We are to know, that the Common Mercury contains in it self an extraordinary fiery Spirit, which hinders it from being a Compact Metal, and keeps it in continual Flux like a Molten Metal, and makes it so difficult a work to fix it: Now if we can but extinguish this Fire in him, he’l be easily reducible to a Compact Metallick Body.
It is notorious, that always a greater Flame overcomes and swallows up the lesser; to extinguish therefore this Fire in Mercury, we cannot do better, than make use of a strong Fulmen, which Paracelsus hints with those words, Pulvis Adole Verbenas, as if he had said, Go Fulmen and burn the Wings of that Volatil Bird, that he may flie no more. But the Fulmen he there describes will not do it, a stronger must be made use of in that case. To this purpose I have made many trials in my Youth, but have found none better than the Fulmen of Jupiter, which takes as follows.
℞. Of Crude Mercury and fine Jupiter each j l. melt the Jupiter in a Crucible, and when it begins to cool, pour the Mercury upon it, and the heated Jupiter will take to it self the Mercury, and become an Amalgama, which Amalgama must with dry and purified Nitre be ground upon a Stone. This done ℞. of the strong Fluxing Powder abovesaid, the same quantity as the Amalgama and Nitre, and grind them well together, and then the Mixture is ready for kindling. But the Operation must be performed in the open Air, where the Wind may carry away the poisonous Fumes. The Mixture may be put into a strong Earthen Pot, and after Detonation, there will remain a Mass difficult to Flux, which being Cupell’d, and separated by Aq. Fort. affords a considerable quantity of Sol and Luna, abundantly recompensing the cost and labour of the Operation. After that the Mixture is kindled, the Matter must be often stirred with a red-hot Iron, to the end that no part may remain unkindled, but that the whole Mass may be red-hot throughout.
Another Fulmen to graduate Venus into Luna.
℞. Of the foresaid Fluxing Powder of Sulphur, Tartar and Nitre, and grind with it iv Ounces of Mercury of Luna, and lay the same weight of thin Plates of Venus SSS. with your foresaid Composition, kindle the Mass, and the proceeding Flames will graduate some part of the Venus into good and fix Luna with considerable profit, the Operation being rightly performed. With the same Fulmen, ♂ may be graduated into ☉, and forasmuch as it doth not melt, it’s better than Venus for this way of working; Needles are best for this purpose.
Another Rapid Fulmen changing Iron and Steel into Good Gold.
℞. Of the abovesaid Fluxing Powder, iv or v ʒ, mix with it j ʒ or half an Ounce of Aurum Fulminans precipitated from the Aqua Regia, not with Salt of Tartar, but with Salt of Urine; with this Fulmen and Steel Needles make SSS. in a Crucible. Let not the Needles be above j ℥ weight, else the Fulmen will not be able to graduate them wholly into Sol. This Process well managed affords a good increase of Sol. It is also no contemptible Curiosity to see Needles chang’d to Sol, their pristine form remaining. I took once 20 or 30 Needles, which I put with their points up to the midst in the said Fulmen, their upper halves remaining untouch’d by it, and after Fulmination took out the Needles, the lower part of which was pure Sol, the upper continuing Iron, which I distributed amongst my Friends and Lovers of Art for a remembrance. The same may be performed with Nails.
Now though in this Gradation of ♂ there be no very great Profit, yet neither is there any loss; and besides the Curiosity of it, is a convincing demonstration that ♂ without deposing any Terrestreity, may have it’s whole Body changed into Sol.
N. B. The remaining Fulmen may with a little Nitre be melted down to a Regulus, by which means the Sol is recover’d, and so we have our graduated Needles for nothing.
N. B. When we have a mind to make use of the Fulmen of ☉, we had best place the Crucible, in which the Fulmen and Mars is, in a large glased Earthen Vessel, and as soon as it is kindled cover the Crucible, that the Fulmen may not fly abroad, or if any does, it may stick to the sides of the Pot, which being wiped off with a Feather, may be reduced with the remaining Fulmen in the Crucible, that there may be no loss.