For my part, upon looking into chemical Matters, and perusing the Writings of the Alchemists, I have found them all of the same Mind and Meaning as to the following Particulars: That Metals are naturally generated in their Veins, are nourished, grow, and multiply like other natural Things, each in their proper Place: That the Aliments or Nourishment of Metals, which before are of a foreign Nature to them, are, by the genital Power of the Metallic Seed, converted into a truly Metallic Nature; so that by this seminal Power alone they lose their former, and receive a new Property by the sole cherishing of the pregnant Warmth; for they will have all these Things to be effected entirely by the same Means: That as the Seeds of Animals and Plants change the Aliments they receive into their own Nourishment, so the vivificating Seed of growing Gold, having got a proper Food, in a fit Matrix, by the Help of a suitable and convenient Heat, digests the same into its own particular Nature: Therefore by that Means, according to a Law prescribed to subterraneous Things, they determine that true Gold is always produced by Length of Time out of a Matter of a different Nature from Gold: For having subdued its Aliment by its own Force, it grows, by vital Increase, into a Matter like to it, so long as those four Conditions that are absolutely required attend it. Upon pursuing their Researches into Nature with more Accuracy, they discovered that the Metals which are produced, and especially Gold, are very closely confined within a very solid and pure Stone, which is on every Side so very carefully closed up, that no Passage leading to or from the Metal can be discerned. The Matrix of the growing Metal is thick, hard, impenetrable, without Mixture, closed up on all Parts, and resembles Glass. There is nothing more hard to understand, than to discern the Manner how the solid Substance of the Metal could penetrate or force itself thro’ the ponderous Mass of the hard Stone, into the Veins that are found pregnant with Metal and loaded with it. Nor is it less difficult to conceive by what Way the same Metal secretly passes into those concealed Places, if it was liquid in its first Origin, as it is highly probable that it was. And thus the genuine Matrix of Metal is known; the Heat of the Metallic Mines is also known: It seldom equals the Warmth of a Man in Health, but often sinks below the 66ᵗʰ Degree in the Scale of Farenheitius’s Thermometer. Hence they who are versed in these Mysteries direct, That the breeding Matter of the Arcanum should be inclosed in a pure Glass Vessel, and cherish’d with a Majal Heat; which we find, by Experience, to be of 50 Degrees. And this has been found out to be at a Medium throughout the Year, by the most exact Observations; which we owe to the industrious Care of Cruquius. The Food of the Metal remains yet more obscure as to what is that seminal, proliferous and genital Matter. Most of these Philosophers say, That Quicksilver is the common Matter of all Metals: That this being changed by the Power of the vital Seed, gives a Metal which is defined or determined according to the peculiar Property of the seminal Efficacy: That every Metal, when the Quicksilver and this Metallific Power (which they call Sulphur) are maturely and, as it were, thoroughly boil’d and concocted, is brought to a perfect Species of each such Metal. And from hence, That every Metal is again resolved into these two Principles, Mercury and Sulphur. But that there is an original Flaw or Blemish inherent in Quicksilver from its first Production, that wonderfully grows up with it, and is intimately concreted to it, and therefore not without the greatest Difficulty to be separated from it; and consequently the Quicksilver wou’d not be very simple, nor free, but is by that strange Matter inherent in it, of a definite Nature, and therefore wou’d hardly suffer itself to be obsequious to the particular Virtue of the Metallic Seed, and be drawn into the single Nature of one Metal: But if by a most difficult Art, the Quicksilver be thoroughly purged of that foreign Blemish or Foulness, then it would become liquid, metallic, most weighty, and most simple; neither by any Art or Nature divisible into different Things; and in which the vivified Seed of every dissolved Metal wou’d most perfectly multiply itself; in which the Gold itself dissolving, being cherish’d and maturated, wou’d be the last so much sought for, and so much celebrated Reward of the Labour.
When I found that the chief Persons of the Art agreed in these Principles for a long Time, I have endeavour’d to learn by Experience, by what Artifice a pure unmix’d Mercury might be obtained? Whether it cou’d be extracted out of Metals? What is that other Part of the Metal that is apt to force under its Yoak the free Quicksilver, or Mercury? I am glad to give an Account of what I have discovered; not that I pretend to teach the Art, which I am as far from as any one; but I will faithfully relate some laborious Experiments, and which are so very certain, that they may justly pass for true. Others will not need to repeat them, but may safely make use of these as true upon Occasion. And a diligent Artist, by assuming (or supposing) these Experiments, may apply his Mind farther to others, in order to promote the Study of Chemistry the more. It were to be wish’d, that every Man directed his private Labours to the public Good. Let the first Experiment be this:
Experiment I.
Pure Quicksilver contain’d in a dry Glass Vessel that is very clean, being agitated only by a mechanical Shaking or Concussion, gives a soft, black, and very fine Powder.
The Operation.
Having bought 16 Ounces of Quicksilver of the Company at Amsterdam, I strain’d it thro’ a Leather Bag; there remain’d no Dregs: I pounded it a long while with fair Water: The Quicksilver remained pure after pounding: It was then a long time pounded with Sea-Salt, but the Colour of the Salt was not fouled: after having poured Water to this Salt, and to the Mercury, the pounding was repeated; but neither did this change the Colour. In all this Work there appeared nothing black, nothing foreign or foul. Then the Quicksilver was washed and dried, and was bright. I poured it into a clean dry Glass Bottle, made of the dark-green German Glass. At the same Time I plac’d it in a Sand Furnace, with a Fire that almost made the Mercury rise; and to be sure that all the Water was forced out, which is often secretly present in the Mercury, I kept it thus for three Days: Then having thrust a clean dry strong Cork into the Mouth of the Vessel whilst it was yet warm, I fasten’d it up as close as possible. The Head of the Bottle thus closed with a Cork, I dipt into a liquid Cement of Pitch, Rosin, Tallow, and Brimstone, and covered it over with a Linnen Cloth, which I tied fast with Packthread. When the Glass was thus made ready, I put it in a small Wooden Box, which was so fitted to the Bottle, that it touched the Sides of it; and the empty Spaces between the Bottle and the Box, were well filled with Bran. Then I put on a Cover, with a Hole bored in the Middle, for the Top of the Neck of the Bottle to stand a little out. The Glass was immoveable in the Box; and it being thus prepared, I had it fastened to the Hammering Block of a Fulling-Mill, which always moves Night and Day when there is any Wind. Being thus fixed, it was rais’d up and let down by a perpendicular Motion, from the 1st of March, 1732. N. S. to the 13ᵗʰ of November of the same Year.
The Effect.
The Bottle being opened, there was the same Weight of Mercury, which was covered on all Sides with a very soft, black, copious and fine Powder. I squeez’d it thro’ a clean Leather Bag; the liquid and pure Mercury pass’d thro’. The Powder remained in the Bag of a sharp metallic Taste, somewhat resembling the Taste of Copper or Brass.