In the County or Province of Erbach, scituate between the Mœne and Neker in Franconia, is found plenty of a Sand knit as it were together by a fluid Mineral, and grown together into huge heaps like little Mountains of a duskish colour; which if you lay on burning Coals, emits a sweet odour altogether like Amber. When I saw it, I put some into a Retort, and distilled an Oil thencefrom, wholly like the Oil of Amber both in colour and smell, and had used it in its stead, had I not shortly after tried another knack: For ordering the Chambers to be fumed with the Sand, because it yielded such a fragrant odour, I very seasonably observed that that fume was unwholsome and venomous, for it caused pains of the Head, and a kind of nauseate, ’twas also offensive to the Stomach, and this made me leave off my Fumigations, and set about rectifying the Oil thence distilled, by the Spirit of Salt, and by this means I got a clear and pure Oil, and the Spirit of Salt attracted to it self the Arsenical Essence, which being purged and rectified, yielded me at the bottom real Arsenick, whence I perceived that all those Minerals are very Arsenical, and no ways fit for internal use, unless they be first mundified by the Spirit of Salt. Many such kinds of Minerals are to be found, which we neither care for, nor know: some of which are as hard as a Stone, some thin, some fluid like Oil; such an one is that Fountain about Baccharach that boils up in the middle of the Rhine, and fills the whole Rhine for about three miles space and an half with its fatness, and yields a most fragrant odour, is of a duskish colour. For as I was ferrying by it, I took up some of the water in my hand, and questionless the Fountain of it must needs flow very plentifully, forasmuch as the whole River Rhine is filled therewith as far as you can see, and yet scarce one Man amongst a hundred or a thousand doe in their sailing by it take notice thereof. Doubtless this Fountain hath its efflux and rise out of the Mountains which border on each side the River. Did it break out at the top of the Earth, it would be worth Gold and Cedar, but lying so deep, ’tis of no use. Were curious Men inhabitants there, they would doubtless find out this Fountain; For on this part of the Rhine, where the City Baccharach lies, is a high Mountain, where grows pretious Wine, and is in Foreign parts sold at a dear rate, because of its most sweet savour and odour, and by the Inhabitants is called Muscadel, and ’tis a sort of Wine produced onely in this Mountain; nor can the neighbouring adjacent places make the like. Hence I presume that this Fountain at Baccharach ariseth from a Mineral Oil, flowing out from this Mountain into the Rhine, and that hence also ariseth the goodness of the Wine. And whereas this Mountain affords not such a quantity of Wine as the Inhabitants wish, they bethought themselves of a remedy for this scarcity, casting in Herb-scarlet into the common Wine, from which it got the same kind of taste, and became almost Muscadel. Nor let it seem strange to any one for the Wine to attract a savour from the Earth lying about it, for ’tis very certain, and I my self have tried it; And since it is so that this matter affords me opportunity of speaking of these things, I will give you my opinion more clearly in what follows.
Below Frankford, some four miles from the River Mœne, there lies a Village called Hohenheime under the Moguntia Elector, and there’s a Mountain which yields very good Wine, though not of so delicate a savour as that of Baccharach, yet ’tis of a sweet smell, whereby it exceeds all the Rhenish Wine, and is therefore dear; The cause of this, I attribute to the Soil, in which the Vines grow, which Soil brings forth Stone Coals, and were heretofore digged hence, and are now again sought after, which Coals have in them a sweet Mineral Oil, as I shall shew you. Farther, there lies a high Mountain at the River Mœne about the Castle Klingenberg, scituate between Odenwall and Spessart, where that Earth is found too, such as I above mentioned, which yields a sweet Oil in distillation. And this Mountain doth likewise produce sweet and good Wine, so that it yields not a whit (in its kind) to that of Baccharach or Hohenheime. But now whether or no the Mineral Oil that is not far off to be here found, be wholly the cause, I doe not affirm, but I believe it, for my part, so to be, let another follow his own opinion. There is also a great Mountain at Herbipolis, at the Steine so called, that yields pretious Wine, but not of a savour like these three. Hence arose that Proverb: At Baccharach on the Rheine, Herbipolis on the Steine, Klingenberg on the Mœne, and Hochheime on the Rehn, are the four best Wines.
