Distinct Substances into which they divide mixt bodies by the Fire,
are not pure and Homogeneous; yet since the four Elements into which
the _Aristotelians_ pretend to resolve the like bodies by the same
Agent, are not simple neither, as themselves acknowledge, 'tis as
allowable for the Chymists to call the one Principles, as for the
Peripateticks to call the other Elements; since in both cases the
Imposition of the name is grounded only upon the Predominancy of that
Element whose name is ascrib'd to it. Nor shall I deny, that this
Argument of the Chymists is no ill one against the _Aristotelians_.
But what Answer can it prove to me, who you know am disputing against
the _Aristotelian_ Elements, as the Chymicall Principles, and must not
look upon any body as a true Principle or Element, but as yet
compounded, which is not perfectly Homogeneous, but is further
Resoluble into any number of Distinct Substances how small soever. And
as for the Chymists calling a body Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury, upon
pretence that the Principle of the same name is predominant in it,
That it self is an Acknowledgment of what I contend for; namely that
these productions of the Fire, are yet compounded bodies. And yet
whilst this is granted, it is affirm'd, but not prov'd, that the
reputed Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury, consists mainly of one body that
deserves the name of a principle of the same Denomination. For how do
Chymists make it appear that there are any such primitive and simple
bodies in those we are speaking of; since 'tis upon the matter
confess'd by the answer lately made, that these are not such? And if
they pretend by Reason to evince what they affirm, what becomes of
their confident boasts, that the Chymists [Errata: Chymist] (whom they
therefore, after _Beguinus_, call a _Philosophus_ or _Opifex
Sensatus_) can convince our Eyes, by manifestly shewing in any mixt
body those simple substances he teaches them to be compos'd of? And
indeed, for the Chymists to have recourse in this case to other proofs
then Experiments, as it is to wave the grand Argument that has all
this while been given out for a Demonstrative One; so it releases me
from the obligation to prosecute a Dispute wherein I am not engag'd to
Examine any but Experimentall proofs. I know it may plausibly Enough
be Represented, in favour of the Chymists, that it being evident that
much the greater part of any thing they call Salt, or Sulphur, or
Mercury, is really such; it would be very rigid to deny those
Substances the names ascribed them, only because of some sleight
mixture of another Body; since not only the Peripateticks call
particular parcels of matter Elementary, though they acknowledge that
Elements are not to be anywhere found pure, at least here below; And
since especially there is a manifest Analogie and Resemblance betwixt
the bodies obtainable by Chymical Anatomies and the principles whose
names are given them; I have, I say, consider'd that these things may
be represented: But as for what is drawn from the Custome of the
Peripateticks, I have already told You, that though it may be employ'd
against Them, Yet it is not available against me who allow nothing to
be an Element that is not perfectly Homogeneous. And whereas it is
alledg'd, that the Predominant Principle ought to give a name to the
substance wherein it abounds; I answer, that that might much more
reasonably be said, if either we or the Chymists had seen Nature take
pure Salt, pure Sulphur, and pure Mercury, and compound of them every
sort of Mixt Bodies. But, since 'tis to experience that they appeal,
we must not take it for granted, that the Distill'd Oyle (for
instance) of a plant is mainly compos'd of the pure principle call'd
Sulphur, till they have given us an ocular proof, that there is in
that sort of Plants such an Homogeneous Sulphur. For as for the
specious argument, which is drawn from the Resemblance betwixt the
Productions of the Fire, and the Respective, either _Aristotelian_
Elements, or _Chymical_ Principles, by whose names they are call'd; it
will appear more plausible then cogent, if You will but recall to mind
the state of the controversie; which is not, whether or no there be
obtain'd from mixt Bodies certain substances that agree in outward
appearance, or in some Qualities with Quicksilver or Brimstone, or
some such obvious or copious Body; But whether or no all Bodies
confess'd to be perfectly mixt were compos'd of, and are resoluble
into a determinate number of primary unmixt Bodies. For, if you keep
the state of the question in your Eye, you'l easily discerne that
there is much of what should be Demonstrated, left unprov'd by those
