Also imperfect metals are purged from their combustible and noxious sulphur, by the suddain fire of Nitre, of which we have formerly spoken about Mercury, the which is to be lookt on as the most speedy, and as it were a momentary Melioration of metals N. B. especially if they are reduced into a soluble salt without a Corrosive, for which thing ♂ and ♀ are most fit, exhibiting a Philosophical Vitriol, the which may be most commodiously purifyed to perfection. There’s a great secret lies here under, and haply greater than a particular work may require; let the Poetical fable of Venus and her son Cupid be considered of; what is there meant by Cupid, whether or no it be not ☉. Verily I could discover more good ways of producing ☉ and ☽ out of the more vile metals, but because there’s enough already spoken in the explication of the seven Canons or Rules, it seems good to me to forbear. He that doth not understand that nor can apprehend its drift or scope, will not be profited by the addition of more things. If the fundamentals are laid open, any one will conveniently administer his intent and labours: But yet I will add over and above, a most pleasant work, Parabolically, being the foundation and Basis of the whole Alchymical Art, under which is comprehended the radical solution of metals, Conjunction, Destillation, Sublimation, Ascention, Descension, Cohobation, Cementation, Calcination, Inceration, and Fixation, and so I will end the work of Transmutation.
There was a man (♄) who had two sons, (Bismuth or Tinglass, and ♃) the younger (♃) said to his Father (♄), give me my portion, (Note well, Bismuth and ♃ were always accounted Lead, as well by the Philosophers, as by the ancient workers on metals, the one viz. Bismuth, they called an ashy colour’d Lead, the other (♃) a white Lead, and this a black Lead,) and behaved himself stubbornly and unmannerly, that is, ascending or getting up; his Father gives it him, and he goes a wandring therewith, (Note well, when ♃ and Bismuth together with ♄ do feel the fire, the ♃ is separated from the ♄ and Bismuth, and ascending, takes some-what from ♄ with it, and becomes a Contumacious Scoria, and this is to go a wandring) and he enters into an Inn, where ♂ the Host, and ♀ the Hostess, had the sign of the World (♁) in a hanging Table, who having entertained him, dispoiled him of all his Fathers goods, (Solution) Then there grew such a great scarcity of Corn (with drought) that all men were even deformed by reason of the Famine (corruption), to prevent which he is enforced to keep hogs, (that is to dwell with fætid Nitre) and to feed on huskes, (that is Tartar) (inceration, imbibition) by which being humbled (Digestion, Circulation, Edulcoration, Putrefaction) he returns to his Father, (Incorporation) as a lost Son, (some thing is made nothing, and nothing is made something again) he brings forth a new Garment, (Argenteous) he puts a Gold Ring on his finger, (☽ impregnated with ☉) after which he remains constant with his Father, and becomes a good and thrifty Householder, that is, a fixt metal. And now that I thus compare this Transmutation of imperfect bodies, especially of ♃ to the parable of the lost Son let no body be therewith displeased, for I did it for the easier knowledge thereof. There lies under it a great secret, I never observed the like-changes in my whole Labours; for first of all, in the Solution appears a blackness, which haveing remained his time, there follows the tail of the Peacock, greenness and then whiteness; but whether or no a redness would follow, if it be detained longer in digestion, I am not certain, for I never arrived beyond the whiteness. It is a most pleasant Labour, greatly exhilerating the Artificers mind, of small charges and little difficulty; if they, find the weight and good vessels, it shews the way and opens the Door to higher Secrets, happy is he who attains the things, he’ll never be satisfyed with the sight thereof, nor admiration, how rich, generous, fair and glorious Nature is in her retirements. Note well, that every Metal may be washt apart with ♄ and Salts, so that being exalted, it may yield ☉ and ☽ in separation, and pass through all colours, but it will not be so profitable, as if they were all joined together, for then one operates spiritually upon the other, changeth and perfects him. And now having abundantly discovered, how ☉ and ☽ is to be extracted out of the imperfect metals, and because in that labour ☉ and ☽ is most an end jointly together, ’tis very necessary to know, by what Art they may be separated each from the other, that so each may be had by it self, which is to be done thus; If this mixture hath more ☉ than ☽, ’tis most profitably to be melted by Antimony and precipitated into a Regulus with Iron washed with Nitre and purifyed. This work you may find described in my former Books. N. B. If the Nitre in the separation of purification of the Reguli, prey upon some of the ☉ and ☽ and attract it to it self, let none grieve thereat and account his labour lost, but let him remember the saying of Paracelsus, Destruction or Corruption makes the good perfect; The Nitrous Scoria, in which the cleansed Reguli are, let be carefully kept and fixt, then by a strong flux let them be reduc’d and you shall receive the lost Son, much more elegant than he was before it’s being lost, so that hereby you lose not, but