and fomewhat affift the Curiofity of ihofe enquirers , that fhall attempt to make a farther difcovcry of the nature of tbefe fpirits, which when I firft feparated from the Acid fpirus, where- with Chymifts had before confounded them , as ftiling them and raking them to bemeeriy the Acid fpirits of Tkrr- tar^Wood, 8ic. their properties were fp little known to me , that I conten- ted my felfe to ftilc them Anony- mous fpirits: but fince having found G % theim S§ Of the Troducihlenefs them to differ in divers qualities, both from Vinous, from Acid^ and from Vri’- nom ones , and having not fufficiently diicoveied their pofitive properties? I was wont to give them a negative ap- pellation, and call each of them the Neutrall or Adiaphorous fpirit of the body that affords it ( whether it be Tartar^ Wood, or !Lr>Y Other like con* Crete, ) But before I defcend to particulars, it will not be. improper to premife in generall , three or foure things not unfit to make way for the obfervati- ons that are to follow them. I. I know rot whether it will be requifite to repeat in the firft place , that our Adiaphorous fpirit may be ob- tain’d by diftilling the Liquor that is afforded by Woods and divers other bodies, hy Difiilhng this Liquor 1 fay from Corails, or calcin’d Lead, for by this mtanes the Acid cOrpu Teles of the Menflruum will worke upon the Corail or the Lead , and fo faften iheinfclves to what they corrode, that they will esfily enough part with the Adiaphorous ^irits , which by this meanes are pemimed to afcend by them- of Chymkal Principles. themfelves and fall into the Receiver? in the forme of a liquor. This , as I was faying, 1 know not whether it I be neceffary to infift on in this place, becaufe I have already mentioned it in another paper ; bur I think it may be very pertinent to relate here, that * I endeavoured to try whether there was not a difference in gravity or fix- 1 ednefs between xht Add and Neutrall i fpirit of Wood j without mortifying ; the fiift , and whether by the help of this gravity and fixednefs I might not be able to leparate , at leaft in great ; part, Add from the other, and fo preferve it in its diftindi nature. In order to this , I cauitd a pretty quantity of theredfifyed fpirit of Box to be (lowly diftilfd in a glafs Body and Head plac’d in a fand cappel with the flame of a Lanap, as that which would give a more gentle and regular heat than Charcoal , as indeed in the firft 24 houres pr thereabouts this furnace afforded but about tw'o fpoon- fulls of liquor, and though the Men-^ firaum firft put in fcarce exceeded by our gucfs one pint or pound ( if ic were fo much ) yet it was divers dayes G 3 And 90 Oft’heTroducihkmJ's and nights in drawing over.And in this operation the next obftrvable circiim. ftances were ihefe two. i. that the liquor that firft afcended w’as not Phlegme , but had a very penetrant tafte , yet without any ntanifeft Aci- dity , difcoverable by the tongue', though by purring it upon fine pow- der of Coiall ( whether crude or cal- cin’d i remember not ) yet had Tome operation ihar made mee think it not aitogeihtr devoid of Acid particles. Secondly having often fhifted the Re- ceiver , the better to judge whether the poitions cf the afctnding fpiiit were confiderably different in cuami- ty , 1 found that towards the latter end the liquor that came over was fliarper than before, and having at length diftiil’d ail 1 could make to rife , we found the laft parcel! of li- quor (which was copious enough ) to be of a good yellow colour, ( though thofe that preceded it were limpid enough) and both to fmell ftrong cif Vinegar, and to tafre more acid upoh the tongue than fpirit of common Vi- negar it fdfe : fo that if I had not known how it was obtain’d , ’ I had fuipeded ofChymical Principles. 9 t fufpeftedit to be wha^t the Chymifts I call Ace turn radicatum^ and according- ! ly I found it to be a very adive Mm- ^ruuw in the dilTolution of fome bo* dy’s that fortryalls fake were par in- to it. All which feems to argue, that the Acid portion of fuch diftiil’d li- j quors as 1 have been fpeaking of, is', more ponderous, or more fixt than the Adiaphorous fpirit which upon this account may be in great part fena- ratedfroin it, by bare diftillation, if it be warily enough made. My fecond gent rail remarke lliall be, that 1 have obferv’d thefe Neutrall Spirits to be nor all of them in all things of the fame nature, fince though they agree in fome generall attributes, which fuffice to entitle them to the fame fpecies or denomination, yet they fometimes differ from one another in particular qualities; which advertife- ment I thought it neceffary to prentife, that it may not fetm ftrange, and that 1 may not be blanjed , though fome of the tryalls 1 lliall fet downe do nor pan«5lually fuccced in their hands , that fliall not make ufe of the Anony- mm fpirit of BoXf which I employ’d; G 4 iiat 5 2 Of the Froducililenefs not becaufe 1 think it bener than any other , but becaiife omongft divej’S that 1 have inadt life of, 1 had then a greater quantity of it at hand. But ibough for this reafon » when I fhall (peak what I have obfei v’d in an :Adi- uphoroui fpirit, without naming it, I would be unde: ftood of ihe fpirih of Box , which I had freed flora its Acid n!i?y the help of our Adiaphorous fpi- lit , becaufe ’tis uncommon and not unpleafant: for though we have ma- hy Experiments ofthefuddain tranf~ Mutation of coiourS, whereby we change bne in^o another, yet we have very ftw of the'’prodout to oniJidiap tor ous liquor did hot make anyconlii^l with it , but joined with it quieiiy , as the above men- I tioned Spirits had done, and did not manifefriy change the colour of ei- ther of the liquoiS, whiles they svere kept many hour$ in the cold , bhc being transfer’d into a digefiive fur- nace and kept there a night or two,* the liquor acquired a high colour ^ which was aliiioft Orahgc*browne , and there appeared fome little faces at the bottom. Having made thefe | tryalis upon cur fpirit With fimple ; liqUOlij of ChymicalFrinciflts. liquors, 1 thought fir to make fonie with fuch compounded liquors , as the folution of Metalls are , to fee if Our fpirit, though neither ma- nifeftiy of an Add ^ or an Vrinws^ Or z Lixiviate nature, would procure precipitations of any part of the dif- folv’d Metalls. 7. In profecuting this enquiry I dropt into fome ©four fpirit , a litrle folution of refin’d Gold, which at firft imparted there to it’s own co- lour C perhaps fotnewhat hightned) but the mixture quickly loft it’s tran- fparency and grew muddy, and af- ter a while let fall a confiderable quantity of fediment or Precipitate, the fupernatant liquor having acquir’d a brownifti colour. 8. Having mixt our fpirit with a good folution of crude Lead , made with an appropriated Men^tuum that diftblves it readily and cleare,almoft as Aqua forth does common Silver-^ the mixture prefently grew muddy, and at length after fome dayes let fall a copious fediraenr, over which fwam a liquor between brown and red. 9. We ISO Of the Treduciblenefs 9. We put to our fpirit of Mox foroe fine ceruleoQS linciurc or loluti- on of Copper, made with an Urinous rpifitj ( as of pun ifycd Urine or Sal Armoniack J and foon perceived the nhxiure to grovv troubled j which af- forded us, though but very ilowly ^ a copious refidence. j 10. We mingled wdth our fpirit a ; convenient quantity of firong infufion of Sublimate mjidt in faire water, but ! found not any manifcft readion be- iweene thofe liquors, no more than we did between dry and undilfolved Sublimate and the fame fpirit, when we kept them together in this fame Phial. ir. Mixing our fpirit with oyle of Tartar per deliquium there did not fud- denly appeare any manifeft change , but having digefied the mixtuie for feverall dayes , there precipitated a light feculcncy, and the fupernatant liquor , which was iranfparent, ap- peared of a colour inclinable to red. 12, We alfo mingled wirh fomeof our folrit a convenient quantity of Vitriol of Copper diflblved infairewa- ter, till the liquor feeni'd fatiated with the ofChymlcd Trinci^hL i tsi the Vitriol, but I remember riot that in fonie dayes, the folu cion grew ma- nifeltly opaeous or discoloured. 13. V/e put toourfpirit a foludoa of Tin , made in a MenUtuum that dif- Solves it cleare, and found very little I alteration toenfue, though we left the liquors many houres together. 14. But when I put to our fpirit a convenient quantity of the folutiv n of Mercury^ made in Aqua forik^ the co- lour of the mixture became firft deep- i ly yellow , and in a minute or two in- I tenfeJy red , and being digefted for fome dayes, I found at the bottom of the Phial a white Precipitate ^ much j more copious than 1 eXpefted , and i the tranfparent liquor, that fwam a- bove it, was of a rich golden colour; L whether Phyfitians or Surgeons Should thinke fit to employ this Precipitate, or this tinged liquor for Medicinal! purpofes, 1 iliail leave them to confi- dcr. Severall of the foregoing Expe- riments were tryed with the fpirits of other Woods than Box-i and in parti- cular with thbfe of Oake and Guaja- tuMt xhtFraenomend of which Expe- H ritr.Si'US 102 Of the frodueihlenefs riments were not alwaies the fame with thofe above recited , which may probably argue fome difference in ihe nature of fuch fpirits, as well as there is in the conftitution of Ihe Woods that afforded them ; nor for cei taine reafons have 1 thought fit to recount here all the tryalls I have made with the Adiaphoreus fpirit of Box it felfe, of which fort 1 lhall for example fake name only two, which I remember as having been the lateft 1 made, whereof the was. That ha-^ ving put fome bf our neutrall fpirit upon fome pieces of fine red Corall , and kept them there many dayes, the liquor did not appeare to have extra* tffed any tinffure from them, though the upper part of the higheft frag- ments fetm'd to be turn’d white. And the other was. That having taken a parceii of fpirit that came over by redificaiion in a Lamp furnace long before the more fixt Acetous fpirit came to aftend, and having purpofe- ]y expos’d a Phiall fcarce halfe full of icj in a vety fliarpe frofty night in a Garden covered with Snow and Icf 3 is was taken up the neret mor- ning o/ Chjmical 'Principles. 103 ning , not at all frozen , but lefs limpid than before , and this little opacity did (fomewhat to our wonder) remaine more or lefs for fome weekes after. 1 04 Of the Producihlenifs The third Part. About the Troduciblenefs of Sulphurs, Hofe fubfiaijces', that Chymifts j “®- are wont to call the Sulphurs ! of the mixt bodies , that by the help of the fire are brought to af- ford them j are not of fo uniforme a Nature as 'might be expeded in the i portions of the fame Principle. For as on the one fide Chymifts make inflammability to be the conffituenc ^ CfhdiX'dCtQX oi Sulphur on the other | fide, ’lis obvious enough to tliofe | that arc any thing vers'd in Spagiricall | operations , that there arc at leaft: | three fubfranccs ntanifeftly differing in Confidence, Texture, or both, | that , according to the notion lately | afljga'd I tf Chymical frlncifhs. io$ aflign’d , ought to be rcferr’d to Sul-' fbur. For Jornetimes the Jnflaiinniabie fiibfhance , that is obtain’d from a luivt body by the Intervention of the Fire, appears in the forme of an , oyle, that will not mingle with wa- ter; Jornetimes, in the forme of an ar- I dent fpiritf that will readily unite with that liquor; and fometimei z\\q in the forme^ojf a Confident body , aTnmft like common Sulphur. I Notwithft^nding thefe various fprajes , in which it appeares* 'tis not impoffible but that in many mixt bo' di"S, not to fay in that pafs under the name oi Sulphurs-) ! and' which is the cohftiruent qua^ j lity ( if I . may Co fall it ) that dif- i priminates them from the other ma^ j tefiall Principles of mixt Bodies, muff I be fOnfcCs’d, if we will fpeajce in- teirigibly , fo be In^amm ability, or if you pieafe ^ a di^ofition to bs turt Tied into Fire^ and ufually a I To into fiame. Which being premis’d > I cqri- H 3 fider io6 0/ tie FroducibleneP fider here , that Sulphur it felfe is made of the fame llniverfall matter, whereof other Bodies confift , and is but a Coalition of certaine panicles thereof, whofe Aggregate , by having fuch a Contexture, Motion, &e. ac- quires thofe properties, for which a Body is c^\\tA Sulphur. And there- fore if the like contexture happen to be found in other Portions of matter, or ( to exprefs my felfe more fully if Art , or chance can frame and bring together Particles of matter , ard give them fuch a Contexture as is apt and fufFxcient to difpofe them to be kindled and flame or burn a- way Thefe Qualifications of fuch an Aggregate of Corpufcles will fuf» flee to conferr on it the nature of a Sulphur , whether this por- tion of Matter do , or do uot confift , or, copioufly participate of the Chyniifts Primevall SuU phur. For it is not by vertue ol" the long preceeding Duration of a thing , but by that of the Efiential Qualities belonging rp it, that a Body delerves this, or that Denomination. *As the Snow that fell yefterday, and was ofCkymical Primiples. J 07 was generated in a trice , is as true fS’nojp , as that which has iaine , per- haps for many years , on thofe that are alwayes cover’d with or on the higheft Mountaines of the frigid zone. And in the Judgment of the Chymifts themfelves, a Pound of Quick-Silver recently tranfmuted by a graine or two of their Elixir into Gold, becomes as true Gold, as that which was coevall with the Mountaines, where nature has form'd the Ancienteft Mines of that Metall. H 4 The 1 o% Oftbt Troducihlenefs The L SECTION. Of the Trcduaien of Oyks. hat ’lis not necefiary. the Oyles. | oy Sidj?hurs obtain’d by the Fire | from mix'c bodies, fl;ould be a Pri- ! ir-evail Elen)ent or Principle, maybe probably argued from the ExperiniCnt mention’d in the SiepticAll Chymif about the Gro A fh of Plants nourifli’d | by mcer water, v/hich neverthelefs by | Diftilladon afordtd an oyle. And i we fee that in Almond trees, wal- I nut frees, and divers others, the raine water , ihat infinuates it felfe into their roots, is by fuccefiive changes of Texture reduc'd into the Oyle which the Fruit fc>y expreflicn fo plentifully afTords. And to confirme our E.vperinient from the growth of Plants by tranfnnited or afhmifated water , to obviate the fufpition of cotTiniOn waters being inpregnatcd with the groTer juices of the Earth, 1 employ’d diftill’d water. About which of Chymical Principles. 1 09 vybich Experitnent I find this fliort inemori.iIl among my Adverfaria, [ A Sprigg of Mint put into Raine water clifTili’d sand fed almoft wholly with: redilHll’d Raine water weighed July 1 5. gr. 3, and was taken out Auguft the 14 and being well dryed with Pa- per and a CloaCh , weighed 19. graines and about a Quarter.