Chymical Experiments we are Examining. But (not to repeat what I have
already discover'd more at large) I shall now take notice, that it
will not presently follow, that because a Production of the Fire has
some affinity with some of the greater Masses of matter here below,
that therefore they are both of the same Nature, and deserve the same
Name; for the Chymists are not content, that flame should be look't
upon as a parcel of the Element of Fire, though it be hot, dry, and
active, because it wants some other Qualities belonging to the nature
of Elementary fire. Nor will they let the Peripateticks call Ashes, or
Quicklime, Earth, notwithstanding the many likenesses between them;
because they are not tastlesse, as Elementary Earth ought to be: But
if you should ask me, what then it is, that all the Chymical Anatomies
of Bodies do prove, if they prove not that they consist of the three
Principles into which the fire resolves them? I answer, that their
Dissections may be granted to prove, that some mixt bodies (for in
many it will not hold) are by the fire, when they are included in
close Vessels, (for that Condition also is often requisite) dissolube
[Transcriber's Note: dissoluble] into several Substances differing in
some Qualities, but principally in Consistence. So that out of most of
them may be obtain'd a fixt substance partly saline, and partly
insipid, an unctuous Liquor, and another Liquor or more that without
being unctuous have a manifest taste. Now if Chymists will agree to
call the dry and sapid substance salt, the Unctous liquor Sulphur, and
the other Mercury, I shall not much quarrel with them for so doing:
But if they will tell me that Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, are simple
and primary bodies whereof each mixt body was actually compounded, and
which was really in it antecedently to the operation of the fire, they
must give me leave to doubt whether (whatever their other arguments
may do) their Experiments prove all this. And if they will also tell
me that the Substances their Anatomies are wont to afford them, are
pure and similar, as Principles ought to be, they must give me leave
to believe my own senses; and their own confessions, before their bare
Assertions. And that you may not (_Eleutherius_) think I deal so
rigidly with them, because I scruple to Take these Productions of the
Fire for such as the Chymists would have them pass for, upon the
account of their having some affinity with them; consider a little
with me, that in regard an Element or Principle ought to be perfectly
Similar and Homogeneous, there is no just cause why I should rather
give the body propos'd the Name of this or that Element or Principle,
because it has a resemblance to it in some obvious Quality, rather
then deny it that name upon the account of divers other Qualities,
wherein the propos'd Bodies are unlike; and if you do but consider
what sleight and easily producible qualities they are that suffice, as
I have already more then once observ'd, to Denominate a Chymical
Principle or an Element, you'l not, I hope, think my wariness to be
destitute either of Example, or else of Reason. For we see that the
Chymists will not allow the _Aristotelians_ that the Salt in Ashes
ought to be called Earth, though the Saline and Terrestrial part
symbolize in weight, in dryness, in fixness and fusibility, only
because the one is sapid and dissoluble in Water, and the other not:
Besides, we see that sapidness and volatility are wont to denominate
the Chymists Mercury or Spirit; and yet how many Bodies, think you,
may agree in those Qualities which may yet be of very differing
natures, and disagree in qualities either more numerous, or more
considerable, or both. For not only Spirit of Nitre, Aqua Fortis,
Spirit of Salt, Spirit of Oyle of Vitriol, Spirit of Allome, Spirit of
Vinager, and all Saline Liquors Distill'd from Animal Bodies, but all
the Acetous Spirits of Woods freed from their Vinager; All these, I
say, and many others must belong to the Chymists Mercury, though it
appear not why some of them should more be comprehended under one
denomination then the Chymists Sulphur, or Oyle should likewise be;
for their Distill'd Oyles are also Fluid, Volatile, and Tastable, as
well as their Mercury; Nor is it Necessary, that their Sulphur should
be Unctuous or Dissoluble in Water, since they generally referr Spirit
of Wine to Sulphurs, although that Spirit be not Unctuous, and will
freely mingle with Water. So that bare Inflamability must constitute
the Essence of the Chymists Sulphur; as uninflamablenesse joyned with
any taste is enough to intitle a Distill'd Liquor to be their Mercury.
