THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST: OR CHYMICO-PHYSICAL Doubts & Paradoxes, Touching the SPAGYRIST'S PRINCIPLES Commonly call'd HYPOSTATICAL, As they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of ALCHYMISTS.

Whereunto is praemis'd Part of another Discourse relating to the same Subject. BY The Honourable ROBERT BOYLE, Esq;

LONDON, Printed by J. Cadwell for J. Crooke, and are to be Sold at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard. MDCLXI. 1661

A PRAEFACE INTRODUCTORY To the following Treatise.

TO give the Reader an account, Why the following Treatise is suffer'd to pass abroad so maim'd, and im∣perfect, I must inform him that 'tis now long since, that to gratify an ingenious Gentleman, I set down some of the Reasons that kept me from fully acquiescing ei∣ther in the Peripatetical, or in the Chymical Doctrine, of the Material Principles of mixt Bodies. This Discourse some years after falling into the hands of some Learned men, had the good luck to be so favourably receiv'd, and ad∣vantageously spoken of by them, that having had more then ordinary Invitations given me to make it publick, I thought fit to review it, that I might retrench some things that seem'd not so fit to be shewn to every Reader, And substitute some of those other things that occurr'd to me of

the tryals and observations I had since made. What became of my papers, I elsewhere mention in a Preface where I complain of it: But since I writ That, I found many sheets that belong'd to the subjects I am now about to discourse of. Wherefore seeing that I had then in my hands as much of the first Dialogue as was requisite to state the Case, and serve for an Introduction as well to the conference betwixt Carneades and E∣leutherius, as to some other Dialogues, which for certain reasons are not now herewith publish'd, I resolv'd to supply, as well as I could, the Contents of a Paper belonging to the second of the follow∣ing Discourses, which I could not possibly re∣trive, though it were the chief of them all. And having once more try'd the Opinion of Friends, but not of the same, about this imperfect work, I found it such, that I was content in complyance with their Desires, that not only it should be pub∣lish'd, but that it should be publish'd as soon as conveniently might be. I had indeed all along the Dialogues spoken of my self, as of a third Per∣son; For, they containing Discourses which were among the first Treatises that I ventur'd long ago to write of matters Philosophical, I had reason to desire, with the Painter, to latere pone tabu∣lam, and hear what men would say of them, before I own'd my self to be their Author. But besides that now I find, 'tis not unknown to many who it is

that writ them, I am made to believe that 'tis not inexpedient, they should be known to come from a Person not altogether a stranger to Chymical Affairs. And I made the lesse scruple to let them come abroad uncompleated, partly, because my af∣fairs and Prae-ingagements to publish divers other Treatises allow'd me small hopes of being able in a great while to compleat these Dialogues. And partly, because I am not unapt to think, that they may come abroad seasonably enough, though not for the Authors reputation, yet for o∣ther purposes. For I observe, that of late Chy∣mistry begins, as indeed it deserves, to be culti∣vated by Learned Men who before despis'd it; and to be pretended to by many who never culti∣vated it, that they may be thought not to ignore it: Whence it is come to passe, that divers Chy∣mical Notions about Matters Philosophical are taken for granted and employ'd, and so adopted by very eminent Writers both Naturalists and Physitians. Now this I fear may prove some∣what prejudicial to the Advancement of solid Philosophy: For though I am a great Lover of Chymical Experiments, and though I have no mean esteem of divers Chymical Remedies, yet I distinguish these from their Notions about the causes of things, and their manner of Generation. And for ought I can hitherto discern, there are a thousand Phaenomena in Nature, besides a

Multitude of Accidents relating to the humane Body, which will scarcely be clearly & satisfacto∣rily made out by them that confine themselves to deduce things from Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, and the other Notions peculiar to the Chymists, without taking much more Notice than they are wont to do, of the Motions and Figures, of the small Parts of Matter, and the other more Ca∣tholick and Fruitful affections of Bodies. Where∣fore it will not perhaps be now unseasonable to let our Carneades warne Men, not to subscribe to the grand Doctrine of the Chymists touching their three Hypostatical Principles, till they have a little examin'd it, and consider'd, how they can clear it from his Objections, divers of which 'tis like they may never have thought on; since a Chymist scarce would, and none but a Chy∣mist could propose them. I hope also it will not be unacceptable to several Ingenious Persons, who are unwilling to determine of any important Controversie, without a previous consideration of what may be said on both sides, and yet have greater desires to understand Chymical Matters, than Opportunities of learning them, to find here together, besides several Experiments of my own purposely made to Illustrate the Doctrine of the Elements, divers others scarce to be met with, otherwise then Scatter'd among many Chy∣mical Books. And to Find these Asso∣ciated

Experiments so Deliver'd as that an Ordinary Reader, if he be but Acquainted with the usuall Chymical Termes, may ea∣sily enough Understand Them; and even a wary One may safely rely on Them. These Things I add, because a Person any Thing vers'd in the Writings of Chymists cannot but Discern by their obscure, ambiguous, and almost Aenigmatical Way of expressing what they pretend to Teach, that they have no Mind to be understood at all, but by the Sons of Art (as they call them) nor to be Understood even by these without Difficulty and Hazardous Tryalls. Insomuch that some of Them Scarce ever speak so candidly, as when they make use of that known Chymical Sentence; Ubi palam locuti sumus, ibi nihil diximus. And as the obscurity of what some Writers deliver makes it very difficult to be un∣derstood; so the Unfaithfulness of too many o∣thers makes it unfit to be reli'd on. For though unwillingly, Yet I must for the truths sake, and the Readers, warne him not to be forward to believe Chymical Experiments when they are set down only by way of Prescriptions, and not of Relations; that is, unless he that delivers them mentions his doing it upon his own particular knowledge, or upon the Relation of some credible person, avowing it upon his own experience. For I

am troubled, I must complain, that even Emi∣nent Writers, both Physitians and Philosophers, whom I can easily name, if it be requir'd, have of late suffer'd themselves to be so far impos'd upon, as to Publish and Build upon Chymical Experiments, which questionless they never try'd; for if they had, they would, as well as I, have found them not to be true. And indeed it were to be wish'd, that now that those begin to quote Chy∣mical Experiments that are not themselves Ac∣quainted with Chymical Operations, men would Leave off that Indefinite Way of Vouching the Chymists say this, or the Chymists affirme that, and would rather for each Experiment they alledge name the Author or Authors, upon whose credit they relate it; For, by this means they would secure themselves from the suspi∣tion of falshood (to which the other Practice Ex∣poses them) and they would Leave the Reader to Judge of what is fit for him to Believe of what is Deliver'd, whilst they employ not their own great names to Countenance doubtfull Relations; and they will also do Justice to the Inventors or Publishers of true Experiments, as well as up∣on the Obtruders of false ones. Whereas by that general Way of quoting the Chymists, the candid Writer is Defrauded of the particular Praise, and the Impostor escapes the Personal Disgrace that is due to him.


The remaining Part of this Praeface must be imploy'd in saying something for Carneades, and something for my Self.

And first, Carneades hopes that he will be thought to have disputed civilly and Modestly e∣nough for one that was to play the Antagonist and the Sceptick. And if he any where seem to sleight his Adversaries Tenents and Argu∣ments, he is willing to have it look'd upon as what he was induc'd to, not so much by his Opinion of them, as the Examples of Themi∣stius and Philoponus, and the custom of such kind of Disputes.

Next, In case that some of his Arguments shall not be thought of the most Cogent sort that may be, he hopes it will be consider'd that it ought not to be Expected, that they should be So. For, his Part being chiefly but to propose Doubts and Scruples, he does enough, if he shews that his Adversaries Arguments are not strongly Concluding, though his own be not so neither. And if there should appear any disagreement be∣twixt the things he delivers in divers passages, he hopes it will be consider'd, that it is not ne∣cessary that all the things a Sceptick Proposes, should be consonant; since it being his work to Suggest doubts against the Opinion he questions, it is allowable for him to propose two or more se∣verall Hypotheses about the same thing: And to

say that it may be accounted for this way, or that way, or the other Way, though these wayes be per∣haps inconsistent among Themselves. Because it is enough for him, if either of the proposed Hy∣potheses be but as probable as that he calls a que∣stion. And if he proposes many that are Each of them probable, he does the more satisfie his doubts, by making it appear the more difficult to be sure, that that which they alwayes differ from is the true. And our Garneades by holding the Nega∣tive, he has this Advantage, that if among all the Instances he brings to invalidate all the Vulgar Doctrine of those he Disputes with, any one be Ir∣refragable, that alone is sufficient to overthrow a Doctrine which Universally asserts what he op∣poses. For, it cannot be true, that all Bodies what∣soever that are reckon'd among the Perfectly mixt Ones, are Compounded of such a Determi∣nate Number of such or such Ingredients, in case any one such Body can be produc'd, that is not so compounded; and he hopes too, that Ac∣curateness will be the less expected from him, because his undertaking obliges him to maintain such Opinions in Chymistry, and that chiefly by Chymical Arguments, as are Contrary to the very Principles of the Chymists; From whose writings it is not Therefore like he should re∣ceive any intentionall Assistance, except from some Passages of the Bold and Ingenious Hel∣mont,

with whom he yet disagrees in many things (which reduce him to explicate Divers Chymical Phaenomena, according to other No∣tions;) And of whose Ratiocinations, not only some seem very Extravagant, but even the Rest are not wont to be as considerable as his Experi∣ments. And though it be True indeed, that some Aristotelians have occasionally written against the Chymical Doctrine he Oppugnes, yet since they have done it according to their Princi∣ples, And since our Carneades must as well op∣pose their Hypothesis as that of the Spagyrist, he was fain to fight his Adversaries with their own Weapons, Those of the Peripatetick being Im∣proper, if not hurtfull for a Person of his Te∣nents; besides that those Aristotelians, (at Least, those he met with,) that have written against the Chymists, seem to have had so little Experimental Knowledge in Chymical Matters, that by their frequent Mistakes and unskilfull Way of Oppugning, they have too of∣ten expos'd Themselves to the Derision of their Adversaries, for writing so Confidently against what they appear so little to understand.

And Lastly, Carneades hopes, he shall doe the Ingenious this Piece of service, that by ha∣ving Thus drawn the Chymists Doctrine out of their Dark and Smoakie Laboratories, and both brought it into the open light, and shewn the weak∣ness

of their Proofs, that have hitherto been wont to be brought for it, either Judicious Men shall henceforth be allowed calmly and after due infor∣mation to disbelieve it, or those abler Chymists, that are zealous for the reputation of it, will be oblig'd to speak plainer then hitherto has been done, and maintain it by better Experiments and Arguments then Those Carneades hath examin'd: so That he hopes, the Curious will one Way or other Derive either satisfaction or instruction from his endeavours. And as he is ready to make good the profession he makes in the close of his Discourse, he being ready to be better inform'd, so he expects either to be indeed inform'd, or to be let alone. For Though if any Truly knowing Chymists shall Think fit in a civil and rational way to shew him any truth touching the matter in Dispute That he yet dis∣cernes not, Carneades will not refuse either to admit, or to own a Conviction: yet if any imper∣tinent Person shall, either to get Himself a Name, or for what other end soever, wilfully or carelesly mistake the State of the Controversie,
* or the sence of his Arguments, or shall rail instead of arguing, as hath been done of Late in Print by divers Chymists; or lastly, shall write a∣gainst them in a canting way; I mean, shall ex∣press himself in ambiguous or obscure termes, or argue from experiments not intelligibly enough

Deliver'd, Carneades professes, That he values his time so much, as not to think the answering such Trifles worth the loss of it.

And now having said thus much for Carne∣ades, I hope the Reader will give me leave to say something too for my self.

And first, if some morose Readers shall find fault with my having made the Interlocutors up∣on occasion complement with one another, and that I have almost all along written these Dia∣logues in a stile more Fashionable then That of meer scholars is wont to be, I hope I shall be ex∣cus'd by them that shall consider, that to keep a due decorum in the Discourses, it was fit that in a book written by a Gentleman, and wherein only Gentlemen are introduc'd as speakers, the Lan∣guage should be more smooth, and the Expres∣sions more civil than is usual in the more Scho∣lastick way of writing. And indeed, I am not sorry to have this Opportunity of giving an ex∣ample how to manage even Disputes with Civi∣lity; whence perhaps some Readers will be as∣sisted to discern a Difference betwixt Bluntness of speech and Strength of reason, and find that a man may be a Champion for Truth, without be∣ing an Enemy to Civility; and may confute an O∣pinion without railing at Them that hold it; To whom he that desires to convince and not to pro∣voke them, must make some amends by his Ci∣vility

to their Persons, for his severity to their mis∣takes; and must say as little else as he can, to dis∣please them, when he says that they are in an error.