* So that within lefs than a Month it grew to be three times as heavy , as when ’iwas firftput in. Another put in, and ta- ken out at the fame time, with the former, had attained within lefs than a Month to near four times it’s firft weight, and hadfhott out a fecond fprigg much higher than the firfijand ftore of Roots , fome of them near as long againe , as the whole plant when it was firft put in J[ if. we confider what a great quan- tity of Oyle is afforded by an Olive- yard , wbofe Trees are probably, as well as thofe that beare Apples , Cheries , and other kinds of Aque- ous fruits , nouriftied chiefely by Raine water , that being imbibed by the Roots is by various digeftions, or preparatory changes, turn’d in- to jro Ofthe'Pvoducihlenefs to Oyl in the Olive , it will not ap- peare unlikely , that Oyk may be produced of other fubftances ; fince in our inftance it feetns to have been made by tranfrautatibn of water , though this be generally reputed to be of all Liquors the n)oft contrary to it, and is evidently of a nature exceeding diftant from it. And here I ftall relate an Expe- riment , by which I attempted to pro- duce it, out of only two diflill’d li- quors, that according to the common eftimarion of Chymifis are uncom- pounded Bodies, and whether they be really fo or not , are each of them readily difTolvable in water , and in one another. Take then of Oyle of Vitriol, and of fuch fpirit of Wine as is totally inflammable, ail equall weight, mix them toge- ther by degrees , left, the heat they will produce fliould breed fome in- convenience , and having digefted them a good while ( which yet is not abfolutely neeeflary } with a very wary management of the fire ( for elfe the Experiment will eafily mifearry draw off what will come over X of Chymical Trincipks* 1 1 1 over , and if you goe lo worke ^ as I have feverall times done, you fhall obtaine befides a fubtill and odori- ferous fpirit of Wine and an Acid iulphurtous Liquor , a confidcrablc quantity of Cbymicall Oylc, which I have had fometiines deeply colour’d, fometimes dear like faire water , and this Oyl you will perchance looke on as an odd liquor , when I tell you that I have had it, fometimes exceeding fragrant, and Ohough the oyl of Vitriol be fo highly Corro- five ) without any Acidity at all , the Tafte of it being very fubtile and penetrant , but no way like that pf any faline liquor, that we know. This hath fometimes inticed me to doubt , whether it hath been made of the fpirit of Wine, or of the oyl of Vitriol, The Circumflan- ces kft mentioned feem to, per- fwade the former; efpecially if I add to them, that I found by Tryall purpofely made that this oyle would ! readily mix vvith good fpirit of Wine that had never had to do with oyle of Vitriol, but on the other fide it feem’d confiderable, that the iT 2 Of the Troducibhnefs pyl Vitriol by this operation wa§ t tnuch weakened and changed » and { it appear’d nor , whence the fpi;ic \ pf Wine ftould have fo great a fra- . ' grancy , which confiderarions were ! back’tby this more weighty Argument, that this Oyle was fo ponderous as to finke not only in common wa- ter , which is yet a far ! moie heavy liquor than pure fpirit of Wine , but in the Acid i^ini it felfe, which, feem’d to be the remains of the al- ter’d pyle of Vitriol , Avhich , by reafon of it’s abounding in Sah « you will cafily grant to he far hea- vier than Common water. But b | need not much trouble my felfe , | to determine , which his of the two I liquors, that affords this fironge oylj for it may. well be (though not e- qually ) compofed of bpth , by their I mutuall Aftion , and the operatioh | of the Fire, united in the forme, of | Oyle. And if it be objefted as pro* ^ bably it will, that this inflammable fubftance is made but by extrication '• of the parts, that lay conceal’d in I the liquors before they were brought j together , it may be anfweted , that ’ this of Chyntical Principles. 113 this fhould I'oi be fuppofed , but proved , which till it be our caufe will be favour’d by our Experiment, wherein there appears nothing fo likely as a Change of Texture ; to which may be afcribed the Produ- 6lion of our Anojnctlous Chymical Gyle, fince this plainly letins to refult from two bodies whereof neither was a true oyle before. For each of them ! would readily mingle v,ith water , ; whereas this pj'oduc’d oyle of our'si, being fhaken with wSter.wouldbreake like common oyies, iiiro numerous little globul’s ; which would prcfently after finke to the bottom and re- unite there into a liquor > which for Tryall fake 1 have kept diverfe weekes in* the water, and found it at lafl: undiffolved by it Some odd property’s of this oyl make it Teem likely to par* ticipate of fome of the nobler parts I of /07rio/,and the fulphur of that Me- tall having extraordinary vertues a- fcrlbed to it, by fome of the famouf- eft and Inieliigenteft Spagirifts , ( as Baftlius Valentinus Hdmont 8cc. ) I kept fome quantity of this oyle by 1 me for Icveiali yeares, to obleive , II 4 the Produciilenefs as I did with pleafure, the alterations that time would produce in it , and' afterwards I imparted either fome of the Medicine u feife , Cwhcreof the fiift Tryal proved very fucctfsfulO Or the wayes of preparing it , or both 5 tofonie ingenious Men , who ( I am told) did not all of them re- member me in the free mention they made of ir. But this concerUes not our Argu- ment , upon occafion whereof I fliall obferve upon the by , that though Chymifts fliould be able to prove that our Oyl was but feperared from the fpiiit of Wine , or the oyl of triolt in which it was latent before, yet Bill the Experiment would af- ford me a conliderable reafon for queftioning a maine point in the db- drine of the vulgar Chymifts, who confidently pretend to prove from the number of fimilar fubftances (as they fuppofe them ) obtain’d from a mixt body, that it was adually compounded of juft fo many di- ftind and true material Principles and fuch a quantity of each. For if from a diftill’d Liquor , as the f/Chymical Principles. 115 oyle or rather ponderous and Acid fpirit of Vitriol , or from Alcohol of Wine , which is commonly reputed to be uncoinpouhded , a liquor ol quite another kind may be C not but) feparatedt how little reafon have we» to take it for granted with the Chy- mifts, that every diftill’d liquor, that they looke upon as one of the Com- ponent Principles of the Body that afforded it, is a fubftance not further divifible into differing parts. The ' i of the Vrodudhkn^js The II. SECTION. Of the ProduHim of inflammable Spirits, A Fter what has been hitherto delivered Concerning the produ- dion of Oyids, I fhould now pro- ceed to that of another fort of li- quors, referr’d by tbO Chyrnihs^ to the principle they call Sulphur ^ though better known to others, by inflammable Spirits. BuC of thefe I fhall purpofely forbear lo difeourfe in this place and rather re- fer to what I have faid to them in another, w here I thought it more pro- per to confider them ; Namely , iri Onh of the Sections of that part of thefe Notes , that treats of the pro- duciblenefs ci Vinous Spirits. of Chymical PrincipUs* 117 The !!(. SECTION. ' i O/theFroduBionof Confident Sulphurs* ) F you ftould here tell me^ as per- * haps y6u will do, chat what I have beert hiiherto faying relates but to Inflammable liquors, whereas Sulphur^ in it’s moft proper and primary Ac- ception, Signify’s a Minetall Body ; I lliall anfwer^ that, as I, formerly intimated , the Chymifts ufe the terme Sulphur fo ambiguoufly, and fo un- certainly, that they have made it dif- ficult for, other Men*s difcourfes to avoid all appearance of participating of the Confufcdnefs ^ they feem to have affe^ed in theirs. But bccaufe ! the moft intelligible, and leaft inde- finite Notion their writings fuggefl: ! of Sulphur ^ IS a Combufti- ble and Inflammable Principle; I have hitherto treated of it as fuch. And ; as for that Sulphur, \h 2 Lt is commonly known by that name, and bought in, Ihops, though Ii now there are fome I Chymifts j T S Of the V roducihUnefs Chynufls that have affirm’d, that from Vegetables and Animalls they can feparate fuch a Sulphur ; yet fince they are not wont to teach us the way of doing it , nor give us any proofs befides there own word, of there having ever done it themfelves, the thing has Teem’d fo improbable, that I find few or none of the more Judicious of their own Party, that looke upon it, as other, than a Bragg; only a follower of Glauber , I find tp have undertaken , by his Mafter's | diredions , to produce a real Sulphury | r^ke the Minerall, out, of Vegetable Charcoal, by a way , which , becatife, it has deceived more than him, apd Js.fpecious enough to impofe upon ' thofe that either are noi^ Chyroifis, or, if they be Chy miffs , are not cautioui Mm ^ I fiball hei e fei down^ and examine , as after; the Author^ It rnadf it, . , < , , ^ VV.e tooke then equall quaaritif’;s. C fuppofe a pound of each ) of , gopd oyl of Vitrhl and of common fea* file , dilTolved in as much water as j was requifite; This mixture^ was flow? ly difiili’d till th,e botiome was throughly ofChymlcdt Principles. 119 throughly dry , ( which it wi!l not be fo'-fobn as if bdgins to look white, ot* appea re coagulated’) then fetting i afide the Liquor , C whereof the firft : part that came over was Phlegm j arid the other part ipirit Of Salt ) [ we tooke out the Cafut Mortr-ium ^ I ( which if one pleafes , may be pu- ll rifyed by being diffolv’d and phil- i tef'd ) and having beat it to powder I with about tor t part of icsvccightof Charcoal we put it in a ftrong i Crucible , and kept the mixture mel- ! ted in a Vehement fire , till it grew i of a darke reddifli colour, for by that time fuch a change was made in i| the Mafs , that it both fmelt and ta- ^ fted rankly enough of Sulphur; and if fpirit of Sal Armoniack, were fea- fonably diftiU’d from it, with acom- I petent , but not over hafty fire, the afcendihg fpirit would be manifeftly impregnated wdth Suiphut not diffi- cultly feparable, which may alfo be divers other wayes obtain’d from the fame fixt Caput Mortuum. But for all this fpecious operation, I do not take the Sulphur 4 thus pro- duc’d , to have been the Vegetable ‘ 1 2 Sulphur 1*0 0 / the Troducihiemfs Sulphur of Charcoal , but a Minerall Sulphur that lay conceard in a li- quid forme among the faline parts of the Oyle of Vitriol. For,^#V/?, ’tis not likely that fo fmail a quantity of Charcoal, as was employed in this Experiment, and much lefs that fo fntall a quan- tity as may fuffice to make it , could containe fo much Sulphur as may this way be obtained. Next , that common f^itriol is not deftitute of Minerall Sulphur, may be ealily conjedur’d by the Sulphu- reoufnefs of theMarchafiies whereof 'tis wont to be made. In fo much that in divers Countreys , as about Liege, and in fome pans cf Italy, fiom the fame fublfance that af- fords them Vitriol, they obtaine by fublimation great quantities of com- mon Sulphur, which is fold for fuch into divers other Countreys. Audi have found by Tryall , and do not at all thinke my felfe in that fingular, that one may obtaine from Vitriol an oyle , and a Cefut Mortuum , which being put together altorded a froell of common Sulphur fo ftreng , that I of Chymical Vrinciplts. 121 was fcarce able to indure it. And to come yet more clofe to our Experipment I have(as Ihave elfe'* here meniioned) purpofely tryedjmore than onceortwice,that by diftilling together : common oyl of Turpentine and com- mon oyle of Vitriol , the former of thofe liquors, woidd make a repara- tion of Pome of the Sulphur that lay ; conceal’d in the latter , and as it were I extricate and extrad it: fo that be- I ficles an exceedingly Sulphureous li- j quor , which fometimes v/as made i white by the copioufly dilTolved i. and I partly precipitated ) Sulphur, that i pafl’d into the Receiver 5 we had in ! the Necke of the Retort a yellowiih • confiftent body, which being put up- 1 on a quicke Coal , would , after a little yellow flame ( probably pro- ceeding from fome adhering parts of Turpentine^ afford good ftore of Blewifli flame, like that of common S'^lpBur ^ which it alfo emulated in it’s fmell. And fuch a kind ofiSw/- phur I have alfo feen, in trad of time, fettle it felfe , in no inconfiderable j quantity, at the bottom of the Liquor, IdiftiU’d from the mixture of the two I 3 above i 122 0f the'PradiicihUnefs above memion’d Oyles. Nor are | thefe the only wayes , by which I have i obtained ft oin oyle of Vitriol nianifeft | prcoles of it’s containing a wimrall Sulphur .very like to common Sul- \ phur, And,in particular it now comes in- to my mind, that I once put into a Retorr , together with one part of iuwmwg Mercury ^ four parts of cyle of V'itriol y and having dilhil I’d oh the | Menfituumy by degrees ot fire , there remain’d at the botiome pf the Glafs j a very white powder. This Calx y j being aftei wards gradually preft with ' ; a ftionger fire , afforded in the up- per pan of the Retort a great many I fmall be dies, that look’d like halfe | Beades of Amber, and feem’d to be of very fine Sulphury ( but were af- terwards confounded with many o- . ther afetnding corpufcles. ) This ' Amber like Body f which was fome- whar copious and as to fome porti- ons of It whifilbi) by its readinefs to be melted, by us Imell and by the! blewifh flame it afforded when it bur-! j ned, appeared to be a kind of Sul- \ phur , which you will eafily grant, to i ' ' ■ ' bf of Chymical PrimipJes, 123 be far more unlikely to have procee- ded from fo Homogeneous a body, as the Quicksilver^ than from the Oyle of Vitricl , which we have al- ready fliown to confift of divers Sul- phureous as well as many Acid cor- pufcles. And on this occafion I re- member , that , whereas upon ming- ling the oyies of Turpentine and of Vitrid 'm a due proportion, I have conftantly obferved, that they in-- corpoiated into a mixture , that was deeply red, ( and this may eafily be tryed by letting fall two or three drops of oyle of Vitriol upon fome drops oT that of Turpentine^dind nnx. ing them in a concave Vtffcll , or even in a hollowed piece of paper) whereas, I fay, I obferv’d this, 1 was thereby induc’d to fufped the Chy^ micall (for I fay not, the Opticall ) caufe of that Phmomenm might be y that the Terebinthinate Oyle had made afolution of divers fulphureous Particles it mdt with , in the oyle of Vitriol * and by that meanes acquired fuch z rednefs , as we fee that com- mon flower of Sulphur gives to the ♦oyle of Turpentine i when 'tis diflblv’d 1 4 in 124 OftheVroducihUnefs in it, Ard to examine ihis conje* ^iure , I found thar divers other Chy'' niicall oyles, and oyle of Anifeedi it felfe , as remote as ’tis from redilefs, would preftntly acquire that colour, being carefully incorporated with a due quantiry of oyle qf f^itriol. But this.conjeiffure is propos’d only upon the by. As for the Sulphur of Mineralls and Meralls , 1 confefs , I have not y^t found enough , either in Chytnifts Bookes, or in my own Ex- perience , to niake me willing to fpeaVe Dogmatically about rhem. And this the rather , becaufe frh , as to the Sulphurs that are fomeumes ob- tainable from fome of the Mineralls, 1 thinke it m?y be doubted, whether they belong’d to thofe Mineralls as Effemial Ingredients , or were only Corpufcles of Common Sulphur^'ptu haps a little aitei'd , that were ming- led in the bowclls of the Eart;h , with other paris that are eflential to the nature of the MineraJl. As we fee , that in native Cinnabar the Mercury, which according jo Chy- inifts is a compleat Meiailby it felfe, ; 'is of Chymical TrincipJes* 125 is fo n^ix’d with ancrher body , as not to be diftiniilly difcernable till jc be feparaied by the fi. e. And this Cunnabav avoids nie an inftance, the I more fit for n^yprefenr purpofe, be- I caufe I have fonietimes by an eafy ! way obtain’d a Suiphur alfo from it: and fincc we have lately noted, that the Vitriolate Marchafnes afford great j ftore of common Suiphur , by a grofs way of reparation, it fitould