There yet remains a manifold use of this subject in Medicine, which if it were rightly described, would make a great Volume, which belongs not to this place, but shall be done more commodiously at another time in a peculiar Treatise. It were to be wished, that this subject were better known, and more used by ingenious Chymists and Apothecaries, that so many dead Herbs and unprofitable Waters might not be set to sale. What, I pray, would it avail, if the whole Mass of Blood being inflamed with an intolerable heat (as happeneth in the Plague and other contagious Fevers) you should wrap the head with a moistened Rose-Cake, comfort the Temples, Pulses, Hands and Feet with Water? think you by this to drive away the Disease? Not at all, but rather render it worse, as Experience hath often witnessed. But it seems to me as if a vaporary Bath or Cauldron were too hot, and one should go and cover the Furnace all over with cold linen, to temper the heat, a thing to be laughed at; but the wood which causeth the flame being taken out, the Furnace cools of its own accord. By a like reason, the malignant Fire of hot Diseases is in the space of a few hours, drawn out from the most inward Penetrals of the Heart, by four grains (at the most) of a good Medicine, where no place is left for external Coolers, or corroborating Epithems. Which thing I have observed not only in one, but in many Experiments; That the Venom being excluded from the Heart, the Body hath returned to its due temper, and by degrees to health and strength.
To what purpose are so many Ointments, Oils, Emplasters, &c. when a small quantity of a good Medicine is able to effect more than them all? A whole year is often spent in the curing a small Ulcer or Wound, and then left worse than at the beginning, the Bridle (according to the Proverb) being applied to the Horses Tail, and not to the original of the Disease. The Fountains of external Ulcers are to be dried within, and not imprudently to be stopped up with outward Plasters, which otherwise, without any outward Remedy, by a small quantity of a good Medicine, may be radically cured in the space of a few weeks. Therefore such a Medicine is to be sought, and all other trifles to be laid aside: But what dost thou, seeing the World will be deceived, and desireth no other? For if any Physician have a good Medicine, which is much easier for the sick to take, than many ingrateful Potions; this is neither esteemed nor rewarded, for if he require a Fee or Reward, he is answered, That he gave only a few grains of powder, two or three times, which cannot be so dear: Hence chusing a certain thing for an uncertain, he requireth his reward according to his visits, and prescribeth Bottles full of Physick, which may be long in taking, and he have the fitter opportunity to encrease their number.
The same thing hath also obtained in Chirurgery, for if an honest Chirurgeon quickly cureth an outward Evil by the help of a good Medicine, he shall not have a due reward, but shall be told, That he hath only applied two or three Plasters, which can be worth but little. Therefore instead of being paid for a quick Cure, he reaps nothing but ingratitude; so that being better taught, it behoveth him to do like others, by employing a month or more about that Cure, which he could perform in three daies.
For this, and the like causes, very few are treated with good Medicines, but Physicians study delaies, after the old manner, if not in respect of the sick, yet at least for their own profit; for if the sick readily pays his Fees, he, either out of ignorance or voluntary neglect, neglecteth the matter, for which he will have an heavy account to give.
The present World doth only this, he that standeth, let him stand, and he that falleth, let him lie, none regardeth it; every one taketh care of his own matters; nor will he put his hand to the quenching of the fire. That famous Patron of Art, Alexander the Great, who bestowed upon his Philosopher Aristotle more than a Hundred Thousand Crowns a year, for his Inquiries into Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, now ceaseth to be. The most wise Ernestus Duke of Bavaria, and Elector of Cologne, What Expence hath he not been at in collecting the Writings of that incomparable German Physician and Philosopher, Paracelsus, and other such Cherishers and Advancers of Arts, our Germany hath lately brought forth? but Mars (the Sword) asserting his Empire, hath banished Jupiter and Mercury (Justice and Arts) so that they play least in sight; but sure it is, that if they be not quickly restored and advanced to their dignity, it will be to the unspeakable detriment of the Country, and to the great advantage of Strangers; Which God of His Mercy prevent.
And now the benevolent Reader hath seen, what wonderful and incredible things may be performed by the benefit of this subject; yet I will not deny, but that it may also serve for many more things which I know not, being profitable for all orders of men, superiour and inferiour, learned and illiterate, great and small, according to their several Vocations and States. But some men may say, I do indeed believe that many great things may be done by its means; but because thou dost not together and at once shew the way of preparing the Universal Medicine or Tincture by its help; there is therefore reason to doubt whether it be the Universal Secret Menstruum of the ancient Philosophers, to wit, the Hermaphrodite Mercury, so much spoken of by them, every where to be found, a thing contemptible and vile, to be found in every Dunghil, by nature cold and hot, a great Poison, quickly killing and quickly healing, a matter to be found with all men, which the rich and poor equally possess, which Adam brought with him out of Paradise, and many more Epithets of the Ancients, which are all agreeable to that thing. To this I answer, That in my judgment the Ancients had no other Universal Mercury, to which all their marks do perfectly agree, and may be applied. Do not all men know it, seeing and beholding their own Urine, of which it is generated? Is it not a very vile matter, which we keep not in the House, but throw out of doors, according to the Precept of the Philosophers, to be sought in Dung? Is it not a great Poyson when made into Gun-powder or Aqua fortis? and, Have not I shewn that a Universal Medicine may be made of it? Is it not a meer Fire, and also being pure, cold as Ice? and if you will, hath it not equally masculine and feminine gifts? Doth it not so impregnate the imperfect Bodies in the space of a quarter of an hour, that they generate Gold? Is not it self impregnated by the heat of the Fire, that it bringeth forth those Fruits? Is it not highly volatile, and presently firmly fixed? Is it not a Water both moist and dry? a great Corrosive, and yet being rightly prepared, an Enemy to Corrosives? Is it not most heavy and most light? To what thing, except Nitre, doth this Enigma of the Philosophers agree? For, What is blacker than a Crow, whiter than a Swan, more hurtful than a Serpent destroying many, lighter than the Wind, heavier than Gold? Is not this the true devourer of his own Children (the Metals) the Azoth of Philosophers, the Soap of the Wise, the Urine of Boys, Sulphur vive, the Salt of Strangers, the Secret Fire of Philosophers?
