It is clearly evident from many places of my Writings, and principally in the second part of Miraculum Mundi that my Sal. Mirabilis is diversly prepared; hence it follows of course, that the use thereof is different. For it hath one use when (after the spirit is thencefrom distilled) it is taken out of the Cucurbit, and hath as yet a corrosive nature. Contrarily, it hath another kind of use when this corrosive Salt is dissolved in common Water, and filtred, and set in the cold, that so the best part thereof may shoot into long Crystals, which having no corrosive power, serve for a peculiar use. It hath likewise another use when it is deprived of all corrosivity and turned into a sweetness, as I have shown in many places of my Writings. This is to be known by such as would use it, for this or that labour, that so they may commit no error, but be thereby rendred Masters of their desires the more easily.
We will therefore make inspection into some of those principal secrets which are declared in the second part of Miraculum Mundi, and examine whether or no they can be effected after the same manner I prescribed?
XXXV. By what means any Water, Wine, Ale, Vinegar and other liqours may be coagulated in a few hours space into hard pieces like Ice, by the Sal. Mirabilis.
For such a coagulation of all watery and moist things, well edulcorated (as the Chymists phrase is) Sal. Mirabilis is to be taken and such as is shot into long Crystals, prepared of an equal weight of Salt and good Oil of Vitriol, because a most great driness ariseth from the Oil of Vitriol.
Such an excellently well prepared Sal. Mirabilis, and which is shot into long Crystals, is to be reduced (by calcination in the Sun) into a fine powder, that so it may lose all its moistness and yet not melt. For if it melts, then it would need grinding again; one part of this calcined Sal. Mirabilis is able to coagulate three parts of Water, Wine, Ale, or any other liqour which it is mixed withall, into a dry matter like to Ice, insomuch that it may be carried in a Sack or a Sieve full of holes.
But what use such a coagulation may serve for, would be too tedious to declare in this place. Any one will find what use is to be thereof made, if he well meditates upon the thing.
XXXVI. The separation of the Water, Wine, or Ale, from the Sal. Mirabilis.
The coagulated liquors may be commodiously separated from the Sal. Mirabilis by Distillation; but the aquosity of the coagulated Wine and Ale are to be separated onely by Distillation, and the grosser part remains behind in the Cucurbit with the Salt. But the Sal. Mirabilis is by calcination, again freed from all impurity, and again made white and fit for any other such like new effect.
N. B. I doubt not but that there are other ways of coagulating watery liqours into Ice, concerning which we shall say somewhat in their due place.