Of the wonderful power of the Universal Salt in the kingdom of Vegetables.
I said in my Miracle of the World, and the Continuation thereof, that a sulphureous sweet salt is the most excellent Medicament of all Vegetables: The Truth of which no man hath cause to doubt; for I have shewed in various places, that barren grounds are made fruitful by the addition of that. Of this salt, which we may use instead of Dung, there is great diversity, for it is prepared of Wood-ashes, of Stones burnt to Lime, and of other bodies putrefied by length of time. But the Chief of all these is Salt-petre, being the salt of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals putrefied, especially because it is endowed with a certain occult and sweet Fire. Also the signature proper to it, clearly exposeth to our sight its augmentative virtue; for it exhibits not it self in a Cubical form, as is observed in corrosive salts, (altogether adverse to the augmentation of Bodies) but Dart-like or acuminate. By this signature Nature intended to shew of what condition and virtue salt-petre is. And indeed, if Experience be consulted, the things we have proposed will be found true, viz. that in Nitre is a principal Virtue, augmenting Bodies. As for example: R. what Corn you will, steep it for a night and day in Rain-water, wherein Nitre is dissolved, commit it to the earth, and you will find, that it not only shoots up more copious stalks and ears, and hath a more swift germination and ripening, but also is endowed with a much more acceptable taste, than other Corn in the vulgar manner produced by the help of the Dungs of Animals. But of this matter, more at large elsewhere.
Pure Nitre is a salt genited in old Stables, from the Dung and Urine of Animals. Urine and Dung are no other than Vegetables themselves, putrefied by digestion in the stomachs of Animals; which concoction is wont to be perfected in 24 hours space: But Vegetables and Animals, out of the stomachs of Animals, cannot be putrefied without long time, especially when they have acquired some undue hardness.
Thus we see Putrefaction differs in respect of time, yet it acknowledgeth no diversity; for whether it be made in the stomach of an Animal, or out of it, it is all one, and never different in virtues. By this medium the Vegetable kind hath its propagation and encrease, but altogether in a rustical manner, because a better way is not yet known.
Indeed, unto Philosophers is known a more easie and more compendious way of reducing Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals to their first matter, or into a sulphureous sweet Salt; yet they reserved the same among their Arcanums, lest such a most noble Art should be made too common.
As it is altogether impossible that the seed of any Vegetable set in dry Herbs should grow, or Man himself, or any other Animal, should be able to sustain Life, encrease, or be multiplied, with the only use of Sand or Flints; but earth moistened with a saline liquor, is required, unto which the seed must be committed; and in Man such Aliment must be digested in the stomach, as will easily be changed into nutriment of the Parts: so it is impossible to augment Metals, unless they have been before reduced to their first matter, and so spiritually conjoined each to other, as one may give nourishment and encrease to the other. All these things are far more easily and more readily performed by Art than by Nature.
By Art that all Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral subjects may most easily and swiftly be reduced to their first matter, which is a sulphureous sweet Salt; and by that means be multiplied, the true Universal Salt clearly demonstrates; which salt, if we observe its signature or long figure) is not only more excellent than Salt-petre, but is also generated easily in the air. We have discerned sand or a stone to imbibe this salt, if exposed to the air, and from an ingenited virtue thence to grow, yea, and that which first grew being taken away, in a few daies space another hath shewed it self, and so to Infinity. Indeed these things seem impossible, but they are not so to him who rightly knows Nature; for that augmentation is effected in a Magnetical manner, of which we do more fully treat in another place.
Hence, not without good cause, do we ascribe to this Universal Salt the title of HERO, and a most rich and liberal Monarch.
The PROCESS.
A most easie Way of acquiring Spirit of Salt together with the Sal Mirabile.