But perhaps other Readers will be less apt to find fault with the Civility of my Disputants, than the Chymists will be, upon the reading of some Pas∣sages of the following Dialogue, to accuse Carne∣ades of Asperity. But if I have made my Sceptick sometimes speak sleightingly of the Opinions he op∣poses, I hope it will not be found that I have done any more, than became the Part he was to act of an Opponent: Especially, if what I have made him say be compar'd with what the Prince of the Ro∣mane Orators himself makes both great Persons and Friends say of one anothers Opinions, in his excellent Dialogues, De Natura Deorum: And I shall scarce be suspected of Partiality, in the case, by them that take Notice that there is full as much (if not far more) liberty of sleighting their Adversaries Tenents to be met with in the Dis∣courses of those with whom Carneades disputes. Nor needed I make the Interlocutors speak other∣wise then freely in a Dialogue, wherein it was suf∣ficiently intimated, that I meant not to declare my own Opinion of the Arguments propos'd, much lesse of the whole Controversy it self otherwise than as it may by an attentive Reader be guess'd at by some Passages of Carneades: (I say, some Passages, because I make not all that he says, espe∣cially in the heat of Disputation, mine,) partly in this Discourse, and partly in some other Dialogues betwixt the same speakers (though they treat not immediately of the Elements) which have long

layn by me, and expect the Entertainment that these present Discourses will meet with. And in∣deed they will much mistake me, that shall con∣clude from what I now publish, that I am at Defy∣ance with Chymistry, or would make my Readers so. I hope the Specimina I have lately publish'd of an attempt to shew the usefulness of Chymical Ex∣periments to Contemplative Philosophers, will give those that shall read them other thoughts of me; & I had a design (but wanted opportunity) to publish with these Papers an Essay I have lying by me, the greater part of which is Apologetical for one sort of Chymists. And at least, as for those that know me, I hope the pain I have taken in the fire will both convince them, that I am far from being an Enemy to the Chymists Art, (though I am no friend to many that disgrace it by professing it,) and per∣swade them to believe me when I declare that I distinguish betwixt those Chymists that are either Cheats, or but Laborants, and the true Adepti; By whom, could I enjoy their Conversation, I would both willingly and thankfully be instructed; espe∣cially concerning the Nature and Generation of Metals: And possibly, those that know how little I have remitted of my former addictedness to make Chymical Experiments, will easily believe, that one of the chief Designes of this Sceptical Discourse was, not so much to discredit Chymistry, as to give an occasion and a kind of necessity to the more knowing Artists to lay aside a little of their over∣great Reservedness, & either explicate or prove the Chymical Theory better than ordinary Chymists have done, or by enriching us with some of their nobler se∣crets

to evince that Their art is able to make amends even for the deficiencies of their Theory: And thus much I shall here make bold to add, that we shall much undervalue Chymistry, if we ima∣gine, that it cannot teach us things farr more use∣ful, not only to Physick but to Philosophy, than those that are hitherto known to vulgar Chymists. And yet as for inferiour Spagyrists themselves, they have by their labours deserv'd so well of the Com∣mon-wealth of Learning, that methinks 'tis Pity they should ever misse the Truth which they have so industriously sought. And though I be no Ad∣mirer of the Theorical Part of their Art, yet my conjectures will much deceive me, if the Practi∣cal Part be not much more cultivated than hi∣therto it has been, and do not both employ Phi∣losophy and Philosophers, and help to make men such. Nor would I that have been diverted by other Studies as well as affairs, be thought to pre∣tend being a profound Spagyrist, by finding so many faults in the Doctrine wherein the Genera∣lity of Chymists scruples not to Acquiesce: For besides that 'tis most commonly far easier to frame Objections against any propos'd Hypothesis, than to propose an Hypothesis not lyable to Ob∣jections (besides this I say) 'tis no such great matter, if whereas Beginners in Chymistry are commonly at once imbu'd with the Theory and Operations of their profession, I who had the

good Fortune to Learn the Operations from il∣literate Persons, upon whose credit I was not Tempted to take up any opinion about them, should consider things with lesse prejudice, and con∣sequently with other Eyes than the Generality of Learners; And should be more dispos'd to accommodate the Phaenomena that occur'd to me to other Notions than to those of the Spagy∣rists. And having at first entertain'd a su∣spition That the Vulgar Principles were lesse General and comprehensive, or lesse considerate∣ly Deduc'd from Chymical Operations, than was believ'd; it was not uneasie for me both to Take notice of divers Phaenomena, over∣look'd by prepossest Persons, that seem'd not to suite so well with the Hermetical Doctrine; and to devise some Experiments likely to furnish me with Objections against it, not known to many, that having practis'd Chymistry longer perchance then I have yet liv'd, may have far more Experience, Than I, of particular pro∣cesses.

To conclude, whether the Notions I have propos'd, and the Experiments I have communi∣cated, be considerable, or not, I willingly leave others to Judge; and This only I shall say for my Self, That I have endeavour'd to deliver matters of Fact, so faithfully, that I may as well assist the lesse skilful Readers to examine the

Chymical Hypothesis, as provoke the Spagyrical Philosophers to illustrate it: which if they do, and that either the Chymical opinion, or the Pe∣ripatetick, or any other Theory of the Elements differing from that I am most inclin'd to, shall be intelligibly explicated, and duly prov'd to me; what I have hitherto discours'd will not hinder it from making a Proselyte of a Person that Loves Fluctuation of Judgment little enough to be willing to be eas'd of it by any thing but Er∣ror.

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PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Touching The experiments wont to be em∣ployed to evince either the IV Peripatetick Elements, or the III Chymical Principles of Mixt Bodies.

Part of the First Dialogue.
I Perceive that divers of my Friends have thought it very strange to hear me speak so irresolvedly, as I have been wont to do, concerning those things which some take to be the Ele∣ments, and others to be the Principles of all mixt Bodies. But I blush not to ac∣knowledge that I much lesse scruple to confess that I Doubt, when I do so, then
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to profess that I Know what I do not: And I should have much stronger Expe∣ctations then I dare yet entertain, to see Philosophy solidly establish't, if men would more carefully distinguish those things that they know, from those that they ignore or do but think, and then explicate clearly the things they conceive they understand, acknowledge ingenu∣ously what it is they ignore, and profess so candidly their Doubts, that the in∣dustry of intelligent persons might be set on work to make further enquiries, and the easiness of less discerning Men might not be impos'd on. But because a more particular accompt will probably be expected of my unsatisfyedness not only with the Peripatetick, but with the Chymical Doctrine of the Primitive In∣gredients of Bodies: It may possibly serve to satisfy others of the excusableness of my disatisfaction to peruse the ensu∣ing Relation of what passed a while since at a meeting of persons of several opinions, in a place that need not here be named; where the subject whereof we have been speaking, was amply and variously discours'd of.

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It was on one of the fairest dayes of this Summer that the inquisitive Eleuthe∣rius came to invite me to make a visit with him to his friend Carneades. I readi∣ly consented to this motion, telling him that if he would but permit me to go first and make an excuse at a place not far off, where I had at that hour ap∣pointed to meet, but not about a busi∣ness either of moment, or that could not well admit of a delay, I would presently wait on him, because of my knowing Carneades to be so conversant with nature and with Furnaces, and so unconfin'd to vulgar Opinions, that he would proba∣bly by some ingenious Paradox or other, give our mindes at least a pleasing Exer∣cise, and perhaps enrich them with some solid instruction. Eleutherius then first go∣ing with me to the place where my A∣pology was to be made, I accompanied him to the lodging of Carneades, where when we were come, we were told by the Servants, that he was retired with a cou∣ple of Friends (whose names they also told us) to one of the Arbours in his Garden, to enjoy under its coole shades a delightful protection from the yet troublesome heat of the Sun.

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Eleutherius being perfectly acquainted with that Garden immediately led me to the Arbour, and relying on the in∣timate familiarity that had been long cherish'd betwixt him and Carneades; in spight of my Reluctancy to what might look like an intrusion upon his privacy, drawing me by the hand, he abruptly entered the Arbour, where we found Carneades, Philoponus, and Themistius, sit∣ting close about a little round Table, on which besides paper, pen, and inke, there lay two or three open Books; Carneades appeared not at all trou∣bled at this surprise, but rising from the Table, received his Friend with open looks and armes, and welcom∣ing me also with his wonted freedom and civility, invited us to rest our selves by him, which, as soon as we had ex∣changed with his two Friends (who were ours also) the civilities accustom∣ed on such occasions, we did. And he presently after we had seated our selves, shutting the Books that lay open, and turning to us with a smiling counte∣nance seemed ready to begin some such unconcerning discourse as is wont to pass or rather waste the time in promiscuous companies.

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But Eleutherius guessing at what he meant to do, prevented him by telling him, I perceive Carneades by the books that you have been now shutting, and much more by the posture wherein I found Persons qualifi'd to discourse of serious matters, and so accustom'd to do it, that you three were before our coming, engag'd in some Philosophical conference, which I hope you will ei∣ther prosecute, and allow us to be par∣takers of, in recompence of the free∣dome we have us'd in presuming to sur∣prise you, or else give us leave to repair the injury we should otherwise do you, by leaving you to the freedom we have interrupted, and punishing our selves for our boldness by depriving our selves of the happiness of your com∣pany. With these last words he and I rose up, as if we meant to be gone, But Carneades suddenly laying hold on his arme, and stopping him by it, smile∣ingly told him, We are not so forward to lose good company as you seem to imagine; especially since you are pleas'd to desire to be present at what we shall say, about such a Subject as that You found us considering. For that, being
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the number of the Elements, Princi∣ples, or Materiall Ingredients of Bo∣dies, is an enquiry whose truth is of that Importance, and of that Difficulty, that it may as well deserve as require to be searched into by such skilfull Indaga∣tors of Nature as your selves. And therefore we sent to invite the bold and acute Leucippus to lend us some light by his Atomical Paradox, upon which we expected such pregnant hints, that 'twas not without a great deal of trouble that we had lately word brought us that he was not to be found; and we had likewise begg'd the Assistance of your presence and thoughts, had not the messenger we employ'd to Leucippus inform'd us, that as he was going, he saw you both pass by towards another part of the Town; And this frustrated expectation of Leucippus his company, who told me but last night that he would be ready to give me a meeting where I pleas'd to day, having very long suspended our conference about the freshly mention'd Subject, it was so newly begun when you came in, that we shall scarce need to repeat any thing to acquaint you with what has pass'd betwixt us before
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your arrival, so that I cannot but look upon it as a fortunate Accident that you should come so seasonably, to be not hearers alone, but we hope Interlocu∣tors at our conference. For we shall not only allow of your presence at it, but desire your Assistance in it; which I adde both for other reasons, and be∣cause though these learned Gentlemen (sayes he, turning to his two friends) need not fear to discourse before any Auditory, provided it be intelligent e∣nough to understand them, yet for my part (continues he with a new smile,) I shall not dare to vent my unpremedita∣ted thoughts before two such Criticks, unless by promising to take your turnes of speaking, You will allow me mine of quarrelling, with what has been said. He and his friends added divers things to convince us that they were both de∣sirous that we should hear them, and resolved against our doing so, unless we allowed them sometimes to hear us. Elutherius after having a while fruit∣lesly endeavoured to obtain leave to be silent promis'd he would not be so al∣wayes, provided that he were permit∣ted according to the freedom of his
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Genious and Principles to side with one of them in the managing of one Ar∣gument, and, if he saw cause, with his Antagonist, in the Prosecution of ano∣ther, without being confin'd to stick to any one party or Opinion, which was after some debate accorded him. But I conscious to my own Disability's told them resolutely that I was as much more willing as more fit to be a hear∣er then a speaker, among such knowing Persons, and on so abstruse a Subject. And that therefore I beseeched them without necessitating me to proclaim my weaknesses, to allow me to lessen them by being a silent Auditor of their Discourses: to suffer me to be at which I could present them no motive, save that their instructions would make them in me a more intelligent Admirer. I added, that I desir'd not to be idle whilst they were imploy'd, but would if they pleas'd, by writing down in short hand what should be delivered, pre∣serve Discourses that I knew would merit to be lasting. At first Carneades and his two friends utterly rejected this motion; and all that my Resolute∣ness to make use of my ears, not
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tongue, at their debates, could do, was to make them acquiesce in the Pro∣position of Eleutherius, who thinking himself concern'd, because he brought me thither, to afford me some faint assistance, was content that I should register their Arguments, that I might be the better able after the conclusion of their conference to give them my sence upon the Subject of it, (The number of Elements or Principles:) which he promis'd I should do at the end of the present Debates, if time would permit, or else at our next meeting. And this being by him un∣dertaken in my name, though without my consent, the company would by no means receive my Protestation against it, but casting, all at once, their eyes on Carneades, they did by that and their u∣nanimous silence, invite him to begin; which (after a short pause, during which he turn'd himself to Eleutherius and me) he did in this manner.

Notwithstanding the subtile reaso∣nings I have met with in the books of the Peripateticks, and the pretty expe∣riments that have been shew'd me in the Laboratories of Chymists, I am of so
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diffident, or dull a Nature, as to think that if neither of them can bring more cogent arguments to evince the truth of their assertion then are wont to be brought; a Man may rationally enough retain some doubts concerning the very number of those materiall Ingredients of mixt bodies, which some would have us call Elements, and others principles. Indeed when I considered that the Te∣nents concerning the Elements are as considerable amongst the Doctrines of natural Philosophy as the Elements themselves are among the bodies of the Universe, I expected to find those O∣pinions solidly establish'd, upon which so many others are superstructed. But when I took the pains impartially to ex∣amine the bodies themselves that are said to result from the blended Ele∣ments, and to torture them into a con∣fession of their constituent Principles, I was quickly induc'd to think that the number of the Elements has been con∣tended about by Philosophers with more earnestness then success. This un∣satisfiedness of mine has been much wonder'd at, by these two Gentlemen (at which words he pointed at Themisti∣us
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and Philoponus) who though they differ almost as much betwixt them∣selves about the question we are to con∣sider, as I do from either of them, yet they both agree very well in this, that there is a determinate number of such ingredients as I was just now speaking of, and that what that number is, I say not, may be (for what may not such as they perswade?) but is wont to be clearly enough demonstrated both by Reason and Experience. This has oc∣casion'd our present Conference. For our Discourse this afternoon, having fallen from one subject to another, and at length setl'd on this, they proffer'd to demonstrate to me, each of them the truth of his opinion, out of both the Topicks that I have freshly nam'd. But on the former (that of Reason strictly so taken) we declin'd insisting at the present, lest we should not have time enough before supper to go thorough the Reasons and Experiments too. The latter of which we unanimously thought the most requisite to be seriously ex∣amin'd. I must desire you then to take notice Gentlemen (continued Carne∣ades) that my present business doth not
Page 12
oblige me so to declare my own opini∣on on the Subject in question, as to as∣sert or deny the truth either of the Pe∣ripatetick, or the Chymical Doctrine concerning the number of the Elements, but only to shew you that neither of these Doctrines hath been satisfactorily proved by the arguments commonly alledged on its behalfe. So that if I really discern (as perhaps I think I do) that there may be a more rational ac∣count then ordinary, given of one of these opinions, I am left free to declare my self of it, notwithstanding my present engagement, it being obvious to all your observation, that a solid truth may be generally maintained by no other, then incompetent Arguments. And to this Declaration I hope it will be need∣less to add, that my task obliges me not to answer the Arguments that may be drawn either for Themistius or Philopo∣nus's Opinion from the Topick of reason, as opposed to experiments; since 'tis these only that I am to examine and not all these neither, but such of them alone as either of them shall think fit to insist on, and as have hitherto been wont to be brought either to prove that 'tis
Page 13
the four Peripatetick Elements, or that 'tis the three Chymical Principles that all compounded bodies consist of. These things (adds Carneades) I thought my self obliged to premise, partly lest you should do these Gentlemen (pointing at Themistius and Philoponus, and smiling on them) the injury of measuring their parts by the arguments they are ready to propose, the lawes of our Conference confining them to make use of those that the vulgar of Philosophers (for even of them there is a vulgar) has drawn up to their hands; and partly, that you should not condemn me of presumption for dis∣puting against persons over whom I can hope for no advantage, that I must not derive from the nature, or rules of our controversy, wherein I have but a nega∣tive to defend, and wherein too I am like on several occasions to have the As∣sistance of one of my disagreeing adver∣saries against the other.

