3. Glauber’s Alkahest.
In this Paragraph Farnner openly betrays his vanity, bragging, and hellish calumny, in reprehending the industry and labour of good men, and boasteth of a more firm foundation than perhaps I know of; whence it will appear to any man of Understanding, what this most ungrateful of men would be at, namely, which is the only thing he can do, he would do what he could to bring those Secrets I intrusted him with into contempt with all men, and introduce his own foolish trifles.
First, he saies, Glauber’s Alkahest, and presently subjoins another and better foundation or way of preparing it: which if he points at any thing but my Alkahest, why then does not he forbear mentioning and contemning my Alkahest? for he does contemn it, and endeavours to prove, that that way or fundamental is unknown to me. Now he exposes it to sale at fifty R. Dollers.
4. The Trial of all sorts of Coins.
’Tis true, Farnner did not mention this as a vendible, for it is not worth purchasing with Money of him: for the common way of trying money has been shewn not only by many provers of Metals, as Lazarus Ercher, George Agricola, and many others, but I my self also in many places of my Writings, and especially in my explication of the Wonder of the World, have fully and exactly taught it, which Farnner can never be able to mend nor imitate.
5. Flowers of Coral.
You must know what belongs to this Process that Farnner did not learn this Preparation of me, but of another man, which pleases him extreamly, though ’tis of no moment. But he most unworthily calls them Coral Flowers, which he exposes to sale at ten R. Dollers, seeing they are not Flowers, but rather to be called a Cremor; for when in a very hot fire they are reduced into a white Calx, from this Calx, by the help of Water, is drawn a Cream after this manner: The calcin’d Corals are put into common Water, and left in the Water a whole night, then in the top will appear a little skin, as is usual in Calx viva, which must be taken off to dry. Lastly, while that is doing, another little skin appears, which is also to be taken off, and that so often, till the Water will give no more.
I know also, that this Powder is held up by some Apothecaries as a certain singular Secret, (but that indeed exceedeth it) which is prepar’d of Calx viva, which I have also shewn to some that have attributed great things to this Powder, who, the Experiment being made, seeing me produce true things, What need is there, said they, to burn precious Corals, when common Chalk (or Calx viva) will give the same thing as Corals, and they prepar’d no more Powder of Corals, but of Calx viva.
Therefore this does not deserve to be called a Secret.
NB. That Corals, Pearls, Pearl-shells, and Tortoise-shells, as well those that are in the Sea, as those that are in Running Rivers, if they are burnt together, are brought into a true and natural Lime, like that which is made of burnt Stones, needs no probation. He that will not believe me, let him go to Holland, and other Sea-Ports, and he shall see that the men of those Countries do not use Lime made of Stones, which are wanting in those places to build Walls, but that which is made of burnt Shells, which the Sea in great abundance casts upon the shore; which yet, is not so good as that which is made of Stones, which some Lovers of Curiosity have also brought them from Germany.