I confess there grows good Wine every-where on the River Mœne, but yet these four do far exceed all the others, and that haply because of that sweet savour which they attract out of the Earth where they grow. For it is certain that the Vine doth draw an odour and savour (more than all other Plants do) out of the Earth, whence it hath its nutriment: So that it is not very difficult for a good Physician to communicate to the Vine any savour that he listeth (which will be) according to the nutriment which is put to the Root. I make no doubt but that there will be some Zoilists that will make a mock of these Reasons of mine, as concerning the ground and rise of the taste of the Wine at Baccharach, Herbipolis, Klingenberg and Hochheime, and will not attribute the cause to the Soil, but say that my Reasons are invalid shallow ones, the which derision I shall patiently undergo: such kind of Men will rather drink the good Wine even to excess, than produce any reasons whence the savour proceeds. But I speak experimentally, and say that the Vines do attract a savour from the Soil whence they are planted, the which I have many a time tried and found so to be. Verily the Gardiners know, that Man’s dung will give a nutriment or encrease to Flowers, but yet will put an odd smell upon them; And therefore do they carefully shun the putting it to the Roots of sweet-smelling Flowers, but use it rather to such as are void of odour, as Tulips and such-like, that so they may grow the sooner. ’Tis also evidently observed, that if the Root of the Vine be planted in such a place where Man’s dung lieth, it acquires an unpleasant odour, and the Grapes are thereby rendered unfit to be eaten. Besides, the most curious Vine-dressers have long ago attained to this experience, that if the Scarlea or any other odoriferous Herb be applied to the Root of the Vine, it will bestow its Odour on the Grapes, (but it serves for no more years than that onely) whereas if they pour upon the Root an Oil of a sweet and strong Odour, that Vine will produce Muscadel for ten years and more, the which I have handled at large in the Vegetable work, and do mention it herein briefly upon this account; Because that a Mineral Oil lies hid in the Earth in abundance, the which being incorporated in Plants, but in Vines especially, produceth excellent Fruits, whereof but a few Men have the knowledge.
But now that I may yet demonstrate this more clearly to the unskilfull, and consequently incredulous, viz. that there is a most great sweetness in the Minerals, which may here be extracted by distillation and rectification with Spirit of Salt, I will instance this example: ’Tis well known to all Men that the Stone Coals which are in many places digged out of the Earth, doe (being burnt) emit an ungratefull Odour, and are hence usually esteemed of as venomous; but in those places where they are plentifully digged, they are daily used in coction, nor doth any hurt arise therefrom: So that it must needs be acknowledged, that they do not stink of themselves, but that the Fire onely is the cause of the stink, and that their innate fatness is of a savoury and sweet-smelling nature, yea so sweet as any Vegetable, as I can easily evidence. You have an Example in Roses, or any other Vegetable, which if distilled by a Retort, loseth its sweet odour, and puts on a smell of burning too: What hinders from being so in Minerals, as in Pit-Coals, and the like? I grant indeed, that if enough Oil would come over out of the Vegetables by an hot Still, there would be no need of this distilling by a Retort, and rectifying by Spirit of Salt, because it requires a great deal of labour; but forasmuch as there doth not distill enough over, ’twill behove us to acquiesce in this method. Nor fear I to affirm, that if it were possible to distill an Oil out of such Coals by a hot Still, it would give place to no Aromatical Oil whatsoever in the sweetness of the smell. From whence, I pray, should so many kinds of Herbs draw such various Odours and Savours, were there not lying hid in the Earth an Universal Sulphur or Balsam?
But to put an end to this discourse, and that I may shew that the Pit-Coals do contain in them an Oil or pretious and wholsome Balsam, no whit inferiour as to its Vertues to any of the most pretious Oils or Balsams brought us out of the Indies observe but this process.
Fill a Retort with Coals, and distill a black Oil, the which separate from the Acid-water that came over the Helm with it, and rectifie it by Spirit of Salt, and so there will first of all come the clear and pure Oil, then a yellow Oil, not so sweet as the former, and the thick and black Oil remains behind, and serves for to be mixt with Emplaisters; for ’tis a wonderfull healer, by reason of its innate siccity; now the yellow Oil may be yet farther rectified once more by Spirit of Salt, that it may become pure, white, and fair: But if you are yet farther minded to make a difference betwixt these pure Oils, and will again rectifie them with new Spirit, then shall you take the most pure part by it self, which as to heat, subtilty, and sweetness, is fully equal to the true Oil of Peter; and which being kept apart, and used for cold accidents, both inwardly and outwardly, will do the same, yea and much more than is attributed to the Oil of Peter. Nor is there any fear at all of these Oils being Arsenical, for the Spirit of Salt hath took off all the Arsenick in the rectification, and if you please you may use the Oil which comes next after the most subtile Oil in mixing it with Balsams, or it may be safely used by it self, either inwardly or outwardly, and ’twill perform wonderfull things, and such as exceed belief, forasmuch as in Pit-Coals lieth a most great Balsamick vertue; If the depurated Sulphur which we spake of afore be dissolved with this Oil, and reduced into a Balsam, thou shalt have a Medicament, which may deservedly be styled an Universal terrestrial Mineral Balsam, and doth both as to inward and outward uses far exceed all other Balsams: And therefore ’tis in my mind to prepare this Balsam in great quantity, for the benefit of Mankind: The most notable Vertues thereof should I describe, the very description would amount to a particular Treatise, but that belongs not to this place, but it sufficeth me to have at this time explained the manner of the preparation. I may haply (if God please) more largely teach concerning its Vertues, another time, as likewise the Vertues of the rest of my Medicines.
