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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

I am not of the mind to boast of the knowledge of many things, but yet thus much I find, that there is not in all nature any subject given that may in good deed be compared with Nitre, as to eminency or excellency; much less deserves to be preferred before it. Let not the Lover of this Art be disquieted in his mind, so long as there are two parts to follow, and come forth: For then men will see, and be even enforced to confess these things which afore they did not believe. And upon this score do I shorten this part, that I may the sooner come to the third and fourth parts: In which parts (God willing) there shall be disclosed many most highly profitable inventions for the benefit of mankind, but yet they shall be veiled, after that same way and manner, as others afore me have used to do, that so Pearls may not be cast afore Swine.

But that I may return to my purpose, and shew that what I have said is true, and that great things may be done (as to the melioration of Metals) by the help of Salt-petre, it will be necessary, that those things which we have already written in this second part be made a little more clear, and may be visibly demonstrated to the unskilful and incredulous, in what it is, that this profit we at present speak of, is seated.

And first, as concerning the Generation of Salt-petre, there hath been enough said already, viz. That it may be prepared by heaps out of otherwise unprofitable Wood, Shrubs, Briars, &c. which rather endamage the Ground, than do any good, because they become a refuge for cruel Beasts, which sustain themselves upon the great ruining of the other Wild ones: Nor needs this work any greater costs than to cause a House to be built in the Woods, under which the wood, together with the circulatory Vessel, may stand dry; and besides too, one man is sufficiently able to manage the whole business, nor is there any thing else required but those unprofitable underwoods, or Briars, &c. or if you have not such, then, the Leaves that the wind blows off from the Trees. And if also you add some Salt thereunto, even it will be likewise turned by the help of the wood into Salt-petre, and hereby will arise a greater profit: Neither is there any necessity of taking the Salt we use to season our meat withal. But yet if you can have it in plentiful quantity (as may be in many places of Germany, where it much abounds) it will be well, but if it be not to be so easily had, the wood it self will make Salt-petre enough; nor needs there any other thing, but to begin the work, and let Nature alone to perfect it, and to produce the Salt-petre. But farther, as Germany doth never want store of wood, so wants it not salt, for there are whole Mountains of salt, which to exhaust, is a thing impossible; especially in the Territories of the Arch bishop of Saltzburg, in the Elector of Bavaria’s Country, the Diocess of Berchtsgaden as we call it; which places, besides their abounding with Salt, do also abound with store of Wood. Have I not reason to believe that great Treasures and Riches may be hence reaped. Salt they have at their Feet, and vast Desarts at hand, which are of no use: O improvident Mankind! What account shall we give that so behave our selves in our Stewardship. Would it not be much more praise-worthy to have drawn forth those Treasures, to the Honour of God, and not to have suffered them to have remained without being used, and unmanaged; what is the greatness of the charge requisite to the carrying on this Work that deterrs them? What expence I pray is it, seeing that a little shead may easily be built in the Woods? And besides, where great Woods, and many Trees are, there are also found Minerals both ripe and unripe, and the ripe may be forced out by Wood, or Coals, the unripe may be fixed, or ripened by the help of Salt-petre, and the Gold and Silver also may be afterwards thence separated by the Salt-petre.

And now I pray, would not the Country be enriched hereby with vast Treasures, and store of Wealth? But put the worst, if every Country did not abound with store of Wood, yet hath it a great deal of superfluous Grass and stubble, and this yields as good Salt-petre as the Wood does. And if in case every Country, or Seignory had not Minerals of their own, which might be ripened by Salt-petre, and from whence Gold and Silver might be drawn, yet nevertheless may they be had out of the bordering Provinces. Nay more, if so be the already excocted Metals should be advanced to a maturity by the means of Salt-petre, yet would not even this kind of work be without an acceptable gain, and it would be better for us so to do, than to hang them up at the Walls in our Houses, for Ornament, and Pride’s sake. If an Enemy comes, one Ounce of Gold, is better than a Thousand pounds of Tin, or Copper, which the owner thereof must necessarily be constrained to leave behind him, whereas he could carry away the Gold with him; which kind of concentration we shall treat of in the following third part: and in the fourth part shall be taught, by what means even Gold and Silver may be concentrated, that so it may lie hidden from the Enemy, and be transported (under another kind of form or shape) into such places, where it may be free from the Enemies Clutches.

And farther, that water which we speak of, serves not only to extract Gold and Silver out of the Ores, or Minera’s, (which otherwise, could not be drawn forth by any excocting or forcing) but also for the taming, and bringing to use that which is in huge Stones, Flints, and the baser Fossiles (in which, Gold and Silver are only as it were, a little sticking, and will not be thence had by any art of melting) and that with profit too well worth the Labour. So that there is scarce required 6 or 7 Loths of water to extract the Gold and Silver out of 100 l. of Ore; and if there were but 2, 3, or 4 Lots of Silver at the most, in 100 l. of such matter, yet would it be a gainful extraction, especially if the things, or subject, be Arsenical, or as yet Volatile, and cannot brook the intenseness of the fire, but are driven away by a strong blast. For in that extraction by the water, that which is volatile, is fixed, and retained together, that it afterwards admits of being fused, or molten, and that this is so, will evidently appear to any, experimentally. Let him but take Arsenick, and dissolve it in Aqua-fortis, and again draw off the water, and he will be able presently to melt the Arsenick, and make it red hot. Quicksilver is well known to be a very Volatile matter, but yet even that, (if the water of Salt-petre be several times drawn off thencefrom) is made so fixt as to stand and abide wholly in a most intense fire. For, that which Wood and Coals do (in a long time) perform; the very same doth such a water effect in a few hours space.

