RECREATIONS

TH

Chymical.

CHAP. I.

Of Artificial Representations.

HE Grounds and Principals of Chymical Philofophy go thus: That Salt, Sulphur and Mercury are the Principles into which all things do refolve; and that the Radical and Original Moisture whereby the first principle of Salt confifteth, cannot be confumed by Calcination; but the forcible Tinctures and Impreffions of things, as Colour, Tafte, Smell; nay, and the very Forms themselves, are invifibly kept in ftore in this firm and vital Principle. To make this good by Experiment, They take a Rofe, Julyflower, or any kind of Plant whatsoever; they take this Principle in the Spring time, in its fullest and most congruous confiftence; they beat the whole Plant in a Mortar, Roots, Stalks, Leaves and all, till it be reduced to a confufed Mafs. Then after Maceration, Fermentation, Separation, and other workings of Art, there is extracted a kind of Ashes,or Salt including thefe Forms and Tinctures under their Powers and Chaos.These Ashes are put up into Glaffes, written upon with the feveral Names of the Herbs or Plants; and fealed Hermetically; that is, the Mouths of the Glaffes heated in the Fire, and then the Neck of it wrung about close ; this they call the Seal of Hermes their Master. When you would fee any of these Vegitables again, they apply a Candle, or foft Fire to the Glafs, and you fhall presently perceive the Herbs or Plants, by little and little to rife up again out of their Salt or Ashes, in their several proper forms, fpringing up as at firft, they did in the Field or Garden (but in a fhorter time.) But remove the Glafs from the Fire, and they immediately return to their own Chaos again.

Now although this went for a great Secret in the time of Quercetan, yet Gaffarell faith, that now 'tis no fuch rare matter; for Monfieur de Claves, a moft excellent Chymift of thefe days (and others) ufes to make fhew of them at any time.

1

To preferve Fire as long as you will, in imitation of the inextinguishable Fire of Veftales.

HAV

Aving Extracted the Burning Spirit of the Salt of Jupiter, by the degrees of Fire, according to the Rules of Chymeftry: The Fire being kindled of it felf, break the Limbeck, and the Irons which are formed at the bottom will flame, and appear as burning Coles, as foon as they feel the Air; the which Fire, if you promptly inclose in a Vial of Glafs, and clofe it up with Hermes Wax, to prevent Air getting in; then will it keep Fire for a thousand years; yea, if it be kept under Water, or in a Cave, Vault or Cell: But if you open it and let in the Air, the Fire quickly extinguishes.

CHA P. III.

To make the Philosophers Tree:

TAke
Ake two Ounces of Aquafortis, and diffolve it in half an Ounce
of fine Silver refined in a Cappel: Then take one Ounce of Aqua-
fortis, and two Drachmes of Quick Silver, which put in it, and mix
thele two diffolved things together; then caft it into a Viol of half a
Pound of Spring Water; which must be well ftopped: And then may
you every day fee it grow both in the Tree and in the Branch.

Of the Re-animation of Simples, when (by reason of the great distance of Places) the Plants cannot be transported.

TAke

'Ake the Simple, Root, Stalk and Branches; Burn all and take the Alhes of it, which let be Calcinated two hours between two Crenfets, well Luted, and extract the Salt; that is, to put Water into it in moving of it, then let it fettle; and do it fo two or three times: Afterwards Evaporate it, that is, let the Water be Boiled in fome Veffel, until it be all confumed, and then there will remain a Salt at the bottom;

which afterwards Sow in good Ground well prepared, and you fhall have the Plant grow.

СНАР.
CHẤP. V.

Of the making of the Epitomy (or reprefentation) of the Great World.

DR

Raw Salt Niter out of Salt Earth, digged on the Shores (if you can) where are Minerals of Gold and Silver; Mix this Niter (being first well cleanfed) with Jupiter, and Calcine them Hermetically; then put it into a Limbeck, whofe Receiver let be of Glass, and both well Luted together; but at the bottom of the Receiver you must put fome Leaves of Gold; Then put Fire under the Limbeck, until Vapours arife, which will cleave unto the Gold; Augment your Fire till there affend no more: Then take away your Receiver, and close it Hermetically; and make a Lamp Fire under it, and in a fhort time you fhall fee prefented to you, almost all things which Nature affords; viz. Trees, Flowers, Fruits, Fountains, the Sun, Moon, Stars, &c.

To make a Perpetual Motion.

Parafelfus and his Followers have bragged, that by their Separations and Extractions they can make a Little World, which fhall have the fame perpetual Motions with this Microcofme, with the representation of all Meteors, Thunder, Snow, Rain, the Courses of the Sea in its Ebbs and Flows, and the like; and one of them I find in the 118 Prop. of the Etteneary of Mathematical Recreations; which is this, Mix Five Ounces of with an equal weight of 4, grind them together with Ten Ounces of Sublimate; diffolve them in a Celler upon fome Marble for the fpace of four days, till they become like Oil-Olive; Diftil this with Fire of Chaff, or Driving Fire, and it will fublime into a dry fubftance; and fo by repeating of thefe Diffolvings and Diftillings, there will be at length produced divers small Attams, which being put into a Glass well Luted, and kept dry, will have a Perpetual Motion.