not feem irrational! to fufpeil , that fome com- ; mon Sufhur may remaine more clofe- ly tuixt with the faline and metalline parts of the Vitriol afforded by. the fame MarchafiUs ; from which Latent corpufcles of Sulphur may in part proceed, the fulphureous fmell, and other like things that we have lately I taken notice of in Vitriol, and it’s oyle. And perhaps by the fame con- fideration one may account for the fulphureous qualities that are fome- times to be met with in the Liquors thar pafs for the Vinegars of Minei all Bodies, and particularly Antimony \ to which may now and then be added fome metalline Oar's; fince I remember, , I have had fuch a ftilphureous Li- quor 126 Of the Troducibhmfs quor from good lead-oar , that I had ordered to be purpofely digg*d out of the Mine at Minedee^ , and being putinclofe Veffells fpeedily convey- ed to me. And that nature her felfe may blend an imperfedi niinerall with Lead , I have had occafion to obferve by an oar ^ whereof the owner found a Mine > but not being able to difco- ver what it was, defir*d nie to enforme him. For this gave me oCcalion to confider the Oar C whereof I have yet a Lump by me) and to obferve, that *twas fo differing from the other oar’s of tlwt Country, that I did but dif- fidently guefs , that ’twas a mixture that Nature had made of Lead and Antimony^ till particular Tryalls had juflified my fufpitions. But this is not all I had to fay a- bout the Sulphurs of Foffiles: For though I know that Chymifts pre- tend to teach us wayes of Extrading the true Sulphurs of Mineralls , and Metalls ; and Experience affures me, that a reall combuftible Sulphur may be in a pretty quantity obtain’d froUi Antimony j yet there are two fcrttpks that fuffcr me foully to acquiefce in what 0 f ChymicalTrincifles. nj ^hat they teach. Thcj^rlr is this, That Chyraifts oftentimes deceive others and themfelves too, by miftaking thofe j things for the true Sulphurs ofMine- rails, and Metalls , that really are not fo: Of which I Ihall give a plaine in- 1 /lance in the preparation that many ■ Spagirifls deliver of the Sulphur of Antimony'. For when they have boil’d that I Minerall in a ftxon% Lixivium ofPot- alhes, they fuppofe , that, as by the fame operation , common Sulphur is diffolved , fo the Menfiruum feeks OUT, and takes up, only the Sulphu. reous Farrs of the Antimony’. And as common Sulphur is precipitated out of the Lixivium i wherein ’tis diflblv’d, by fprinkling on it Vine- gar, or fome other ^cir/,fo they pre- fume, that what is ftrucke down the fame way from the folution of Anth mony , made in the fame Menfiruum muft be the true Sulphur of that Minerall; in which they are con- firm’d by the colour ; And yet in re- ality, not only the (fuppofing %at there is one) but the other parts of the Antimony will be dilTolved by a ' ftrong 128 Of the Product hlenefs ftrong Lixivium^ and cfte yellow pow^ ‘ *“ der , that is precipitated, is bur a kind of Crocus , which will fometimes ^ after a while ( at leaft in part ) fubfide of it felfe, without the help of an Acid. Nor do’s -it convince me, that fuch a Body obtain’d from a Mine- rall, or Metall , is its true Sulphur that it may be made to burne j for un- lefs the colour and fmell of the flame €oacurr , I fliall be prone to fufpedi:, ! that the inflammability may be apt to rife , partly from the great com- ininution made of the prepared Bo- dy, and partly from the additanienc employed in preparing it. For thefe two^ and perhaps even one of them, may contribute fo much to the in- flammable difpofition of a body, that little , or rio true Sulphur will be ne^ cefiary to make it burne. Of this I elfewhere give an inttance in plates of Copper; from which an equall weight of fublimaie has been diftill’d.* For the remaining, Mafs will melt and burne at the fiante of a Candle, al- moft as readily as fcalingWaX. And of thefe InftanCes I mention more in another paper , where 1 endeavour to ofChymkalTrincifles. 129 to Ihew , that combuftible and inflam- mable bodies may be mad® up Parts or Ingredients , that fingly had Product^ not fuch (Qualities. And yet the con- itrary of this isfuppofed in Che Chy- micall argument that inferrs from j thefe Qualities , the prefence of Sul- phur in all ihofe Minerall prcparati- lons, wherein they arc found. Yet by this difcourfe I would not be thought I to derogate > from the Medicall ver- j Cues j or other Utilities of fuch flip* pofed Sulphurs. For they may be very ufefull Concretes , though they be not true Principles \ the finer parts of the Minerall being in fome of thefe preparations extraifled, and further divided , and perhaps very luckily afibciated with the finer parts of the Body , employ’d to ad on them. By which raeanes there may emerge new Concretes of great ver- tue and ufe. And therefore I in- tend not to derogate from thofe Metalline Sulphurs , which fome Few Mafters of Chymicall Arca^ na referve with great care a- mong ihe chiefelt they are proud. «f. And that you may the better examine 130 Of the ProducihUnefs examine thefe fine CrocMf’s, as I am ; ape to thinke moft of tfiem , and fry both what they are , and what they' do j if I can lighton.the PrccefievC for' I dare not truft my Memory) I will’ at the end of this Afjpendix , impart; to you a way of pteparing fome of thofe that are made of Mtralls, tbore being accounted the moft difficult as well as noble. And thus much f now remember of the Tryalls I made ac- cording to this way ; That I employ’d not any Acid Menfiruum , or liquor made of any particular fait; but a or compounded fait ; which whiles it was in adfaai fufion , would diffblve of corrode the very thinly laminated Metall. 1 do pot »looke upon thefe fub- i firances as the true Sulphurs of the Metalls that afford them , but rather j ( as I lately intimated ) fufped them • to be a fort of fine Crocuses ^ and per- haps Magiftery’s ; which by reafon - of the fubtihy and fometimes Fixt- hefs of their parts, may prove ufe-' full to conliderable purpofes both in Alchymy.znd Fbyftckj But there is another fort of Body V obtain’d ofChymkalTrlmiples* 13 1 obtain’d from feme Mineralls , and perhaps from Metalls too , that has a greater refeinblance to Mineral 1 [Sulphur , than the newly mentioned CroQus*s have. To this purpofe I remember that by putting Aate or fix't fait,, as it may aifo be from ilii: ejie ov /ulfbutt by it’s not being infl.inimable. But thefe marks wiA nor diferiminateir, from Thlegrnc , which ib aho a fugi- tive and ut;iiiilimn?ibie Jic^uor 5 and therefore to make the diffetence, they mull' add Tome other quality , fuch 3' ( vvhich yet agrees not to QgiiXflrtr it felf , ) that is wanting to Thhgm!'.. So that according to ! this doduiie , the nature of a Chy- J^ icail Mneuvy or Spirit wjll con- fia , in its being a liquor volatile, not inEanimablelike oyle cr fulphur, nor ytt mfipid like phlegm; Kowodd a principle this muft he ,ithat coni- prifes fuch difftriDg body’s , as are Ai,id Jpirits\ as ihofe of Nitre and Vitriol 5 TJrimus ^ as thofe of blood, Harifiioinei &e. and Anonymous ones , as ^ of Chym CidFrinciples. 14 ^ as thofc of Guajacum , Honey , Rai* fons,and &c.forc’d from their acidity; and the funning Mercury’s of Mine- rals and Metals, as Cinnaber, Anti- mony, and Lead ; under one Princi- ple, which to deferve that name ought to have all the portions of matter belonging to it Homogeneous ; I niay fafely leave any considering Natura- lift to Judge. And therefore inftead of takinp further notice of this, it may fuffice for my prefent purpofe i to mind you , that as for the Mer- .cutfs or uninftaminabley^zV/f^ ofVe- gitables and Animals, 1 have endea- voured to (how their produdfion where I difcourfe of that of spirits and^jo- latile falts. And therefore I need but fay fomething of the ProdudH- on of Mercury more properly fo cal- led , that is:, running Mercury: about ' which perhaps it will not be lefs ac. cepiable to you , and I am fure it ^ will be kfs troublefome to me , if 1 leave you to gather my opinion out of three papers , that were written for differing Vertuofi , at feverall times , and oa diftindf occafions 5 upon which account , btfides thofe particulars 142 Of the TroducihUmf$ ^ particulars that relate to our pre- * fent Argument , you will perchance find fotne things , that you' have not cirwhere inett With. Whe' ofChymicalfnacipUs. 145 Whether Mercury may he obtained from CHetals and Minerals ^ Or (To fpeake Chymically ) An dentar Mercurii Corporum? Hat there may be extrafted or ob- tained from Metals and Mine- rals a fluid fiibAance, in the forme ofronning Mercury^is the common there may^ without tbe } addition of any body , that we may bt \^fure has any common Quick: ftlver in it^ I he obtained ^ by the help of Art , a fuh~ I ^ance refembling common Quick ftlver , by being ponderous, fluid yfhtn adual- ly cold, AmclgamahU wiihGold.and fom'e other metals , and indispofed to wet or flicks to ones hand-, or to body's not of a Metalline nxture. 'to give you new my prefent thoughts, about this queftion , I ftall offer them to your confidferadonj iri the following propoGtions. There are divers procefes of making fnefli the mercury s body's , that are Jofropof darkly deliver d-, that the generality of Chymifls cannot fuflciently iinderfiand “ them , to be zble to tjy them\ for feme of thefe proCeftes are fet down ini tetinesof Art, which,for their great darknefte or ambiguity, are not to be undeiffood but by the authors them- felvcs 5 or thofe who are vers’d in the more 14 ^ Of the Producibiemfs more nayfterious parts of Hermetiek Philofophy. And others there are of thefe proceffes^that require fome/cm- fairs, or orhct inftruments , that ’tis not in the power of ordina- ry Chymifts to procure , Infrances of this kind may be frequently enough mett with , by thofe that have the curiofjty to perufe heedfully the Wri- tings of thofe that paife for the A- deft Philofophers. And for a /feci- min of fuch procelles , I am content to annex to theclofe of this paper, the way delivered by LrHlius of ma- in g Mercury of Silver , BelmohPs way of preparing Mercury of Lead , and Paracelfus sveay of ex trading the Mer^ curys of all Metals^ There are divers froceJjeS to make ^^^oury's of body's , that are either falfe , or accomf anted with circumHances that make them unfit to be truf*d' For there are of thefe pioceff’s that ha- ving been curioufly try'd , by thofe that had a great defire to find them true , have not been found to fudceed at all in praftice. Hence we have fo many complaints of Ghymifl:s, that jiave ofChymkalVrinciflts, 147 have loft their labour in endeavouring to make according to BtguinuCs dire- ftions( in his TyrociniumChymicuin) the I Mercury of Silver, though I do nbt take that to be one of the dilFiCulteft to be prepared ; and he thatconverfes much i among thofc that have made attempts to make the Mercury's of other bo- dy’s , as Gold, Antimony, &c. accor- ding to the vulgar proceiTes extant in Chymicall books, will ( if I mi- : ftake not}find by their confelTions,how little the events of their endeavours anfwer their labours and expedati- ons. Nor doe all the Mahufcript pro- ceffes that are communicated to pri- vate freinds, as great Jrcaua much cxcell thofe I have been fpeaking of; as feverall of my acquaintance have ^omplained to me, that they have found to their cofte. And here not to men- tion my own experience ( which by the help of good Principles made me timely defift from unlikely attempts) amongft the many Chymifts I have knowp, I remember not to have found above three or four credible perfons, that would affirme to me, that they made; or faw made the Mercury. ny J 4 ? Of the Troducihlemfs ny metal 1 or minerallc except of na« live Cinnaber , which is the natural oar of Qaickfilver ) in a conftant way, by any proceffe he had found in printed books , fo that , fo many of thefe Pi oceffes having been upon ti iall found falfe, wary nien may b" excus’d , if they do not think fit to beleeve o- ther procefles of mercto tficaiiom which though not yet try'd fetni’d not more probable, than thofe that have been already found fo unfuccesful, that not only many learned modern Narurali- . fls, but Angetm Salatznd diverS others eminent Chymifls ihenifelves , have publifh’dtoihe wotld, that thefe Mer- cury^ s are to be found no where» but in the bragging Chymifts books and prcmifes ; and feme have, as has been already intimated , gone fo far as to brand ail thofe , for cheats , that pre- tend they can make fuch Mercury^s^ and thofe for credulous that believe they can be made. But what 1 think of this fevere opinion I fliall quick- ly have oecafioiv to declare. nethki There are fome frecefes , rr herein it Pi thought that the Mttcury of a tnetall or of Chymical Trincifleu r 4p or Minerall k obtained ; when indeed \ the obtain'd Jub^iance k milnam'd^ or the true Mercury that is faid to be ex' trabied » was jf^ut in , though in a dif~ guijed forme ^ by the operator. I will not here give ihftances of the fubiile cheats , that may be pttt upon the ignorant and unwary, and fotnetimes too upon the skilfull , if they be not alfo C'lutious; but fliall content my felfe to illuftrate the prd- pofition,by a few known and there- fore innocent inftancesj and firft there are fome, who finding themfelves un- able to make the true Mercury^ s of me- tals or minerals, make bold to aferibe the name Of Mercury*s^ to producti- ons who's qualities are very remote from thofe, that are agreed f© beef- fentiall to QuickiUver. Thus Globe- rus fpeaks much of his Mercury of Lit. na ^ which yet is far from being run- ning Mercury , or having the pondero- ficy and other properties of true Quick- filver. So Angelas Sah himfelfe in his Anatomy of Antimony would have us to look upon the Reguline parts of that mineral y as its mercurf btcaufe L , he 1 50 Of the Producihtenefs be takes it for granted, it muft cons tain mercury^ and is pleafedi to fancy BO other can be obtained from it. But the difference of the Regulinc part of Antimony , and running mercury in point of confiftence , gravity, ando- ther quality’s, will , 1 prcfume, in- difpofe men to confound them. And therefore , 1 will proceed , to con- firme the fecond part of ourpropofi- tion ; by fhewing that the Mercury obtained by fome proceffes that may fucceed , made part of the Addita- nient iroploy’d by the Artifl: in the Operations , and fo was not proper* ly extraded from the metal, but only recovered from the body , com- pounded of the metal and the Addi- tament. Or this, 1 remember, I have elfwhere given an eafy inftance , in a deluding experiment , that 1 long firice fhewed fome Vertuofi^ inwho^s piefence having mingled the filings of Copper tvith a certaine fait , and , put them in a conveniently fhap’d veffel of Glafs, I vvarily held ito»’ ver a competent fire of well kind- j led charcoals, till the fait was tho-i I rowly melted , and in part fublim’d.