Philoponus and Themistius soon return∣ed this complement with civilities of the like nature, in which Eleutherius perceiv∣ing them engaged, to prevent the fur∣ther loss of that time of which they were not like to have very much to spare, he
Page 14
minded them that their present businesse was not to exchange complements, but Arguments: and then addressing his speech to Carneades, I esteem it no small happinesse (saies he) that I am come here so luckily this Evening. For I have been long disquieted with Doubts con∣cerning this very subject which you are now ready to debate. And since a Question of this importance is to be now discussed by persons that maintain such variety of opinions concerning it, and are both so able to enquire after truth, and so ready to embrace it by whomsoever and on what occasion soever it is present∣ed them; I cannot but promise my self that I shall before we part either lose my Doubts or the hopes of ever finding them resolved: Eleutherius paused not here; but to prevent their answer, added almost in the same breath; and I am not a little pleased to find that you are resolved on this occasion to insist rather on Experiments then Syllogismes. For I, and no doubt You, have long obser∣ved, that those Dialectical subtleties, that the Schoolmen too often employ a∣bout Physiological Mysteries, are wont much more to declare the wit of him
Page 15
that uses them, then increase the know∣ledge or remove the doubts of sober lo∣vers of truth. And such captious sub∣tleties do indeed often puzzle and some∣times silence men, but rarely satisfy them. Being like the tricks of Jugglers, where∣by men doubt not but they are cheated, though oftentimes they cannot declare by what slights they are imposed on. And therefore I think you have done very wisely to make it your businesse to consider the Phaenomena relating to the present Question, which have been af∣forded by experiments, especially since it might seem injurious to our senses, by whose mediation we acquire so much of the knowledge we have of things corpo∣ral, to have recourse to far-fetched and abstracted Ratiocination, to know what are the sensible ingredients of those sen∣sible things that we daily see and han∣dle, and are supposed to have the liberty to untwist (if I may so speak) into the primitive bodies they consist of. He an∣nexed that he wished therefore they would no longer delay his expected sa∣tisfaction, if they had not, as he feared they had, forgotten something prepara∣tory to their debate; and that was to
Page 16
lay down what should be all along un∣derstood by the word Principle or Ele∣ment. Carneades thank'd him for his ad∣monition, but told him that they had not been unmindful of so requisite a thing. But that being Gentlemen and very far from the litigious humour of loving to wrangle about words or terms or notions as empty; they had before his coming in, readily agreed promiscuously to use when they pleased, Elements and Princi∣ples as terms equivalent: and to under∣stand both by the one and the other, those primitive and simple Bodies of which the mixt ones are said to be com∣posed, and into which they are ultimate∣ly resolved. And upon the same ac∣count (he added) we agreed to discourse of the opinions to be debated, as we have found them maintained by the Ge∣nerality of the assertors of the four Ele∣ments of the one party, and of those that receive the three Principles on the other, without tying our selves to enquire scru∣pulously what notion either Aristotle or Paracelsus, or this or that Interpreter, or follower of either of those great persons, framed of Elements or Principles; our design being to examine, not what these
Page 17
or those writers thought or taught, but what we find to be the obvious and most general opinion of those, who are willing to be accounted Favourers of the Peripatetick or Chymical Doctrine, con∣cerning this subject.

I see not (saies Eleutherius) why you might not immediately begin to argue, if you were but agreed which of your two friendly Adversaries shall be first heard. And it being quickly resolv'd on that Themistius should first propose the Proofs for his Opinion, because it was the antienter, and the more ge∣neral, he made not the company ex∣pect long before he thus addressed him∣self to Eleutherius, as to the Person least interessed in the dispute.

If you have taken sufficient notice of the late Confession which was made by Carneades, and which (though his Civi∣lity dressed it up in complementall Ex∣pressions) was exacted of him by his Justice, I suppose You will be easily made sensible, that I engage in this Con∣troversie with great and peculiar Dis∣advantages, besides those which his Parts and my Personal Disabilities would bring to any other cause to be
Page 18
maintained by me against him. For he justly apprehending the force of truth, though speaking by no better a tongue then mine, has made it the chief con∣dition of our Duell, that I should lay a∣side the best Weapons I have, and those I can best handle; Whereas if I were allowed the freedom, in pleading for the four Elements, to employ the Arguments suggested to me by Reason to demonstrare them, I should almost as little doubt of making You a Pro∣selyte to those unsever'd Teachers, Truth and Aristotle, as I do of your Candour and your Judgment. And I hope you will however consider, that that great Favorite and Interpreter of Nature, Aristotle, who was (as his Organum witnesses) the greatest Master of Lo∣gick that ever liv'd, disclaim'd the course taken by other petty Philoso∣phers (Antient and Modern) who not attending the Coherence and Conse∣quences of their Opinions, are more sollicitous to make each particular O∣pinion plausible independently upon the the rest, then to frame them all so, as not only to be consistent together, but to support each other. For that great
Page 19
Man in his vast and comprehensive In∣tellect, so fram'd each of his Notions, that being curiously adapted into one Systeme, they need not each of them any other defence then that which their mutuall Coherence gives them: As 'tis in an Arch, where each single stone, which if sever'd from the rest would be perhaps defenceless, is sufficiently secur'd by the solidity and entireness of the whole Fabrick of which it is a part. How justly this may be apply'd to the present case, I could easily shew You, if I were permitted to declare to You, how harmonious Aristotles Do∣ctrine of the Elements is with his o∣ther Principles of Philosophy; and how rationally he has deduc'd their number from that of the combinations of the four first Qualities from the kinds of simple Motion belonging to simple bo∣dies, and from I know not how many other Principles and Phaenomena of Nature, which so conspire with his Doctrine of the Elements, that they mutually strengthen and support each other. But since 'tis forbidden me to insist on Reflections of this kind, I must proceed to tell You, that though the
Page 20
Assertors of the four Elements value Reason so highly, and are furnish'd with Arguments enough drawn from thence, to be satisfi'd that there must be four Elements, though no Man had ever yet made any sensible tryal to discover their Number, yet they are not desti∣tute of Experience to satisfie others that are wont to be more sway'd by their senses then their Reason. And I shall proceed to consider the testi∣mony of Experience, when I shall have first advertis'd You, that if Men were as perfectly rational as 'tis to be wish'd they were, this sensible way of Probation would be as needless as 'tis wont to be imperfect. For it is much more high and Philosophical to disco∣ver things a priore, then a posteriore. And therefore the Peripateticks have not been very sollicitous to gather Ex∣periments to prove their Doctrines, contenting themselves with a few only, to satisfie those that are not capable of a Nobler Conviction. And indeed they employ Experiments rather to il∣lustrate then to demonstrate their Do∣ctrines, as Astronomers use Sphaeres of pastboard, to descend to the capaci∣ties
Page 21
of such as must be taught by their senses, for want of being arriv'd to a clear apprehension of purely Mathe∣matical Notions and Truths. I speak thus Eleutherius (adds Themistius) on∣ly to do right to Reason, and not out of Diffidence of the Experimental proof I am to alledge. For though I shall name but one, yet it is such a one as will make all other appear as need∣less as it self will be found Satisfactory. For if You but consider a piece of green-Wood burning in a Chimney, You will readily discern in the disbanded parts of it the four Elements, of which we teach It and other mixt bodies to be compos'd. The fire discovers it self in the flame by its own light; the smoke by ascending to the top of the chimney, and there readily vanishing into air, like a River losing it self in the Sea, suffici∣ently manifests to what Element it belongs and gladly returnes. The wa∣ter in its own form boyling and hissing at the ends of the burning Wood be∣trayes it self to more then one of our senses; and the ashes by their weight, their firiness, and their dryness, put it past doubt that they belong to the Element
Page 22
of Earth. If I spoke (continues The∣mistius) to less knowing Persons, I would perhaps make some Excuse for building upon such an obvious and easie Analysis, but 'twould be, I fear, injurious, not to think such an Apology needless to You, who are too judicious either to think it necessary that Experiments to prove obvious truths should be farr fetch'd, or to wonder that among so ma∣ny mixt Bodies that are compounded of the four Elements, some of them should upon a slight Analysis manifest∣ly exhibite the Ingredients they consist of. Especially since it is very agreeable to the Goodness of Nature, to disclose, even in some of the most obvious Expe∣riments that Men make, a Truth so important, and so requisite to be taken notice of by them. Besides that our A∣nalysis by how much the more obvious we make it, by so much the more suit∣table it will be to the Nature of that Doctrine which 'tis alledged to prove, which being as clear and intelligible to the Understanding as obvious to the sense, tis no marvail the learned part of Mankind should so long and so ge∣nerally imbrace it. For this Doctrine
Page 23
is very different from the whimseys of Chymists and other Modern Innovators, of whose Hypotheses we may observe, as Naturalists do of less perfect Ani∣mals, that as they are hastily form'd, so they are commonly short liv'd. For so these, as they are often fram'd in one week, are perhaps thought fit to be laughed at the next; and being built perchance but upon two or three Expe∣riments are destroyed by a third or fourth, whereas the doctrine of the four Elements was fram'd by Aristotle after he had leasurely considered those Theories of former Philosophers, which are now with great applause revived, as discovered by these latter ages; And had so judiciously detected and supplyed the Errors and defects of former Hypo∣theses concerning the Elements, that his Doctrine of them has been ever since deservedly embraced by the letter'd part of Mankind: All the Philosophers that preceded him having in their seve∣ral ages contributed to the compleatness of this Doctrine, as those of succeed∣ing times have acquiesc'd in it. Nor has an Hypothesis so deliberately and ma∣turely established been called in Questi∣on
Page 24
till in the last Century Paracelfus and some few other sooty Empiricks, rather then (as they are fain to call them∣selves) Philosophers, having their eyes darken'd, and their Brains troubl'd with the smoke of their own Furnaces, began to rail at the Peripatetick Do∣ctrine, which they were too illiterate to understand, and to tell the credulous World, that they could see but three In∣gredients in mixt Bodies; which to gain themselves the repute of Inventors, they endeavoured to disguise by calling them, instead of Earth, and Fire, and Vapour, Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury; to which they gave the canting title of Hypostatical Principles: but when they came to des∣cribe them, they shewed how little they understood what they meant by them, by disagreeing as much from one ano∣ther, as from the truth they agreed in op∣posing: For they deliver their Hypothe∣ses as darkly as their Processes; and 'tis almost as impossible for any sober Man to find their meaning, as 'tis for them to find their Elixir. And indeed no∣thing has spread their Philosophy, but their great Brags and undertakings; not∣withstanding all which, (sayes Themisti∣us
Page 25
smiling) I scarce know any thing they have performed worth wondering at, save that they have been able to draw Philoponus to their Party, and to engage him to the Defence of an unin∣telligible Hypothesis, who knowes so well as he does, that Principles ought to be like Diamonds, as well very clear, as per∣fectly solid.

Themistius having after these last words declared by his silence, that he had finished his Discourse, Carneades addres∣sing himself, as his Adversary had done, to Eleutherius, returned this Answer to it. I hop'd for Demonstration, but I perceive Themistius hopes to put me off with a Harangue, wherein he cannot have given me a greater Opinion of his Parts, then he has given me Distrust for his Hy∣pothesis, since for it even a Man of such Learning can bring no better Argu∣ments. The Rhetorical part of his Dis∣course, though it make not the least part of it, I shall say nothing to, design∣ing to examine only the Argumentative part, and leaving it to Philoponus to an∣swer those passages wherein either Pa∣racelsus or Chymists are concern'd: I shall observe to You, that in what he has said
Page 26
besides, he makes it his Business to do these two things. The one to propose and make out an Experiment to de∣monstrate the common Opinion about the four Elements; And the other, to insinuate divers things which he thinks may repair the weakness of his Argu∣ment, from Experience, and upon other Accounts bring some credit to the o∣therwise defenceless Doctrine he main∣tains.

To begin then with his Experiment of the burning Wood, it seems to me to be obnoxious to not a few considerable Exceptions.

And first, if I would now deal rigidly with my Adversary, I might here make a great Question of the very way of Probation which he and others employ, without the least scruple, to evince, that the Bodies commonly call'd mixt, are made up of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, which they are pleas'd also to call Elements; namely that upon the sup∣pos'd Analysis made by the fire, of the former sort of Concretes, there are wont to emerge Bodies resembling those which they take for the Elements. For not to Anticipate here what I foresee I
Page 27
shall have occasion to insist on, when I come to discourse with Philoponus con∣cerning the right that fire has to pass for the proper and Universal Instru∣ment of Analysing mixt Bodies, not to Anticipate that, I say, if I were dis∣pos'd to wrangle, I might alledge, that by Themistius his Experiment it would appear rather that those he calls Ele∣ments, are made of those he calls mixt Bodies, then mix'd Bodies of the Ele∣ments. For in Themistius's Analyz'd Wood, and in other Bodies dissipated and alter'd by the fire, it appears, and he confesses, that which he takes for E∣lementary Fire and Water, are made out of the Concrete; but it appears not that the Concrete was made up of Fire and Water. Nor has either He, or any Man, for ought I know, of his perswasi∣on, yet prov'd that nothing can be ob∣tained from a Body by the fire that was not Pre-existent in it.

At this unexpected objection, not only Themistius, but the rest of the company appear'd not a little surpriz'd; but after a while Philoponus conceiving his opini∣on, as well as that of Aristotle, concern'd in that Objection, You cannot sure
Page 28
(sayes he to Carneades) propose this Difficulty, not to call it Cavill, other∣wise then as an Exercise of wit, and not as laying any weight upon it. For how can that be separated from a thing that was not existent in it. When, for in∣stance, a Refiner mingles Gold and Lead, and exposing this Mixture upon a Cuppell to the violence of the fire, there∣by separates it into pure and resulgent Gold and Lead (which driven off toge∣ther with the Dross of the Gold is thence call'd Lithargyrium Auri) can any man doubt that sees these two so differing sub∣stances separated from the Mass, that they were existent in it before it was committed to the fire.