Are not all these things in Nitre? But by what method they may be there found, is not my business to shew in this place, let it be sufficient to have pointed out the subject in which they are to be sought and found, which no man before me hath been so kind to do. For further demonstration, to wit, that from Nitre a true Universal Solvent (I would not have you imagine it to be Aqua fortis) may be prepared, there needeth not. But thou maist contradict it if thou canst, or name another subject in which are all those things. Which I know thou canst not do, if thou could’st at once take a view of the whole World.
That I have not written any thing concerning a Tincture to be prepared of it for the Imperfect Metals, (which defect the ancient Philosophers have supplied) thou maist think that I have not proceeded so far, and that I have wanted time and opportunity to make a farther Progress, nor did I ever aspire to so great things, but have contented my self with those of a meaner Rank. But how far I have penetrated by searching into Nitre, may be seen in the Second Part of my Furnaces, where I have prescribed some notable Processes from a gross subject, of which this is not the least, where I shew, that some years before, I would have melted a Calx of Gold, and because it would not melt, I added by intervals a Fluxing Powder, prepared of Salts, till all flowed well, then the Crucible being taken out of the Fire, and the matter poured out, when I expected Gold, instead of that I found Lead, but the Fluxing Powder was very red, (although made of the whitest Salts) being tinged with the Anima of Gold, the Gold being divested of all its dignity. Which thing, when I had considered, believing some Secret to lie in the matter, I several times repeated the labour, but alwaies in vain: the cause of which errour was not the subject, but my self, who had not observed the weights and degree of Fire; or God, who would not that I should make any farther discovery. Truly, if that Labour had succeeded, I should long since have possessed the Stone of Philosophers, who am now forced to sustain my Family by meaner things with labour. But passing by this, see, I pray you, what the most accurate Philippus Paracelsus ascribeth to rude Nitre, when he saith, Chymistry hath discovered the matter to lie in Nitre. Let Basil Valentine, Sendivogius, and the ancient Philosophers, be considered, and you shall see that all their Sayings are accomodated to the operation of this subject, and that I have not attributed too much to it, but rather less than is due. I could, had I a mind so to do, compose all the terms of Philosophers with this subject, but to what purpose so great a prolixity? He that shall once come so far as I am, the Secrets of the Philosophers will be sufficiently manifest to him, and will freely confess, that this is the only true Universal Solvent, and that there is no other. Many have alwaies believed this thing to be prepared of Nitre, but because they were not fully confirmed in their minds, they tried nothing with it, and therefore found nothing. Many men in my time have endeavour’d to fix Nitre into a Tincture, but because they took it crude without a due Preparation and fit Associate, such as it was when they committed it to the Fire, such it remained; but if they had known how to have joined an amicable subject with it, perhaps it might have been more profitable. Basilius commandeth to associate it with a brisk and lively female, from whose embraces the Queen might bring forth issue: All the Philosophers say, that to Mercury is to be added its own weight of Gold and Silver, (but not the common) and that of both is to be made one indissolvable thing; for while the Gold is dissolved by the Mercury, in the same moment the Mercury is coagulated by the Gold, the solution of the Body, and the coagulation of the Mercury, are done both by the same Work. Certain it is, that there is one thing among Minerals, which is conjoined and fixed with our Nitre, and during the fixation, passeth all colours; but I know not the end of the thing, having never performed that labour, and by reason of my great age, think not to repeat it; nor will I be the adviser of any man, that he should search after an uncertain labour with a certain Loss: but if any man in doing this shall miss his hope, let him not blame me for giving him the occasion by this Writing, who have wrote this only for this end, that I might make it manifest, that the name of Universal is not undeservedly assign’d to it: Neither also is there any need, that a thing of so great moment should be made known to an ungrateful World. Any of those things which I have shewn may be done by it, are sufficient for a man to sustain his Family.