* ' by ' of Ck^Micitl Priiicipks* r 5 r by which operation the Copper feens’ j to be <^uite charig’d , ei'peci:illy in co- lour , and i^as really become inffam- ttiable, and there remained in the low- er part of the Glafs , a pretty deal of running fo thatrhey would have gone av/ay perfwacied, that they did fee me make the Mircvry of Ve- nus ^ if I had not been carefull to undeceive them , which 1 did by tel- ling them , that this Quickfilver was only the common Mercury , that lay difguifed in the compounded Subli- niate I had imployed together with the Copper , which fet the Mercury at liberty from the corroflve falcs it lay concealed in before , by pre- fenting them a Metall more difpofed to be wrought on by them chan Quick- filver is. It is pofible to obtain^ att leaSi from lome metals and Minerals^ true running Mercury , that cannot be ]uftly thought '0 come meerly from the additament. Tnis 5topofition a Cbynuft might more |i:ompendioufly exprefs by turning it jnto this fhort Alfertion , Dantur Mer- \urii corporum'y but I thought the words L 2 I Of thiTr^ducthUmfi '' I have imployed w6uld sxprefs my feiife more warily and clearly ; and yet ex ahndanti-, I ftiall add this fur- ther explication , that though the pro- poGtion fpeaks affirmatively , but of fame Metals and Minerals ; yet it does not deny, either that more Minerals or that aU Metals may afford true running Mercury: by which I under- ftand ( according to what I former- ly noted ) a Mincrall body fluid, o- pacous, exceeding ponderous , Amal- gamable with Gold, and not apt to wet or flick to one’s fingers, or any other body’s befide^ fome Metalline and Mineral cues. That fuch a Mercury may b.e ob- tained without the help of Addiia- ments, whereof Quickfilver is an in- gredient, 1 have been perfwaded id believe by the following obfervati- cns. 1 remember that many years ago, having had an occafion lodiflill Cop- per with ceitaine faline fubflances, I was nor a little furprifed to find in the veflcls (that had been luted uo’ gether) ofChymkalVnncifUs. 153 gether ) fome globules of rnnning Mercury i Which I could not reafo- nabljr fufpeft to come from the Ad- ditatticnt , which was not Sublimate, nor any thinge I could Judge to con- taine Quickfilver. And though the in- difpofition I had to admitt the Mer- cury*s of body’s , that fo many learned men looked upon ts non entities , made roe fomewhat diffident of the genuinenefs of the Mermry I had ob- tained , ( whereof I had not quantity- enough to make Juft tryalsjyet af- terwards , when I found that acci- dents ofthe like nat'ure had happen’d to feverall of my freinds , I began : to think, that what I had kept on- ly for a few dayes as a queftionable rarity j might really have been Vem-^ \ rial Mercury. A laborious Chymift of my ac- quaintance comroing to vifit me once when I was not well, was very earneft with me to communicate to him the way of making the Mercury of Antimony znd of and when I j'^told him that 1 had no fuch procef- ; fes of my own, and that I was far L 3 from 1J4 Of the Frediiciiile^efs from believing i hole ,I ha4 with in primed books, to tru^ ry’r of body’s , for though this alone be not a certaine figne of a Mercu- ry’s being of that fort , becaofe I can | ohmn a. Mercury fo qualify'd by | nothcr way than any 1 have hither-* ; riofity to try , of Chymical Trineiples. 159 tp mentioned ; yet as their affertions and relations gave me fufficienc ground to conclude, that they had obtained chpfe from the bo- dy’s that they affirmeto have yeeld- I ed them ; fo the readincfs of thefe I Mercury’s to mix with Gold , with- ! out the help of fire , and even to I grow hot with it , which vulgar Mer« ; cury will not do, confirmed, that they 1 were Metalline Mercury’s^ rather than I ofthe fame kind with cpmmon Quick- i filver.And my way of obtaining incale- ifcent Mercury is lb quite differing from any of ihofe , that there was not the leaft caufe to fufpedt , that the Mer- cury’s of body's we have been men- tioning were fo obtain’d, efpecialJy, fiflce I knew that my way was un. known to nioft of the perfons I have I nfienti'oned , and was pradisM by none 1 of them. Ml- - As for the U^ercury oi Gold^ though I think I have brought a great many I parts of crude Gold to affume a Mer- i curial forme , and to come over in ‘ that forme by diftillation (whatever I divers learned men think of the infu- perable t6o Of the Troducihlemfs perable fixity of Gold ) yet I ccn- Ji ibffe I have not feen any Mercury > |i that I was fatisfy’d did dcferve the i Name of the Mercury of that tnetall: il But happening to be once in a place, a Where a forreiner , that was a ftpaii*^ \ ger t6 me, was Ihowing a freindof i his i with whom I had Tome little acquaintance, a Metalline experimenr, that I confefTe , I could not but ad* mire ( for this Forreiner was To civil, becaufe I came fo luckyly in, as to let me be prefent att the experiment, though not to difcover any thing of ,j the drug he imployed about ir.jl made bold to ask this civill Traveller who feem’d a candid Man and I perceived had feen uncommon things ; Whither he had mert with any way of mak- ing Mercury of Gold : to which he anfwered , that he knew no fuch way himfelfe, but that he mett ( Tome- while before)with a very learned Man, in coriiparifon of whom , he confef- fed himfelfe but a Novice, that put fome Gold into a little vial , full, of a certaine menUruum , which my re- lator owned he knew not how to pre- pare , and intimated to him , that this men- efChymical Trincifhs» j6i Menftruum would have a peculiaro- peration as ^'ell upon G oik Silver, Afterward this Relatour having piic the Vial well flopt into his pocket, aiid aarried it about With him , Was, when he came home and took it out to fet itafide, muchfurprifed to find, inftead of tlie Gold he had feen put in , a pretty quantity of running A/er- cUry. Which the ArtifiiWho only lent him the Men^rmm-, did not feem to think ftrange , when he was made ac- quainied with it. Ifl would relate what 1 have heard from Men , that I judge to be either i cafilyi deceivable themfclves , or con- cerned in point of intereft to deceive others, or atleaftof a vain glorious • bragging humour V I might eafily fwell I this difeeurfe to a greater bulk: But [ I have been carefull , to mention only thofe relations to which my felfe, in fpite of my longe backwardnes to beleeve fuch things, fawcaufe to give aflenr. And if it be objedled , thefe inftances were but cafual experiments, hpiwithftaBding which there ma^ be BO fetkd way for the obtaining the j6z Of the Produciblenefs Mercury’s of body’s? I might Anfwer* that foaje paflTages of what has beew Sj lately delivered make it probable e- , ough, That even fetled tVayes of mak- j ing the Mercury’s of body’s , or at leaft of fome of them, are not un- known to fome ArtifiS; though for certaine reafons , and particularly for the ingratitude of many Men , they do not think fitt to divulge them. But to anfwer. more home to the obje- | ftion : I iball need only to fay that though moft of the above recited ex- periments may be fa id to have been ! made by chance, in this refped, that thofc that made them , did not prin- | cipally defigne the obtaining of nre- > talline or Mine rail Mercury’s j yet the effefts produced , were as natu- | rally and neceffarily confequent, to | operations fO managed as they were, as if the Artift had diredly d« fign’d i them, as in fome of the above memi- I oned relations they did^ And it is not materiall for us to enquire whi- ther the Quickfilvcr made by thofe j experiments be to be afcribed to : Chance or skill , fince whatever be- comes of that queftion , it is plain , that • ! ofChymkalTrimiples. that if metals and Minerals could by [either way be brought aftually to af- ford running Mercury \ there needs no more to prove, that fuch Mercur/s ate really obtainable from them. Ji I 164 Of the Product hlenefs t)oUhts about the preexifience of Rtid^ ' ning Mercury in Metalb, • . t <• Ji , i He propos’d Queftion , whether ■* or no the Mercuryb of Met alls and Mineralls be Principles preexiflent in t hem^ and only extraBed from them^ may to many feeni , though it do hot ; to you , a Aiperfluous enquiry, fince j the generality of Chymifts of differ- ing ages and Countries, have redo- | lutefy determined it in the affrmativer which is not at all to be wondred at , fjnee according to their Hypothec fiso^ the Tria-prima , (or three Hy*f, poftalicall principles)whereof they pre- furhe all perfedly rhix’d bodiOJ to be compofed , Metalls, being of this ^ fort, muff cOnfift of Mercury^ as well as ; of Salt^nd Sulphur^, and confequently ' tnuft afford it trpoft the Analyfis of j the body into its three Primordiar! ingredients. Bur hotwithftandingall | this , the Problem feems' to, me dif- t ficu|t enough to briefolv’d , part- i ly beeaufe fuppoffng that there be | true of Chymical Prmciples. 165 true metalline Mercury's preparable by Chymifts , they very fttidioufly conceal the wayes of preparation ; and partly becaufe as ’iis very diffi- cult to obtain any of the fadlitious 'Mercury's^ wherewith to make fuch luciferous tryalls as aNaturalift would defigne ; fo thofe few Authors that affirm thenifelves to have poffefs*d fuch Mercury’s^ have given us but an exceeding lame and defedive account of them , not mentioning thofe par- ticulars which are moft proper and defirable, in order to the paffinga i right jodgement about them. I pre- tend not therefore , to anfwer your : queftion otherwife than conjeduralhs till I fhall be better furniffi’d with ! matters of fadt. But in the mean f while that I may comply with your i Curiofiiy t as much as I fafely can; I fhall confefs to yoUjthat for the pre- i fenc lam, by as much information : as yet I have had, inclined to think, I that the Mercury s obtained from Metalls do not clearly appear to have i been preexiftent in them, and only fe- paratedfrom them by the Artift, but that I think that at leaft fomc of them M may ii6 Of the Troducihleaefs may be rather fluid Magifteries of Metalls than their extraded Princi- ples. One of the inoft obvious things, that fuggefted this fufpition to me , was, that whilft fome Metalls ,as7V« and Lead , are in fufion , they would , to one that fliouldnot know of their being melted , appear to be many par- cels of Mexiury : fince like it they are fluid and ponderous , and flick not to the Crucibles , or to Stones, j Bricks, or almoft any other bodies, except fome metalline ones, divers of which they will eafily pierce into , as Quickfilver does into Silver or Gold ; fo that if the fluidity of thefc me- talls were permanent, they might pafs for Mercury’s. And if in the Moon and fome of the other Stars , as there are Mountains, fo there are metal- line Mines in cafe the heat of the Climate or of the Soyle fhould keep them conftantly in fuch a degree of heat , as we hefe find fufficient to melt Lead ( which we know needs not be very intenfe ) thefe metalls would there emulate the nature of Mercury’sjas I have learned from Tra- . vellers , that in divers parts of the ' Torrid I I ofChymkalFrinciples, i6j I Torrid Zone, what would here be But- ter, is fluid as well as un from Mettalls and Mineralls, may not have been preexiftcnt in them*, the im- partiality that I think becomes a Na- turalift , obliges me, to take notice alfo of thofe things , that occur r’d to me, in favour of the received opinion of the Chymifts, in behalfe of which, I objeded to my fclfe divers fpecious Arguments. Of thefe, the firft was, the generall Confent of Chymifts, who take it for grantiedthat all Mettalls are compofed of Mercury as a roateriall Principle , and commonly more copious than any other conftituent part of thofe bodies; but this being an Argument , drawn only from authority , was of fmall weight with me, in a Controverfy , pro- efChymicalTrimiples. 1^5 properly determinable by reafon and experience. 2 . A feeond obje«5lion was afforded me, by many proceffes I had mete with in Chymifts Books, to extraft the Mer^ curies j as well as the Sulphurs and Salts of roettalls. But neither did this Argument appear to me of any great moment , for moft of thefe pro- ceffes I look'd upon as fi^litious things: which if the Authors of them, had ta- ken the paines to try themfelves,they would have found not to fuceed in pra(5tice, and fcarce any of them was fo skilfully fram'd, as to fatisfy a confidering Naturalift , in cafe it had fucceeded 5 that the obtain'd Mercury^ was a pure Principle only feparated or extraded, from the other Ingre- dients of the mettalls, and not a re- fult of fome m that a pretty quantity of additament maybe employ’d about the Mercuric feat ion ( to fpeak in the Chyroifts lan- guage ) of a metall, yet there lhall re- ally and finally adhere to the metal- line parts, but a very fmall proportion of Additament , that will continue with them, and keep them in a Mer- curiall flux. And it may appear the more credible, that a very fmall quan- tity of additional! matter, may have a very great ftroke in altering the confiftence of that which is obtain’d from a metall, as its moft ponderous portionj 0 / the TroducihUnefs 185 portion ; if you cpnfider with me , that the bare accefllon of Igneous par- ticles , is able in time, to turn r«»- ning Mercury- Nor mull I preter- miti On this occafion , a notable paf- fage I remember to have met within Helmont , who relates, that by the ab- llraftion of the liquor Alkahefi^yt'cAch is wont to come all over in dillillati- on from common Quickfilver ) he did I quite deprive it of its fluidity , and I turn’d it into a confiftent body , and i even into a fix’d one; whereby you [ may fee how little a quantity of mat- ijter will ferve to change the conli* Ijftence of a body ofa Mercuriall Na- ture. Befides that, a fluid forme do’s not lalwaies argue the lightnefs of the bo- idy » that it is found in , fince it may iConfift of particles , fo folid and fo numerous, that notwithftanding their iintelline motion, the body they com- pofe may be very ponderous: as may lappeare by red hot Iron,melted Lead, and which is an Inftance appofite to iour purpofe , in common C^icksilver^ which though fluid is heavier than N 3 any i86 Of the Tredudblenefs any known body in the world, Gold excepted. But I confider farther,- that though thefolid portion of a meratl retain more of the additameiits troploy’d to bring it into the forme of Mercury ^ than it can be prov’d to contain , yet this difadvantage may be compenfated by the new difpofition of parts, that the MetcurihM portion acquires, by the operation that turn’s it into a liquor , and may be fuppos’d to bring the parts to a defer or otherwife a | more expedient order than they were in before : as fe when thaw’d takes up lefs lOcme , in the forme of wa- ter. than ir did before it became a liquor. 1 fee no impoffibiliiy , that the fpecifickgiaviiy of metalline bof dies may be increafed or diminifh’d by fuch fmall proportions of addita- nicnis,as do not at all confiderably add to their abb lute grsvi y. This the Chytnifts ought not to deny, if they confider what chemftlves grant, of the efficacy of what they call the Thi- lojophers Stone , whereof they tell us‘, that one grain, if it be of a nobler or^ der efChymical Principles. 