_Of the Transmutation of Metals by Projection of the Medicine._
If the Tincture of Naturalists be to be used in Transmutation, one
pound of it is first to be projected upon a thousand pounds of ☉ in
Flux; then your Medicine will be prepared for transmuting the Leprous
humour of Metals. This is a wonderful Work in the Light of Nature,
_viz._ that by this Spagyrick Magistery or Operation, that which
before was such a Metal, should perish, and become another Metal.
That renders _Aristotle_, with his evilly-founded Philosophy, a Fool:
The Countrymen in _Hungaria_ casting Iron for a convenient time into
a certain Fountain called _Zipferbrunnen_, find it consumed into a
_Ferrugo_ (or Iron scurf) which melted in a strong Fire with Bellows,
is presently pure Copper, which never more returns into Iron. Likewise,
in the Mountain _Kuttenberg_ (as it is commonly called) they strein a
_Lixivium_ from _Marcasites_, in which Iron is presently changed into
the best Copper, highly gradated, and more malleable than other natural
Copper. These, and many such like, are better known to Simple men than
to Sophisters, for these men transmute one species into another; yet
these Arts remain for the most part absconded, by reason of the notable
contempt of Ignorant men, and also partly by reason of the just Envy
of Artificers. In _Istria_ I have often brought Venus beyond the 24
(_alias_ 38) degrees, so as the colour of Sol could not ascend higher,
and it was constant in Antimony, or in the Quartal Examen; this indeed
I used in all Cases, as the other.
Although ancient Artists were earnestly desirous of this _Arcanum_,
and sought the same with very great diligence, yet very few could
after perfect Preparation deduce it to its end. For the Transmutation
of a Minor-Metal into a better, brings with it many difficulties and
hinderances; as when Tin is to be transmuted into Silver, or Copper
into Gold. Perhaps GOD will have the Magnalia of Nature hid from
many Men, by reason of their Sins. For sometimes it hath happened,
that when this Tincture hath been prepared by Artists, and they
could not bring Projection to effect, that the same (through their
neglect and carelessness in keeping of it) hath been devoured by Hens,
whose Feathers afterward fell off, and grew new again, as I my self
have seen. This way, by abuse, through negligence of Artists, came
Transmutation into Medicine and Alchymy. For when they could not use
that Tincture according to their own desire, they converted the same to
Renovate Men, as you shall hear more at large in the following Chapter.