I should (replies Carneades) allow your Argument to prove something, if, as Men see the Refiners commonly take before hand both Lead and Gold to make the Mass you speak of, so we did see Nature pull down a parcell of the Element of Fire, that is fancy'd to be plac'd I know not how many thousand Leagues off, con∣tiguous to the Orb of the Moon, and to blend it with a quantity of each of the three other Elements, to compose every mixt Body, upon whose Resolution the
Page 29
Fire presents us with Fire, and Earth, and the rest. And let me add, Philopo∣nus, that to make your Reasoning co∣gent, it must be first prov'd, that the fire do's only take the Elementary Ingredi∣ents asunder, without otherwise alter∣ing them. For else 'tis obvious, that Bo∣dies may afford substances which were not pre-existent in them; as Flesh too long kept produces Magots, and old Cheese Mites, which I suppose you will not affirm to be Ingredients of those Bo∣dies. Now that fire do's not alwayes barely separate the Elementary parts, but sometimes at least alter also the In∣gredients of Bodies, if I did not expect ere long a better occasion to prove it, I might make probable out of your very Instance, wherein there is nothing Ele∣mentary separated by the great violence of the Refiners fire: the Gold and Lead which are the two Ingredients separa∣ted upon the Analysis being confessedly yet perfectly mixt Bodies, and the Li∣tharge being Lead indeed; but such Lead as is differing in consistence and other Qualities from what it was before. To which I must add that I have some∣times seen, and so questionlesse have you
Page 30
much oftener, some parcells of Glasse adhering to the Test or Cuppel, and this Glass though Emergent as well as the Gold or Litharge upon your Analysis, you will not I hope allow to have been a third Ingredient of the Mass out of which the fire produc'd it.

Both Philoponus and Themistius were a∣bout to reply, when Eleutherius appre∣hending that the Prosecution of this Dispute would take up time, which might be better employ d, thought fit to prevent them by saying to Carneades: You made at least half a Promise, when you first propos'd this Objection, that you would not (now at least) insist on it, nor indeed does it seem to be of ab∣solute necessity to your cause, that you should. For though you should grant that there are Elements, it would not follow that there must be precisely four. And therefore I hope you will proceed to acquaint us with your other and more considerable Objections against The∣mistius's Opinion, especially since there is so great a Disproportion in Bulke be∣twixt the Earth, Water and Air, on the one part, and those little parcells of re∣sembling substances, that the fire sepa∣rates
Page 31
from Concretes on the other part, that I can scarce think that you are seri∣ous, when to lose no advantage against your Adversary, you seem to deny it to be rational, to conclude these great sim∣ple Bodies to be the Elements, and not the Products of compounded ones.

What you alledge (replies Carne∣ades) of the Vastness of the Earth and Water, has long since made me will∣ing to allow them to be the greatest and chief Masses of Matter to be met with here below: But I think I could shew You, if You would give me leave, that this will prove only that the Elements, as You call them, are the chief Bodies that make up the neighbouring part of the World, but not that they are such In∣gredients as every mixt Body must con∣sist of. But since You challenge me of something of a Promise, though it be not an entire one, Yet I shall willingly perform it. And indeed I intended not when I first mention'd this Objecti∣on, to insist on it at present against Themistius, (as I plainly intimated in my way of proposing it:) be∣ing only desirous to let you see, that though I discern'd my Advantages, yet
Page 32
I was willing to forego some of them; rather then appear a rigid Adversary of a Cause so weak, that it may with safe∣ty be favourably dealt with. But I must here profess, and desire You to take Notice of it, that though I pass on to another Argument, it is not be∣cause I think this first invalid. For You will find in the Progress of our Dis∣pute, that I had some reason to questi∣on the very way of Probation imploy'd both by Peripateticks and Chymists, to evince the being and number of the Elements. For that there are such, and that they are wont to be separated by the Analysis made by Fire, is indeed ta∣ken for granted by both Parties, but has not (for ought I know) been so much as plausibly attempted to be proved by either. Hoping then that when we come to that part of our De∣bate, wherein Considerations relating to this Matter are to be treated of, you will remember what I have now said, and that I do rather for a while suppose, then absolutely grant the truth of what I have question'd, I will proceed to a∣nother Objection.

And hereupon Eleutherius having
Page 33
mis'd him not to be unmindfull, when time should serve, of what he had de∣clar'd.

I consider then (sayes Carneades) in the next place, that there are divers Bodies out of which Themistius will not prove in haste, that there can be so ma∣ny Elements as four extracted by the Fire. And I should perchance trouble him if I should ask him what Peripate∣tick can shew us, (I say not, all the four Elements, for that would be too rigid a Question, but) any one of them ex∣tracted out of Gold by any degree of Fire whatsoever. Nor is Gold the on∣ly Bodie in Nature that would puzzle an Aristotelian, that is no more to ana∣lyze by the Fire into Elementary Bodies, since, for ought I have yet observ'd, both Silver and calcin'd Venetian Talck, and some other Concretes, not necessary here to be nam'd, are so fixt, that to reduce any of them into four Heteroge∣neous Substances has hitherto prov'd a Task much too hard, not only for the Disciples of Aristotle, but those of Vul∣can, at least, whilst the latter have em∣ploy'd only Fire to make the Analysis.

The next Argument (continues Car∣neades)
Page 34
that I shall urge against Themistius's Opinion shall be this, That as there are divers Bodies whose Analysts by Fire cannot reduce them into so ma∣ny Heterogeneous Substances or Ingre∣gredients as four, so there are others which may be reduc'd into more, as the Blood (and divers other parts) of Men and other Animals, which yield when analyz'd five distinct Substances, Phlegme, Spirit, Oyle, Salt and Earth, as Experience has shewn us in distilling Mans Blood, Harts-Horns, and divers other Bodies that belonging to the Ani∣mal-Kingdom abound with not uneasily sequestrable Salt.


THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST: OR CHYMICO-PHYSICAL Doubts & Paradoxes, Touching the EXPERIMENTS WHEREBY VULGAR SPAGYRISTS Are wont to Endeavour to Evince their SALT, SULPHUR AND MERCURY, TO BE The True Principles of Things.

Utinam jam tenerentur omnia, & inoperta ac confessa Veritas esset! Nihil ex Decretis mutaremus. Nunc Veritatem cum eis qui docent, quaerimus. Sen.

LONDON, Printed for J. Crooke, and are to be sold at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-Yard. 1661.


Page 35
THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST. The First Part.
I Am (sayes Carneades) so unwilling to deny Eleutherius any thing, that though, before the rest of the Company I am resolv'd to make good the part I have undertaken of a Sceptick; yet I shall readily, since you will have it so, lay aside for a while the Person of an Adversary to the Peripateticks and Chy∣mists; and before I acquaint you with my Objections against their Opinions, acknowledge to you what may be (whe∣ther truly or not) tollerably enough added, in favour of a certain number of Principles of mixt Bodies, to that grand and known Argument from the Analysis
Page 36
of compound Bodies, which I may pos∣sibly hereafter be able to confute.

And that you may the more easily Examine, and the better Judge of what I have to say, I shall cast it into a pret∣ty number of distinct Propositions, to which I shall not premise any thing; because I take it for granted, that you need not be advertis'd, that much of what I am to deliver, whether for or against a determinate number of Ingre∣dients of mix'd Bodies, may be indif∣ferently apply'd to the four Peripatetick Elements, and the three Chymical Prin∣ciples, though divers of my Objections will more peculiarly belong to these last nam'd, because the Chymical Hypothesis seeming to be much more countenanc'd by Experience then the other, it will be expedient to insist chiefly upon the disproving of that; especially since most of the Arguments that are im∣ploy'd against it, may, by a little varia∣tion, be made to conclude, at least as strongly against the less plausible, Ari∣stotelian Doctrine.

To proceed then to my Propositions, I shall begin with this, That

Page 37
[Propos. I] It seems not absurd to conceive that at the first Production of mixt Bodies, the Universal Matter whereof they among other Parts of the Universe consisted, was actually divided into little Particles of several sizes and shapes variously mov'd.
This (sayes Carneades) I suppose you will easily enough allow. For be∣sides that which happens in the Gene∣ration, Corruption, Nutrition, and wasting of Bodies, that which we disco∣ver partly by our Microscopes of the ex∣tream littlenesse of even the scarce sen∣sible parts of Concretes; and partly by the Chymical Resolutions of mixt Bodies, and by divers other Operations of Spagyrical Fires upon them, seems sufficiently to manifest their consisting of parts very minute and of differing Figures. And that there does also inter∣vene a various local Motion of such small Bodies, will scarce be denied; whether we chuse to grant the Origine of Concretions assign'd by Epicurus, or that related by Moses. For the first, as you well know, supposes not only all
Page 38
mixt Bodies, but all others to be pro∣duc'd by the various and casual occursi∣ons of Atomes, moving themselves to and fro by an internal Principle in the Immense or rather Infinite Vacuum. And as for the inspir'd Historian, He, informing us that the great and Wise Author of Things did not immediately create Plants, Beasts, Birds, &c. but pro∣duc'd them out of those portions of the pre-existent, though created, Matter, that he calls Water and Earth, allows us to conceive, that the constituent Par∣ticles whereof these new Concretes were to consist, were variously moved in order to their being connected into the Bodies they were, by their various Coalitions and Textures, to compose.

But (continues Carneades) presuming that the first Proposition needs not be longer insisted on, I will pass on to the second, and tell you that

[Propos. II] Neither is it impossible that of these mi∣nute Particles divers of the smallest and neighbouring ones were here and there associated into minute Masses or Clusters, and did by their Coalitions constitute great store of such little primary Concre∣tions
Page 39
or Masses as were not easily dissi∣pable into such Particles as compos'd them.
To what may be deduc'd, in favour of this Assertion, from the Nature of the Thing it self, I will add something out of Experience, which though I have not known it used to such a purpose, seems to me more fairly to make out that there May be Elementary Bodies, then the more questionable Experiments of Peripateticks and Chymists prove that there Are such. I consider then that Gold will mix and be colliquated not only with Silver, Copper, Tin and Lead, but with Antimony, Regulus Martis and many other Minerals, with which it will compose Bodies very differing both from Gold, and the other Ingredients of the resulting Concretes. And the same Gold will also by common Aqua Regis, and (I speak it knowingly) by divers other Menstruums be reduc'd into a seeming Liquor, in so much that the Corpuscles of Gold will, with those of the Menstru∣um, pass through Cap-Paper, and with them also coagulate into a Crystalline Salt. And I have further try'd, that
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with a small quantity of a certain Saline Substance I prepar'd, I can easily enough sublime Gold into the form of red Cry∣stalls of a considerable length; and many other wayes may Gold be disguis'd, and help to constitute Bodies of very differ∣ing Natures both from It and from one another, and neverthelesse be afterward reduc'd to the self-same Numerical, Yellow, Fixt, Ponderous and Malleable Gold it was before its commixture. Nor is it only the fixedst of Metals, but the most fugitive, that I may employ in fa∣vour of our Proposition: for Quicksilver will with divers Metals compose an A∣malgam, with divers Menstruums it seems to be turnd into a Liquor, with Aqua fortis it will be brought into either a red or white Powder or precipitate, with Oyl of Vitriol into a pale Yellow one, with Sulphur it will compose a blood∣red and volatile Cinaber, with some Sa∣line Bodies it will ascend in form of a Salt which will be dissoluble in water; with Regulus of Antimony and Silver I have seen it sublim'd into a kinde of Crystals, with another Mixture I reduc'd it into a malleable Body, into a hard and brittle Substance by another: And
Page 41
some there are who affirm, that by pro∣per Additaments they can reduce Quick∣silver into Oyl, nay into Glass, to men∣tion no more. And yet out of all these exotick Compounds, we may recover the very same running Mercury that was the main Ingredient of them, and was so disguis'd in them. Now the Rea∣son (proceeds Carneades) that I have represented these things concerning Gold and Quicksilver, is, That it may not ap∣pear absurd to conceive, that such little primary Masses or Clusters, as our Pro∣position mentions, may remain undissi∣pated, notwithstanding their entring in∣to the composition of various Concreti∣ons, since the Corpuscle of Gold and Mercury, though they be not primary Concretions of the most minute Parti∣cles of matter, but confessedly mixt Bodies, are able to concurre plentifully to the composition of several very dif∣fering Bodies, without losing their own Nature or Texture, or having their cohae∣sion violated by the divorce of their as∣sociated parts or Ingredients.

Give me leave to add (sayes Eleuthe∣rius) on this occasion, to what you now observ'd, that as confidently as some
Page 42
Chymists, and other modern Innovators in Philosophy are wont to object against the Peripateticks, That from the mixture of their four Elements there could arise but an inconsiderable variety of com∣pound Bodies; yet if the Aristotelians were but half as well vers'd in the works of Nature as they are in the Writings of their Master, the propos'd Objection would not so calmly triumph, as for want of Experiments they are fain to suffer it to do. For if we assigne to the Corpuscles, whereof each Element con∣sists, a peculiar size and shape, it may easily enough be manifested, That such differingly figur'd Corpuscles may be mingled in such various Proportions, and may be connected so many several wayes, that an almost incredible number of va∣riously qualified Concretes may be com∣pos'd of them. Especially since the Cor∣puscles of one Element may barely, by being associated among themselves, make up little Masses of differing size and figure from their constituent parts: and since also to the strict union of such minute Bodies there seems oftentimes nothing requisite, besides the bare Con∣tact of a great part of their Surfaces.
Page 43
And how great a variety of Phaenomena the same matter, without the addition of any other, and only several ways dispos'd or contexed, is able to exhibit, may partly appear by the multitude of differing En∣gins which by the contrivances of skilful Mechanilians, and the dexterity of ex∣pert Workmen, may be made of Iron alone. But in our present case being al∣low'd to deduce compound Bodies from four very differently qualified sorts of matter, he who shall but consider what you freshly took notice of concerning the new Concretes resulting from the mixture of incorporated Minerals, will scarce doubt but that the four Elements mannag'd by Natures Skill may afford a multitude of differing Compounds.