187 ' der or degree, may tranfmute a whole pound of Quicksilver into perfe*fl Gold; and confequently the fpeci- iick gravity of a metall is notably changed by an additament, which (ac- cording to the differing pounds ufed in feverall Countreys ) amounts not perhaps to the 6. or 7. thoufand part of its weight. Befides, the tranfmu- ting powder being a Compounded bo- dy, whereof but part is Gold ^ may probably be fuppos’d to be more light in fpecie than the metall that by addi- tioo of it is produc’d ; which being pure Gold is the ponderoufeft body yet known to us. And to confirme the Argument, I lhall add, that there is a way , though I pretend not to know it, of making a metall far lighter in fpecie than it naturally is, by the addition of lefs than a r 00. part of its weight , as experience has convinc’d me. Wherefore to come now to the grand objedion furnilh’d by Lully s l .tely mention’d experiment , it will not pi e- fently follow, that if the whole body of a metall be brought into a mercuii- N 4 all iS8 Of the Troduciblenefs all forme , this Mercury will fwallow up and deftroy our Hyfothefis: for though I grant that in this cafe , it cannot be faid, as in the former cafes ( wherein a part only of the mctall is Mercurified } it may be, that the ob« tain’d Quicksilver confifts of the more folid and ponderous parts of the me- tall; yet it may be ftill f^id ,that,y^r ought we know , the Mercury produc’d, by the redudtion of the whole metall into a fluid forme, may be specifical- ly lighter than common Mercury, zn ; and confequently than common Merr. fury. For that Quicksilver may be fpecifically lighter than the metall that affords it, I think the Chymifts can- ! not reafonably refufe to grant 5 fince they allow that Mercury may ! be obtain’d from GoU , and tell us [ great matters of it, becaufeofits pro- I ceeding from fo noble a body. Now if thisGo/de« Mercury befaid , (becaufe of the fuppos’d refemblance of all Mercury* s } to be of the fame fpecifick weight with common Quicksilver-, then I have a notable inftance, of a Mercury that is confiderably lighter in fpecie , than the metall that afforded it. And therefore, till experience have mani- fefted the contrary, it will not be ab- i fqrd to prefume, that the Mercury’s of other metalls, may likewife be light- ; er in fpecie , than the refpedfive ! body's from which they were ob- tained: but if it be faid , that this ! Golden Mercury , may perhaps be as ponderous as Gold it felfe , or 1 even more^ then 'tis plaine, that it is poflible for a Metalline body, not- 1 19 o Of the Troducihlemfs notwiibftanding its being reducM into the forme of a fluid, lo be equi- ponderant to the Metal Chat afforded it. And that I may not feem to ar- gue , altogether, from the concelfions the Chymifts ought to make ; I will add , by way of Confirmation , a cou- ple of things that perhaps you will think fomewhat ftrange. Whereof the former is, That it is pofliblef®!: a Metalline body to refemble a no* ther in all the manifeft qualities , whereby Artifts are wont to examine them, and yet they differ much from it in fpecifick gravity: as 1 had once opportunity to obferve in a Metal that was not only white C within and with- out ) like S liver i and very malleable, but did , when I pufpofely examin’d it, endure Cuppellation, and pafs’dfor & was reputed by a very eminent Artift that fent it me to examine , to be good Silver in all proofS5and yet this Metal I found by Hydroftaticall tryalls ,to be much lighter in fpecie^xhzn common SH~ t/tr. And if the famous perfon that feht it me, was not miftaken f for fo I muft not think he would knowingly mifin- forme me^ ) This odd metall may yeeld me ofChymicalPrinctflesil 19 1' I me a notable inftance to my ipreTent purpofe , fmce he affirmed this metall to be made without the addition of any metalline body of Qa/ciisihery which, if this be ro,ihufl:,by a change of Texture, have made a confidetable lofs ■ of its fpecifick gravity. But to proceed to my-Tecond inftance, which will be yet more appoCte ; I flialt idd> that once I had a Mercury which amongft other remarkable properties,' that belong not to this Argument v had a very ftrange one; namely, that it was confiderably heavier in thah com. mon Mercury ( as I found & ftewed to a great Virtuofoby Hydroftaticall try- all , ) though it was made of a body not heavier than common Mercury , and by the help of additaments which' Were much lighter than common Mercury, And this was fo far from being' a more grofs and fluggifii kind of Quicksilver than the ordinary, thatit look’d ve- ry fine, and was very agile, and had before I examined it been more than once diftilled. By this it may appear , that from hende ^ that a body ic in a mercuriall ySr;7trf, we Cannot fafely de- termine what degree of fpeCifick gra- vity 191 Of the Troducihlenefs vity it has. For fiiice by this laft ex- ample it appears, that a fort of Quickr j fiver may be far more ponderous I than common Qukh'itver\ it feems j not unreafonable, that a fort of Quickr fiver may be far lighter than common ■ Mercury , and fo perhaps lighter than the metills that were reduc’d into that forme: it being far lefs likely, that the lormer Ihould he produc’d than the latter, in regard there is but one minerall body in the world, that we know of, at all heavier than com- mon Quicksilver t whereas there are many of thofc that are capable of be- ing alToCiated with it , that are far lighter than it. But as I intimated above,I am unwil- ling to fj)eak lb pofitively about this matter as I might do , if I had oppor- tunity to make the tryalls I would with the Mercuries of body’s: only thus much I lhall venture to fay, that for ought yet appears j the Argument I have been anfwering all this while, is not cogent, finceit is built upon a fuppofition, that the Mercuries af- forded by metals and minerals , muft ofCbymicalTrineifksl 19 j be of the fame weight with cotutnon Mercury i which is not only a proof- lefs auertion , but repugnant to the Experiment lately mention’d of the diftilled Mercury^ that was heavieif than common Mercury and to the prefumption deriv'd thence , that there may be body’s , in a Mercurial forme , more light in Jfeck than com- mon Mercury* And whatever becomes of the opinion I incline to ; The Ar- gument 1 have been examining, of the Chymifts , may be invalidated by what I have fa id, where I took no- tice of the notable excefs of pondc- rofiiy, that pure Gold has in regard of common ^ick^lver : for by that inftance it plainly appears* that it is not to the participation of common Mercury , that metals muff neceflari- ly owe their great ponderofiiy i but that nature, f and Art too ,) may contrive the parts of a body into fo dole an order, as to make that body ( whether folid or fluid, 3 more pon- derous,^«/4<’ for bulks » than common C^iekjifver itfelfe. Having now difpatched what I in- tended Of the Troducihlenefs tended, to fay in the foregoing dif“ courfe , it temains that I perforroe the promife I made, of adding the waies oiMtreurification ( as Chymifts fpeake ) above referr’d too , as delive- red by Paracelfus^ Helmont and Lully : about which I muft give you this ad- vertifemenr, that befides tke obfeu- rities,and iaipeife«5lions , that a mo- derate degree of attention may ena- ble you to difeover inthefe ptocefles, underftood in the literall fenfe, there are, if I much miftake not , fome af- feded Equivocations in terms that feem very plain , and free from fufpi- cion of ambiguity. As for inftance, though the word SaLAvmoniacum feem to be of this fort, yet amongft Her- ^weiic^^Philofophers it often fignifies, tiot comijion Sal-Armomack.-> which is far from being able to perform the effctils they aferibe to theirs , bat a very differing and much more noble and operative thing, which becaiife it may be fublim’d like common SaL Armoniack^, they are pleafed to call by that name : and though fometimes they give it the title of Sal-Armoni- acum Philofofborim , yet oftentimes they efChymicalPrincipki. 195 I they oniitt the difcriminating Epi- i thite, efpecially in Philofophical pro* ceffes, ( that is , fuch as thofe wherein ! they deliver their higher Arcana j ) of ^ which fort are many of Taraceljus\ i proceifes, and more ( not to fay mofl:,) i of Lully* s . What is meant by Sal- \ Armofiiacum Fhilofopborum , I think it i needlefs to tell you here , f but may j perchance do it on another occafion, ) I iince that compofition requires anln- I gredient that neither ofusisfurnifli’d I with , and that you cannot procure. I There may be ocher Ambiguities in I the following proceflesj that will not ! be eafily difcover’d , but by fuch as I are vers’d in the myfterious language, which fotne would czW canting^ of the Hermetick,^h\\o{o'ph.ex%. But I think I have faid enough already to’fliew, that the annexed procefTes are fit to con, firm what is delivered upon the firft Fropofition of the foregoing difcourfe; I and therefore without offering to ex- ; plain ihemjl fhall fubjoyn them in the proper terms of the refpe»flive Au- thors. Ratio j 9 6 Of the Froducihlenefs %atio extrahendi ex omnibus Metallis Mercurium Metallis ) fit per aquam Merciii ialenij quae nec Joanni de Rupefcijoi nec aliis, quicquid etiam jaflitenr, cog- nita fuir. Ideoque diligenter eft cogn6fcenda,& indefeflb labote tradanda. Hoc ergo pado paretur difla aqua Mercurialis. Rt Ib.IIl.JdeTCUrii fublimati feptiesper Vltriolum , Sal ^ Alumen. Alls Armoniacit t€r a fale jublimati jsp clari ^ alb lift Trita fimul<^ 1 ulcolixata fublima in fublimatorio per are nam^ hork 9. ZJbi refrixerit > limatumcum penna dftrahito ^ ^ cum I reliquo fublimay ut prim. Ham opera- [ tionem qunter repete[y donee ^ amplius liaec extt'aftio { Scilicet Mercurii ex mn 0 fChymical Principles, 197 nan fuhlimetur-, ^ inf undo mafa nigra , mamat hi^ar cera^flums. Refrigera- tamexime^ ^ tritam rnr/as in patina vitrea fepius cum fails Armmiaci a- quafautem praparata» imbibe^ fua \hponte coagulatam rurfus imbibe (ic^ \ca , ad 9. feu lo. ujtjue vices ^ donee fere mn ulterius coaguletur. Tritum fubtiiitev fupra Marmor in loco humi- \ do folve in oleum pulchrum , quod re- i Bificabhper diHiUationem in cineribus^ j ab omnibns fecibus d^ refidenlia, •Ham aqUam omnium facile principem ' diligenter afervabk^cujus R.unc,FlILds^ impone laminas opt: folis aut Luna , I optime mundataSf pondere unc ifs. vitro f claufo repone ad dtgefitonem in cineres calidos horis 8 . Corpus tuum videbk in fundo vafts t^anfmutatuM in fubtilem ~ vapor em feu Mer curium. Faild folutio- - m totius aqua Mercurialis per Alembi~ cum lento ugne d prima materia JublL mando fepara , ds^ in vitreo vafculo \ diligenter afjervato, Habebis hoe paH(t ; veriffimum Mercurium corporis* Para- celfus in Man.* de lapide Philofopho- rum. Sen(i ( faies he ) cruditatem SaturnL pinguedine fixer um falium folubilem , ' O fak 19 8 Of the Trodueihlenefi fold quandoqm igm carftim delehilem^ ficque dividi compofiti partes , crudum- \ que Argentum vivum currere permitti. Sulphur fugitivum fuperans in faturm trahere ad volAtum , pxum<, infeparabU | liter junlium. Quodque expediet imprU * mis Batumi fublimatio. Cujus expref j fone nulla eSf ekvati ad refidemtColarh t aut fub%anti£ dijferentia, ZJnde eti- ji am caloris^ fufionis ^moditiei Caufis^ I, pe^i calcinationes ^ redaBiones^ refidu- ti is medullituSt fine igne fufionem , foil- g, tamque mellitiem minime refutat. Hel- [l inontius,in potes. medicaminum. num. ; 4°- . t( ofChymicalPvinciples. 199 Extra« 5 lioMercurii a Corpore Peifedo. ^ O Bc, unc. I. calck Luna affellattSy I ^ calcimtur modo quo dicitur w fine ^mfiri magUHerii operis^ ^ua quidem calx ^teratur fufer porfidum in pulverern fiubtilem^ quern pulverem imbiber is bis^ ter^quater in dk^cumoptimo oleo Tar. vas ape- riatur^ ^ materia , ^u£ frigida e/f, ponatur in alio vafe bene mundo , cum \ fua cappa bene lutata ad furnum fupra cineres ^ ^ luto bene deficcato ^ fiat ig- nis paulatim in principio , quoufque to- tarn recipias aquam ipfius ^ Fofieaau- geatur ignis ^ quoufqUe materia bene fuerit deficcata^ 4 s‘^^iritusfixtentes fint \ ad cappam , in receptorio jam exal- tatU Et dum tale fignum videbh op- parere y dimittatur vas infrigidari ^ ignem minuendo. Etpo^refrigeratio- nem vajis ^ extrahatur materia^ in, pulverem fubtilijfmtim redigatur fupet '\ porfidum't ita quod pulvis Jit impalpa- bilis-i qui ponatur in vafe terreo benl cobio ({$■ bene vitreato, Et pofi ponatur fuper dibium pulverem de aqua communi bulliente ^ movendo femper cum bacuW mundo maUriam^ ufque materia fuerit fpijfajicut Jinapi. Etmove diblamfal- fam cum baculo , quoufque viderk ap-\ parere grana Mercurii i corpore^is' quod\ vobis appareat quantitas magfia pradu. bii Mercurii vivi , fecundum quod pofu-' eru de corpore perfeblojd efi^de Luna^ ^V.V'TI''i WXvV- • -V. ■ ' ' ^ . - - w < * \ . ; u\U\ , - i ,1 v: >^;m [ 2=3 3 0/^ tbs T)iJJimilitude Of ' Running Mercury. B Efore I undertake to give you my opinion, about your qiieftion , I 1 muft crave leave to ftate ii fomewhat ; more clearly, by propounding it thus: Whether all the Eodies^that in thejhops^ andamongChymi^s fafs for true running Mercury S’l are Homogeneous •** Or j fo much of one and the fame nature, that the feverall portions of fuch Mercu» ry*s are but numerically different ? Now to the queftion thus ftated , the fear of Teeming to niaintaine a Para- dox , by diffenting from the gene- rality of Chymifts, as well as Natu- ralifts, (who are wont to employ indif. criminately all Running Mercury's not manifeftly adulterated ) will not keep me from returning a negative an- X(t, And though it were not over ditn- ° cult 204 Of the Trodmiblemfs cull for me to give you the reafonsof my opinion, drawn up into method, and referr feverall inftances I lhall produce, fome to the depura-tion of Qiiicksilver ^ fome to the impregnati- on of it, fome to the Codion , and others to two , or all thefe waies of altering it; yetlfliall rather prefent you with them, by way of loofe ob- fervations, becaufe 1 prefume that freedome will not be unacceptable to you, as it vvill allow me , to give you fome few , but uncommon no^ tices and hints about fuch noble fub- jeds as prepar’d Mercury^s. I. In the/ry? place then it may be obferv^d, that a B^uming Mercury may be brought to differ from common Quicksilver by Depuration : for there are in moft Mercuries either Recre- mentitious particleSjOr at leaft fome loofe adherencies , that are feparable from the reft of the Body, and which being feperated, the Mercury becomes more Homogeneous or cleane than it was before this exicrnall Depuration, (forfo I call it to diftinguifli it from another o/Chymical Principles. 205 another that is internal! ) that is ufually made by grinding and wafting Mercury Very well with fait and Vi- negar, (for which purpofel alfb fome- tinies ufe fpirit of Wine ) which one may not unfrequently fee fomewhat foul’d by what it carries off from the Mercury , which is alfo fometimes at- tempted to be purified by the more laborious way of diftillation , which, though in fome cafes infufficient , (as I ftall ftew anon ') is in fome others very convenient 5 whereto fome Ar- tifts add other probable meanes, ten- ding to the fame purpofe. So that I do not wonder to find, that divers Philofophicall Spagirifts themfelves, before they proceed to more intimate I preparations oi Mercury it to be I feverall times previoufly incorpora- j ted and fublim’d with Acid Salts or .Sulphurs , and then reviv’d with Al- '^calies : fince without examining their grounds it may be faid, according to Mechanicall Principles , that by dili- gent commixtures the Mercury is divided into exceedingly minute , if not invifible , Globules, or fuch like parts, and by this great comminution, 2 ® 6 Of the Produciblene/S it acquires far more of furface than it bad before, by which nieanes a great multitude of feparable parrs come Co be touch'd almoft of every fide by the Salts or Sulphurs, to which by this meanes, when the Quicksdver is dri- ven from them in the revivification, *tis probable, that very many of them fticke that were not fuperficial, when all thefe Globules made up but one Mercuriall Mafs. And tis poflible too, that the 5 employ’d to re- vive the Quickjiher , may help to tearof from it feme of the feculent particles which the Chymifts would defile to have it freed from. And here let me advertife you upon the by, that there is no neceffity to have recourfe to fait of Tartar or Quick' lime, or fuch like Alcali's for the re- viving Quicksilver .y and therefore when I would with cafe obtainc a cleane and adive Mercury for feme purpotes, I do not employ Acid and then Alcalizate falts, but mix very well zommowCinnahar finely powdered with a double weight , or at leaft, an equal! weight of filings of Iron , or Steel : for thefe being difiiH’d toge- ther of Chemical VvincifUs. 