But some or other may oppose or question thus; How can it possibly be, that if those matters be so very poor, 8 or 10 pound of water should be sufficient to extract the Gold & Silver which is contained in them; for it seems as if 8 or 10 pounds of water were hardly enough to moisten 100 l. of Ore or Minera, but would be lost amongst such a deal of Stuff: Let such an one know, that what I have written is possible and true; I can prove it and demonstrate it even to the sight; but as concerning the administration of that Work, ’tis not fit it should be made too common.

And verily, in this sticks the main difficulty, here is the Art and Skill; ’tis not for every one to acquit himself here, and if that the gold and silver were extracted by means of this Water, yet even then the chiefest of the Art is to know how to precipitate the pure Gold and Silver thencefrom, and incorporate it, which knack I justly reserve for my Friends; for verily, this is such an Art, as by the benefit of it alone I shall renew ancient friendship with many, and moreover purchase me more new friends: And therefore let no body be angry at me, or count it amiss, that I would not publickly disclose so excellent an Invention, and put new Weapons into mine Enemies hands to hurt me withal. [This is taught in the following parts.] And if I should do so much as clearly to mention every thing, yet nevertheless should I incurr the enmity of many men, as much as if I never had done it; and besides too, it cannot possibly be, that all things should be so nakedly and plainly decyphered to the unskilful, as that they should presently be able to do every thing. If they once make trial, and cannot do the business that they aimed at in their minds, then they curse him that writ, and bestow many a bitter wish on him, as if he had been too obscure in expressing himself, and so they despise that which is otherwise laudable.

But if so be that the possibility of a thing is only demonstrated, and no Receipt added, then they will not undertake any frustraneous Labours, nor will have cause of cursing any. But some or other may here enquire, Where shall I find such a sort of Minerals and Fossiles, out of which I may extract Gold and Silver? If any such had been to have been found, they would not have lain idle & waited for my coming; others would have taken them away long ago, and converted them to their own uses. I think it expedient to demand as well of such a one, who those others should be, that should have taken them away before thee? If their Experience be as little as thine, and thine no greater than is theirs, there’s no danger of your fore-preventing or deceiving one another, seeing you are all alike ignorant of the thing.

Think’st thou that the number of those that are experienc’d in Metals is so large? ’Tis confest, there are enough Excocters or Metal-Separators, but yet they must per force leave that untouch’d which they cannot find out, seeing they know no other way of ordering their Affairs, but the old Road. It oftentimes happens, that there is more Gold driven away into the air by these Excocters, than is left behind in the fire, and yet forsooth that Crew arrogate to themselves abundance of knowledge, and perswade themselves, that they stand not in any need of any ones advice. Nor indeed do I invite them to any new Studies and Operations; let all such as list, use the same way of excocting or separation that they have learned; but if there be among them those that are not ashamed to learn better, such may be counselled. My purpose at present is, to do some acceptable Service to those that have no Mine pits, and who cannot separate Minerals or Ore in gross, as I may say, and yet would be very glad to enjoy in private some little small gleanings as ’twere of the bits or small pieces that the Excocters leave, whereby they may get sufficient gain for the commodious sustaining of Life. These are they whom I have a mind to assist; the Richer sort have enough already to fill or satiate themselves withal; nor need they any information of mine; as for the Poor, there’s no regard had to them. The whole Artifice therefore consisteth in the extracting (when there’s but a very little Water used) and then in the precipitation of the Metals, so that the Water may remain good, and fit for other uses. There’s plenty enough of poor Minerals and Fossiles even every where, and which no body regards and knows. It would not be amiss to look upon or consider of all Flints, Rocks, and Stones you meet with, and consider what property they are of.

Concerning this I have written in the [First Part of the Mineral Work], viz. How by the Spirit of Salt Gold may be extracted out of a Flint: But as hitherto, few there are that have set about that Work, partly because they could not prepare the spirit of Salt, and partly because they knew not how to precipitate from it the extracted Gold, nor knew how to melt the extracted Calx of Sol with Antimony; all which I must needs confess, is not for every one to perform. But now this Extraction which is made by the Water of Salt-petre, doth extract the Silver too, which being thence precipitated, the water remains as virtuous as afore; and indeed, if a comparison be made ’twixt this and that Extraction, there is as much difference as is between black and white, and between the day and night; therefore I say that this is a thing worth the learning, for it may be of exceeding much profit in times of affliction. Greatly is that pledge to be esteemed of, Which (as the old Proverb is) redeems its Lord. Art is no burthen to a man to carry, but it rather carries or bears up a Man, easeth him, and makes him be of a cheerful mind, because it is a thing on which we may safely trust. It is more precious than Gold and Gems, which may be lost, but this abides firm and constant even to the Grave, and doth abundantly enrich its master.