I am thus far of your minde (sayes Carneades) that the Aristotelians might with probability deduce a much greater number of compound Bodies from the mixture of their four Elements, than according to their present Hypothesis they can, if instead of vainly attempting to deduce the variety and properties of all mixt Bodies from the Combinations and Temperaments of the four Elements, as they are (among them) endowd
Page 44
with the four first Qualities, they had endeavoured to do it by the Bulk and Figure of the smallest parts of those supposed Elements. For from these more Catholick and Fruitfull Accidents of the Elementary matter may spring a great variety of Textures, upon whose Account a multitude of compound Bo∣dies may very much differ from one an∣other. And what I now observe touch∣ing the four Peripatetick Elements, may be also applyed, mutatis mutandis, (as they speak) to the Chymical Princi∣ples. But (to take notice of that by the by) both the one and the other, must, I fear, call in to their assistance some∣thing that is not Elementary, to excite or regulate the motion of the parts of the matter, and dispose them after the manner requisite to the Constitution of particular Concretes. For that other∣wise they are like to give us but a very imperfect account of the Origine of very many mixt Bodies, It would, I think, be no hard matter to perswade you, if it would not spend time, and were no Digression, to examine, what they are wont to alledge of the Origine of the Textures and Qualities of mixt Bodies,
Page 45
from a certain substantial Form, whose Origination they leave more obscure than what it is assum'd to explicate.

But to proceed to a new Proposition.

[Propos. III] I shall not peremptorily deny, that from most of such mixt Bodies as partake either of Animal or Vegetable Nature, there may by the Help of the Fire, be actually ob∣tain'd a determinate number (whether Three, Four or Five, or fewer or more) of Substances, worthy of differing De∣nominations.
Of the Experiments that induce me to make this Concession, I am like to have occasion enough to mention several in the prosecution of my Discourse. And therefore, that I may not hereafter be oblig'd to trouble You and my self with needless Repetitions, I shall now only desire you to take notice of such Ex∣periments, when they shall be menti∣on'd, and in your thoughts referre them hither.

To these three Concessions I have but this Fourth to add, That

Page 46
[Propos. IV] It may likewise be granted, that those di∣stinct Substances, which Concretes gene∣rally either afford or are made up of, may without very much Inconvenience be call'd the Elements or Principles of them.
When I said, without very much Incon∣venience, I had in my Thoughts that so∣ber Admonition of Galen, Cum de re con∣stat, de verbis non est Litigandum. And therefore also I scruple not to say Ele∣ments or Principles, partly because the Chymists are wont to call the Ingredi∣ents of mixt Bodies, Principles, as the Aristotelians name them Elements; I would here exclude neither. And, part∣ly, because it seems doubtfull whether the same Ingredients may not be call'd Principles? as not being compounded of any more primary Bodies: and Elements, in regard that all mix'd Bodies are com∣pounded of them. But I thought it re∣quisite to limit my Concession by pre∣mising the words, very much, to the word Inconvenience, because that though the Inconvenience of calling the distinct Sub∣stances, mention'd in the Proposition Elements or Principles, be not very great,
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yet that it is an Impropriety of Speech, and consequently in a matter of this moment not to be altogether overlook'd, You will perhaps think, as well as I, by that time you shall have heard the fol∣lowing part of my Discourse, by which you will best discern what Construction to put upon the former Propositions, and how far they may be look'd upon, as things that I concede as true, and how far as things I only represent as specious enough to be fit to be consider'd.

And now Eleutherius (continues Car∣neades) I must resume the person of a Sceptick, and as such, propose some part of what may be either dislik't, or at least doubted of in the common Hypothesis of the Chymists: which if I examine with a little the more freedom, I hope I need not desire you (a Person to whom I have the Happinesse of being so well known) to look upon it as something more suitable to the Employment where∣to the Company has, for this Meeting, doom'd me; then either to my Humour or my Custom.

Now though I might present you ma∣ny things against the Vulgar Chymical Opinion of the three Principles, and the
Page 48
Experiments wont to be alledg'd as De∣monstrations of it, yet those I shall at present offer you may be conveniently enough comprehended in four Capital Considerations; touching all which I shall only premise this in general, That since it is not my present Task so much to assert an Hypothesis of my own, as to give an Account wherefore I su∣spect the Truth of that of the Chymists, it ought not to be expected that all my Objections should be of the most cogent sort, since it is reason enough to Doubt of a propos'd Opinion, that there ap∣pears no cogent Reason for it.

To come then to the Objections them∣selves; I consider in the first place, That notwithstanding what common Chy∣mists have prov'd or taught, it may rea∣sonably enough be Doubted, how far, and in what sence, Fire ought to be esteem'd the genuine and universal In∣strument of analyzing mixt Bodies.

This Doubt, you may remember, was formerly mention'd, but so transiently discours'd of, that it will now be fit to insist upon it; And manifest that it was not so inconsiderately propos'd as our Adversaries then imagin'd.

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But, before I enter any farther into this Disquisition, I cannot but here take notice, that it were to be wish'd, our Chymists had clearly inform'd us what kinde of Division of Bodies by Fire must determine the number of the Elements: For it is nothing near so easy as many seem to think, to determine distinctly the Effects of Heat, as I could easily ma∣nifest, if I had leasure to shew you how much the Operations of Fire may be diversify'd by Circumstances. But not wholly to pass by a matter of this Im∣portance, I will first take notice to you, that Guajacum (for Instance) burnt with an open Fire in a Chimney, is sequestred into Ashes and Soot, whereas the same Wood distill'd in a Retort does yield far other Heterogeneities, (to use the Helmontian expression) and is resoly'd into Oyl, Spirit, Vinager, Water and Charcoal; the last of which to be re∣duc'd into Ashes, requires the being far∣ther calcin'd then it can be in a close Vessel: Besides having kindled Amber, and held a clean Silver Spoon, or some other Concave and smooth Vessel over the Smoak of its Flame, I observ'd the Soot into which that Fume condens'd,
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to be very differing from any thing that I had observ'd to proceed from the steam of Amber purposely (for that is not usual) distilled per se in close Ves∣sels. Thus having, for Tryals sake, kin∣dled Camphire, and catcht the Smoak that copiously ascended out of the Flame, it condens'd into a Black and unctuous Soot, which would not have been guess d by the Smell or other Pro∣perties to have proceeded from Cam∣phire: whereas having (as I shall other∣where more fully declare) expos'd a quantity of that Fugitive Concrete to a gentle heat in a close Glass-Vessel, it sublim'd up without seeming to have lost any thing of its whiteness, or its Nature, both which it retain'd, though after∣wards I so encreased the Fire as to bring it to Fusion. And, besides Camphire, there are divers other Bodies (that I elsewhere name) in which the heat in close Vessels is not wont to make any separation of Heterogeneities, but only a comminution of Parts, those that rise first being Homogeneal with the others, though subdivided into smaller Particles: whence Sublimations have been stiled, The Pestles of the Chymists. But not here
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to mention what I elsewhere take notice of, concerning common Brimstone once or twice sublim'd, that expos'd to a mo∣derate Fire in Subliming-Pots, it rises all into dry, and almost tastless, Flow∣ers; Whereas being expos'd to a naked Fire it affords store of a Saline and Fretting Liquor: Not to mention this, I say, I will further observe to you, that as it is considerable in the Analysis of mixt Bodies, whether the Fire act on them when they are expos'd to the open Air, or shut up in close Vessels, so is the degree of Fire by which the Analysis is attempted of no small moment. For a milde Balneum will sever unfermented Blood (for Instance) but into Phlegme and Caput mortuum, the later whereof (which I have sometimes had) hard, brittle, and of divers Colours, (transpa∣rent almost like Tortoise-shell) press'd by a good Fire in a Retort yields a Spirit, an Oyl or two, and a volatile Salt, be∣sides a Caput mortuum. It may be also pertinent to our present Designe, to take notice of what happens in the making and distilling of Sope; for by one de∣gree of Fire the Salt, the Water and the Oyl or Grease, whereof that factitious
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Concrete is made up, being boyl'd up together are easily brought to mingle and incorporate into one Mass; but by another and further degree of Heat the same Mass may be again divided into an oleagenous, an aqueous, a Saline, and an Earthy part. And so we may observe that impure Silver and Lead being ex∣pos'd together to a moderate Fire, will thereby be colliquated into one Mass, and mingle per minima, as they speak, whereas a much vehementer Fire will drive or carry off the baser Metals (I mean the Lead, and the Copper or other Alloy) from the Silver, though not, for ought appears, separate them from one another. Besides, when a Ve∣getable abounding in fixt Salt is analyz'd by a naked Fire, as one degree of Heat will reduce it into Ashes, (as the Chy∣mists themselves teach us) so, by only a further degree of Fire, those Ashes may be vitrified and turn'd into Glass. I will not stay to examine how far a meere Chymist might on this occasion demand, If it be lawful for an Aristo∣telian to make Ashes, (which he mistakes for meere Earth) pass for an Element, because by one degree of Fire it may be
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produc'd, why a Chymist may not upon the like Principle argue, that Glass is one of the Elements of many Bodies, because that also may be obtain'd from them, barely by the Fire? I will not, I say, lose time to examine this, but ob∣serve, that by a Method of applying the Fire, such similar Bodies may be obtain'd from a Concrete, as Chymists have not been able to separate; either by barely burning it in an open Fire, or by barely distilling it in close Vessels. For to me it seems very considerable, and I wonder that men have taken so little notice of it, that I have not by any of the com∣mon wayes of Distillation in close Ves∣sels, seen any separation made of such a volatile Salt as is afforded us by Wood, when that is first by an open Fire divided into Ashes and Soot, and that Soot is af∣terwards plac'd in a strong Retort, and compell'd by an urgent Fire to part with its Spirit, Oyl and Salt; for though I dare not peremptorily deny, that in the Liquors of Guajacum and other Woods distill'd in Retorts after the common manner, there may be Saline parts, which by reason of the Analogy may pretend to the name of some kinde of
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volatile Salts; yet questionless there is a great disparity betwixt such Salts and that which we have sometimes obtain'd upon the first Distillation of Soot (though for the most part it has not been sepa∣rated from the first or second Rectifica∣tion, and sometimes not till the third) For we could never yet see separated from Woods analyz'd only the vusgar way in close vessels any volatile Salt in a dry and Saline form, as that of Soot, which we have often had very Crystal∣line and Geometrically figur'd. And then, whereas the Saline parts of the Spi∣rits of Guajacum, &c. appear upon distil∣lation sluggish enough, the Salt of Soot seems to be one of the most volatile Bodies in all Nature; and if it be well made will readily ascend with the milde heat of a Furnace, warm 'd only by the single Wieck of a Lamp, to the top of the highest Glass Vessels that are com∣monly made use of for Distillation: and besides all this, the taste and smell of the Salt of Soot are exceeding differ∣ing from those of the Spirits of Guaja∣cum, &c. and the former not only smells and tastes much less like a vegetable Salt, than like that of Harts-horn, and other
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Animal Concretes; but in divers other Properties seems more of Kinne to the Family of Animals, than to that of vege∣table Salts, as I may elsewhere (God per∣mitting) have an occasion more particu∣larly to declare. I might likewise by some other Examples manifest, That the Chy∣mists, to have dealt clearly, ought to have more explicitly and particularly declar'd by what Degree of Fire, and in what manner of Application of it, they would have us Judge a Division made by the Fire to be a true Analysis into their Principles, and the Productions of it to deserve the name of Elementary Bodies. But it is time that I proceed to mention the particular Reasons that incline me to Doubt, whether the Fire be the true and universal Analyzer of mixt Bodies; of which Reasons what has been already objected may pass for one.

In the next place I observe, That there are some mixt Bodies from which it has not been yet made appear, that any degree of Fire can separate either Salt or Sulphur or Mercury, much less all the Three. The most obvious Instance of this Truth is Gold, which is a Body so fix'd, and wherein the Elementary
Page 56
Ingredients (if it have any) are so firmly united to each other, that we finde not in the operations wherein Gold is ex∣pos'd to the Fire, how violent soever, that it does discernably so much as lose of its fixednesse or weight, so far is it from being dissipated into those Prin∣ciples, whereof one at least is acknow∣ledged to be Fugitive enough; and so justly did the Spagyricall Poet some∣where exclaim,

Cuncta adeo miris illic compagibus haerent.
And I must not omit on this occasion to mention to you, Eleutherius, the me∣morable Experiment that I remember I met with in
*Gasto Claveus, who, though a Lawyer by Profession, seems to have had no small Curiosity and Experience in Chymical affairs: He relates then, that having put into one small Earthen Vessel an Ounce of the most pure Gold, and into another the like weight of pure Silver, he plac'd them both in that part of a Glass-house Furnace wherein the Workmen keep their Metal, (as our English Artificers call their Liquid Glass) continually melted, and that having there kept both the Gold and
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the Silver in constant Fusion for two Moneths together, he afterwards took them out of the Furnace and the Vessels, and weighing both of them again, found that the Silver had not lost above a 12th part of its weight, but the Gold had not of his lost any thing at all. And though our Author endeavours to give us of this a Scholastick Reason, which I suppose you would be as little satisfied with, as I was when I read it; yet for the mat∣ter of Fact, which will serve our present turne, he assures us, that though it be strange, yet Experience it self taught it him to be most true.

And though there be not perhaps any other Body to be found so perfectly fix'd as Gold, yet there are divers others so fix'd or compos'd, at least of so strictly united parts, that I have not yet observ'd the Fire to separate from them any one of the Chymists Principles. I need not tell you what Complaints the more Candid and Judicious of the Chymists themselves are wont to make of those Boasters that confidently pretend, that they have extracted the Salt or Sulphur of Quicksilver, when they have disguis'd it by Additaments, wherewith it re∣sembles
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the Concretes whose Names are given it; whereas by a skilfull and rigid Examen, it may be easily enough stript of its Disguises, and made to appear again in the pristine form of running Mercury. The pretended Salts and Sulphurs being so far from being Elementary parts ex∣tracted out of the Bodie of Mercurie, that they are rather (to borrow a terme of the Grammarians) De-compound Bo∣dies, made up of the whole Metal and the Menstruum, or other Additaments imploy'd to disguise it. And as for Sil∣ver, I never could see any degree of Fire make it part with any of its three Prin∣ciples. And though the Experiment lately mentioned from Claveus may be∣get a Suspition that Silver may be dissi∣pated by Fire, provided it be extreamly violent and very lasting: yet it will not necessarily follow, that because the Fire was able at length to make the Silver lose a little of its weight, it was there∣fore able to dissipate it into its Principles. For first I might alledge that I have ob∣serv'd little Grains of Silver to lie hid in the small Cavities (perhaps glas'd over by a vitrifying heat) in Crucibles, where∣in Silver has been long kept in Fusion,
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whence some Goldsmiths of my Ac∣quaintance make a Benefit by grinding such Crucibles to powder, to recover out of them the latent particles of Silver. And hence I might argue, that perhaps Claveus was mistaken, and imagin'd that Silver to have been driven away by the Fire, that indeed lay in minute parts hid in his Crucible, in whose pores so small a quantity as he mist of so ponderous a Bodie might very well lie con∣ceal'd.