Some man may except, and ask, Who hath revealed to thee, that this is the Mercury of Philosophers? I answer, That I know it to be such from the properties, form, and nature assigned to it by the Philosophers, which thou also, if thou hadst Philosophick eyes, wouldst acknowledge to be such, which is wont to hide it self from the proud, and to reveal it self to whom it pleaseth God. If a skilful Gardener should happen into a Garden, where he should see that wonderful Vegetable, Noli me tangere, (which at the first was brought from the East Indies, therefore planted and cherished with great care and admiration in great mens Gardens) of which he had read so many portentous things, viz. That refusing every touch, it would fall to the ground. And although he had never before seen this Herb with his Eyes, would he not certainly apprehend this to be that very Herb? for the Vertues attributed to it argue that it cannot be any other. So he whose eyes it hath pleased God to open, so that he can apprehend all the Properties to be in a subject, which the Philosophers affirm to be in their Universal Mercury, Will he not, acquiescing in that, desist from seeking out another?
Lastly, Sal Nitre is the only growth, generation, and encrease of all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, as also their Destruction, and Regeneration, by a perpetual Circulation of the Elements, by which things being dissolved, do again return into the same from which they arose: For the Nitre of Vegetables in the bodies of Animals, by the intervening digestions and separations, is generated into a Mineral Salt, which none will deny: and Nitre or Salt of the Earth, is Vegetable, Mineral, and Animal, which cannot be said of any other subject, but the Universal Matter. And even as it is the chief Conserver of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, so it is also their Destroyer and Death; therefore by them it is both loved and hated. Vegetables love it, when growing in the Earth, they thence draw their nourishment; for when the Earth is dead, or void of Salt, it affordeth neither nourishment or encrease to feed, Christ himself being witness, when he saith, Ye are the Salt of the Earth: but if the Earth be destitute of Salt (or the Salt hath lost his saltness) it is altogether dead, and can bring forth no Fruit. An ignorant man saith, that Dung maketh the Earth fruitful, but undeservedly, for not the Dung, but the Salt which lies hid in the Dung, doth this, which is generated of Vegetables after their putrefaction, and again transmuted into their seeds and roots which are in the Earth; the same Animals again receive in their food, whereby their bodies are strengthned and preserved from Corruption. For no man is so rude, but he hath learned by experience, that Salt is the Preserver of things both living and dead. But an ignorant man may object, that other things also have a preservative Power, as myrrh, aloes, and other Balsamick Liquors, which preserve Flesh and Fish from putrefaction. To this I answer, That it is not myrrh or aloes, but their salt, which effecteth this. Honey also and sugar preserve things, which are not salts. I answer, That thou understandest not the nature of Salts; those are sweet salts, the other are bitter salts, which by putrefaction are changed into sowre and acid. Also every burning spirit of Wine, and other Vegetables, preserveth other bodies, although they are not in form of salt, nevertheless it is nothing else but the most pure volatile salt of the Wine; mixed with its sulphur, which doth this; for none of the Principles is sincere, and wholly free from the mixture of the rest. Vinegar doth the same thing, and is a meer salt, which if time would permit, I could easily demonstrate. What man’s senses are so dull, that he cannot understand one thing to pass into another, by the mediation of putrefaction, to him even great Volumes would profit nothing. From the sweetest Must (or new Wine) Sugar, Honey, by the help of putrefaction and Fermentation alone, is made an acid Tartar, a strong Vinegar, and a volatile burning Spirit; all these will presently return into a nitrous salt, which few understand, those especially who are believed to know much. Not only Man is delighted with salt, without which he cannot be sound and in health, but also all Animals. Mice, above all, are very greedy of Salt, the which if they find not, they lick the saline efflorescences of Walls, and make a very nitrous Urine. Pigeons also frequent old Walls, which abound with salt. Hens pick out the grains of Oats from Horse-dung, which are full of salt, preferring them to fresh Oats, and thence become more fruitful, in laying more Eggs, the salt concocting the small stones which they swallow, in their Ventricles, is the first matter of Eggshells; but if, being shut up in Pens or Coops, they have not that salt earth, with the small sand or stones, which they usually devour, or their stomachs being weak, doth not digest them, the Eggs they lay afterwards, will be such as we call windy Eggs, having no shells, or such as are very imperfect. Minerals growing in the bowels of the earth (Experience being witness) rejoice in salt, from which they associate to themselves bodies, and make an encrease: In like manner, they love it out of the earth, and by it are ripened and meliorated; amongst which Salts, Nitre, as I have said, is endowed with a singular sympathy towards Metals. On the contrary, Minerals as well as Animals and Vegetables, abhor salt, if they be unduly associated with it, for so they are corrupted and destroyed; for salt being adhibited in a due manner, is the only preserver, augmenter, and perfecter of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, which all the Philosophers confess; amongst whom, Plato ascribeth to salt something divine, to whom succeeding Ages have assented, seeking many things in salt, yea, even the stone of Philosophers it self; but being ignorant what a true salt was, and of the manner of applying and preparing it, they could not make any further progress. Hence any man may easily see why the Ancients called those Secrets by the name of Alchymy, viz. as a certain handling and melting of salt, for which reason also they familiarly used these words; In Fire and Salt consisteth the Magistery: Implying, that by the benefit of fire and salt, a true Medicine was to be prepared, as well for the health of men, as for the perfection of Metals.