rather become a gainer. Here would be a fit place to speak of a certain profitable work if the drift of the thing would permit. Enough is spoken to a wise man, Fools will not profit by any thing: But if it contain more ☽ than ☉, let the mixture be at first of all granulated, and burnt with Sulphur, let it be precipitated, either with ♁ alone or without it, with lead and Salts; thus separating the ☉ from the ☽ into Reguli; then wash it with Nitre or with Lead, and let it be purifyed, the work being to be done in like manner. You are to note that if the precipitation be done with ♄, then the Caput mortuum (Halb Kopff) is to be added, whereby the work will be apparently hastned and bettered. N. B. If the Reguli of the maturated or fixt Metals be coppery or pale, they need not be washt, but ’twill suffice if being granulated, they are precipitated with Salts, and the Caput Mortuum (Halb Kopff,) all the ☉ and ☽ will come forth in peculiar Reguli, the Copper and the Lead will be scorifyed, and may in acute Furnaces (Stich ofen) be reduced, and be aplyed to other uses according to the rule of Art. I judge it inexpedient to heap up more things concerning Extraction (Seigeren) washing, and the separation of metals, being every where mentioned in my other writings. Also it will be needless to explain, by what manner metals may be more commodiously melted so as to yield more and better metals, as also how the poor and rough Minerals that abound with a preying and devouring Sulphur, whereby the metal in its fusion, is turned into Scoria, and affords so little profit, that being not able to quit cost, they remain unmanaged, the which Sulphur especially in the Minerals of Copper and Lead, may by a singular Cement or Gradatory fire, be inverted and changed, so that afterwards in their fusion, It’s so far from swallowing up the metal, and turning of it into Scoria, that it rather exalts it so as to give ☉ in the separation, the which could never have been done without this burning or roasting. No body doth throughly search after any help for this or that metal, either before the melting or in the melting of it, if the gross fire is not able to melt it down, but most frequently the best part remains in the Scoria without profit or use. ’Tis possible for an experienced Chymist, profitably to extract that ☉ and ☽ which the Scoria have swallowed up, what by fusion and by adhibiting suitable Menstruums. A work of this nature hath been hinted in my discourse of the Extraction of Flints, and more shall be likewise mentioned when I come to write of the felicity and hidden Treasures of Germany, which time let the Reader with patience expect. A nother benefit would arise to such as work on metals, if they had the perfect way of separating ☽ and separating the ☉ by precipitation, that lies therein, (Neider Schlagh) that it may not be so unworthily wasted with the ☽ by the Artificers.
And thus I conclude this Appendix or addition to the Mineral work, the which I have brought forth to light with a good will for my Neighbours sake, that so, being accepted with a serene mind, the Glory of God may be thereby advanced; for which end I wish with all my heart a divine benediction on the Labours of every honest and active searcher into the metalline affairs. Amen.
The APOLOGY of
John Rudolph Glauber,
Against the Lying Calumnies of
CHRISTOPHER FARNNER.
’Tis an ancient Proverb, He that toucheth Dung is defiled, and will alwaies savour of a Dunghill. Experience makes it evident.
I ever hated Quarreling, as more agreeable to the Pevishness of Women, than the more Generous Temper of Christian Men; and have, as much as I might, alwaies declin’d it, being rather desirous to suffer injuries, to bear losses, by silence to forgo those things I might lawfully lay claim to, to undergo any thing, so that I might enjoy my beloved Peace (with which GOD has blest me hitherto). Neither have I ever, so long as I have liv’d in the World, (and I am pretty ancient) been taken, by the worst of men, for a contentious Person: But perfidious Farnner, unprovoked, urges me to this vindication of my self, by going about not only to hurt my Person, but also by a Pride no less than his Envy, to explode and defame all my Writings, and by infamous Letters dispersed abroad, to render me odious to all good men. Which wicked Enterprize, though I heard of it by many, I durst not believe, till a printed Epistle of his came to my hands, which having perused, I thought I could not enough admire his detestable Impiety, and the many scandalous names he had for me.
Art thou not ashamed Farnner, to expose my Works to the contempt of others, when thou neither dost, or ever canst understand ’em, and before now hast prais’d ’em, as may be proved from your own hand? I’m sure I never merited that you should cavil at me where-e’er you come, and proclaim my Writings unprofitable. You ought rather all your Life, in consideration of the many benefits you have receiv’d at my hands, to have behaved your self as a Man grateful to me; but instead of that, notwithstanding the Obligation that lies upon you to the contrary, you have despightfully recompensed all my kindness with the basest Ingratitude, which is directly opposite to goodness.
To what end do you deny that you had your greatest knowledge from me, and in the mean time expose it as your own, and upbraid me from whom you had it?