The vulgar notion, still prevalent in the north of England, of the hazel’s tendency to a vein of lead ore, seam or stratum of coal, &c., seems to be a vestige of this rod divination.
The virgula divina, or bocalns divinatorius, is a forked branch in the form of a Y, cut off an hazel stick, by means whereof people have pretended to discover mines, springs, &c., underground. The method of using it is this: the person who breaks it, walking very slowly over the places where he suspects mines or springs may be, the effluvia exhaling from the metals, or vapor from the water impregnating the wood, makes it dip, or incline, which is the sign of a discovery.
We read, in the same work for Nov. 1751, xxi. 507: “So early as Agricola, the divining rod was in much request, and has obtained great credit for its discovery where to dig for metals and springs of water: for some years past its reputation has been on the decline, but lately it has been revived with great success by an ingenious gentleman, who, from numerous experiments, hath good reason to believe its effects to be more than imagination. He says, that hazel and willow rods, he has by experience found, will actually answer with all persons in a good state of health, if they are used with moderation and at some distance of time, and after meals, when the operator is in good spirits. The hazel, willow, and elm, are all attracted by springs of water; some perhaps have the virtue intermittently; the rod, in their hands, will attract one half hour, and repel the next. The rod is attracted by all metals, coals, amber, and lime-stone, but with different degrees of strength. The best rods are those from the hazel, or nut tree, as they are pliant and tough, and cut in the winter months. A shoot that terminates equally forked is to be met with, two single ones, of a length and size, may be tied together with a thread, and will answer as well as the other.”
The Demonstration of Metallic Transmutation, Affinity, and the Secret of Philosophers; or, How to Change Lead into Quicksilver.—Let there be one pound of lead melted in an earthen vessel, and then put into it also one pound of that tinny metal which is usually called by the name of marcasite; and when they are both melted together you must stir them up and down, and temper them to a pefect medley with a wooden ladle. In the mean space you must have four pounds of quicksilver warmed in another vessel standing by, to cast in upon that compounded metal, for unless your quicksilver be warm it will not close nor agree with your metals; then temper your quicksilver and your metal together for a while, and presently after cast it into cold water; so shall it not congeal in any hard lump, but float on the top of the water, and be very quick and lively.
To Tincture Silver into Gold.—Make first a tart lye, put quicklime into a pot, whose bottom is full of many small holes, put a piece of wood or tile-shard upon it, then by degrees pour in the powder and hot water, and by the narrow holes at the bottom let it drain into a clean earthen vessel under it; do this again, to make it exceeding tart. Powder filbium and put into this, that it may evaporate into the thin air; let it boil at an easy fire, for when it boils the water will be of a purple color; then strain it into a clean vessel through a linen cloth; again, pour on the lye on the powders that remain, and let it boil so long at the fire, till the water seems of a bloody color, no more. Then boil the lye that is colored, putting fire under, till the water be all exhaled; but the powder that remains being dry, with the oil of tartar dried and dissolved, must be cast again upon plates made equal of parts of gold and silver, within an earthen crucible; cover it so long with coals, and renew your work, till it be perfectly like to gold.
Iron changed into Brass.—It is reported that in the Mountain Carpatusan, Hill of Pannonia, at a certain town called Smolinitum, there is a lake, in which are three channels, the waters of which are so impregnated with copper and gold, that upon adding absolute vitriol portions of pure gold become deposited.