Now since I can further observe to You, that Spirit of Nitre and
Spirit of Harts-horne being pour'd together will boile and hisse and
tosse up one another into the air, which the Chymists make signes of
great Antipathy in the Natures of Bodies (as indeed these Spirits
differ much both in Taste, Smell, and Operations;) Since I elsewhere
tell you of my having made two sorts of Oyle out of the same mans
blood, that would not mingle with one another; And since I might tell
You Divers Examples I have met with, of the Contrariety of Bodies
which according to the Chymists must be huddl'd up together under one
Denomination; I leave you to Judge whether such a multitude of
Substances as may agree in these sleight Qualities, and yet Disagree
in Others more Considerable, are more worthy to be call'd by the Name
of a Principle (which ought to be pure and homogeneous,) than to have
appellations given them that may make them differ, in name too, from
the bodies from which they so wildly differ in Nature. And hence also,
by the bye, you may perceive that 'tis not unreasonable to distrust
the Chymists way of Argumentation, when being unable to shew us that
such a Liquor is (for Example) purely saline, they prove, that at
least salt is much the predominant principle, because that the
propos'd substance is strongly tasted, and all Tast proceeds from
salt; whereas those Spirits, such as spirit of Tartar, spirit of
Harts-horn, and the like, which are reckoned to be the Mercuries of
the Bodies that afford them, have manifestly a strong and piercing
tast, and so has (according to what I formerly noted) the spirit of
Box &c. even after the acid Liquor that concurr'd to compose it has
been separated from it. And indeed, if sapidness belong not to the
spirit or Mercurial Principle of Vegitables and Animals: I scarce know
how it will be discriminated from their phlegm, since by the absence
of Inflamability it must be distinguish'd from their sulphur, which
affords me another Example, to prove how unacurate the Chymical
Doctrine is in our present Case; since not only the spirits of
Vegitables and Animals, but their Oyles are very strongly tasted, as
he that shall but wet his tongue with Chymical Oyle of Cinnamon, or of
Cloves, or even of Turpentine, may quickly find, to his smart. And not
only I never try'd any Chymical Oyles whose tast was not very
manifest and strong; but a skilful and inquisitive person who made it
his business by elaborate operations to depurate Chymical Oyles, and
reduce them to an Elementary simplicity, Informes us, that he never
was able to make them at all Tastless; whence I might inferr, that the
proof Chymists confidently give us of a bodies being saline, is so far
from demonstrating the Predominancy, that it does not clearly Evince
so much as the presence of the saline Principle in it. But I will not
(pursues _Carneades_) remind you, that the Volatile salt of
Harts-horn, Amber, Blood, &c. are exceeding strongly scented,
notwithstanding that most Chymists deduce Odours from Sulphur, and
from them argue the Predominancy of that Principle in the Odorous
body, because I must not so much as add any new Examples of the
incompetency of this sort of Chymical arguments; since having already
detain'd You but too long in those generals that appertain to my
fourth consideration, 'tis time that I proceed to the particulars
themselves, to which I thought fit they should be previous:
These Generals (continues _Carneades_) being thus premis'd, we might
the better survey the Unlikeness that an attentive and unprepossess'd
observer may take notice of in each sort of Bodies which the Chymists
are wont to call the salts or sulphurs or Mercuries of the Concretes
that yield Them, as if they had all a simplicity, and Identity of
Nature: whereas salts if they were all Elementary would as little
differ as do the Drops of pure and simple Water. 'Tis known that both
Chymists and Physitians ascribe to the fixt salts of calcin'd Bodies
the vertues of their concretes; and consequently very differing
Operations. So we find the _Alkali_ of Wormwood much commended in
distempers of the stomach; that of Eyebright for those that have a
weak sight; and that of _Guaiacum_ (of which a great Quantity yields
but a very little salt) is not only much commended in Venereal
