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

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

68. And as these fiery saline Spirits do bring over by distillation all unfixt sulphureous Subjects, and purifie them; so they do the same in fixt Sulphureous Metals, e.g. Mars and Venus, which Metals being thus purified may be fixed into tinging medicinal Stones.

69. They who know the art of the metallick purification and fixation, are possessours of an incomparable Treasure, forasmuch as by this means in three days time with the charge of one Crown, a true universal Medicine may be prepared, for the Bodies of men and metals, not in great quantity indeed but sufficient to assure the Possibility of it, and may afterwards be tryed in greater quantity.

70. By means of such a fiery salt Spirit fixt Chrystals, Flints, and other hard Stones may be made volatile and spiritual, and then may tinge them with what colours we please, and coagulate them again into hard transparent colour’d Stones, and that of what form and fashion we please. This is a very gainfull Art, because fair transparent colour’d Stones are always preferrable to Sol.

71. And as we have understood that by means of volatilizing waters, nor onely Vegetables and Animals, but also minerals and fixt metals may be made volatile, and their purest parts brought over the Helm, and by this means do wonders as well in Physick as Alchymy. Now though this separation of the pure part from the impure, by means of Distillation be high’y to be valued, yet there is a better, easier and less chargeable way to separate the purer parts from all Metals, Minerals, Stones, Sand, and coloured Earths containing Sol and Tincture, by means of a Magnet, which being laid in the Solutions of Metals, and extractions of Stones, within a few hours time draws to it all the spiritual as well as fixt Sol and Tincture contain’d in the said Solutions; so that after abstraction of the dissolvent by Distillation, we find the dis-animated dead Body, which being put aside, we separate the attracted Sol or Tincture from the Magnet, and thus obtain whatsoever good was hid in the foresaid gross Bodies. N. B. Though indeed this extraction of Sol and Tinctures be very easie, as hath been said, yet I shall here, for further information of the Reader, set down what ought to be observed in the extracting of Sol from each Metal, Mineral, Stone, or Earth. And first of fixt Sol.

72. When there is fixt Sol in Sand or Stones, we need onely to pulverize them, and pour upon them Aq. Regis wherein common Salt hath been dissolved, and let them boil together a quarter of an hour, by which means the Aq. Regis draws the Sol out of the Sand and Stones, in which extraction if we then put the Sol attracting Magnet, it will draw the Sol to it self, which being separated from the Magnet, is melted down with fluxing Powder, the Aq. Regis continuing good to be employed on the like occasion.

73. But when in the Sand or Stones there is no fixt but onely a volatile unripe Sol, then we must put the Sand or pulverized Stones into a Glass Retort, and pour upon them of our volatilizing fiery Alkaliest, and abstract the same from the Sand or Stone, by which means it carries the Sol over with it, which hath been attracted by the golden Magnet, which being reduced will be found good and fix’d Sol. The dissolvent may again be used to the same purpose.

74. But if the Stones besides the Sol, do also contain Lune, then an Aq. Fortis must first be poured upon them to extract the Lune, and afterwards precipitate it by casting some common Salt into the Solution, by which addition of Salt the Aq. Fortis is turned into an Aq. Regis, and being poured upon the Stones, it extracts the Sol also.

75. For if at first we should pour an Aq. Regis upon these Stones, it would indeed extract the Sol, but withall so alter the Lune, that it would be impossible afterwards to extract it with Aq. Fortis, and therefore we are to proceed in the manner abovesaid.

76. In like manner also we are to proceed with white, yellow and red Earths, for to extract the Lune and Sol that is in them. And if it be a fat Earth and contains fix’d Sol, it must first be made red hot to rob it of its fatness, because else it would devour too much Aq. Fortis.

77. But when the Earth contains onely volatile Sol, as the yellow Earth of Silesia and the red Terra Lemnia Sigillata, it must not be made red hot, but pour some Alkahest upon it, and so bring the Sol over the Helm.