_What is to be judged of the Tincture of Corals._
When _Paracelsus_ writ of the admirable Virtues of _Tincture of
Corals_, which it manifests in the Expulsion of all grievous Diseases,
he said, that very many famous Men endeavoured to perfect that
Tincture; but an happy event or prosperous success of the same happened
to few. Even so hath it hapned unto me, who have been a searcher of
that Tincture above forty years. As to the external face, I could
indeed variously extract a Tincture of Corals, but in Medicine it
proved not as it seemed. Hence I conjectured that was not the true
Tincture of Corals, but that Tincture came from the _Menstruum_. Yet at
length GOD shewed me some particular Feathers of Birds, which might be
adapted to fixed Tinctures latent in Stones and stony Subjects, and by
help of them the same be extracted from their gross Bodies, and exposed
to publick view; yet among them all, three sorts of Feathers onely hold
the Principal place.
I.
_The black Feathers of Crows_,
which are endued with power to elevate such Tinctures as love to ascend.
II.
_The white Feathers of Pidgeons_,
which, in a sort, contain in themselves the purest, and before (by
their natural virtue) lightly volatile Tinctures, invade and carry them
upwards with them.
III.
_Eagles Feathers_,
which rowse even the most fixed and heaviest Bodies, and thence
extract the inmost or noblest part of them, and carry it upwards with
themselves.
Yet these Eagle-Feathers are most commodiously used for extracting of
fixed Tinctures from fixed Metals and Stones. For if they be applied to
other very Volatile Subjects, they will carry up with themselves the
whole mortified Body together with the Tincture. Therefore, whosoever
would by the benefit of the Salt of these Feathers, or of the Salts of
other Volatiles, perform some excellent Work, let him exactly learn the
difference between one and the other. But since here I onely intend
the Extraction of the Tincture from Red Corals, there is no need of
any other Feathers for that purpose, but of Pidgeons Feathers onely,
because they will be sufficient for this Operation.
_The Feathers or Wings are thus found and acquired._
Dissolve one pound of pure Silver in _Aqua Fortis_. If to this Solution
you pour good Spirit of Salt, in which Common Salt is dissolved,
all the _Luna_ will be precipitated from the _Aq. Fortis_ in the
form of a white Calx. In which Precipitation the Silver acquires the
aforesaid white Pidgeons Feathers from the Salt-water, and submergeth
them, together with it self, in the bottom of the Vessel. In this
Precipitation also the _Aqua Fortis_ perisheth not, but passeth into
good _Aqua Regia_. This white Calx of _Lune_, which I have otherwise
called _Mercury_ of _Lune_, if it be diligently edulcorated and dried;
then are the Feathers prepared, by help of which I here teach how the
Tincture of Corals is to be extracted.
_Recipe_ one pound of Red Corals, grind them upon a Stone to a most
subtile Powder; to which add as much of this white Silver Calx also
pulverized. Put these together into a Glass-Retort, administring Fire
by degrees, untill the Retort be red, whence (before it is red-hot)
will ascend a reddish Water pleasantly sweet; out of one pound of
Corals, about four or five ounces. Let this Water be dephlegmated in
a small Glass-body, by gentle heat of _Balneo_, and the unprofitable
Water separated from the Tincture; which every Man may safely use in
Medicine according to his capacity and skill; because by virtue of it
the Bloud is egregiously purged. Almost after the same manner, by help
of these Feathers, a most efficacious Water of Pearls may be distilled
from fragments of Pearls, or in defect of them from Mother of Pearls.
Likewise, by their help, from a certain peculiar kind of white Talk,
may be extracted a famous Cosmetick for whitening the black Skin.
Also otherwise by the help of these, from Vegetable and Animal, as well
as from Mineral Subjects, many famous Medicaments may be extracted; all
the Preparations of which, if any Man should take upon him to describe,
he would above measure encrease the Volume of his Book: which is not
my purpose now to do. Therefore with these already commemorated every
well-meaning Man will hold himself content. Hereafter (if GOD please)
we may discover more.
That which remains in the Retort take out, mix it with an equal weight
of burned Tartar, and then by strong fire melt the Mixture. Then the
_Lune_ will precipitate it self into a _Regulus_, and the Corals,
Pearls, or whatsoever you distilled by the help of that, will pass
into _Scorias_. If you rightly know how to operate this, you will lose
none of the Silver. But if you granulate the same, dissolve it in
_Aquafortis_, and again precipitate it with Spirit of Salt, edulcorate
and dry the Calx, you will have new Feathers, by the benefit of which
you may sublime subtile Tinctures from Bodies. The reason why these
Tinctures ascend so sweet, is, because the sharp Spirits of Salt, which
the _Lune_ detains with it self, adhere to the Corals and Pearls, and
mortifie themselves with them, and upwards onely drive a sweet Essence.
Since I have said something of White Pidgeons Feathers, and also made
mention, that many other such Feathers may be had, by which heavy
Subjects may in like manner be elevated, and carried upward with them;
among which the Dark-coloured Feathers of the Eagle do easily obtain
the priority; I thought it would be worth while to shew the way of
Acquiring them here also; which thus take.