Diseases, but is believed to have a peculiar purgative vertue, which
yet I have not had occasion to try. And though, I confess, I have long
thought, that these _Alkalizate_ salts are, for the most part, very
neer of kin, and retain very little of the properties of the
Concretes whence they were separated; Yet being minded to Observe
watchfully whether I could meet with any Exceptions to this General
Observation, I observ'd at the Glasse-house, that sometimes the Metal
(as the Workmen call it) or Masse of colliquated Ingredients, which by
Blowing they fashion into Vessels of divers shapes, did sometimes
prove of a very differing colour, and a somewhat differing Texture,
from what was usuall. And having enquired whether the cause of such
Accidents might not be derived from the peculiar Nature of the fixt
salt employ'd to bring the sand to fusion, I found that the knowingst
Workmen imputed these Mis-adventures to the Ashes, of [Errata: Ashes
off] some certain kind of Wood, as having observ'd the ignobler kind
of Glass I lately mention'd to be frequently produc'd when they had
employ'd such sorts of Ashes which therefore they scruple to make use
of, if they took notice of them beforehand. I remember also, that an
Industrious Man of my acquaintance having bought a vast quantity of
Tobacco stalks to make a fixt Salt with, I had the Curiosity to go see
whether that Exotick Plant, which so much abounds in volatile salt,
would afford a peculiar kind of _Alcali_; and I was pleas'd to find
that in the _Lixivium_ of it, it was not necessary, as is usual, to
evaporate all the Liquor, that there might be obtain'd a Saline Calx,
consisting like lime quench'd in the Air of a heap of little
Corpuscles of unregarded shapes; but the fixt salt shot into figur'd
Crystal, almost as Nitre or _Sal-armoniack_ and other uncalcin'd salts
are wont to do; And I further remember that I have observ'd in the
fixt Salt of Urine, brought by depuration to be very white, a tast not
so unlike to that of common salt, and very differing from the wonted
caustick Lixiviate tast of other salts made by Incineration. But
because the Instances I have alledg'd of the Difference of
_Alcalizate_ salt are but few, and therefore I am still inclin'd to
think, that most Chymists and many Physitians do, inconsideratly
enough and without Warrant from Experience, ascribe the Vertues of the
Concretes expos'd to Calcination, to the salts obtain'd by it; I shall
rather, to shew the Disparity of salts, mention in the first Place the
apparent Difference betwixt the Vegetable fixt salts and the Animal
Volatile ones: As (for Example) betwixt salt of Tartar, and salt of
Harts-horn; whereof the former is so fixt that 'twill indure the brunt
of a violent Fire, and stand in fusion like a Metal; whereas the other
(besides that it has a differing tast and a very differing smell) is
so far from being fixt, that it will fly away in a gentle heat as
easily as Spirit of Wine it self. And to this I shall add, in the next
place, That even among the Volatile salts themselves, there is a
considerable Difference, as appears by the distinct Properties of (for
Instance) salt of Amber, salt of Urine, salt of Mans Skull, (so much
extoll'd against the falling Sicknesse) and divers others which cannot
escape an ordinary Observer. And this Diversity of Volatile salts I
have observ'd to be somtimes Discernable even to the Eye, in their
Figures. For the salt of Harts-horn I have observ'd to adhere to the
Receiver in the forme almost of a _Parallelipipedon_; and of the
Volatile salt of humane blood (long digested before distillation, with
spirit of Wine) I can shew you store of graines of that Figure which
_Geometricians_ call a _Rhombus_; though I dare not undertake that
the Figures of these or other Saline Crystals (if I may so call Them)
will be alwaies the same, whatever degree of Fire have been employ'd
to force them up, or how hastily soever they have been made to convene
in the spirits or liquors, in the lower part of which I have usually
observ'd them after a while to shoot. And although, as I lately told
You, I seldom found any Difference, as to Medical Vertues, in the fixt
Salts of Divers Vegetables; and accordingly I have suspected that most
of these volatile Salts, having so great a Resemblance in smell, in