But Secondly, admitting that some parts of the Silver were driven away by the violence of the Fire, what proof is there that it was either the Salt, the Sul∣phur, or the Mercury of the Metal, and not rather a part of it homogeneous to what remain'd? For besides, that the Silver that was left see m'd not sensibly alter'd, which probably would have appear'd, had so much of any one of its Princi∣ples been separated from it: We finde in other Mineral Bodies of a less perma∣nent nature than Silver, that the Fire may divide them into such minute parts, as to be able to carry them away with its self, without at all destroying their Nature. Thus we see that in the re∣fining
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of Silver, the Lead that is mix'd with it (to carry away the Copper or other ignoble Mineral that embases the Silver) will, if it be let alone, in time evaporate away upon the Test; but if (as is most usual amongst those that re∣fine great quantities of Metals together) the Lead be blown off from the Silver by Bellowes, that which would else have gone away in the Form of unheed∣ed steams, will in great part be collected not far from the Silver, in the Form of a darkish Powder or Calx, which, be∣cause it is blown off from Silver, they call Litharge of Silver.
* And thus Agri∣cola in divers places informs us, when Copper, or the Oare of it is colliquated by the violence of the Fire with Cadmia, the Sparks that in great multitudes do fly upwards do, some of them, stick to the vaulted Roofs of the Furnaces, in the form of little and (for the most part) White Bubbles, which therefore the Greeks, and, in Imitation of them, our Drugsters call Pompholix: and others more heavy partly adhere to the sides of the Furnace, and partly (especially if the Covers be not kept upon the Pots) fall to the Ground, and by reason of their Ashy
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Colour as well as Weight were called by the same Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which, I need not tell you, in their Language signifies Ashes. I might add, that I have not found that from Venetian Talck (I say Vene∣tian, because I have found other kinds of that Mineral more open) from the Lapis Ossifragus, (which the Shops call Ostio∣colla) from Muscovia Glass, from pure and Fusible Sand, to mention now no other Concretes; those of my Acquaint∣ance that have try'd have been able by the Fire to separate any one of the Hy∣postatical Principles, which you will the less scruple to believe, if you consider that Glass may be made by the bare Colliquation of the Salt and Earth re∣maining in the Ashes of a burnt Plant, and that yet common Glass, once made, does so far resist the violence of the Fire, that most Chymists think it a Body more undestroyable then Gold it self. For if the Artificer can so firmly unite such comparative gross Particles as those of Earth and Salt that make up common Ashes, into a Body indissoluble by Fire; why may not Nature associate in divers Bodies the more minute Elementary Corpuscles she has at hand too firmly to
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let them be separable by the Fire? And on this Occasion, Eleutherius, give me leave to mention to you two or three sleight Experiments, which will, I hope, be found more pertinent to our present Discourse, than at first perhaps they will appear. The first is, that, having (for Tryals sake) put a quantity of that Fu∣gitive Concrete, Camphire, into a Glass Vessel, and plac'd it in a gentle Heat, I found it (not leaving behinde, according to my Estimate, not so much as one Grain) to sublime to the Top of the Vessel into Flowers: which in White∣ness, Smell, &c. seem'd not to differ from the Camphire it self. Another Experiment is that of Helmont, who in several places affirms, That a Coal kept in a Glass exactly clos'd will never be calcin'd to Ashes, though kept never so long in a strong Fire. To countenance which I shall tell you this Tryal of my own, That having sometimes distilled some Woods, as particularly Box, whilst our Caput mortuum remain'd in the Retort, it continued black like Charcoal, though the Retort were Earthen, and kept red∣hot in a vehement Fire; but as soon as ever it was brought out of the candent
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Vessel into the open Air, the burning Coals did hastily degenerate or fall a∣sunder, without the Assistance of any new Calcination, into pure white Ashes. And to these two I shall add but this ob∣vious and known Observation, that com∣mon Sulphur (if it be pure and freed from its Vinager) being leasurely sublim'd in close Vessels, rises into dry Flowers, which may be presently melted into a Bodie of the same Nature with that which afforded them. Though if Brim∣stone be burnt in the open Air it gives, you know, a penetrating Fume, which being caught in a Glass-Bell condenses into that acid Liquor called Oyl of Sul∣phur per Campanam. The use I would make of these Experiments collated with what I lately told you out of Agricola is this, That even among the Bodies that are not fixt, there are divers of such a Texture, that it will be hard to make it appear, how the Fire, as Chymists are wont to imploy it, can resolve them into Elemen∣tary Substances. For some Bodies being of such a Texture that the Fire can drive them into the cooler and less hot part of the Vessels wherein they are included, and if need be, remove them from place
Page 64
to place to fly the greatest heat, more easily than it can divorce their Elements (especially without the Assistance of the Air) we see that our Chymists cannot Analyze them in close Vessels, and of other compound Bodies the open Fire can as little separate the Elements. For what can a naked Fire do to Analyze a mixt Bodie, if its component Principles be so minute, and so strictly united, that the Corpuscles of it need less heat to carry them up, than is requisite to divide them into their Principles. So that of some Bodies the Fire cannot in close Vessels make any Analysis at all, and others will in the open Air fly away in the Forms of Flowers or Liquors, before the Heat can prove able to divide them into their Principles. And this may hold, whether the various similar parts of a Concrete be combin'd by Nature or by Art; For in factitious Sal Armoniack we finde the common and the Urinous Salts so well mingled, that both in the open Fire, and in subliming Vessels they rise together as one Salt, which seems in such Vessels irresoluble by Fire alone. For I can shew you Sal Armoniack which after the ninth Sublimation does still retain its
Page 65
compounded Nature. And indeed I scarce know any one Mineral, from which by Fire alone Chymists are wont to sever any Substance simple enough to deserve the name of an Element or Prin∣ciple. For though out of native Cinnaber they distill Quicksilver, and though from many of those Stones that the Ancients called Pyrites they sublime Brimstone, yet both that Quicksilver and this Sul∣phur being very often the same with the common Minerals that are sold in the Shops under those names, are them∣selves too much compounded Bodies to pass for the Elements of such. And thus much, Eleutherius, for the Second Argu∣ment that belongs to my First Conside∣ration; the others I shall the lesse insist on, because I have dwelt so long upon this.

Proceed we then in the next place to consider, That there are divers Separa∣tions to be made by other means, which either cannot at all, or else cannot so well be made by the Fire alone. When Gold and Silver are melted into one Mass, it would lay a great Obligation upon Refiners and Goldsmiths to teach them the Art of separating them
Page 66
by the Fire, without the trouble and charge they are fain to be at to sever them. Whereas they may be very easi∣ly parted by the Affusion of Spirit of Nitte or Aqua fortis (which the French therefore call Eau de Depart:) so like∣wise the Metalline part of Vitriol will not be so easily and conveniently separated from the Saline part even by a violent Fire, as by the Affusion of cer∣tain Alkalizate Salts in a liquid Form upon the Solution of Vitriol made in common water. For thereby the acid Salt of the Vitriol, leaving the Copper it had corroded to joyn with the added Salts, the Metalline part will be preci∣pitated to the bottom almost like Mud. And that I may not give Instances only in De-compound Bodies, I will add a not useless one of another kinde. Not only Chymists have not been able (for ought is vulgarly known) by Fire alone to se∣parate true Sulphur from Antimony; but though you may finde in their Books ma∣ny plausible Processes of Extracting it, yet he that shall make as many fruitlesse Tryals as I have done to obtain it by, most of them will, I suppose, be easily perswaded, that the Productions of such
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Processes are Antimonial Sulphurs ra∣ther in Name than Nature. But though Antimony sublim'd by its self is reduc'd but to a volatile Powder, or Antimonial Flowers, of a compounded Nature like the Mineral that affords them: yet I re∣member that some years ago I sublim'd out of Antimony a Sulphur, and that in greater plenty then ever I saw obtain'd from that Mineral, by a Method which I shall therefore acquaint you with, be∣cause Chymists seem not to have taken notice of what Importance such Experi∣ments may be in the Indagation of the Nature, and especially of the Number of the Elements. Having then purpose∣ly for Tryals sake digested eight Ounces of good and well powder'd Antimony with twelve Ounces of Oyl of Vitriol in a well stopt Glas-Vessel for about six or seven Weeks; and having caus'd the Mass (grown hard and brittle) to be distill'd in a Retort plac'd in Sand, with a strong Fire; we found the Antimony to be so opened, or alter'd by the Men∣struum wherewith it had been digested, That whereas crude Antimony, forc'd up by the Fire, arises only in Flowers, our Antimony thus handled afforded us
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partly in the Receiver, and partly in the Neck and at the Top of the Retort, about an Ounce of Sulphur, yellow and brittle like common Brimstone, and of so Sulphureous a smell, that upon the unluting the Vessels it infected the Room with a scarce supportable stink. And this Sulphur, besides the Colour and Smell, had the perfect Inflamability of common Brimstone, and would imme∣diately kindle (at the Flame of a Can∣dle) and burn blew like it. And though it seem'd that the long digestion where∣in our Antimony and Menstruum were detain'd, did conduce to the better un∣locking of the Mineral, yet if you have not the leasure to make so long a Digestion, you may by incorporating with pow∣der'd Antimony a convenient Quantity of Oyl of Vitriol, and committing them immediately to Distillation, obtain a little Sulphur like unto the common one, and more combustible than perhaps you will at first take notice of. For I have observ'd, that though (after its being first kindled) the Flame would some∣times go out too soon of its self, if the same Lump of Sulphur were held again to the Flame of a Candle, it would be
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rekindled and burn a pretty while, not only after the second, but after the third or fourth accension. You, to whom I think I shewed my way of discovering some∣thing of Sulphureous in Oyl of Vitriol, may perchance suspect, Eleutherius, ei∣ther that this Substance was some Ve∣nereal Sulphur that lay hid in that Li∣quor, and was by this operation only re∣duc'd into a manifest Body; or else that it was a compound of the unctuous parts of the Antimony,
* and the Saline ones of the Vitriol, in regard that (as Gun∣ther informs us) divers learned men would have Sulphur to be nothing but a mixture made in the Bowels of the Earth of Vitriolate Spirits and a certain combustible Substance. But the Quantity of Sulphur we obtain'd by Digestion was much too great to have been latent in the Oyl of Vitriol. And that Vitrio∣late Spirits are not necessary to the Con∣stitution of such a Sulphur as ours, I could easily manifest, if I would ac∣quaint you with the several wayes by which I have obtain'd, though not in such plenty, a Sulphur of Antimony, colour'd and combustible like common Brim∣stone. And though I am not now minded
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to discover them, yet I shall tell you, that to satisfie some Ingenious Men, that distill'd Vitriolate Spirits are not neces∣sary to the obtaining of such a Sulphur as we have been considering, I did by the bare distillation of only Spirit of Nitre, from its weight of crude Antimony se∣parate, in a short time, a yellow and very inflamable Sulphur, which, for ought I know, deserves as much the name of an Element, as any thing that Chymists are wont to separate from any Mineral by the Fire. I could perhaps tell you of other Operations upon Anti∣mony, whereby That may be extracted from it, which cannot be forc'd out of it by the Fire; but I shall reserve them for a fitter Opportunity, and only annex at present this sleight, but not imperti∣nent Experiment. That whereas I lately observed to you, that the Urinous and common Salts whereof Sal Armoniack consists, remain'd unsever'd by the Fire in many successive Sublimations, they may be easily separated, and partly without any Fire at all, by pouring upon the Con∣crete finely powder'd, a Solution of Salt of Tartar, or of the Salt of Wood-Ashes; for upon your diligently mixing
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of these you will finde your Nose in∣vaded with a very strong smell of Urine, and perhaps too your Eyes forc'd to wa∣ter, by the same subtle and piercing Body that produces the stink; both these ef∣fects proceeding from hence, that by the Alcalizate Salt, the Sea Salt that enter'd the composition of the Sal Armoniack is mortify'd and made more fixt, and there∣by a divorce is made between it and the volatile Urinous Salt, which being at once set at liberty, and put into motion, begins presently to fly away, and to of∣fend the Nostrils and Eyes it meets with by the way. And if the operation of these Salts be in convenient Glasses pro∣moted by warmth, though but by that of a Bath, the ascending Steams may easily be caught and reduc'd into a pene∣trant Spirit, abounding with a Salt, which I have sometimes found to be separable in a Crystalline Form. I might add to these Instances, that whereas Sublimate, consisting, as you know, of Salts & Quick∣silver combin'd and carried up together by Heat, may be Sublim'd, I know not how often, by a like degree of Fire, without suffering any divorce of the com∣ponent Bodies, the Mercury may be ea∣sily
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sever'd from the adhering Salts, if the Sublimate be distill'd from Salt of Tartar, Quick Lime, or such Alcalizate Bodies. But I will rather observe to you, Eleutherius, what divers ingenious men have thought somewhat strange; that by such an Additament that seems but only to promote the Separation, there may be easily obtain'd from a Concrete (that by the Fire alone is easily divisible into all the Elements that Vegetables are suppos'd to consist of) such a similar Substance as differs in many respects from them all, and consequently has by many of the most Intelligent Chymists been denied to be contain'd in the mixt Body. For I know a way, and have practis'd it, whereby common Tartat, without the addition of any thing that is not perfectly a Mineral except Salt∣petre, may by one Distillation in an Earthen Retort be made to afford good store of real Salt, readily dissoluble in water, which I found to be neither acid, nor of the smell of Tartar, and to be almost as volatile as Spirit of Wine it self, and to be indeed of so differing a Nature from all that is wont to be sepa∣rated by Fire from Tartar, that divers
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Learned Men, with whom I discours'd of it, could hardly be brought to be∣leeve, that so fugitive a Salt could be afforded by Tartar, till I assur'd it them upon my own Knowledge. And if I did not think you apt to suspect me to be rather too backward than too forward to credit or affirm unlikely things, I could convince you by what I have yet lying by me of that anomalous Salt.

The Fourth thing that I shall alledge to countenance my first Consideration is, That the Fire even when it divides a Body into Substances of divers Consi∣stences, does not most commonly ana∣lyze it into Hypostatical Principles, but only disposes its parts into new Textures, and thereby produces Concretes of a new indeed, but yet of a compound Nature. This Argument it will be requisite for me to prosecute so fully hereafter, that I hope you will then confess that 'tis not for want of good Proofs that I desire leave to suspend my Proofs till the Series of my Discourse shall make it more proper and seasonable to propose them.