207 ther in a low Retort with a fmart lire , the fulphur of the Cinnabar will faften upon the filings , and let the Mercury come over faire and vivid , and perhaps foniewhat impregnated with a ’martial vertue, upon whofe fcoreit may be better than if it had been prepared by meer Depuration. 2. And this leads me, to the mention of another way of diverfifying Mercu- ry , which is by Impregnation , either Corporeall, or Spiritual! (if fordiftin- tilionfake I may fo call them.) But the Impregnation being a comprehenfive way, divers particular methods may, . after a manner, be referred to it : yet becaufe the true grounds of fuch re- ferences are fometimes hard enough to be aflign'd, at leaft in few words , I lhall allow my felfe without fcrupu- loufly regarding them to proceed in my free obfervations. 3. The thing then upon whofe account a Running Mercury may come to differ from Common Quicksilver ^ is a fpiriiual Impregnation.By Mercury ^iritnally Impregnated , I meane that with 2o8 Of the Froduciblemfs wiih which fome fiibtle parts of ano- ther body are fo intimately affociated and united , that not only the addi- tament will pafs with the Mercury , when it is ftrain’d though Leather, (though that be the means by which Ariifts ufually feparate Gold it felfe from the Mercury wherewith it has been Amalgam’d ) but will alfo con- tinue with it after diftillation, without hindering the Mercury from being vi- vid enough. 1 know there are many Chymihs,erpecially, among the more cautious, that looke upon Quickiilver as To Heteroclite aMinerail , that as no Body can faf cn enough upon it , to alter itintrinfecally j fo it will not admit any other. Body to be alTocia- ted wi h it any thing intimately , or permanently. And indeed fince we find that v hen Gold it feife,with which of all bodies whaifoever Mercury is belcevcd to have the greateft fympa- thy , may yet be feparated fiom it by ftiainiiig an Amalgame of thofe two metals thi-ough Leather, which wiii ir?nfmit die Quicksilver^ and reiaine the Go/dj ana if fuch an A- malgame bedittiird with a competent of ChymicalPrincifles. 209 fire j the Mercury will afcend , and leave all the GoW behind in the Retort; fince Mercury I fay , is fo feparable from Gold it felfe, it may feem im- probable , that ic Ihould be more intimately aflbciated with any other bodies: but thefe arguments, though fpecious,do not I confefs convince me, who inuft not deny , but that the Corpufcles of fome minerall Bodies may be fo well coiiinuxt with Quicksilver^ as to pafs with it through the Pores of Leather, and who have found by tryall purpofely made C and elfewhere related ) that Quickjil'oer being in a convenient proportion Anialgam’d with or with Lead^ and diftill’d with a competent fire, will manifefily bring over with it fome of the aflbeiated metall, info- much that not only I have found a notable increafe in the weight of the diftill’d Qukkfilver , but it would both leave a taile , as they call it , behind it, when it moved upon a fld- ping g!afs,and (which Was more)when the lluggifh Mercury had refied a while, ic would appeare covered over, with a kind of feum, made of the Emerging 2T0 Of'theProducihlenefs Emerging Corpufcles of the or Lead^ either of which , efpecially the former, is a metall lighter in Jj>ecie than Quicksilver. Hence it ap- peares, that Mercury may be fo ftridly united to a not defpicabie proportion of a grofsand ponderous body, and of an ignobler kind as to carry it along with it felfe in diftillation , which by this appeares not to be near fo certain a way, as fome learned Chy mills think it , to try whether Mercury be pure in all adulterating mixtures j and to free it from them , if it had any before. But the chiefe ufe I will make of this Experiment is this , that lince we fee that fometimes Mercury do’s not refufc even corporal Impregnations^ (as for diftindion fake 1 call tbofe lately recited ) it ought not toappeare incredible, that it may in foiiic cafes admit fpirituall Impregna- tions j and fo intimately aflbeiate with it felfe fome of the finer parts of certaine metalls and mineralls, as not to part with them, though they be diftilkd , and afterwards perhaps feverall times walk’d. This brings into my mind, that I had once a di- ftill’d of Chymical Principles . aij IHird Mercury made by an Impreg- nation of common Mercury^ a drope or Globule of which, being evapo- rated from a thin piece of Silver, not only feem’d to have fomewhat pene- trated it , but f as 1 expefted} left upon it a rugged fubftance appa- rently lighter than the furface of the piece , and of a colour very neare that of Go/d, from whofe nature per- haps it was very remote z but that common Mercury may indeed be fpi- ritualiy impregnated , I have been perfwaded by divers efFef§ cjfone if by a very much fliofter w'a|^- .* for though this fort of impregnated iMercury's! be many degrees inferi- our to the forementioned animated Merceries , yet as to incalefcence with Gold 1 know by experience a way which is in<^eed hard to hit , and re- quires a dexterous Ariift, but which, When is fueceeds aright, will in an hour , and perhaps a lefs time, qualify MercNry to grow prefently hot with Gold- 6. When an Animated Mercury is by due Impregnation qualified to Amal- game readily and intimately with Gold-t and penetrated foas prefently to grow hot with it , it is not much to be admir’d, that it fliould alfo differ from common iMercury^ in the being able to carry up with it part of the Gold wherewith is was fo ftrid- ly affociated. I know that many lear- ned Men , and among them divers Chymifts themfelves , do not thinke it credible , that at leaft Corporal! Gold fliould be volatilized by Quicks (liver. And indeed that which is com- mon may be many times diftill’d from P 2 Goldy 2 1; 6 Of the Troducihlenefs Ooldt without carrying up any ofitj but this ought not to conclude againft fiich fpiritually impregnated Mercu^ vies, as I lately mention’d: for with a very fmall quantity of one of them 1 have fometimes elevated fo much Calx of Gold , that the infide and necke of the Retort were richly guilt by the adherent panicles of that nietall, which would Ibmetimes fticke fo clofe, as not to be without diffi- culty feparated from the glafs *, and I remember too, that having with one of thefe noble Mercuries Amalgam ’d about halfe its weight at moft ( if I mifiake not) of Calx oi Gold, thoxxgh. it did not guild the infide of the glafs, yet J found as I expctfted, that thedi- ftiirdMmv/rj^ was manifeftly encreas*d in w'eight,as well as fomewhat chang'd in colour and confiftence; which Ex- periment may be added to thofc, that Ifoimerly mention’d, to prove that Quicksilver ( duely prepar’d ) may be corporally impregnated. 7. In the Jmalgamts made of one of thefe fpiritualiy impregnated Mer- curies yenhCalx o^Goldil have fome- times ofChymical Principles. 217 times obferv’d a thing, that argues fuch Mercuries to be differing from common Quick/ilver: of whofe Anal- games with Gold fuch an effeft has never ( that I know ) been taken no- tice of. The Phenomenon I meane wai this, That bydiftilling one of thofe fubtle Amalgames in a Retort , a gcodt part of the bottom of the Venell , which I have yet by me, was leftador^ ned with a very lovely colour, almoft like that of TurroU Stone , inclining towards the colour of Go/d, and fome- what changeable , and alfo fo clofely faftnedto the Glafs, that it feems to have penetrated into it^ though this beautifull ftain Were reft’by but i very ftnail quantity ofthe Andigame , and though this mixture were diftill tf but in a moderate fire , fince 'twas in a fand furnace^ Nor is this the only Experiment of this kind, that I would alledge , fince I elfewhere mention an Amalgame 'oiGotd with an animated lAercury y wiiich being iongdecodled, when at length by an exceflive fire unskiltully adminiftred the vefTell was unluckily broken , left the lower part of the glafs permanently ting'd with a , P 3 pure 21 S Of th^ VrQducihl$(^'fy _ pure and tranfparent rfed, that:feem*d to me ro emularethat of. not com-' mpn Rubiej. ' ' v iul ■ J \ ^ - J ---i - • - ■ > ■ ^mt^ff diffttemt l foimd ber^ t^ttao[d\n3Ky fpiri-i mally -irnpregnated M-er.cmks^' thali- yi pgrbfpf. jfinaew y ou.i Apd |risy,;r|iatj ibougbjon^jiyoujdje*- P|^ Amfilgam$s made^th Mer-f i fo. P(€pe-{%:ant a.nd/ro-.cb'rpos-y; xq adijere clofeiy to GoM tboul-d inake; \vith; it! Am^.g^es far mor^e eafy; iban j tbgfp-^)ji,^^rvifiih ordinary tpj be, turn'd into red Precipitate, yei |jfpaiu4d«^fijqy}te Qontw try- all^.j-PordW^i eas Chymifislbre wont to, .mention the ^iberf in p^ecipim reM iTven fmh istwith^ ad^itaiirf n t, i and allow, but al flbibtr ? ter time tjOims^e, thip p»rmipiiaiipjii \yben \i5 Aomlganii’d . with vGo/d ( whereby of ioiSt^decainW ^cfel all more et, I hajve bad .the-Guriofity -to keep all - aniroafed M' as to ftretch the weaker fide of theglafs, and give it as it were a bunch , yet without breaking it, as I can fliew you in the ?lafs it felfe, that I have yet entire ay me. Nor do fix months make the ongeft terme , that the obftinacy of ny curiofiry has made me keep Go/d P 4 in 220 Of the Troducihlenefs in decoftion with animated Mercuries without obtaining a red powder or Trecipitate^ though in the mcane time there were produc’d very pretty ve- getations , and fometimes, which is far more confiderable, odd changes of colours, about which it is not here neceffary to entertaine you. The maine drift of this obfervation being to give you notice , that as far as I have yet iryed , the more fiibtle and richly impregnated Mercuries are far lefs apt to afford Precipitates with Cold than common is. As if that difpofition to be calcin’d , ( as the Chy miffs are pleafed to fpeake) or turn’d into powder, required the pieftnce of the ireciementitious or more feparable part of Quickfilver , that aChymift would perhaps call it Sulphur ^ -which was a difcovery I could willingly enough have mifs’d. For f confers I had fome hope , as well as intention , to try whether a precipitate made with Gold and fome of thefe noble and richly impregnated Mercuries would not prove a nobler medicine than Precipitates made -wiih Gold) and only common Mercury: though of Chymical frlnci^les. 2 2 1 though even of fome of thefe , when dexteroufly prepar’d and kept their due time in dccoftion , experience invited me to have no flight opinion, efpecially , if they be exhibited in a jufl: dofe, and accompanyed with a proper additament, by which they may be kept from raifing any faliva* tion, and have their operation either altogether oralmoft totally determin’d downwards. 9. The lajl difference I fiiall obferve between fome diftill’d Mercuries and common Quicksilver-, fhall be their Inequality in foint of j^ecifick, gravU ty. Iknow you will thinke this a Paradox , but I can tell you , that I had once the opportunity to examine Hydroftatically a noble Mercury , for the impregnating whereof neither corporall Gold nor Silver was em- ploy ’diand yet havingcarefully weigh- ed this Quicksilvers water, accord- ing to the method I elfewhere teach, in the prefence of a famous and very heedfull I found it, as I had foretold, not only manifeftly, but very confiderably heavier in ^ecie Q that 42 2 Of the Troduciblenefs ( that is, hulkefoT bulks ) than common QuicksUier , though this iJHercury had been feverall times diftill’d, and by other waies depurated , which to me ftem’d to argue, that even fpiritu- all or volatile Gold ( for no vifible Gold was employ’d, and no metall but Go/(/is fo heavy as Quicksilver ) isa- ble toincreafe the fpecifick gravity of Mercury it felfe, which of all the Bodies we know, is exceeded or e- quaPd in that quality but by one a- lone ; and the ponderoufnefs of our lately mentioned Mercury to me the more wonderful!, bccaufe having by the fame method Hydrofiatically examin’d a Mercrtry, made after a Ifrange way , (without common Mer* Cury) I found it fcatceatali to differ in gravity from common Quiekfilver t fince it did not weigh full fourteen times as much as common water of the fame bu Ike. But heri?I fliall obfervetoyouopon the by, that *fis nota certaine confe- quence, to inferr, that the heavier the is, the more fixt it rouft be; for I remember that having been once of ChymiealPriiJcipleSt 22^ faunadvjsM as to comply ivith the earneft folicitations of an inquificive Gentleman > that afterward behaved hdmfelfe very ungratefully and ‘Uawor- thily to me , I gave him inftrudions how’to make an animated JAercury % which I look’d upon as very miich ofi the like nature to the ponderous one, I. hav'e been fpeakingof, but lefs te- dious, and far lefs difficult to be pre- par’d, and whiles he found, he neieded^ my renewed diredions according aS’ new ' difficulties occur r’d to him , "he' gave me from time to time an account of bis progrefs , and when he was ad* vanc’d far in the procefs , "' he en- fprm’d me , . amongft other things , that ; fbUowingvmy direftion in puri- fying and antmating his 'Quiekiilver be feund it fO' alter’d and fubtili^’d^, that diie would jdiftill it in lefs than httife the 'timeffie had formerly em- ploy’d to drive -it over, with the like fire and veflells* . This is what I thought fit to fay at prefent, about the differences be- tween' common Quicksilver and pre- par’d, C but yet running ) Mercuries. And 824 Producihlemjs And yet I am content to add two or . three advettifemcnts , for which* and cfpecially for the firft of them , you will perhaps thanke me , if ever you fhould vigoroufly profecute in a Spa- giricall way, the more noble fort of Mcrcuriali Experiments. In the firft place then, I Ihall ob« ferve to you, that whatever fome lear- ned Chymifts , and others teach to the contrary, it is matter of faft, that lAercuries may be animated or fpiriiually impregnated by more waies than one , ( not to fay, by more than a few) fo as to penetrate (7o/f Chymical Trinciples. 