tast, and fugitiveness, differ but little, if at all, in their
Medicinal properties: As indeed I have found them generally to agree
in divers of them (as in their being somewhat Diaphoretick and very
Deopilative; [Errata: Deopilative)] Yet I remember _Helmont_[18]
somewhere informes us, that there is this Difference betwixt the
saline spirit of Urine and that of Mans blood, that the former will
not cure the Epilepsy, but the Latter will. Of the Efficacy also of
the Salt of Common Amber against the same Disease in Children, (for in
Grown Persons it is not a specifick) I may elsewhere have an Occasion
to Entertain You. And when I consider that to the obtaining of these
Volatile Salts (especially that of Urine) there is not requisite such
a Destructive Violence of the Fire, as there is to get those Salts
that must be made by Incineration, I am the more invited to conclude,
that they may differ from one another, and consequently recede from an
Elementary Simplicity. And, if I could here shew You what Mr. _Boyle_
has Observ'd, touching the Various Chymicall Distinctions of Salts;
You would quickly discern, not only that Chymists do give themselves a
strange Liberty to call Concretes Salts, that are according to their
own Rules to be look'd upon as very Compounded Bodies; but that among
those very Salts that seem Elementary, because produc'd upon the
Anatomy of the Bodies that yield them, there is not only a visible
Disparity, but, to speak in the common Language, a manifest Antipathy
or Contrariety: As is evident in the Ebullition and hissing that is
wont to ensue, when the Acid Spirit of Vitrioll, for Instance, is
pour'd upon pot ashes, or Salt of Tartar. And I shall beg leave of
this Gentleman, sayes _Carneades_, casting his Eyes on me, to let me
observe to You out of some of his papers, particularly those wherein
he treats of some Preparations of Urine, that not only one and the
same body may have two Salts of a contrary Nature, as he exemplifies
in the Spirit and _Alkali_ of Nitre; but that from the same body there
may without addition be obtain'd three differing and Visible Salts.
For He Relates, that he observ'd in Urine, not only a Volatile and
Crystalline Salt, and a fixt Salt, but likewise a kind of _Sal
Armoniack_, or such a Salt as would sublime in the form of a salt, and
therefore was not fixt, and yet was far from being so fugitive as the
Volatile salt; from which it seem'd also otherwise to differ. I have
indeed suspected that this may be a _Sal Armoniack_ properly enough so
call'd, as Compounded of the Volatile salt of Urine, and the fixt of
the same Liquor, which, as I noted, is not unlike sea-salt; but that
it self argues a manifest Difference betwixt the salts, since such a
Volatile salt is not wont to Unite thus with an ordinary _Alcali_, but
to fly away from it in the Heat. And on this occasion I remember that,
to give some of my Friends an Ocular proof of the difference betwixt
the fixt and Volatile salt (of the same Concrete) Wood, I devis'd the
following Experiment. I took common Venetian sublimate, and dissolv'd
as much of it as I well could in fair Water: then I took Wood Ashes,
and pouring on them Warme Water, Dissolv'd their salt; and filtrating
the Water, as soon as I found the _Lixivium_ sufficiently sharp upon
the tongue, I reserv'd it for use: Then on part of the former solution
of sublimate dropping a little of this Dissolv'd Fixt salt of Wood,
the Liquors presently turn'd of an Orange Colour; but upon the other
part of the clear solution of sublimate putting some of the Volatile
salt of Wood (which abounds in the spirit of soot) the Liquor
immediately turn'd white, almost like Milke, and after a while let
fall a white sediment, as the other Liquor did a Yellow one. To all
this that I have said concerning the Difference of salts, I might add
what I Formerly told you, concerning the simple spirit of Box, and
such like Woods, which differ much from the other salts hitherto
mention'd, and yet would belong to the saline Principle, if Chymists
did truly teach that all Tasts proceed from it. And I might also
annex, what I noted to you out of _Helmont_[19] concerning Bodies,
which, though they consist in great part of Chymical Oyles, do yet
appear but Volatile salts; But to insist on these things, were to
repeat; and therefore I shall proceed.
