Some write, that Miriam the Prophetess, and Sister of Moses, knew the Art of elaborating the Tincture in three days, which seems incredible to many Skilful Writers. But what will envious Persons judge, when they shall hear, that GLAUBER, by a publick Writing, without any manner of Concealment, hath taught the Method of extracting a fixed Tincture out of ☉ and Antimony, fit to expel all desperate Diseases out of the humane Body; and this work to be compleated in one day? Undoubtedly they will exclaim and say: All are Lyes, and such things are impossible to be done. The ignorance and wickedness of these Men were much more tolerable, if, to their Calumnies, they should also add, Our ignorant Brains persuade amiss. For did they rightly know themselves they never would so basely condemn and reprove the Experience of Others. But what shall I write against such? Nothing, but the Old Proverb, Effeminate Men, Effeminate Words; according to the Verse,
Each Bird so sings, as formed is his Bill;
And such as is the Man, so speak he will.
Indeed I would willingly have published more Examples, of the Method of swiftly fixing Sulphur, but I am kept back by very weighty Reasons. Yet I cannot chuse, but Commemorate these few things thereabout; viz. that every 🜍, without the help of external Fire, by a Secret invisible Fire only, which is added to the combustible 🜍, and left with it for a small space of Time, in a cold place, becomes as white and fixed, sustaining all force of Fire, as well as that Fixation, which is made by Aqua Fortis, or his abstraction from the 🜍. Wherefore this cold Fixation of Sulphur, by our Secret cold, and humid Fire (because it needs no common Fire, no Body, and Head, no Retort with its Receiver, and the like) is to be preferred before the other Fixation by Aqua Fortis. Therefore for this, we give Immortal Praises and Thanks to the most wise GOD.
If any Reader thinks, I have been too brief, or too obscure in this Treatise, he may more amply satisfie his Desires from the two following Tracts, where we treat of the Mercury and Salt of Philosophers; whereunto we refer every one, that is a studious Inquisitor of Art.
OF THE
MERCURY of Philosophers.
Mercury may easily be extracted not only from all Metals and Minerals, but also from Animals, and Vegetable Subjects, and of the same (by the help of Gold) be prepared a true Tincture for all the three Kingdoms.
We, from the Consent of all true Philosophers, do certainly know, that ☿ is the most pure part of the three Principles of Metals, and therefore doth spontaneously adhere to most pure Metals, and always embraceth them with greater affection, than the impure Metals. As for Example, Mercury most willingly adheres to its own like ☿; next to ☉; then to ☽; afterwards to ♃, and ♄; and lastly to ♀; but to ♂ most unwillingly, only because it chooseth rather to mix it self with its like, than with its unlike. For it is wholly Homogeneal, void of all Heterogeneal parts; such also are ☉ and ☽. The greatest part of all other Metals is Heterogeneal, although there is found no imperfect Metal, which hath not in it self some part Homogeneal; yet so, as the Metal participates more of the one, than of the other; according to the Writings of Philosophers. Wherefore, a true Philosopher will scarcely affirm, that, by the benefit of the Tincture, the whole Body of imperfect Metals can be transmuted into ☉ or ☽, since so great Virtue is not insited, even in the Philosophers Stone it self. For the immature, foul, stinking, combustible and superfluous 🜍 of ♃, ♂ or ♀, cannot, in so short time, as Projection is wont to be made in, be converted into ☉, although you cast in more than enough of the Tincture: But as much as the Metal hath of Homogeneity, that is, of Mercury, in it self, so much only is tinged and fixed into Gold, the Residue not so. Because the Stone separates the Heterogeneal parts, that is, the superfluous 🜍 burning it self (in the form of Scoria) from the Mercury, which it only tingeth into Gold; because it hath no Communion with those Heterogeneities; as I have daily found, and in the following Part, where we treat of the Salt of Philosophers, I purpose to demonstrate more at large.
Now let us see the Method, by which Metallick ☿ may with little Labour be extracted, not only from