233 and on their being incoherent, and of fliapes fitted for Motion ; this quality may be acquired by fb many differing wayes , and be found in bo- dies otherwife of fuch differing Na» tures, that unlefs it be found affo- ciated with the other qualities pro- per to Fhkgme ^ it will be but an unfure Argument , to prove the body that it belongs to, to be Elementary , and not to have been by compofiti- on , divifion , or tranfpofition from duc'd. If it be true as the CarUfians will have it, that vcater confifts of parti- cles, that like little Eeles are long and exireamely flender, and confequently flexible ; I fee not any pofibility , : that the various adlion of the fire , i upon the Minute parts of a body , ' and that which it may caufe , the j corpufcles of one body to have up- i on rhofe of another, may produce ; TpaUr^ that did not in the form of I water preexift in the body that af- fords it: for it feems to mepoflible I enough , that the particles whereof a corporeal Mafs is made up, may have ; ,i 0.3 fiich 234 Troducihknefi fuch fliapes, Sizes, & contexturesjtbat by the various agitation which the par- vading corpufcles of the fire may pro- duce aniongft them , whatever edges and points they had before, may by mutual attrition of the Corpufcles be worn of, and by the fame means, fo much of the fubftance may be worne away, that what remaines,can. rot but be very flexible, and by all thefe qualifications becemefittomake a particle of water. * As a bar of Iron may by divers ftrokes of the wedge and Hammer skilfully employ’d , be divided iniolonge and flender parts, whofe 'lodges and points being blunt- ed, they may be reduced into flen- der , and every way flexible Wires. But not to build on fpcculations , let us proceed to fome experiments, which afford Phenomena that feem favourable to our Hyfothefis. Amongfl: the bodies about whichChy- miflry is converfant, thofe that feem to be the raoft indifpos’d to be turned into water , are the Metalline , and Mineralls ones : fo that if it can be made appear, that any of this fort can of Ckymical Principles, 235 can be changed , into an Aqueous liquor , twill make it highly probable, that Aqueous Liquors may be by Chymical operations produced^Gipeci- ally in yegetable and Animal bodies, which feem far more fufceptible of fuch a change , than the ftubborne fubjeds of the Mineral Kingdome, And Uncc Quicksilver is by many learn- ed Men, as wellChymifts as others, lookt upon as one of the few nioft indeftruflible bodies in Nature, and by its great ]l>onderoufnefs , in which it exceed’s all the known bodies of the world fave one , is fo much the more remote from fuch a liquor as jfvater , that has not the fixteenth part of its fpecifick weight ; If Quickr filver it felfe can in great part be turn- ed into an Aqueous liquor, it will not a little favour the Doctrine propof- ed in thefe Notes ; for which reafon I fliall fubjoyn the enfuing ftory. Relating to a very ingenious and fober Phyfitian of my Acquaintance what had befaln me in diftilling Mev cury^ from whence 1 once obtain'd a water without additament , without Q. 4 fceing 235 Of the Troduciblenefs being able to make the like Experi- ment afterwards fucceed , he affured me that he and a friend ot his, had fome years paft provided a very large . Dutch Retort of good Earth, furnilli- ed with a Pipe of about a foot long, to caft in the Mercury zi^ and that hal- ving by little and little conveyed through that pipe a pound of Quickr filver into the candent Retort, they obtained four ounces of Water ^ and loft in fpite of their care two ounces I of matter (whatever it were, ) the remaining part of the pound having been elevated in the forme of Mercu^, ry. Andwhen 1 fuggefted, that per- haps the Water that catne over was afforded by the aqueous particles of* the Earthen Retort itfelfe, he reply- ed, that, to prevent their being im- I poked on , they had been carefull not to put on the Receiver , till the Re- | tort had been made throughly glowing ; | hot, and that this liquor Was far from common Water ^ he thought to be paft doubt, by that; which follows. For 1 having acquainted him with an || odd tryall or two, I had made with I Mercurial! Water , and asked him ,, 1 1 whe- I ofChymlcal TrincipUs. 237 whether he found the likeeffefts from his, he told me, that his friend and he I poured both their diftilled Mercury ! and their Water into a kind of China ii cup, and though it were in June , left ij it open in a Garret for two or three i' dayes, upon a Prefumption his friend i had that this Mercufiall Water thus ' ordered would turne a good part of I the Quickfi^^er into it’s own nature , ; and fo multiply it felfe upon it. But when they came to vifit their Cup a- gaine , they were much furprized to find their Water all gone, and that the greateft part thereof was turn’d againe into Mercury , which they con- cluded from this , that they mifs’d upon the ballance but about halfe an : ounce of the whole matter ; which ' (halfe ounce) they fuppofedto have I been loft by evaporation ; the other three ounces-and a halfe being found in the encreafed weight of the Mercu- ry. The mention I have made of Quick- filver ■) puts me in mind of an Argu- ment ad hominem , that may deferve to be confideied , by the chiefe feft 23 ^ of theVroduciUenefs of modern Ghymifts, the Helmontiam for if it be true which their mafter tea- ches, that by his Liquor Alkahefi , not only Quicksilver , but aU other tangible bodies , may be reduc'd into infipid Walter , ;uft like Rain Water, I may be allowed to infer , that Wa- ter may be produced ^ fince fait and Sulphur themfelves may be turned in- to Water. I know the Helmontians may anfwer, that this is not fo much a produdion , as a redudion , fince all things confifting originally of ter ^ the does but deprive it of the difguifes, that feminal Princi- ples put it into, to make it appear, under the form of Gold , Quicksilver, plants. Animals ^c. But this Anfwer may be elfewhere further examined ; for the prefent, it may perhaps be fufficient to reply , that even by this Anfwer ’tis granted to appear by Ex- periment , that irater has been copi-> Gufly produc'd out of Mineral bodies, but it has not yet been made appear, that ihofe bodies were produc'd out of water. But this is not all , nor perhaps the Prin- r I ofChymicAlPrinciples. 239 Principal! thing I have to fay in fa- |/our of the opinion pleaded for in jihefe Notes. For fuppofing bodies ijDy being reduc’d, by the Alkahefi and [he fire, into an infipid Liquor, were really reduc’d into water, yet the /leU montians would not fully fatisfy me. For Helmont relates, that by abftra- fting his immortal Liquor from ftones, lor fuch kinds of bodies, he turns them tinio fait equiponderant to the Con- crete ; which Salt by further opera- tions he reduces, as he fuppofes , into Elementary water. Since then he flops not at fait, bur goes to a further tranf- mutation, and concludes) that a Stone doth not confift of fait, becaufe that fait may, by further operations , be turned into infipid water ; he mufl; give me leave, on the fame ground to argue, that infipid water is not the firft matter of bodies, fince by a fur-*^ ther operation of the fire, that liquor itfelfe maybe, at leaft in great parr, turned into Earth. For lelfewhere relate fome Experiments of my own and a friends, in which cleare water., divers times very flowly diftilled out of clear glafs bodies, left every time a 24 ® Of the Product hlenefs a terreftriall powder at the bottom: 3S if ( in cstfc ypatpv hp fn // cover .he b„„„rofa'’^.^rcS„'; i^dbeen' .^Le."'''’ “«i“^bo„s a TryaU ” wW ^ ^dd witho^a. the helfof oft' ‘° milations in it felfe niav of the fire , be chang’d Body. ''^<^«angd into another We tooke then very nur« anti- f™™.h?riah7.r.s;r/“''rh^'' ^^^3d ofr?,clTa J ^ newbolr. «’jght have roomrtV^? “P^»4,aTd placing ofChytnical Principles. 241 placing the veffcUin a digeftive Fur- nace , we left it there above a yeare, and obferv’d » as we expedled , that after it had continued for a good while , there began to forme them- ‘I felves in the water little concretions heavier than it » which in procefs of time encreafed in magnitude , and, as we thought, in number, making a kind of Terra foliata , that confifted of a multitude of little thin filmes or ; fcales , ( like thofe of the fmallcr fort 1 of Fiflies ) which, when the glafs was fhaken in an enlightned place, were copioufly difpers’d through the body of the Liquor , and appear’d yarioul- ly and vividly colour’d, being fome of them almoft as big, as fpangles , s and more glittering; and when the a- gitation ceas’d, they prefently fell to the bottom, which they cover’d in ! the forme of a Terra Foliata\ by their ifubfidence manifefting themfelves to be notably heavier in ^ecie than the water they had been form’d of. And I the longer the glafs was kept in the : digeftive Furnace, the more of this fine Terreftriall fubftance was pro- duc’d: And leafttheeffed fhould be aferibed 2^2 Of the Froduciblenefs afcribed to the abftra 6 ionof the from the n>ater , handled as is before related} I fhall add, that we produc’d the like fubftance, though, is it feem’d, notfo copioufly, after the like manner, in Water, that had not at all been freed from ^Ire. of Chymical Principles. 243 The VI. Parc. Of the Produciblenefs of Earth. F all the fubftances obtainable from mixt bodies, that which to Perfons prepoffes’cl with Helmontian opinions may fee ni the nioft lirople, elementary, and unchangeable, is, that which they call Earth or Terra dam- nata'. becaufe there is fup pos’d to be no doubt, but that the calcining of incinerating violence of the fire muft not only have driven away the Mercu- rial and other volatile parts , but muft alfo have quite burnt out the Sul- phurs, which oftentimes are more fixe than the reft; as the water on the o- ther fide muft have diflolv’d away all the or fixt fait. This Ratiocination I confefs, is very fpecious and probable , but yet notfo fatisfa6ory, but that a Sceptick may retahie not irraiionall doubts a- bout 244 Of theVroduCiblemfs bout the cogency of it, upon fuch confideraiions as I am now going to propofe. Audi will begin wiith confidering, that, whereas the things wherein this fuppos’d fimplicity , and unebangea- blenefs of the Earthy pa? t ofniixc Bo- dies, js founded, afe thefe Three: its notdiffolving in watery its not aftc- ^ing the Tafte ; and its hot having flowne away from the incinerated body, that afforded it 5 it may with probability be doubted , w hether any of thefe or all of them put together, do neceffarily evince what Ghymifts pretend they do. And in the place according to the different conftitution^ of certain forts of bodies, I thinke it fit to make a diftindliort between the dry and hea- vy parts , that remaine after a Body has been expos’d to the violence of the fire, and if need be, freed from its ^It as' much as it can be, by the af- iufion of water. For ’tis evident, thatin fome Bodies, efpeciaily of a: Mctallin'e nature, the fire,tlftt makes t-hac of Chymical Principles. 245 that which they call calcination, do’s not operate as it do’s in the burning of Vegetables. For,befides that fome- times almoft ( and fotnetinies more than almoft ) the whole weight of a minerall is to be found in that which they call it’s Calx y and is manifeft in the Calcination of Lead and Tinn per fe (if skilfully perform’d,) the Calx is in great part reducible fometimes into a body of the fame nature with that which afforded it, and fometimes intoforae other Body, very far from being Elementary : as is m^xMtHkpart^ ty in the redudlion of Minium , (which is Calx of Lead made per fe ) which , as to the greateft part of it, we have more than once , by the bare way of ordering the fire , reduc’d in a very Ihort time, and without additamenis , into malleable Lead ; zndpurtly in the Calces or ( as they alfo fpeake ) Afiies of Antimony , which by bare fufion are eafily reduc’d into glafs, whence we have fometimes obtain’d an Anti- roonial Regulue, So that ’tis manifeft,' that there is a great deal of difference, betypeen the Alhes ( taking that word in a large fence ) of Metalls, and of R fome Of the Troduciblenefs feme Mineralls, where almoft the whole Body is by the fire converted into a dry and heavy powder , and the Aihes of incinerated Vegetables, who ufoally leave but a little quantity of Earth behind them , in comparifon of the matter which the violence of the fire hath driven away. But fetting afide the above-men- , tion’d Metalline Calces y which with- out quefiion remaine compounded Bodies, if metalls themfelvcs be fo ; and to forbeare examining, whether they be not further compounded with Corpufcles of the fire , or fuel , that are embodyed with them I confider, that the (^alities which make other Aftespafs for Elementary Eartht may be produc’d in portions of matter that are not fimple, either by compofiiion or change of texture. I have elfewhere occafion to take notice of Bodies , which though when they are fingle,they will eafily diffolve in water, yet therefulr of them will not: And you may find inftances of this kind , among the Magifteriesy as Chymifts of Chymical Principles. 247 Chyniiftscall them, made of feverall Bodies, by precipirafing their foluti- ons ( made in acid liquors) with oyl oi Tartarper ddiquium* From oyle of Vitriol and fpirit of Wine , though both nioft readily dif- foluble in water, we have by bare di- geftion and diftillation, obtained a pretty quantity of a fubftance, that we found not to diffblve in water, and which feenied to be infipid and fixt enough. There are Stones, fome more and Ibme lefs pretious which though I could by the help of the fire deprive of their colour, and bring to a white powder , yet it did not appeare tome, ! that they were really calcin’d., or would in water yeild any fait : fo that ' if thefe Stones be compounded bo- dies, as Spagirifts tell us they are, we fee that there may be other Cor- j pufcles befides metalline ones, which I though reduc’d by the' help of the I fire to a white powder infipid and not : difibluble in water , are yet remote enough from an Elementary na- I ture, R 2 But 2 4 S Produciblenefs But I need feek no further , for inftances of this kind , fince Spagi* rids themfelves teach us, that the A- Hics of Wood may by the Violence of the fire, be turn’d into glafs j which being a body compos’d of the Earthy and Saline part of the Afiies (fdr they tell us, that Earth feparated from the Salt will nef’er be vitiifyed ) mud be according to their own con- fcffion a compounded Body .* which being at lad made by the uiniod vio- lence of the fire , muftbe fix’d, indif- foluble in water, and confequently infipid. And without taking this Vi- trification upon the Chymifts autho- rity , ’cis manifed, that in glafs made the common way , there is a great deal of Borellia^ Sal-Alcdi , or other Lixiviate Salt mixt with the Sand: as is evident , not only becaufe Artifi- cers find the fair needfull to diflTolve the Sand , and bring it to fufion, but becaufe the Glafs ufes to weigh very much more, fometimes C as an Inge- nious Mader of a Glafs*Houfe anfwe- red me) thirty, or forty pound in an hundred, than the Sand that was put in. I of Chymical Trinciples* 249 I flialladd,that, fince Cbytnifts af- cribe all Odours to Sulphur, I may reafonably conclude againft them, ' that in fpight of all the violent fire, j which is required to the making com- ! mon glafs, there is ftore of Sulphur, as well as fait in it. Fori have often tryed that by barely rubbing two large pieces of glafs, one againft a. noiher, there Would quickly be pro- duct a ftrong offenfive fmell. And yet Glafs which thus appeares to be not only a Com pounded, but a Decom- pounded Body , fince the Sand or Cu- » gali ( as the F'enetim Glafsmen call their Pebbles ) or other Stones be- ing themfelves mixt Bodies, are fur- , ther compounded with the Salts that difiblve them : Glufsy I fay, is a Body that manifcftly poffefles all thefe three qualities , which Chyraifts re- quire in their Earthy being raftelefs, indiflbluble in the Water, and fixed in the fire. And if Afbes alone be (as Chymifts teach us they are ) ca- pable of vitrification fand indeed an inquifitive Owner of a Glafs-Houfe anfivered me, that once , if he much mifremerabred nor, made, but notea- R 3 fily 2 5» Of theTroducibler.e(s fily , glafs of Afljes alone without Sand 5 ) how are wefure but that in J comiDon Afhes , freed the common | way, from their fixe fah , that which | is called the fimple Earth , may not | be a body compounded of two or 1 more fubftances , which by their coa- lition, and ntw Texture produc'd by the afiion of the fiie, have been brought to a kind of Vitrification , or otherwife have acquired the few ob- vious Qualities , that Chymifts are wont to ihinke fuffeient to give a Prodiitflion of the fire , the name of Earth. • Tis obvious to o^^ferve, that di- vers Bodies , when they come to be of fcnlible bulke, will finke in Li- quors , in which their Corpufcles would freely fwiin, if fo many of them did not flicke together. As of Salt and Sugar , the Lumps, and even the graines , whiles they remaine fuch, will fall to the bottom of Wa- ter, in which w'hen they are difpers’d into minute andinvifible Corpufcles, they will eafily fwim. And I have obfci v’d, of Chymical Principles. 