To The
Honoured, and Truly Learned,
Edmond Dickenson, M. D.
Physician to the KING’S Person and Family.
he Art of Chymistry, (Honoured Sir) although in its Speculations most Noble and Delectable to a Philosophick Mind, and in its Practice highly Inservient, and Beneficial to Mankind; yet hath it not escaped the Obloquies, and false Imputations of Detractors, and Calumniators, who either through Ignorance, Idleness, or Envy (or all of them conjoin’d) have made a false Representation of this most Noble Art to the World, and endeavoured to set Mankind at the greatest distance from that which is its highest interest to court. For which cause, such Writings as Promulge, and offer at the advancing of the Chymical Art, stand in need of such a Patron as is able to defend them against all the Cavils of Pride, Envy, and Ignorance.
And if the Exquisite Parts, and Profound Learning in the more Abstruse Philosophy, together with a Long, and Indefatigable Scrutiny and Labour in the Chymical Art, accompanied with a happy Practice in the Honourable Faculty of Physick, be fit Accomplishments to Entitle one a Mecænas of this Art; then are those Excellencies all met and Concentred in your self, as is evident to the whole World by your Curious and Learned Epistle to Mundanus, and his Answer to it, which answer will be a Lasting Testimony of your great Worth and Merit.
For certainly, Sir, it is no small evidence of your Worth and Abilities in the Pyrotechnick Art, that a Philosopher who had been more than forty years an Adept, in all that time should not find three Persons, besides your self, whom he thought worthy to make certain of the truth of what they sought, and aspired after; and yet gave you an Ocular Satisfaction and Certitude of that which Thousands have desired to see, but could not: And further seriously professing, that if he had had the same liberty from his Master, that some Adepts enjoy, that he would have revealed to you the whole Secret.
These things have induced me humbly to offer this Book to your Patronage, not doubting but under your Name and Protection, it will be able to overcome many Difficulties, and obtain a free passage in this our English World, to the benefit and advantage of many well-disposed persons, who seek after Honest, Profitable, and Commendable Arts, which I am fully perswaded was the chief end of the Author in Writing; and I am sure is mine in Translating his Works. You are throughly acquainted with Glauber’s Writings, you know his Menstruums, and his Medicines, and are able to attest the truth of what others may account false and impossible. As for such of them as concern the higher Classes of Chymistry, I shall say nothing (being yet but ad Corinthum vergens) but commit them to your Mature Judgment, and Protection, humbly craving your pardon for this my presumption, and for what Errors or Oversights I may have committed in this Work; and desiring your Favourable Acceptance of these my poor Endeavours. I take leave to conclude with a passage of the abovementioned Excellent Mundanus. I am fully perswaded, that by the Blessing of God upon your Sagacious Labours, you will at length obtain that which will abundantly Compensate your Pains and Cost. To which I adjoin my own hearty Wishes; and that after you have been as happy in this World, as true Philosophy can make a Man, you may be Eternally Happy in that which is to come.I am
SIR,
An Honourer of
Your Name and Learning,
CHRISTOPHER PACKE.
THE
PREFACE
TO THE
READER.
That the Art of Chymistry is very useful and highly serviceable in Physick, Chyrurgery, Husbandry, and Mechanick Arts, is long since evinced by the Excellent Mr. Boyl (the Honour both of our Age and Country) in his Experimental Philosophy, or Philosophick Essays; who in Essay I. and II. shews that the Examination of the Juices of Human Bodies, by the Art of Chymistry, may illustrate their Use and Nature. And that by it may be Explicated the Nature of our several Digestions, and their Aberrations. And afterwards Cap. VIII. pag 194. speaking of the advantages that Chymistry affords to the Therapeutick or Curative part of Physick, (which is the chief and principal), and to which all the other parts are subservient) is pleased to express himself thus: I cannot but think that if Chymistry did no more than assist us, by the resolution of Bodies, to extricate their more active parts, and partly by such Resolutions, and partly by associating Bodies together, to alter the former Texture of Natures productions, or present us with new Concretes of new Textures; by this very means, if Men want not Curiosity and Industry, to vary and prosecute Experiments, there must necessarily arise such a store of new and active Medicines, that in all probability, many of them will be found endow’d with such vertue as have not been (at least in that degree) met with, in the usual Medicines, whether Simple or Compound, to be bought in Apothecarys Shops; and consequently, even without any notable discovery, or improvement of Principles, Chymists (even as Matters now stand with them) may considerably add to the Pharmaceutical part of Physick. But if the Operations of Chymistry were seriously enquired into, and throughly understood, I make little doubt, but by a skilful Application of them, and especially by a series of them, in a Rational and Orderly way succeeding one another, there may be found out a great many preparations of Remedies, both very different from the common Ones, and far more Noble than they. And presently after he adds. That if we had but a few Potent Menstruums to dissolve and unlock Bodies with, I scarce know what might not be done in Chymistry. Then further in that Essay where he treats of the usefulness of Chymistry to the Empire of Man over the Inferiour Works of Nature; he proceeds to shew that Chymistry is very serviceable to Husbandry in all its parts, and to other professions that serve to provide Men with Food or Raiment, or do otherwise minister to the Necessities or Accomodations of Life, as Bakers, Brewers, Dyers, &c.