[Footnote 18: _Error vero per distillationem nobis monstrat etiam
Spiritum salinum plane volatilem odore nequicquam ut nec gustu
distinguibilem a spiritu Urinae; In eo tamen essentialiter diversum,
quod spiritus talis cruoris curat Epilepsiam, non autem Spiritus salis
lotii._ Helmont. Aura Vitalis.]
[Footnote 19: _Aliquando oleum Cinnamomi, &c. suo sali Alcali miscetur
absque omni aqua, trium mensium Artificiosa occultaque circulatione,
totum in salem volatilem commutatum est. Helmont. Tria Prima
Chymicorum, &c. pag. 412._]
This Disparity is also highly eminent in the separated sulphurs or
Chymical Oyles of things. For they contain so much of the scent, and
tast, and vertues, of the Bodies whence they were drawn, that they
seem to be but the Material _Crasis_ (if I may so speak) of their
Concretes. Thus the Oyles of Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmegs and other
spices, seem to be but the United Aromatick parts that did ennoble
those Bodies. And 'tis a known thing, that Oyl of Cinnamon, and oyle
of Cloves, (which I have likewise observ'd in the Oyles of several
Woods) will sink to the Bottom of Water: whereas those of Nutmegs and
divers other Vegetables will swim upon it. The Oyle (abusively call'd
spirit) of Roses swims at the Top of the Water in the forme of a white
butter, which I remember not to have observ'd in any other Oyle drawn
in any Limbeck; yet there is a way (not here to be declar'd) by which
I have seen it come over in the forme of other Aromatick Oyles, to the
Delight and Wonder of those that beheld it. In Oyle of Anniseeds,
which I drew both with, and without Fermentation, I observ'd the whole
Body of the Oyle in a coole place to thicken into the Consistence and
Appearance of white Butter, which with the least heat resum'd its
Former Liquidness. In the Oyl of Olive drawn over in a Retort, I have
likewise more then once seen a spontaneous Coagulation in the
Receiver: And I have of it by me thus Congeal'd; which is of such a
strangely Penetrating scent, as if 'twould Perforate the Noses that
approach it. The like pungent Odour I also observ'd in the Distill'd
Liquor of common sope, which forc'd over from _Minium_, lately
afforded an oyle of a most admirable Penetrancy; And he must be a
great stranger, both to the Writings and preparations of Chymists,
that sees not in the Oyles they distill from Vegetables and Animals, a
considerable and obvious Difference. Nay I shall venture to add,
_Eleutherius_, (what perhaps you will think of kin to a Paradox) that
divers times out of the same Animal or Vegetable, there may be
extracted Oyles of Natures obviously differing. To which purpose I
shall not insist on the swimming and sinking Oyles, which I have
sometimes observ'd to float on, and subside under the spirit of
_Guajacum_, and that of divers other Vegetables Distill'd with a
strong and lasting Fire; Nor shall I insist on the observation
elsewhere mention'd, of the divers and unminglable oyles afforded us
by Humane Blood long fermented and Digested with spirit of Wine,
because these kind of oyles may seem chiefly to differ in Consistence
and Weight, being all of them high colour'd and adust. But the
Experiment which I devis'd to make out this Difference of the oyles of
the same Vegetable, _ad Oculum_, (as they speak) was this that
followes. I took a pound of Annisseeds, and having grosly beaten them,
caused them to be put into a very large glass Retort almost filled
with fair Water; and placing this Retort in a sand Furnace, I caus'd a
very Gentle heat to be administer'd during the first day, and a great
part of the second, till the Water was for the most part drawn off,
and had brought over with it at least most of the Volatile and
Aromatick Oyle of the seeds. And then encreasing the Fire, and
changing the Receiver, I obtain'd besides an Empyreumatical Spirit, a
quantity of adust oyle; whereof a little floated upon the Spirit, and
the rest was more heavy, and not easily separable from it. And whereas
these oyles were very dark, and smell'd (as Chymists speak) so
strongly of the Fire, that their Odour did not betray from what
Vegetables they had been forc'd; the other _Aromatick_ Oyle was
enrich'd with the genuine smell and tast of the Concrete; and
spontaneously coagulating it self into white butter did manifest self
[Errata: it self] to be the true Oyle of Annisseeds; which Concrete I
therefore chose to employ about this Experiment, that the Difference
of these Oyles might be more conspicuous then it would have been, had
I instead of it destill'd another Vegetable.
