If thou shalt be desirous of obtaining a Philosophical Pearl after a
more easie manner, thou must of necessity thus operate.
Unto half a Loton, _i. e._ two drams of the mercury of _Lune_, add a
little of the powder of Coals, and put the conjoyned matters into a
small glass, the which set in a crucible encompassed with sand unto
that height which the matter in the glass it self shall determine. On
the mouth of the glass put a small piece of some glass that it may
be well covered, and so place thou a less crucible with the upside
downward upon that little glass, that its (top) utmost and highest
bound being overwhelmed with the said sand may drive away all air from
that little glass.
Set that crucible being in this manner co-fitted, and containing the
little glass shut up between them in live Coals of Wood, and make them
bright burning hot, that that may remain fired for a quarter of an
hours space, then let them cool, and thou shalt find a little lifted up
by sublimation, the rest being melted by borace, will afford a silver
impregnated with gold, yet without gain, the which demonstrateth onely
in the space of half an hour, what may be done: but what gain may be
obtained by this very operation shall hereafter be shewn.
Furthermore it is here to be seen how most beautifull a Pearl doth
bewray it self, although very little of it come forth, because in this
labour no small part thereof flies away into the air, and sheweth onely
its colours alone in the glass, far more beautifull than gold, silver,
and precious stones; if any one shall rightly operate, neither shall
there be any Painter who shall express it by imitating and painting.
For this time take what hath been spoken in right and good part, and
immediately weigh thou so great a thing the more exactly, pray, labour,
seek, and in seeking thou shalt find such things which thou couldst
never before have believed.
The Brethren of ignorance, my enemies, will here object against me, and
say, that these most elegant colours have drawn their original from the
silver: unto those I briefly answer, That they were indeed extracted
out of the Salt by the help of the silver, but that they do not (_per
se_) or by themselves pertain to the silver, for if they were of the
silver they would also be solved by _aq. fortis_, the which, since it
is not done, they are not silver, but the meer _Anima_ or Soul of the
salt. That this thing may be confirmed by a more evident argument, I
bring the solution of Saturn or Lead, the which it self also can fish
out the same Pearl from Salt, without Silver. If anyone shall operate
after the same manner which I but now shewed, I also add this, that I
am hereafter to teach a way whereby _Saturn_ may be able to fish pure
simple gold out of all salts.
Let us now return unto the moist and cold fire of the Philosophers, and
see what an admirable fire God hath hidden in Salt Peter.
That a most potent fire doth lurk in Salt Peter is not worth our
confirming by any argument. That horrible Gunpowder which shakes or
rends all things asunder proveth the thing most manifestly, and _Aq.
Fortis_, which dissolveth and destroyeth all Metals, yet another fire
of far more powerfull virtue is hidden in the same Salt, which very few
have known and beheld, and the which we will here make manifest, for
the honour of God, and the profit of all mankind.
XVIII. _Of the preparation of the moist and cold fire of Salt
Peter._
Take of Potters earth being without sand, and burnt, 2 parts, and 1
part of Salt Peter very well purified, with both these matters being
reduced into powder and well mixed together, fill a glass retort well
coated with clay, put it in a Furnace for distillation, and joyn a
Receiver to the Neck of the Retort, into which put as many pints
or pounds of water as there were pounds of Salt Peter mixed with
the earth, that the Spirits going forth may so much the sooner be
condensed into moisture, after thou hast exactly joyned and luted thy
Receiver to the neck of the Retort, with a due lute (or clay) kindle
a fire according to Art by degrees, and the spirit of the Salt Peter
(representing a yellow or red mist in going forth) will joyn it self to
the water placed in the Receiver.
All the Spirits being come forth, take off thy Receiver, and separate
them from the water, put this sharp spirit of Niter into some strong
glass: it being by distilation freed from its superfluous phlegm and
rectified, is applied unto Medicinal and Chymical uses: concerning the
operations and virtues whereof there is mention made in the second part
of my Furnaces, and in the Dispensatory of _Schroderus_. Moreover, the
manner of extracting and concentring a fire of this spirit is this.
Pour this spirit of Niter on the powder of _Lap. Calaminaris_ or _Zink_
reduced into small little grains that it may dissolve as much as it
can: and when it will dissolve no more in the Cold, place the glass in
hot sand that it may dissolve more of the matter, filtre the solution
and by sand draw off all the phlegm in a glass retort; the phlegm being
all come off, change thy Receiver, and increase thy fire and drive
out a fiery oyl, which oyl thou shalt keep well stopt, because it
uncessantly fuming would wholly vanish away in the Air.
This fiery smoke of Salt Peter, as also that of Vitriol, and common
Salt, burns up all Herbs, Grass, Leaves and Flowers, and whatsoever it
toucheth, just as if they were burnt with a strong heat of the Sun or
Fire.
And this is the preparation of the moist and cold fire of Salt Peter,
of the use and efficacious operation whereof in Medicine and Alchymy,
it shall be more exactly and fully treated on in the following Chapters.