It may be further alledg'd on the be∣half of my First Consideration, That some such distinct Substances may be ob∣tain'd
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from some Concretes without Fire, as deserve no less the name of Elementary, than many that Chymists extort by the Violence of the Fire.

We see that the Inflamable Spirit, or as the Chymists esteem it, the Sulphur of Wine, may not only be separated from it by the gentle heat of a Bath, but may be distill'd either by the help of the Sun-Beams, or even of a Dunghill, being indeed of so Fugitive a Nature, that it is not easy to keep it from flying away, even without the Application of external heat. I have likewise observ'd that a Vessel full of Urine being plac'd in a Dunghill, the Putrefaction is wont after some weeks so to open the Body, that the parts disbanding the Saline Spi∣rit, will within no very long time, if the Vessel be not stopt, fly away of it self; Insomuch that from such Urine I have been able to distill little or nothing else than a nauseous Phlegme, instead of the active and piercing Salt and Spirit that it would have afforded, when first ex∣pos'd to the Fire, if the Vessel had been carefully stopt.

And this leads me to consider in the Fifth place, That it will be very hard to
Page 75
prove, that there can no other Body or way be given which will as well as the Fire divide Concretes into several ho∣mogeneous Substances, which may con∣sequently be call'd their Elements or Principles, as well as those separated or produc'd by the Fire. For since we have lately seen, that Nature can successefully employ other Instruments than the Fire to separate distinct Substances from mixt Bodies, how know we, but that Nature has made, or Art may make, some such Substance as may be a fit Instrument to Analyze mixt Bodies, or that some such Method may be found by Humane Industry or Luck, by whose means com∣pound Bodies may be resolv'd into other Substances, than such as they are wont to be divided into by the Fire. And why the Products of such an Analysis may not as justly be call'd the component Prin∣ciples of the Bodies that afford them, it will not be easy to shew, especially since I shall hereafter make it evident, that the Substances which Chymists are wont to call the Salts, and Sulphurs, and Mercuries of Bodies, are not so pure and Elementary as they presume, and as their Hypothesis requires. And this may
Page 76
therefore be the more freely press'd up∣on the Chymists, because neither the Paracelsians, nor the Helmontians can re∣ject it without apparent Injury to their respective Masters. For Helmont do's more than once Inform his Readers, that both Paracelsus and Himself were Possessors of the famous Liquor, Alkahest, which for its great power in resolving Bodies irresoluble by Vulgar Fires, he some∣where seems to call Ignis Gehennae. To this Liquor he ascribes, (and that in great part upon his own Experience) such wonders, that if we suppose them all true, I am so much the more a Friend to Knowledge than to Wealth, that I should think the Alkahest a nobler and more desireable Secret than the Philo∣sophers Stone it self. Of this Universal Dissolvent he relates, That having di∣gested with it for a competent time a piece of Oaken Charcoal, it was there∣by reduc'd into a couple of new and di∣stinct Liquors, discriminated from each other by their Colour and Situation, and that the whole body of the Coal was reduc'd into those Liquors, both of them separable from his Immortal Menstruum, which remain'd as fit for such Operati∣ons
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as before. And he moreover tells us in divers places of his Writings, that by this powerful, and unwearied Agent, he could dissolve Metals, Marchasites, Stones, Vegetable and Animal Bodies of what kinde soever, and even Glass it self (first reduc'd to powder,) and in a word, all kinds of mixt Bodies in the World into their several similar Sub∣stances, without any Residence or Caput mortuum. And lastly, we may gather this further from his Informations, That the homogeneous Substances obtainable from compound Bodies by his piercing Liquor, were oftentimes different enough both as to Number and as to Nature, from those into which the same Bodies are wont to be divided by common Fire. Of which I shall need in this place to mention no other proof, then that where∣as we know that in our common Analysis of a mixt Body, there remains a terrestri∣al and very fixt Substance, oftentimes as∣sociated with a Salt as fixt; Our Author tells us, that by his way he could Distill over all Concretes without any Caput mortuum, and consequently could make those parts of the Concrete volatile, which in the Vulgar Analysis would have
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been fixt. So that if our Chymists will not reject the solemn and repeated. Te∣stimony of a Person, who cannot but be acknowledg'd for one of the greatest Spagyrists that they can boast of, they must not deny that there is to be found in Nature another Agent able to Analyze compound Bodies less violently, and both more genuinely and more univer∣sally than the Fire. And for my own part, though I cannot but say on this Oc∣casion what (you know) our Friend Mr. Boyle is wont to say, when he is askt his Opinion of any strange Experiment; That He that hath seen it hath more Reason to beleeve it, than He that hath not; yet I have found Helmont so faithful a Writer, even in divers of his improbable Experi∣ments (I alwayes except that Extravagant Treatise De Magnetica Vulnerum Curatione, which some of his Friends affirm to have been first publish'd by his Enemies) that I think it somewhat harsh to give him the Lye, especially to what he de∣livers upon his own proper Tryal. And I have heard from very credible Eye∣witnesses some things, and seen some others my self, which argue so strongly, that a circulated Salt, or a Menstruum
Page 79
(such as it may be) may by being ab∣stracted from compound Bodies, whe∣ther Mineral, Animal, or Vegetable, leave them more unlockt than a wary Naturalist would easily beleeve, that I dare not confidently measure the Power of Nature and Art by that of the Men∣struums, and other Instruments that emi∣nent Chymists themselves are as yet wont to Empoly about the Analy∣zing of Bodies; nor Deny that a Men∣struum may at least from this or that particular Concrete obtain some appa∣rently similar Substance, differing from any obtainable from the same Body by any degree or manner of Application of the Fire. And I am the more backward to deny peremptorily, that there may be such Openers of compound Bodies, because among the Experiments that make me speak thus warily, there want∣ed not some in which it appear'd not, that one of the Substances not separable by common Fires and Menstruums could retain any thing of the Salt by which the separation was made.

And here, Eleutherius, (sayes Carnea∣des) I should conclude as much of my Discourse as belongs to the first Con∣sideration
Page 80
I propos'd, but that I foresee, that what I have delivered will appear liable to two such specious Objections, that I cannot safely proceed any further till I have examin'd them.

And first, one sort of Opposers will be forward to tell me, That they do not pretend by Fire alone to separate out of all compound Bodies their Hypostatical Principles; it being sufficient that the Fire divides them into such, though af∣terwards they employ other Bodies to collect the similar parts of the Com∣pound; as 'tis known, that though they make use of water to collect the Saline parts of Ashes from the Terrestrial wherewith they are blended, yet it is the Fire only that Incinerates Bodies, and reduces the fix'd part of them into the Salt and Earth, where of Ashes are made up. This Objection is not, I confess, in∣considerable, and I might in great part allow of it, without granting it to make against me, if I would content my self to answer, that it is not against those that make it that I have been disputing, but against those Vulgar Chymists, who themselves believe, and would fain make others do so, That the Fire is not only
Page 81
an universal, but an adaequate and suffi∣cient Instrument to analyze mixt Bodies with. For as to their Practice of Extract∣ing the fix'd Salt out of Ashes by the Affusion of Water, 'tis obvious to al∣leadge, that the Water does only as∣semble together the Salt the Fire had before divided from the Earth: as a Sieve does not further break the Corn, but only bring together into two distinct heaps the Flour and the Bran, whose Corpuscles before lay promiscuously blended together in the Meal. This I say I might alleadge, and thereby exempt my self from the need of taking any farther notice of the propos'd Objecti∣on. But not to lose the Rise it may af∣ford me of Illustrating the matter under Consideration, I am content briefly to consider it, as far forth as my present Disquisition may be concern'd in it.

Not to repeat then what has been al∣ready answer'd, I say farther, that though I am so civil an Adversary, that I will allow the Chymists, after the Fire has done all its work, the use of fair Water to make their Extractions with, in such cases wherein the Water does not co∣operate with the Fire to make the Ana∣lysis;
Page 82
yet since I Grant this but upon Sup∣position that the Water does only wash off the Saline Particles, which the Fire Alone has Before Extricated in the Analyz'd Body, it will not be Reason∣able, that this Concession should Extend to other Liquors that may Add to what they Dissolve, nor so much as to other Cases than those Newly Mentioned: Which Limitation I Desire You would be Pleas'd to Bear in Mind till I shall Anon have Occasion to make Use of it. And This being thus Premis'd, I shall Proceed to Observe,

First, That Many of the Instances I Propos'd in the Preceding Discourse are Such, that the Objection we are Con∣sidering will not at all Reach Them. For Fire can no more with the Assistance of Water than without it Separate any of the Three Principles, either from Gold, Silver, Mercury, or some Others of the Concretes named Above.

Hence We may Inferre, That Fire is not an Universal Analyzer of all Mixt Bodies, since of Metals and Minerals, wherein Chymists have most Exercis'd Themselves, there Appear scarce Any which they are able to Aanlyze by Fire,
Page 83
Nay, from which they can Unquestion∣ably Separate so much as any One of their Hypostatical Principles; Which may well Appear no small Disparage∣ment as well to their Hypothesis as to their Pretensions.

It will also remain True, notwith∣standing the Objection, That there may be Other Wayes than the wonted Ana∣lysis by Fire, to Separate from a Com∣pound Body Substances as Homogene∣neous as those that Chymists Scruple not to Reckon among their Tria Prima (as some of them, for Brevity Sake, call their Three Principles.)

And it Appears, That by Convenient Additaments such Substances may be Separated by the Help of the Fire, as could not be so by the Fire alone: Wit∣ness the Sulphur of Antimony.

And Lastly, I must Represent, That since it appears too that the Fire is but One of the Instruments that must be Employ'd in the Resolution of Bodies, We may Reasonably Challenge the Li∣berty of doing Two Things. For when ever any Menstruum or other Addita∣ment is Employ'd, together with the Fire to Obtain a Sulphur or a Salt from
Page 84
a Body, We may well take the Free∣dom to Examine, whether or no That Menstruum do barely Help to Separate the Principle Obtain'd by It, or whether there Intervene not a Coalition of the Parts of the Body Wrought upon with Those of the Menstruum, whereby the Produc'd Concrete may be Judg'd to Result from the Union of Both. And it will be farther Allowable for Us to Consider, how far any Substance, Sepa∣rated by the Help of such Additaments, Ought to pass for one of the Tria Prima; since by One Way of Handling the same Mixt Body it may according to the Na∣ture of the Additaments, and the Method of Working upon it, be made to Afford differing Substances from those Obtain∣able from it by other Additaments, and another Method, nay and (as may ap∣pear by what I Formerly told You about Tartar) Differing from any of the Sub∣stances into which a Concrete is Divisi∣ble by the Fire without Additaments, though perhaps those Additaments do not, as Ingredients, enter the Composi∣tion of the Obtained Body, but only Diversify the Operation of the Fire upon the Concrete; and though that
Page 85
Concrete by the Fire alone may be Di∣vided into a Number of Differing Sub∣stances, as Great as any of the Chymists that I have met with teach us that of the Elements to be. And having said thus much (sayes Carneades) to the Ob∣jection likely to be Propos'd by some Chymists, I am now to Examine that which I Foresee will be Confidently press'd by Divers Peripateticks, who, to Prove Fire to be the true Analyzer of Bodies, will Plead, That it is the very Definition of Heat given by Aristotle, and Generally Received, Congregare Ho∣mogenea, & Heterogenea Segregare, to As∣semble Things of a Resembling, and Disjoyn those of a Differing Nature. To this I answer, That this Effect is far from being so Essential to Heat, as 'tis Generally Imagin'd; for it rather Seems, that the True and Genuine Property of Heat is, to set a Moving, and thereby to Dissociate the parts of Bodies, and Sub∣divide them into Minute Particles, with∣out regard to their being Homogeneous or Heterogeneous, as is apparent in the Boyling of Water, the Distillation of Quicksilver, or the Exposing of Bodies to the action of the Fire, whose Parts
Page 86
either Are not (at least in that Degree of Heat Appear not) Dissmilar, where all that the Fire can do, is to Divide the Body into very Minute Parts which are of the same Nature with one another, and with their Totum, as their Reduction by Condensation Evinces. And even when the Fire seems most so Congregare Homogenea, & Segregare Heterogenea, it Produces that Effect but by Accident; For the Fire does but Dissolve the Ce∣ment, or rather Shatter the Frame, or [tructure that kept the Heterogeneous Parts of Bodies together, under one Common Form; upon which Disso∣lution the Component Particles of the Mixt, being Freed and set at Liberty, do Naturally, and oftentimes without any Operation of the Fire, Associate themselves each with its Like, or rather do take those places which their Seve∣ral Degrees of Gravity and Levity, Fixedness or Volatility (either Natural, or Adventitious from the Impression of the Fire) Assigne them. Thus in the Distillation (for Instance) of Man's Blood, the Fire do's First begin to Dis∣solve the Nexus or Cement of the Body; and then the Water, being the most
Page 87
Volatile, and Easy to be Extracted, is either by the Igneous Atomes, or the Agitation they are put into by the Fire, first carried up, till Forsaken by what carried it up, its Weight sinks it down into the Receiver: but all this while the other Principles of the Concrete Remain Unsever'd, and Require a stronger De∣gree of Heat to make a Separation of its more Fixt Elements; and therefore the Fire must be Increas'd which Carries over the Volatile Salt and the Spirit, they being, though Beleev'd to be Differ∣ing Principles, and though Really of Different Consistency, yet of an almost Equal Volatility. After them, as less Fugitive, comes over the Oyl, and leaves behinde the Earth and the Alcali, which being of an Equal Fixednesse, the Fire Severs them not, for all the Definition of the Schools. And if into a Red-hot Earthen or Iron Retort you cast the Matter to be Distill'd, You may Ob∣serve, as I have often done, that the Predominant Fire will Carry up all the Volatile Elements Confusedly in one Fume, which will afterwards take their Places in the Receiver, either according to the Degree of their Gravity, or ac∣cording
Page 88
to the Exigency of their re∣spective Textures; the Salt Adhering, for the most part, to the Sides and Top, and the Phlegme Fastening it self there too in great Drops, the Oyle and Spirit placing themselves Under, or Above one another, according as their Ponderous∣ness makes them Swim or Sink. For 'tis Observable, that though Oyl or Li∣quid Sulphur be one of the Elements Se∣parated by this Fiery Analysis, yet the Heat which Accidentally Unites the Particles of the other Volatile Princi∣ples, has not alwayes the same Opera∣tion on this, there being divers Bodies which Yield Two Oyls, whereof the One sinks to the Bottom of that Spirit on which the other Swims; as I can shew You in some Oyls of the same Deers Blood, which are yet by Me: Nay I can shew you Two Oyls carefully made of the same Parcel of Humane Blood, which not only Differ extreamly in Colour, but Swim upon one another without Mixture, and if by Agitation Confounded will of themselves Divorce again.