And thus will I put an end to the Third Part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica, in which I have (in my opinion) mentioned sufficient enough; and although it be but a small Book to sight, yet do great things lie hidden under it, which one amongst a thousand will scarce comprehend. But that the well-minded Reader may understand, what reality there is lies hidden in this Treatise, I will here teach by way of an Appendix one Process onely, whereby it shall evidently appear how noble the Art of Purging things by distillation is. This operation is well enough known in the Vegetables and Animals, viz. that always from the thing you distill, the purer part comes over first, then the more vile part, but the unprofitable earthiness abides in the bottom with the fixed Salt. Now in Metals this Process is not so well known, nor will it be so soon made publick and common, nor indeed is it expedient, for this world is not worthy the knowledge thereof. But that I may satisfie my promise, and shew, that Metals may by distillation be made Spirits, and purged in the highest degree. I will make use of this following Example: ’Tis known to every one, that if any dry thing is to be distilled by the fire, some moisture must be mingled therewithall, which may attract to it self the gross and heavy part, as you may see in the common distillation of Herbs, to which Herbs (when dry) Water is added, with which their savour and vertue distilleth over: And to every dry thing there is requisite its proper humidity, which must of necessity have a Communion or Affinity with the dry, if it be to bring over the dry with it self. Now common Water is able to carry over (in distilling) the odour and savour of Herbs, yea and of Salts, but not of hard Sulphureous or Mercurial Minerals, much less of the fixed Metals. But forasmuch as Metals are Homogeneal, and cannot be purged by any force of Fire, nor separated from the impure part, unless they be dissolved by agreeable and convenient Menstruums, and be rendered apt by distillation, for always that which is brought into Flores doth (if reduced) yield such a Metallick body as it at first came from. Thence arose an opinion of an impossibility of separating the pure part from the impure. Indeed to the blockish and unskilfull all things seem impossible, and therefore from them is not to be lookt for any judging of good secrets.
But to return to my purpose, and shew that a Golden Essence may be distilled and separated out of the crude Metals by Distillations, I will make use of a common Example. Dissolve in a Common Aq. Fortis, made the usual way of Niter and Vitriol, one Ounce of pure Silver; which being wholly dissolved and reduced into pure Water, pour out the Solution gently into another Glass, that so if haply any Gold were mixt with your Silver it might stay behind, and not be dissolved, or mixed together, lest the Experiment prove fallacious. Then some common Salt is to be dissolved in common Water, the Salt to be in weight equal to your Silver; and this Water is to be added to the dissolved Silver, and to be so long poured out of one Glass into another untill it be well mixt, then let it settle, and let the pure Water be poured off, and a white Powder of the Silver will remain, which is again to be macerated with pure Water several times, untill the Calx of the Silver be freed from all Saltness and Corrosivity; Then dry it, and you shall have a white and tender Powder, and very fusile, so that it will melt even with the flame of a Candle, and is not unlike to a Mercury, but may well be called the Mercury of Lune, but the Chymists usually call it the horned Moon, for being molten it resembles the shape of an Horn, and with this may be wonderfull things effected both in Medicine and Alchymy; but belongs not to this place to speak of, and therefore are to be but just hinted. And like as we have spoken of Lune, so likewise must we proceed with Saturn; and he will also yield you a white Volatile and fusile Powder, as easily melting, yea easier than the Mercury of Silver, and is deservedly called the Mercury of Saturn. These two are willingly associated to a third, viz. to Common Mercury, and do fix him, and so is that Axiome of the Philosophers fulfilled, Nature rejoyceth with Nature, Nature overcomes Nature, Nature retains Nature. Farther, these Mercuries do admit of distillation and a separation of the pure part from the impure, no otherwise than as doth a Vegetable. But the way of doing this is not to be so hastily written, I spent a whole year in searching after it, till I found it, and so let another seek; and if God grants it him, he may enjoy it; And if God vouchsafeth him so much, he will also give him the knowledge how to use it: If the Mercury, which in it self is white, volatile and fusile, is rendered more white by distillation; ’tis also a necessary consequence that it will become likewise more volatile, more fusile, and more pure: but of this enough.
