The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

After this, came out another Treatise, under the Title of the Prosperity of Germany, in four Books, the two latter of which are not yet Printed, but shall be published in a short time, if God shall prolong my life, which contain very profitable Precepts of the Oeconomy and Administration of things familiar.

Then another little piece, called, The Consolation of Sailers; teaching how they may defend and preserve themselves in all long Voyages, as to the East-Indies and other parts, against Hunger, Thirst, and other incommodities of that kind, to which they are wont to be Obnoxious.

Moreover, A Treatise of Tartar, Vinegar, and Spirit of Wine, shewing their easie attainment and preparation.

To these I have adjoined, a Treatise of Aurum Potabile, and another of true Aurum Potabile, or the Universal Medicine, and other Apologetical Writings, in which I have not only set forth the perfidious unfaithfulness of men, but have also revealed many excellent Sciences, that by all these Writings I might illustrate the Divine Glory, and contribute to the benefit and profit of my Neighbour, by giving him as it were wholsom and excellent food, whereby both his Body and mind may be equally refreshed.

And although the said Meats be wholsome, of a good Savour, and contain their own Salt; nevertheless, it seems to me necessary, to salt them as it were afresh, and to season them with a certain Sauce, that they may be tasted with so much the greater appetite and pleasure. And I have so much the more a mind to do this, as I more studiously endeavour to observe that precept of the ancient Doctors, that no Meat should be brought to the Table without Salt. For it was a received custom in former time in well ordered Families, to set the Salt first upon the Table before any other Dish, and not to take it away till all other Dishes were first removed: The which indicates, that Salt is a most profitable thing, and an highly necessary gift of God, therefore of right claimeth the precedency of other Meats in setting upon the Table, and of remaining there, till they are again removed. But that this most Noble and Divine Gift, may the better be understood by the ignorant, and may be made more known than hitherto it hath been, I cannot pass by, but I must indulge my self, as my time will allow, in a few words, and as it were by the bye, to shadow out, and depict its great and admirable efficacy, for the profit of Mankind. But here I shall speak but of few things, and that very compendiously, the studious of Divine Wonders may find the rest in the Writings of other pious and diligent Men, if he hath a desire to know more.

As for the Original of Salt, which is drawn out of the Ocean, as an Universal Storehouse, Writers are divided into divers parts and Opinions. Some think that those Salt Fountains, which in many, and various places of the Earth break forth from their Springs, and by the help of boiling, yield their Salt, do not take their beginning from the Ocean, but from a Salt peculiarly generated, and brought forth in many places of the Terrene Globe, like Metals. And they establish their Opinion by this Argument; That the Water of those Fountains much exceedeth, oftentimes, that of the Sea in saltness; and on the contrary, the Sea Water being brought by long and tedious Passages through the Earth, necessarily looseth its saltness, and therefore leaving its Salt, it ought to come forth plainly sweet, or insipid. This reason, at the first sight, seemeth so agreeable to truth, that one can hardly think the matter to be otherwise. But most Springs of sweet Water, in their first rise were Salt, which penetrating the passages of the Earth, have deposited their Salt in the same, to nourish the Earth, and that they might come forth sweet for the daily use of Man. Whence they have given rise to so many, and such various Rivers, which again return in that Universal Store-house the Sea, or Ocean, by which incessant and Reciprocal Flux, they are impregnated with Salt, and Communicate the same to the Earth, that it may never labour under a want of due nourishment, but may render Minerals, Stones, Trees, Grass, Beasts, and even Men also, partakers of the same perpetually, and so may serve as well for the Sustentation, Propagation, and Conservation of Irrational, as Rational Animals, the which no man of a sound mind can deny, except he will also deny the Circulation of the Blood in the Body of Man, or Microcosm, which is plainly unknown to not a few, and will say, that the blood in the little Toe, or little Finger, or left Ear, or other places, doth not arise from the Liver, the Universal Fountain of Blood, but that it is particularly generated and produced by the Vital Spirit, in those very parts, which savoureth not a little of Absurdity.

Seeing therefore, that the constant Circulation of the Blood in the Microcosm, can be in no wise deny’d, why should not also such a Circulation in the Macrocosm be admitted as true? For as the Blood of the Human Body arising from the Liver, diffuseth it self through all the Passages and Veins of the Body, as well small as great, and Conserveth the life of the whole, nourisheth all the parts, and augmenteth the good juices, which are changed into Flesh, Bones, Skin, and Hairs in the Members themselves, and leaving the unprofitable Phlegm to be expelled by the Pores of the skin: So also is it with the Nutriment and Universal Aliment of the great World, while the Salt water without intermission, of the great Sea, or Ocean, encompassing the whole Globe of the Earth, by many small and great passages or Veins, passeth through all the parts of the Earth, and nourisheth and sustaineth them with its Salt, that Minerals, Metals, Stones, Sand, Clay, Shrubs, Trees, and Grass may be nourished and grow, and in growing take their encrease. The rest of the Water being freed from all saltness, is exterminated as a superfluity in the Superficies, and being diffused into various Springs, as well small as great, is expelled, no otherwise than the superfluous sweat of the Blood in the Microcosm, by innumerable passages and pores. But that in many places of the Earth, the Water doth not leave its salt, but carrieth it along with it self, that may very well come to pass for divers reasons. For first, the most excellent Governour, by His Divine Providence, hath most wisely ordained and appointed, that a salt water of this kind, which men could in no wise be without, should break forth out of the Earth, and it is thus effected: The Sea-water every where passing through the passages and clefts of the Earth, in some places is dried up by the Central fire, and coagulated into hard and great pieces, which being digged up by men, and dissolved by the help of Water, and freed from its fæces, is boiled up in fit Vessels, and reduced into a pure Salt.

But if it happeneth that other Water passing through those passages, findeth pieces of Salt of this kind, it dissolveth so much of the same as it can carry along with it, and afterwards is boiled into Salt after various manners, according to the greater or lesser quantity of Salt it hath carried along with it.

But that one Salt Fountain is richer in Salt than another, the cause of the difference is in the Water, which passing by, doth more or less associate it self with the Salt, and so is made stronger or weaker.

These few things are sufficient for the refelling of their Opinion, who assert, that Saline Fountains do not draw their original from the Sea, but are generated and produced in a peculiar manner in the Earth, by the help of the Stars.