251 obferv’d, that in ftopt glaffcs fome Salts, and other Bodies, that for ma- ny Months remain’d undiftingaifli’d in the Liquors that harbour’d them, would in traft of time, have Conven- tions made of their Particles , that would then fubfide, and be no more carry’d Up and down by the particles of the Liquor. And 1 fee no impof- libility, that fomewhat of this kind may happen to the particles, where- of water confifts ' for if fotiie of thefe, by frequent occutfions and Attri- tions come to apply themfelves to one another, fo as to have a fuller, and more immediate contad than former- ly , and to be intangled among them- felves, and perhaps alfo to exclude fome very thin and fubtile Aircj that may be fufpeded to lurke about them, and contribute to their fuftentation; if I fay, this Union or ftiid Adhefioti of Aqueous Corpufcles, lhall happen to be made, the Aggregates or Clu, fters , though as to fenfe, but very fmall , may be too great and unweildy to be any longer, parts of water, but may fubfide in that Liquor ; and if their Union or Adhefion be ftrid e- R 4 nough. 2 52 Of the Vroduciblemfs enough, they will upon ihe fame ac- count be unfit to be carryed up in the forme of Vapours, and exhala- tions by Hear , and fo may be like fix’d in the Fire, as well as not difToluble in water. I have fometinies aifo had a fuf- piiion , that the produclion of an Earthy fubflance in water, may be furthered by the particles of fire, that are employ’d to make it circulate ; and that of thofe Igneous pai tides, which, aslam apt to think, pervade theglafs, feme of the grofl'er, or ra- ther the iefs fubtile, may in their paf- fage fafien themfelves to fome aque- ous particles , fitted to adhere to them, and may with thefe begin to make fome in vifible Concretions , to which afterwards other congruous particles niay little by little fticke in their paflage , andfoat length com- pcfc fenfibje Aggregates of powder ; which may be liiuftrated by what happens in the precipitation of^/eh- f ver without addition , where the Mercurial particles being aflbeiated by, and probably with fome of thofe of of Chymical Principles. 253 of the fire , begin to forme Concre- tions, at firft very minute, which af- terwards encreafe more and more , by theaccefllon of other adhering parti- cles, till all the or thegrea- teft part of it be reduc’d, from a flu- id Body 10 a red powder. And per- haps it may countenance my Conje- ^fure, about the prodndion ofan£ in a violent fire, and then the mix- ture being taken out, the remaining fixt fait was carefully extrafted, but amounted to very little in comparifon of what Nitre was wont to yeeld , when calcin’d with Charcoal : and this fcant proportion of fixt fait did not proceed chiefly 5 from a very co- pious A volation ot Nitrous fubftance, appear’d probable by this, that the Caput Mortuum was much more pon- derous, than was to be expet^ed, upon the fcore of the Tobacco-Pipe Clay, that was firft employ’d, and the Alcali that was extraded; fo that the new weight acquired by the Clay, feem’d manifeftly to proceed, from the accefljoD of a portion of the Sdt’Tetre , that by this operation was turned into Earth* Infomucb, that of fix drachmas that four ounces of Cby had acquir’d, in weight, after the Crucible was taken out , nor fo many graines could even by boyling water be obtain’d from the whole Ca^ put Mortuum‘y which when firft taken out of the Crucible, wasalmoft quite infipid. * That 156 Of the Producihlenefs Thar Earth may be de novo produ- ced , may likewife be probably ar- gued from the Experiment, I foriiier- ly related about the deftrudion of the fait of Tartar^ by igniting it and putting it into fair Water: for there remained after the numerous filtrati- ons, and if I mifFemember not, after every one of them, a fubftance, in the filter , which, for ought appears, may be as well called as that which was feparated from the calcined 7^r- tar , the firfi: time it was put in the water , to divide the fait from the Barth. For in our Experiment as well as in the common operation, Icome from mentioning, the way of procee- ding is the fame, and in both their re- maines in the filter a fubftance, which by its ftaying there, ftiews it was not diftbluble in the water, and which be- fore it came thither, ftiewed, by its enduring a violent fire, that it was al« fo fixc as Earth ought to be. Nor would it much move me , if it Ihould be found, that this faditious Barth may hivefome fuch operation upon fome particular Body, as is not thought to belong to true Elementary 'Earth. 6 f Chymical Principles. 257 For fince it is obtained by a Chy- mical Aialy/iSy if it have thofe qua- lity’s that in the general eftimations of naturalifts , make up the notion of what they call Earth : I think that ought to foffice us , at leaft till the Chy mills giveusfome more accurate notion of genuine Earth , and Ihew us fuch a thing, and teach us a better way of Analyfis , to obtaine it. -For in many body’s that are, with- out fcruple , lookt upon as Earth , I obferve quality’s that do belong to the received notion of Elementary Earth. This I fay, becaufe I fee not why fuch a Texture as will fuffice , to make a portion of matter indillbluble in water, fixt in the fire, and infipid upon the tongue ; may not alfo make it fitt to operate af- ity, whitenefs, and Infipidnefs , and it’s lying oftentimes deep enough be- neath the furface of the grpund, may, as probably as almoft any other Na- tive Earth we know, be look’t up- on as Elementary , yet Tobacco-pipes well baked piay fometimes be made to firike fire: and I have more than •once tryed , that by briskly rubbing two peices of a new Tobacco-pipe, one againft another, they Would in a Minute or two of an Houre grow Warme, and being immediately fmelt to, manifeftly afford a ranke odour, between Sulphureous and bituminous, almofUike that which proceeds from Pebbles or Flints, when they are like- wife rub’d hard againft one another. As if Tobacco-pipe Clay were not a true Earth .i but a fine white Sand, confifting of Graines too finall to be diftimftly taken notice of,likethofe of other Sand. On which occafiort I ftiall add, that I found by a Hy- droftaticall Tryall , that it’s ipecifick gravity was but little differing from that of Pebbles, its probable in Weight 10 of Chymical Principles, 26 r to water of the fame Bulke being as two, and a quarter to one. A To- bacco-pipe may alfo be fomewhat mel- ted by a very vehement fire , ( for a lefs will fcarce ferve the iurne)as may be argued from this , that it may by fuch a fire be brought to bend. 1 Porcellane ^ or the matter whereof China difhes are made , is not , as foine Travellers and Learned Men have fondly imagin'd, a compofition that requires to be buryed under ground , for I know not how many yeares, to ripen it into Porcellane : but as forae late Authors informe us, and as I have been allured by a Per- fon , that went purpofely to that place in China ^ that is fo famous for the making of Porcellane vcffells , it is a pure fort of Clay > but yet this I find not to be Elementary Earth. For belides that 1 have obferved , that a Violent fire will make it fomewhat melt s 1 find that with fteel , it will eafily enough firike fire almofi: like a flint. The like I have obferved in Porcellane very artificially imitated S with 262 Of the TroducibUmf^ with a fort of Englifh clay. And I found too, that the tnacier even of dark colour’d Juggs of the better fort, and well baked, would with a Steel afford fparkesof five. I forgot to tell you wlien I was fpeaking of fine Porceliane, that I found its fpecifick gravity to be very near the fame with that of Flints, and Tobacco-Pipe Clay. But 1 remember I went once to vifit a Grove or Pit, whereat the depth of divers Yards, they were wont to digg up a certaine white Earth, which diftill’d by an acquaintance , of mine afforded a Liquor, that was. put into my hand to try, and which Ifound to be very rich in a Volatile Salt , that tailed and fnielt much dike fpi* -fit of Urine , or HartSjhorne , a)nd 'had alraoll the fame effe6s in chang- ing the colours offomeBody’s, and ^te. cipitatingj of , otheri. I remember too, that I found by the operation *ef a Menfiruum or. two upon Tri/’fl//, ihar , as white and pUre. a Virgine Barth as it feem’d, yet it was.not -Elf- mentary tSc on the.other fide a Maftet of ' fome Engli/h Mines having ppefen^d • me, among other Mineralls, which he knew ofChymicalTrincifles. 26^ knew not what to make of a very white fubftance, whereof he had ftore, which he thought an £artS , and which was judged by an Excellent Artificer, much converfant with Tripoli ^ to be finer even than that Earth , I guefs’d it upon Examination to be a kinde of Takke , whofe leaves were exceeding fine and minute. TheRefult of thefe relations may be , not only that we may yet retaine our doubts , whether the Afiertors of Elementary Earth can Ihew us any Native fubftance , that deferves that name: but alfo , whe- ther thofe things that remaine after Chymical Andyfes^ though they have all the Qualities that are judged fuf- I ficient to denominate a portion of matter Earthy may not yet either be Compounded Body’s or be endowed with Qualities , which belonge not to fimple Earth. To explaine and con- firme which, I lhall give an inftance in fome QuickzUme , that Ipurpofely examin’d. For though it had been , by frequent ablutions in warm wa- ter, carefully duldfyed , and fo was as well infipid j as fixt , and indif- foluble in water ; yet 1 found, I could 4 S 2 readily 264 TvoducihUnefi readily diffolve it in divers Menfiru- ims , and even in fpirit of Vinegar, whereas tvMt Elementarj Earth ought to be as well indiffoluble in fuch li- quors , as in water. If I had not been to deal with Chymifts, but Arifloielians, I might have fav’d my felf the labour offo- iicitoufly endeavouring to prove, that Earth and water may each of them be produc’d from Body’s of a differ- ing nature from it. For though the Peripateticks will not allow //le »; /60/e Elements to have been produc’d, be* caufe they lookc upon them as in- tegrant parts of the world , which Jriftoth laborioufly ( though not fo- lidly ) maintainesto be eternal: Yet i the Portions of the Elements , they will have to bg interchangably tranfmu- table. So that what was once water may be Earth , and Earth may by intermediate alterations, be turned in- to water. But thofe I have to do with, be- ing the vulgar Chymifts , who will have the material principles or fimgle ingredients of Chymical PriticipUs* 26 f ingredients of rnixc Bodies , coevall with the World, and uncapable of be- ing either dcftroy*d or produc’d; it was not allowable for me to proceed upon the Arifiotelihn Hypothefis , of the iranfmutablenefs of what they call Elements, efpecially becaufe , that though I do admit it , as ’tis, accor- ding to my opinion , a part of a more general truth ; yet I do not think , they have well prov’d it by their Argu- ments : which fince I my felf do not like, 1 think ’twere difingenious to prefs them upon others. And without having recourfe to their DodrinCj there will occur fome other particu- lars, that may be added to thofe al- ready mentioned, to countenance the produciblenefs of the Principles of mixt bodyes , in fome other papers that are to follow thefe Notes- Thoirgh in ftridlnefsl was not oblig’d to fay lo much, as I have already faid, fince pretending to call in queftion no more than the three Hypofiatical Principles cf the Chymifts^ I might eafily have excus’d my felfe , for having let alone the production of Heater and Barth : fince the generality of Chymifts reckon not 26$ Of the Troduciblenefs not thofe Bodys amongft their Hy- poftatical Tr'wciples-^ but looke upon them, as recepticles, or, as others would have them , Recrements of thefe, or, as on fome other account, related to them. Brt I was not willing to omirt Water and Earth , becaufe fome of the more learned of the modern ^< 7 - gyri^s have adopted them , into the Number of the Trincifles of mixt bodies , and becaufe I finde by expe- rience ihatin Chymical Jnalyfesjthey are at leaft as often to be met with, as fome of the Principles confelTedly Hypoftatical. But what hasbeen de- livered about Earth and Water , ha- ving much added to the bulkeofthefe Notes : ^tis time I Ihould put a pe- riod to this part of them, in reference to which I hope it will be confidered, that I do not pretend that every fin- gle experiment by me alleg’d , do's fufficiently prove, that the body ob- tain’d by it, was in the ftridiefi: fence produc'd. For if the feveral experi- ments, and other proofes do in con- jundion , and as it were in a body, make up a good Argument , that the ingredients they relate to , may be produc’d 5 of Chymical Trinciphs* iSy produc’d; 'lis as much as will, 1 hope, be expeftedj from thefe Notes, which having been written by way of Ap- pendix to the Sceptical ChymiSi, may be allow’d, as well as that book , to employ feme Proofs, not altoge- ther cogent, and may be judg’d noc improper, though fome of the Argu- ments propos’d in them to (how that Chymical TrincipUs are not all inge- nerable and indeftrudible ftiould be but meerly probable. And yet this I {hall venture to intimate, that vul- gar Chyraifts and AriHotelians may, not perchance, find it fo' eafy a thing, as ’tis like many of them will imagine, confute divers paffages of the fore- going Trait, fince probably their ob- jections will fuppofe fome thing or other, which though taken for granted among them, and perhaps by feve- ral other learned Men, I do not ad- mict as true , or think deraonftrable, but rather queftionable upon very ra- tional grounds. And though perhaps 1 Ihould not have brought in lome of the Experiments mentioned in. the precceding Notes , ifi had not had a mind to throw together what I thought might 268 Of the Froducilflenefs might contribute to fo ufefull a thingi as a Natural Hi^ory ofChymical Princi- flesi on which others, if not I, may hereafter ground a Theory of theni s yet this may alfo deferve to be confi- dered, that if any of the foregoing Ex- periments, though never fo few, do re- ally prove , ( as *tis like fome of them will be judg’d to do) thzi any one oi the Chymical Principles may be , de noviftproducd", that alone will fuffice delfroy t\itVniverfaUty and intirehefi of t\\€\r Hypothefts \ and befides give caufe to fuipe^i,that by further indu- Ifry, the Produciblenefsof other Prin- ciples alfo, may be difcovered. FINIS. I /:3^ V' •1 I I \ / V. / 4 / 1 'PgCtAU 6ET1Y »ER LIBRARY