Although Sulphur finds not a place in the order of Salts, because it
refuseth the solving in water, yet it contains a vitriolated salt laid
up in it, which doth not manifest it self before that the more fat
substance thereof shall be withdrawn by inflaming, by the operation
whereof the salt is attenuated or made thin, and is carried on high by
the flame like a sharp smoke, so that this sharp sulphureous spirit
burns all things which it toucheth, after the manner of all those fires
which are drawn out of salts.
For the attaining this vitriolated and sulphureous spirit the flame of
the sulphur is to be received, in a certain Alembick made of glass or
earth, peculiarly for this operation, wherein that vitriolated spirit
of salt condenseth it self, and issues forth like a thick fat, and
fiery oyl, not unlike to that which is made of Vitriol, whereof it is
treated on in my Furnaces.
All these things do very evidently confirm those particulars, which
I have many years agoe committed to memory: concerning Sulphur and
Vitriol, to wit, that Sulphur is the original of all metals, and that
no metal at all is digged out of the earth, which hath not either
Vitriol or Sulphur, or for the most part both adjoyned unto it, for
no sulphur is destitute of vitriol, nor vitriol of sulphur, so that
both of them do challenge the rise or birth of any kind of metals
whatsoever unto themselves. And every sulphur is by its own proper
agent or vitriolated salt, which it hath in its possession by nature
(whereto the central fire of the earth is an assistant) excocted or
boiled up more and more into a metal; neither doth this universal agent
or vitriolated salt depart from the fatness, or its patient, untill the
fatness together with the agent shall depart into a malleable metal,
or a metal that undergoes the hammer. Lead, iron and copper, do make
this thing manifest, which metals do never appear without vitriol and
sulphur, and that for this cause; because they being as yet unripe and
imperfect ones, do stand in need of their agent. A less plenty of
Sulphur or Vitriol is found with silver, than with Copper.
Gold hath little of Vitriol or Sulphur, yea plainly none at all, if
it shall attain to its highest maturity, because it is then found to
be pure and malleable, and wants not a further fusion or melting, but
by how much the more of Copper, Gold, and Silver have, by so much the
more of Vitriol or Sulphur they have, as also require the more time for
their ex coction and perfecting.
From these particulars, it manifestly appears in what respect metals
may in a long time be generated in the bowels of the earth by their
first principle, namely Sulphur; and may be ripened to perfection, by
its own Salt, or agent, which it hath in its possession.
If nature doth effect this in a long time, why also may it not come to
pass, that art should perform the same in a shorter time?
But let these things that have been spoken be sufficient, he that
understands not, nor also perceiveth the scope or mark, which I so
clearly shew is blind, and doth not admit of a remedy for his blindness.
Truly I judge these few things, (but yet such as shew a most long way
with a most shining Torch) to be sufficient concerning the moist and
cold fires of minerals, by which the ripening and perfecting of metals,
are to be perfected as well by nature in the bowels of the earth, as by
art above the earth.
_N. B._ If therefore a mineral may by the help and impulse of its own
vitriolated Salt, wherewith it is endowed, be ripened from its vile
form and lowest degree unto a better, and at length unto the best of
all, that is, unto the purest gold, it being that which none (that is
seasoned but with the least knowledge of natural things) will deny.
Also if such a Sulphur is hidden in any vegetable, which answers to a
mineral Sulphur in its nature and properties, why also might it not
come to pass, that this same Sulphur might be perfected into mature
gold, alike equal to the other? from hence it most evidently appeareth
that in any Herb, although the most abject one, which is promoted by
the Sun unto its maturity, a spark of the immature beams of _Sol_ may
be found, which through the operation of art, are to be changed into
pure gold. But after what manner such a Sulphur may be extracted out of
any Herb or any Wood whatsoever, in all things like to a mineral one,
I have long since delivered in my little work concerning the nature of
Salts, and in the second part of the _miraculum mundi_, and below I
will demonstrate by a much more clear manifestation.
Let us proceed to Animals and Vegetables, and consider whether in these
very things, such a ripening fire may be found, and may from thence
also be drawn and made visible.
But we must know that no small living creature or small Herb can grow,
live, and receive, increase without a certain fiery and Salt Agent; the
which although it cannot be believed by any one that is lifted up with
pride, and of a stupid brain, yet it in very deed exilteth, and can
easily be demonstrated by the hand of the Artificer.
XXI. _A most powerfull manner of extracting a fire out of any Wood,
or any Herb whatsoever, and of rendering it palpable and visible._
Fill some glass, stony, or earthen distilling vessel with any dried
Wood or dried Herb, and distill off the Vinegar or sharp liquor from
thence, and separate the Oyl from it; and pour that sharp liquor
on _Lapis Calaminaris_, _Zink_, or ashes of lead, which matters do
dismiss all the unsavoury moisture in distilling, and retain the whole
sharpness with themselves, the which being distilled from thence
ascends like unto meer fire, it being of great use as well in Medicine
as Alchymy, whereof mention shall be made hereafter.
But here it is to be noted that this fire extracted by distillation,
is onely a part of that fire of the Wood and Herbs, and that the other
part remains in the Coals thereof, which is far more fixed than that
which ascended, and is that Sulphur which we spoke of but now, which
wholly answers to the nature of a mineral Sulphur, and which may be
extracted out of the Coals being solved by _Sal. Mirabilis_, which
shall be taught and manifested in the following Chapter.
For if there were no fire in them, after what sort should they burn and
draw out heat? all Coals being converted into ashes, after that their
hidden Sulphur hath done its office, the feces of the Wood remains
like dead ashes, wherein as yet lies hid a certain singular vegetable
fire, being altogether of another nature, and wholly contrary to that
which ascendeth in Distillation. This water being extracted out of the
ashes presents a _Lixivium_, the which by decoction exhaleth all the
moisture, and leaves the rest a fiery Salt, whereof in the second part
of my Dispensatory. If it be made hot without fusion, or melting, it
becomes the more fiery, so that it being bound to the skin for some
hours in the bigness of a pea, it burns a small hole therein as if it
had been burnt with a bright burning iron. And therefore Chyrurgeons
make use of such fires that they may open unripe Ulcers, or make Issues.
It may be seen by these particulars that in any Wood or any Herb, there
are also fires of divers kinds, the which also are found in living
creatures, they being partly volatile and sharp, and partly fixed, and
obtaining the nature of _Alcalies_ or _Lixivial_ Salts.
Both Salts or Fires, after they are conjoyned they lose their fiery
nature, and get unto themselves another quality and property; to wit, a
middle one, and these two contrary fires become an essential tartarous
Salt, and sweet in use, wherein no fire appears, although that fire
being turned out and in by art, may be again extracted and made visible.
Concerning these wonderfull changes of nature, and conversions out of
one species or particular kind into another, many things are found up
and down in my writings. In the first part of the continuation of the
miracle of the World, it is manifestly described after what sort a
plenty of such fire may be attained out of Woods, but the concentring
thereof is here delivered. In general it is here to be noted, that one
Wood or one Herb doth more abound with such a fire than another. But by
how much any Wood or Herb is the elder, and by how much the longer the
Sun-beams have operated on it, by so much the more of fire is in it, as
is manifest from the Vine; which hath received plentifull Rays of that
sort, and therefore excells all other vegetables in the greater and
stronger fire, as appears not onely by the burning spirit, but also the
tartar, or tartarous Salt thereof, which is almost all fire, and yet
without Distillation and Calcination it cannot be manifested.
That therefore it may be brought forth into open view, and be rendred
visible, we must make use of the following operation.