But to come yet nearer to the matter, and to shew that Metals may be so separated by distillation as to become golden, take this Example: Take two Ounces of the aforesaid horny Lune, and reduce it into Corporeal or pliable Silver, and separate it by a Cupel, for then thou art assured that no other thing is in it but Silver: Dissolve this Cupellated Silver again in common Aq. Fortis, and it will leave a good part of Golden Calx. Now it may be demanded, whence comes this Golden Calx? Comes it from the Silver, or the Aq. Fortis, or from the Salt-water, all which three were in use in the precipitation? I answer, that the Spirit of Niter brought over with it self, in the distillation, a certain Goldenishness from the Iron and Copper which were in the Vitriol, and that in the form of a Spirit, and assumed its Body from the Lune. Now if any other Body concludes it to be otherwise, viz. that the aforesaid Gold comes from the Lune onely, and not from the Aq. Fortis, I do but ask him this Query, Why the very same sort of Silver, being dissolved and precipitated out of the Aq. Fortis with Salt of Tartar, or by Copper Plates, be not equally as golden as this is which is precipitated with Salt-water? But some may yet urge farther, that this Gold proceeds onely from the Salt with which the Silver is precipitated, and not from the Aq. Fortis or Silver, because the Silver being dissolved in Aq. Fortis, and precipated with Brass Plates, or the Liquor of Salt of Tartar, yields no Gold; but that onely gives Gold which is precipitated with Salt-water. To answer this Objection, and clearly to demonstrate that this Gold owes its Original to them both, viz. the Tincture to the Aq. Fortis, but the Body to the Silver, and not to the common Salt, (for though there lies hidden in all common Salt a certain Golden power, which may be thence drawn by Art, yet that is not to be done this kind of way, but by another, which we mention in our Book called the Consolation of Sailours) I do certainly know, that this Gold proceeding from the precipitated Silver, doth arise from the Vitriol and Silver onely, and not from the Salt: And this may be clearly observed thus; If you add to the Vitriol and Niter a Verdigrease prepared with Sulphur and Salt, the Aq. Fortis will be twice more Golden than if ’twere made of onely Vitriol; the reason is this, because the Iron and the Copper are fixed in the Vitriol, and do not easily yield Gold; but if the Copper be first reduced with Salt and Sulphur into a Volatile Calx, and be added to the Vitriol and Niter, then is this kind of Labour done to profit, else not: This which I write is onely to demonstrate the possibility. And should you add to the Vitriol and Niter, or to Allum and Niter, other Species containing Volatile Gold, as Calaminaris, Zinck, and such like, the Water will be rendered so much the more Golden: But if you add to the Niter and Vitriol such Species as contain in them Volatile Silver, such as are Cobolt, Bismuth, Arsenick then the Aq. Fortis is rendered more Silvery, and makes part of the Copper in the Solution purely Silvery, like as the Goldenish water when ’tis in the Solution makes part of the Silver Golden. By which it is demonstrated, that crude Metals are depurated by distillation, and may be made Volatile, and that by that means of Solution, Corporal Gold and Silver may be precipitated out of the Metals, according as the Dissolvent is prepared out of Golden or Silvery Subjects.
This Example I account sufficient to evidence, that the crude Metals may be purged by Distillation so as to become golden. If then it be so with the crude and impure Metals, what then may be done with the pure ones if they be made by Distillation, yet more pure; without all question a most excellent medicine might be from thence prepared, and far to be preferred to Gold or Silver. This discourse do I here make use of to the intent that it may be seen, that even fixt metals being after a due manner opened and made volatile, are capable of sending out their best part, and of being separated by Distillation from the more crude part. But this Treatise appertains not to Alchymy but to Medicine, and yet I thought good to induce this argument, viz. (that out of crude Vitriol, may a volatile Gold be drawn by Distillation and be incorporated with Gold and Silver) to this end that all men might know of a certainty, how much good may be done in metals by Distillation, and what a pure substance may be thence drawn. Nor doth Basil Valentine that German Philosopher, doubt expresly to write that the Philosophers Stone is full as easie, yea easier to be prepared out of Vitriol than Gold. If therefore the highest universal medicine both for man and metals may be prepared out of common Vitriol, why may not the same be possible to be done out of the purer metals if they were reduced into Vitriol, and so as to admit of Distillation, whereby the pure may be separated from the impure.