Upon this account therefore was I willing to insert an experiment, that so none might account of the thing mentioned as of small moment, but rather that he accurately ponder thereupon in his mind, that so he may thereby arrive to things of great moment by a well examining of the same.
Now as it hath been clearly and evidently taught that fixt silver may be gotten out of any lead, as well by Sympathy as by Antipathy, even so may it easily be proved, that the spiritual gold may be extracted out of other metals, partly by Antipathy, and partly by Sympathy, but much easier by Antipathy and Sympathy joyntly together, so that one matter may draw unto its self the object it loves, and the other may drive from it what it hates; as we have proved in lead. If then this may be done in metals, why may it not be likewise done in other subjects.
We will therefore proceed on and see, whether or no it can be so brought to pass, that the hidden redness may be drawn out of salt peter by Sympathy and Antipathy.
Having therefore understood by the things already spoken, that like draws to it self its like, and is repelled from its unlike, there remains nothing else for us to do but to know what that like is, by which salt peter suffers it self to be extracted.
When we advisedly consider the rise or birth of salt peter, it is not to us unknown that it draws its originality from the excrements of animals, but especially from the dung of horned Beasts, as Cows and sheep. And forasmuch as Sheep and Cows do feed onely on Herbs and Grass that grow in the Fields, and that those vegetables do proceed from the terrestrial salt by the help of the solar beams, it is more clearly evident than the Noon-day light, that the hot Sun is the Father of salt peter and the cold night the Mother, the earth the Nurse, and Salt the Food, nutriment and encrease of the same; the which is to be understood as in reference to the Macrocosm or great World. But the vegetables, or all shrubs, herbs, and all grass which arise out of the earth in the Macrocosm, cannot be more aptly compared with ought, than with the Hairs and Wool of Men and Beasts, which are born out of the earth of the Microcosm or out of the animal body, like as the shrubs and herbs, and grass do spring forth and grow out of the Macrocosmical Earth. Upon this score, the hairs, hoofs, or claws, and horns of Beasts; likewise the feathers and claws of Birds, and also the teeth and scales of Fishes, do altogether square as to their similitude with salt peter; they being such things as whereout of, together with other the superfluous excrements of nature, true and good salt peter may be made with ease.
And like as to the procreation of vegetables in the Microcosm, and for their increase or growth, there is requisite fat and salt earth, the warm splendor of the sun, and the fruitfull Rain, whereby all kinds of fruits are born, and ripened; but contrarily by the penury or want of salt (it being the onely nutriment,) and of the warm Sun beams, and of the Rain which is the promoter of all fertility, every thing that is vegetable must needs perish and die; even so is it in the body of Man: For as long as the heart of Man is in a prosperous healthfulness, and that the central fire, or vital spirit, and radical moisture be not defective, all things are well and in good equipage, and the whole body takes increase or growth, and the hairs grow plentifully: But on the contrary, when meat and drink fail, the whole body suffers loss, consumes and withers away and the hairs fall off.
But to comprise all in brief, I say, that all growths and augmentations as well in the Macrocosm as in the Microcosm, must of necessity be at a stand and lessen as soon as the warm solar beams, together with the nutriment it self ceaseth and is deficient. So then it is a truth, that in Man as being a Microcosm or little World, and in the other animals, the hairs may be compared with the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, and Grass of the great World, because of the great likeness that is between them.
And therefore the hairs of animals and hoofs, claws, feathers and scales of them are very like to salt peter, insomuch that one part doth after a sympathetical manner extract from the other, the most great virtues and inmost soul, and so one doth manifest the other.
For example, when the skin, hairs, claws, hoofs, or nails of a man or any other animal, as likewise the feathers of Birds are smeared with the spirit of niter, or anointed therewithall, they presently become as yellow as gold, and do as t’were put on a golden hue. It may now be demanded, from whence ariseth that colour? comes it from the hairs themselves, or from the niter spirit? If that golden colour did arise from the hairs themselves, then it would of necessity be, that it should also discover it self, when the hairs are moistened with other sharp and strong waters; but thus ’twill never do, but onely when they are smeared with the spirit of niter, or else with Aq. Fortis, which containeth the niter spirit. From these things therefore it is evident, that the superfluities of the Microcosm have a most notable affinity with the superfluities of the Macrocosm, viz. herbs, and grass. Hence comes it to pass, that one part draws or sucks from the other part its best virtues and power, and renders them visible, which afore lay hidden invisibly and impalpably in their gross bodies.