I had almost forgot to take notice, that there is another sort of
Bodies, which though not obtain'd from Concretes by Distillation, many
Chymists are wont to call their Sulphur; not only because such
substances are, for the most part, high colour'd (whence they are
also, and that more properly, called Tinctures) as dissolv'd Sulphurs
are wont to be; but especially because they are, for the most part,
abstracted and separated from the rest of the Masse by Spirit of Wine:
which Liquor those men supposing to be Sulphureous, they conclude,
that what it works upon, and abstracts, must be a Sulphur also. And
upon this account they presume, that they can sequester the sulphur
even of Minerals and Metalls; from which 'tis known that they cannot
by Fire alone separate it. To all This I shall answer; That if these
sequestred substances where indeed the sulphurs of the Bodies whence
they are drawn, there would as well be a great Disparity betwixt
Chymical Sulphurs obtain'd by Spirit of Wine, as I have already shewn
there is betwixt those obtain'd by Distillation in the forme of Oyles:
which will be evident from hence, that not to urge that themselves
ascribe distinct vertues to Mineral Tinctures, extolling the Tincture
of Gold against such and such Diseases; the Tincture of Antimony, or
of its Glass, against others; and the Tincture of Emerauld against
others; 'tis plain, that in Tinctures drawn from Vegetables, if the
superfluous spirit of Wine be distill'd off, it leaves at the bottom
that thicker substance which Chymists use to call the Extract of the
Vegetable. And that these Extracts are endow'd with very differing
Qualities according to the Nature of the Particular Bodies that
afforded them (though I fear seldom with so much of the specifick
vertues as is wont to be imagin'd) is freely confess'd both by
Physitians and Chymists. But, _Eleutherius_, (sayes _Carneades_) we
may here take Notice that the Chymists do as well in this case, as in
many others, allow themselves a License to abuse Words: For not again
to argue from the differing properties of Tinctures, that they are not
exactly pure and Elementary Sulphurs; they would easily appear not to
be so much as Sulphur's, although we should allow Chymical Oyles to
deserve that Name. For however in some Mineral Tinctures the Natural
fixtness of the extracted Body does not alwayes suffer it to be easily
further resoluble into differing substances; Yet in very many extracts
drawn from Vegetables, it may very easily be manifested that the
spirit of Wine has not sequestred the sulphureous Ingredient from the
saline and Mercurial ones; but has dissolv'd (for I take it to be a
Solution) the finer Parts of the Concrete (without making any nice
distinction of their being perfectly Sulphureous or not) and united it
self with them into a kind of Magistery; which consequently must
contain Ingredients or Parts of several sorts. For we see that the
stones that are rich in vitriol, being often drench'd with
rain-Water, the Liquor will then extract a fine and transparent
substance coagulable into Vitriol; and yet though this Vitriol be
readily dissoluble in Water, it is not a true Elementary Salt, but, as
You know, a body resoluble into very differing Parts, whereof one (as
I shall have occasion to tell You anon) is yet of a Metalline, and
consequently not of an Elementary Nature. You may consider also, that
common Sulphur is readily dissoluble in Oyle of Turpentine, though
notwithstanding its Name it abounds as well, if not as much, in Salt
as in true Sulphur; witness the great quantity of saline Liquor it
affords being set to flame away under a glasse Bell. Nay I have, which
perhaps You will think strange, with the same Oyle of Turpentine alone
easily enough dissolv'd crude Antimony finely powder'd into a
Blood-red Balsam, wherewith perhaps considerable things may be
perform'd in Surgery. And if it were now Requisite, I could tell You
of some other Bodies (such as Perhaps You would not suspect) that I