CHAP.

Of a famous Perpetual Motion invented by Cornelius Dreble, and made for K. James I. wherein was reprefented the conftant Revolutions of the Sun and Moon, and that without the belp either of Spring or Weight.

Arcellus Vranckbein fpeaking of the means whereby it was per

formed, he calls it Scintillula anime Magnetica Mundi, feu Aftralis & infenfibilis fpirittis : Being that grand fecret which thofe Dictators of Philofophy, Democritus, Pythagoras and Plato did Travel to the Gymnofophifts and Indian Priefts. The Author himself does not reveal the way how it was performed: But one Thomas Tymme, (one that did often pry into his works) affirms it to be done thus; By extracing a Fiery Spirit out of the Myneral Matter, joyning the fame with his proper Air, which included in the Axle Tree (of the firft moving Wheel) being hollow, carrieth the other Wheels, making a continual Rotation, except iffue or vent be given to this hollow Axle-Tree, whereby the imprisoned Spirit may get forth.

But thefe, and fuch like miraculous promifes, would require as great a Faith to believe them, as a Power to perform them.

CHAP. VII.

Of the making of GOLD.

Concerning this Matter, I fhall only fet down (in his own Words the Opinion of the Right Honourable Francis Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban, in his Natural Hiftory, Century IV. and Experiments Solitary, touching the Making of GOLD.

The World (faith he there hath been much abufed by the Opinion of Making of Gold: The Work it felf I Judge to be poffible; But the Means (hitherto propounded) to effect it, are, in the Practice, full of Error and Impofture: And in the Theory, full of unfound Imaginations. For to fay that Nature hath an Intention to make all Metals Gold And that, if he were delivered from Impediments, she would perform her own Work: And that if the Crudities, Impurities and Leprofities of Metals were cured, they would become Gold: And that a little Quantity of the Medicine, in the Work of Projection, will turn a Sea of the Bafer Metal into Gold, by Multiplying: All these are but Dreams;

Dreams; and fo are many other Grounds of Alchymy. And to help the Matter, the Alchymifts call in likewife many Varities, out of Aftrology, Natural Magick, Superftitious Interpretations of Scripture; Auricular Traditions; Feigned Teftimonies of Ancient Authors; and the like. It is true, on the other fide, They have brought to light not a few profitable Experiments, and thereby made the World fome amends. But we, when we fhall come to handle the Verfion, and Tranfmutation of Bodies: And the Experiments concerning Metals, and Minerals ; will lay open the true Ways and Paffages of Nature, which may lead to this Great Effect. And we commend the Wit of the Chineses, who defpair of making Gold, but are mad upon making of Silver: For certain it is, that it is more difficult to make Gold (which is the most Ponderous and Materiate amongst Metals) of other Metals, lefs Ponderous, and lefs Materiate: then (via verfâ) to make Silver of Lead, or Quickfilver; both which are more ponderous than Silver: So that they need rather a further degree of Fixation, then any Condensation. In the mean time, by occafion of handling the Axioms touching Maturation, we will direct a Trial touching the Maturing of Metals; and thereby turning fome of them into Gold: For we conceive, indeed, that a perfect good Concoction, or Digeftion of Maturation of fome Metals, will produce Gold. And here we call to mind, that we knew a Dutch-man, that had wrought himself into the belief of a Great Perfon, by undertaking that he could make Gold: Whole Difcourfe was, That Gold might be made, But that the Alchymifts Over-fired the Work: For (he faid) the making of Gold did require a very temperate Heat, as being in Nature a Subterrany work, where little Heat cometh ; but yet more to the making of Gold, then of any other Metal; And therefore, that he would do it with a Great Lamp, that should carry an Equal and Temperate Heat: And that it was the work of many Months. The device of the Lamp was Folly; but the Over-firing now used, and the equal Heat to be required, and the making it a work of fome good Time, are no ill Difcourfes.

We refort therefore to our Axioms of Maturation, in effect touched before: The firft is, That there be used a Temperate Heat, for they are ever Temperate Heats that Difgefi and Mature, wherein we mean Temperate, according to the nature of the Subject; For that may be Temperate to Fruits and Liquors, which will not at all work upon Metals. The fecond is, That the Spirit of the Metal be quickned, and the Tangible parts opened: For, without these two Operations, the Spirit of the Metal wrought upon, will not be able to difgeft the parts. The Third is, That the Spirits do Spread themselves even, and move not fubjultorily 5 For that will make the Parts Clofe and Plyant. And this requires a Heat, that doth not rife and fall, but continue as Equal as may be. The Fourth is, That no part of the Spirit be emitted, but detained. For, if there be emition of Spirit, the Body of the Metal will be Hard and Churlish: And this will be performed, partly by the temper of the Fire, and partly by the clofenefs of the Veffel. The Fifth is, That there be Choice made of the likeliest and best prepared Metal, for the Verfion: For that will facilitate the work. The Sixth is, That you give Time enough for the Work: Not to prolong hopes, (as the Alchymists do) but, indeed, to give Nature a convenient space to work in: Thefe Principles are most Certain and True. We will now derive a direction of Tral out of

them,