Therefore seeing that in my Treatise of the nature of Salts I have evidently demonstrated the Sun and Salt to be the beginning of all things, I think it necessary to interpret those two words, Sol and Sal, according to their nature, and to prove that they are the true beginning, and true end of all things.
Between the words Sal and Sol there is no other difference, but the middle letter, which in Sal is Alpha, but in Sol Omega; by which two Christ manifested himself to St. John: But the initial and final letters of both words are the same, they are distinguished only by the middle letters, Alpha and Omega, and that not without great reason; for as Sol generateth Sal from the beginning, and all things which are take their original from him, so also the end of all things shall happen at the last day, when all things born and arisen from the Sun and Salt, shall again be consumed by fire, as Peter writeth, to wit, that the Sun, Moon, and all the Stars, shall fall from Heaven, and that the whole Earth shall be reduced to Ashes. Therefore in Sol and Sal, the beginning and end of all things are perfectly discerned. Neither do these two words only set before our eyes the beginning and end of all things, with the destruction of this earthy and fading World, but they also make manifest the whole Mystery of the Holy Trinity, which I could very easily demonstrate.
But because the Egyptian Learning, built upon the foundation of Nature, is lost, and in the room thereof Sophistical Schools have grown up, which by their vain loquacity have altogether oppressed and banished the truth; it might easily happen, that I might bring a Nest of Hornets about my Ears, if I should write such things publickly, as fly the knowledge of the learned multitude. Therefore it is better to be silent, than to incumber my self with unnecessary contentions.
But that we may see there have also been others, who were not ignorant of the Mysteries hidden in salt, it seems fit to me, in the end of this Discourse, to subjoin the opinion of a certain learned man, explaining the Greek word ἁλς, Chap. 13. Book 4. and as it were, bringing into view the great Mystery of God hidden in the same, that so we may be invited to read the learned Book of the said Author, concerning salt, which containeth many things highly worthy to be read, and of the reading of which no man will repent; the name of the Author is Bernardus Gomesius, printed at Frankford, in the year 1605, a Book truly worthy of any man’s reading, and as such I studiously recommend it to those who are desirous of learning any thing of good.
But to return to my purpose, I seriously affirm, that the nature and property of Metals may be learned and openly known, not only from the signature assigned them by the Ancients, but also from that which the fire introduceth into them, and this signature proceeding from the fire, is far to be preferred to that of the Philosophers; not therefore because the Element of Fire possesseth a greater authority or might than all Philosophers ever had or can have: But because the Fire alwaies performeth immutable actions, and committeth no errours, nor can it commit any, provided the Operator who handleth the fire doth not deviate from the manner of operating, for at all times in one and the same manner it sheweth the signatures of the metals.
The nature of the fire is such, that whensoever we will, it exhibiteth to us, by a singular signature, the occult nature and hidden properties of the metals; for even as any burning spirit of Vegetables, or volatile salt of Wine, being drank by men, stirreth up their nature and properties, and exposeth these things to view, which before lay dorment, and which would not have been known, if the warm spirit of the wine had not manifested them: So also is it with Salt, which, as we have taught in the precedent Treatise of the nature of salts, hath a power and faculty of exciting the nature of metals, and of manifesting their medicinal Virtues. But the Fire, of which we here treat, hath the faculty of subjecting their perfection to our eyes.
For as by the pure spirit of Wine the vital spirit of a Man is presently cheered, and being awakened, the hidden signature forthwith goeth out of the inward Penetrals of the heart; so that the Sanguine sing, dance, play, and are occupied in Amours; the Cholerick break forth into quarrels and fighting; the Phlegmatick grow drowsie and sleepy, and the Melancholy are taken up with speculations, meditations, and searches. These signatures the spirit of Wine can draw forth from the most inward recesses of men. By the same reason the signature of Metals is awakened, excited, and educed by the operation of the fire, viz. when they are melted in a Crucible; for the smoak or fume going out from them, presently indicateth the nature and property of every of them. Pure Gold, and free from all addition, emitteth no fume alone, but being melted with salt, giveth a purple exhalation. Silver alwaies exhaleth somewhat of a blue, bitter, and unpleasant fume: The fume of Copper is green, and stinketh: Of Iron not so much as Copper, being also red, striketh the Nostrils with a stink: Lead and Tin send forth a white fume, stinking and poisonous: Argent-vive, in its whole substance, vanisheth in a venomous fume, and these are the signs of the fumes, by which melted Metals, when they are not mixed, are wont to be distinguished and known from one another. But if Copper, or any other imperfect Metal, shall be mixed with Gold or Silver, it changeth the fume, and rendereth the proof or examen doubtful and uncertain: Nevertheless of the judging of the perfection of Metals by the Fire, this Experiment is of all the most perfect and certain, viz. when they are so melted by a very strong fire, that they move themselves, and are as it were turned or whirled about in the Crucible, and by how much the rounder this motion shall be, and the higher it elevateth it self, by so much it sheweth the Metals to be more perfect; the more depressed and equal, and the plainer the superficies shall be, the lesser of perfection is in that melted Metal. The trial of this thing is easily made, by which it is found, that among all the Metals Gold is chiefly moved on the Test, or in a Crucible, by a round or spherical motion; next Silver; next to that Copper; next to Copper Iron; after Iron Lead; and lastly, after that Tin.
The same difference of perfection and imperfection is shewed by the pouring of a melted Metal upon a Porphyry stone, or any the like well levigated, and put into a Kettle of Water, so that the water may not touch its superficies, which is to receive the melted Metal: This therefore being poured out upon the said Stone, leapeth and divideth it self into many grains, greater or lesser, more round, or less round, according as the Metal shall be more or less pure. But of all the Metals, there is none more imperfect than Tin, which by effusion upon such a Stone, very rarely disperseth it self into grains, but if the effusion be dextrously made, it dilateth it self in breadth in a very thin form, like to writing Paper, so that it may be writ upon (by a stile or stift) like Paper, and folded and sealed, and sent to others, after the manner of other letters: Such letters made of Tin, are hurt by no Water, so that they may be of great use, where necessity requireth secresie in sending letters.
But that Tin spreadeth it self into such broad leaves, and doth not separate into grains, after the manner of Gold and Silver, the reason is its imperfection, which its before-mentioned signature evidently argueth, containing but little of roundness, and taking the greatest part from the square.
The knowledge of a metallick perfection is also acquired from the rotundity of the metallick motion in the Examen of Saturn, or the separation which is made by Lead in a Cupel, where Gold, before all the rest boileth with a spherical roundness, and all the lead being sent away in fume, by the violence of the fire, remaineth on the Cupel or Test, in a pure, round, or spherical body, especially when there shall not be too great a quantity of Gold.