have been able to work upon with certain Chymical Oyles. But instead
of digressing further I shall make this use of the Example I have
nam'd. That 'tis not unlikely, but that Spirit of Wine which by its
pungent tast, and by some other Qualities that argue it better
(especially its Reduciblenesse, according to _Helmont_, into _Alcali_,
and Water,) seems to be as well of a Saline as of a Sulphureous
Nature, may well be suppos'd Capable of Dissolving Substances That are
not meerly Elementary sulphurs, though perhaps they may abound with
Parts that are of kin thereunto. For I find that Spirit of Wine will
dissolve _Gumm Lacca_, _Benzoine_, and the _Resinous_ Parts of
_Jallap_, and even of _Guaiacum_; whence we may well suspect that it
may from Spices, Herbs, and other lesse compacted Vegetables, extract
substances that are not perfect Sulphurs but mixt Bodies. And to put
it past Dispute, there is many a Vulgar Extract drawn with Spirit of
Wine, which committed to Distillation will afford such differing
substances as will Loudly proclaim it to have been a very compounded
Body. So that we may justly suspect, that even in Mineral Tinctures it
will not alwaies follow, that because a red substance is drawn from
the Concrete by spirit of Wine, that Substance is its true and
Elementary Sulphur. And though some of these Extracts may perhaps be
inflamable; Yet besides that others are not, and besides that their
being reduc'd to such Minuteness of Parts may much facilitate their
taking Fire; besides this, I say, We see that common Sulphur, common
Oyle, Gumm Lac, and many Unctuous and Resinous Bodies, will flame well
enough, though they be of very compounded natures: Nay Travellers of
Unsuspected Credit assure Us, as a known thing, that in some Northern
Countries where Firr trees and Pines abound, the poorer sort of
Inhabitants use Long splinters of those Resinous Woods to burne
instead of Candles. And as for the rednesse wont to be met with in
such solutions, I could easily shew, that 'tis not necessary it should
proceed from the Sulphur of the Concrete, Dissolv'd by the Spirit of
Wine; if I had leasure to manifest how much Chymists are wont to
delude themselves and others by the Ignorance of those other causes
upon whose account spirit of Wine and other _Menstruums_ may acquire
a red or some other high colour. But to returne to our Chymical Oyles,
supposing that they were exactly pure; Yet I hope they would be, as
the best spirit of Wine is, but the more inflamable and deflagrable.
And therefore since an Oyle can be by the Fire alone immediately
turn'd into flame, which is something of a very differing Nature from
it: I shall Demand how this Oyle can be a Primogeneal and
Incorruptible Body, as most Chymists would have their Principles;
Since it is further resoluble into flame, which whether or no it be a
portion of the Element of Fire, as an _Aristotelian_ would conclude,
is certainly something of a very differing Nature from a Chymical
Oyle, since it burnes, and shines, and mounts swiftly upwards; none of
which a Chymical Oyle does, whilst it continues such. And if it should
be Objected, that the Dissipated Parts of this flaming Oyle may be
caught and collected again into Oyl or Sulphur; I shall demand, what
Chymist appears to have ever done it; and without Examining whether it
may not hence be as well said that sulphur is but compacted Fire, as
that Fire is but diffus'd Sulphur, I shall leave you to consider
whether it may not hence be argu'd, that neither Fire nor Sulphur are
primitive and indestructible Bodies; and I shall further observe that,
at least it will hence appear that a portion of matter may without
being Compounded with new Ingredients, by having the Texture and
Motion of its small parts chang'd, be easily, by the means of the
Fire, endow'd with new Qualities, more differing from them it had
before, then are those which suffice to discriminate the Chymists
Principles from one another.