And that the Fire doth oftentimes di∣vide Bodies, upon the account that some
Page 89
of their Parts are more Fixt, and some more Volatile, how far soever either of these Two may be from a pure Elemen∣tary Nature, is Obvious enough, if Men would but heed it in the Burning of Wood, which the Fire Dissipates into Smoake and Ashes: For not only the latter of these is Confessedly made up of two such Differing Bodies as Earth and Salt; but the Former being con∣dens'd into that Soot which adheres to our Chimneys, Discovers it self to Con∣tain both Salt and Oyl, and Spirit and Earth, (and some Portion of Phlegme too) which being, all almost, Equally Volatile to that Degree of Fire which Forces them up, (the more Volatile Parts Helping perhaps, as well as the Urgency of the Fire, to carry up the more Fixt ones, as I have often Try'd in Dulcify'd Colcothar, Sublim'd by Sal Armoniack Blended with it) are car∣ried Up together, but may afterwards be Separated by other Degrees of Fire, whose orderly Gradation allowes the Disparity of their Volatileness to Dis∣cover it self. Besides, if Differing Bodies United into one Mass be both sufficiently Fixt, the Fire finding no Parts Volatile
Page 90
enough to be Expell'd or carried up, makes no Separation at all; as may ap∣pear by a Mixture of Colliquated Silver and Gold, whose Component Metals may be easily Sever'd by Aqua Fortis, or Aqua Regis (according to the Predo∣minancy of the Silver or the Gold) but in the Fire alone, though vehement, the Metals remain unsever'd, the Fire only dividing the Body into smaller Par∣ticles (whose Littlenesse may be argu'd from their Fluidity) in which either the little nimble Atoms of Fire, or its brisk and numberless strokes upon the Vessels, hinder Rest and Continuity, without any Sequestration of Elemen∣tary Principles. Moreover, the Fire some∣times does not Separate, so much as Unite, Bodies of a differing Nature; provided they be of an almost resembling Fixedness, and have in the Figure of their Parts an Aptness to Coalition, as we see in the making of many Plaisters, Oyntments, &c. And in such Metalline Mixtures as that made by Melting to∣gether two parts of clean Brass with one of pure Copper, of which some In∣genious Trades-men cast such curious Patterns (for Gold and Silver Works)
Page 91
as I have sometimes taken great Plea∣sure to Look upon. Sometimes the Bo∣dies mingled by the Fire are Differing enough as to Fixidity and Volatility, and yet are so combin'd by the first Ope∣ration of the Fire, that it self does scarce afterwards Separate them, but only Pulverize them; whereof an Instance is afforded us by the Common Preparati∣on of Mercurius Dulcis, where the Sa∣line Particles of the Vitriol, Sea Salt, and sometimes Nitre, Employ'd to make the Sublimate, do so unite them∣selves with the Mercurial Particles made use of, first to Make Sublimate, and then to Dulcifie it, that the Saline and Metalline Parts arise together in many successive Sublimations, as if they all made but one Body. And sometimes too the Fire does not only not Sever the Differing Elements of a Body, but Com∣bine them so firmly, that Nature her self does very seldom, if ever, make Unions less Dissoluble. For the Fire meeting with some Bodies exceedingly and almost equally Fixt, instead of making a Separation, makes an Union so strict, that it self, alone, is unable to Dissolve it; As we see, when an Alca∣lizate
Page 92
Salt and the Terrestrial Residue of the Ashes are Incorporated with pure Sand, and by Vitrification made one permanent Body, (I mean the course or greenish sort of Glass) that mocks the greatest Violence of the Fire, which though able to Marry the Ingredients of it, yet is not able to Divorce them. I can shew you some pieces of Glass which I saw flow down from an Earthen Cru∣cible purposely Expos'd for a good while, with Silver in it, to a very vehe∣ment Fire. And some that deal much in the Fusion of Metals Informe me, that the melting of a great part of a Crucible into Glass is no great Wonder in their Furnaces. I remember, I have Observ'd too in the Melting of great Quantities of Iron out of the Oar, by the Help of store of Charcoal (for they Affirm that Sea-Coal will not yield a Flame strong enough) that by the pro∣digious Vehemence of the Fire, Excited by vast Bellows (made to play by great Wheels turn'd about by Water) part of the Materials Expos'd to it was, in∣stead of being Analyz'd, Colliquated, and turn'd into a Dark, Solid and very Ponderous Glass, and that in such Quan∣tity,
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that in some places I have seen the very High-wayes, neer such Iron-works, mended with Heaps of such Lumps of Glasse, instead of Stones and Gravel. And I have also Observ'd, that some kind of Fire-stone it self, having been employ'd in Furnaces wherein it was ex∣pos'd to very strong and lasting Fires, has had all its Fixt Parts so Wrought on by the Fire, as to be Perfectly Vitrifi'd, which I have try'd by Forcing from it Pretty large Pieces of Perfect and Trans∣parent Glass. And lest You might think, Eleutherius, that the Question'd Definition of Heat may be Demonstra∣ted, by the Definition which is wont to be given and Acquiesc'd in, of its contrary Quality, Cold, whose proper∣ty is taught to be tam Homogenea, quam Heterogenea congregare; Give me leave to represent to You, that neither is this Definition unquestionable; for not to Mention the Exceptions, which a Logi∣cian, as such, may Take at it, I Con∣sider that the Union of Heterogeneous Bodies which is Suppos'd to be the Ge∣nuine Production of Cold, is not Per∣form'd by every Degree of Cold. For we see for Instance that in the Urine of
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Healthy Men, when the Liquor has been Suffer'd a while to stand, the Cold makes a Separation of the Thin∣ner Part from the Grosser, which Sub∣sides to the Bottom, and Growes O∣pacous there; whereas if the Urinal be Warme, these Parts readily Mingle again, and the whole Liquor becomes Transparent as before. And when, by Glaciation, Wood, Straw, Dust, Wa∣ter, &c. are Suppos'd to be United into one Lump of Ice, the Cold does not Cause any Real Union or Adunation, (if I may so Speak) of these Bodies, but only Hardening the Aqueous Parts of the Liquor into Ice, the other Bo∣dies being Accidentally Present in that Liquor are frozen up in it, but not Really United. And accordingly if we Expose a Heap of Mony Consisting of Gold, Silver and Copper Coynes, or any other Bodies of Differing Natures, which are Destitute of Aqueous Moisture, Capable of Congelation, to never so intense a Cold, we find not that these Differing Bodies are at all thereby so much as Compacted, much less United together; and even in Li∣quors Themselves we find Phaenoment
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which Induce us to Question the Defi∣nition which we are examining. If Paracelsus his Authority were to be look't upon as a Sufficient Proof in mat∣ters of this Nature, I might here insist on that Process of his, whereby he Teaches that the Essence of Wine may be Sever'd from the Phlegme and Ig∣noble Part by the Assistance of Con∣gelation: and because much Weight has been laid upon this Process, not on∣ly by Paracelsians, but other Writers, some of whom seem not to have per∣us'd it themselves, I shall give You the entire Passage in the Authors own Words, as I lately found them in the sixth Book of his Archidoxis, an Extract whereof I have yet about me; and it sounds thus. De Vino sciendum est, fae∣cem phlegmaque ejus esse Mineram, & Vi∣ni substantiam esse corpus in quo conser∣vatur Essentia, prout auri in auro latet Es∣sentia. Juxta quod Practicam nobis ad Memoriam ponimus, ut non obliviscamur, ad hunc modum: Recipe Vinum ve∣tustissimum & optimum quod habere po∣teris, calore saporeque ad placitum, hoc in vas vitreum infundas ut tertiam ejus par∣tem impleat, & sigillo Hermetis occlusum
Page 96
in equino ventre mensibus quatuor, & in continuato calore teneatur qui non deficiat. Quo peracto, Hyeme cum frigus & gelu maxime saeviunt, his per mensem expona∣tur ut congeletur. Ad hunc modum fri∣gus vini spiritum una cum ejus substantia protrudit in vini centrum, ac separat a phlegmate: Congelatum abjice, quod vero congelatum non est, id Spiritum cum sub∣stantia esse judicato. Hunc in Pelicanum positum in arenae digestione non adeo cali∣da per aliquod tempus manere sinito; Post∣modum eximito vini Magisterium, de quo locuti sumus.

But I dare not Eleu. lay much Weight upon this Process, because I have found that if it were True, it would be but sel∣dom Practicable in this Country upon the best Wine: for Though this pre∣sent Winter hath been Extraordinary Cold, yet in very Keen Frosts accom∣panied with lasting Snowes, I have not been able in any Measure to Freeze a thin Vial full of Sack; and even with Snow and Salt I could Freeze little more then the Surface of it; and I suppose Eleu. that tis not every Degree of Cold that is Capable of Congealing Liquors, which is able to make such an Analysis
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(if I may so call it) of them by Separa∣ting their Aqueous and Spirituous Parts; for I have sometimes, though not often, frozen severally, Red-wine, Urine and Milk, but could not Observe the expect∣ed Separation. And the Dutch-Men that were forc'd to Winter in that Icie Region neer the Artick Circle, call'd Nova Zembla, although they relate, as we shall see below, that there was a Separation of Parts made in their fro∣zen Beer about the middle of November, yet of the Freezing of their Back in De∣cember following they give but this Ac∣count: Yea and our Sack, which is so hot, was Frozen very hard, so that when we were every Man to have his part, we were forc'd to melt it in the Fire; which we shar'd every second Day, about half a Pinte for a Man, wherewith we were forc'd to sustain our selves. In which words they imply not, that their Back was divided by the Frost into differing Substances, after such man∣ner as their Beer had been. All which notwithstanding, Eleu. suppose that it may be made to appear, that even Cold sometimes may Congregare Homogenea, & Heterogenea Segregare: and to Manifest this I may tell you, that I did once, pur∣posely,
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cause to be Decocted in fair Water a Plant abounding with Sulphu∣reous and Spirituous Parts, and having expos'd the Decoction to a keen North-Wind in a very Frosty Night, I observ'd, that the more Aqueous Parts of it were turn'd by the next Morning into Ice, towards the innermost part of which, the more Agile and Spirituous parts, as I then conjectur'd, having Retreated, to shun as much as might be their Environ∣ing Enemy, they had there preserv'd themselves unfrozen in the Form of a high colour'd Liquor, the Aqueous and Spirituous parts having been so sleightly (Blended rather than) United in the Decoction, that they were easily Sepa∣rable by such a Degree of Cold as would not have been able to have Divorc'd the Parts of Urine or Wine, which by Fer∣mentation or Digestion are wont, as Tryal has inform'd me, to be more inti∣mately associated each with other. But I have already intimated, Eleutherius, that I shall not Insist on this Experiment, not only because, having made it but once I may possibly have been mistaken in it; but also (and that principally) because of that much more full and eminent
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Experiment of the Separative Virtue of extream Cold, that was made, against their Wills, by the foremention'd Dutch men that Winter'd in Nova Zembla; the Relation of whose Voyage being a very scarce Book, it will not be amiss to give you that Memorable part of it which concerns our present Theme, as I caus'd the Passage to be extracted out of the Englished Voyage it self.

Gerard de Veer, John Cornelyson and Others, sent out of Amsterdam, Anno Dom. 1596. being forc'd by un∣seasonable Weather to Winter in No∣va Zembla, neer Ice-Haven; on the thirteenth of October, Three of us (sayes the Relation) went aboard the Ship, and laded a Sled with Beer; but when we had laden it, thinking to go to our House with it, suddenly there arose such a Winde, and so great a Storm and Cold, that we were forc'd to go into the Ship again, because we were not able to stay with∣out; and we could not get the Beer into the Ship again, but were forc'd to let it stand without upon the Sled: the Fourteenth, as we came out of the Ship, we found the Barrel of Beer
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standing upon the Sled, but it was fast fro∣zen at the Heads; yet by reason of the great Cold, the Beer that purg'd out froze as hard upon the Side of the Barrel, as if it had been glu'd thereon: and in that sort we drew it to our House, and set the Barrel an end, and drank it up; but first we were forc'd to melt the Beer, for there was scarce any unfrozen Beer in the barrel; but in that thick Yiest that was un∣frozen day the Strength of the Beer, so that it was too strong to drink alone, and that which was frozen tasted like Water; and being melted we Mix'd one with the other, and so drank it; but it had neither Strength nor Taste.
And on this Occasion I remember, that having the last very Sharp Winter purposely try'd to Freeze, among other Liquors, some Beer moderately strong, in Glass Vessels, with Snow and Salt, I observ'd, that there came out of the Neck a certain thick Substance, which, it seems, was much better able then the rest of the Liquor (that I found turn'd into Ice) to resist a Frost, and which, by its Colour and consistence seem'd ma∣festly
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enough to be Yiest, whereat, I confess, I somewhat marvail'd, be∣cause I did not either discerne by the Taste, or find by Enquiry, that the Beer was at all too New to be very fit to be Drank. I might confirm the Dutchmens Relation, by what happen'd a while since to a neere Friend of mine, who com∣plained to me, that having Brew'd some Beer or Ale for his own drinking in Holland (where he then dwelt) the Keenness of the late bitter Winter froze the Drink so as to reduce it into Ice, and a small Proportion of a very Strong and Spirituous Liquor. But I must not entertain you any longer con∣cerning Cold, not onely because you may think I have but lost my way into a Theme which does not direct∣ly belong to my present Undertaking; but because I have already enlarg'd my self too much upon the first Conside∣ration I propos'd, though it appears so much a Paradox, that it seem'd to Require that I should say much to keep it from being thought a meere Extravagance; yet since I Undertook but to make the common Assumption
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of our Chymists and Aristotelians ap∣pear Questionable, I hope I have so Perform'd that Task, that I may now Proceed to my Following Considera∣tions, and Insist lesse on them than I have done on the First.

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THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST. The Second Part.
THe Second Consideration I De∣sire to have Notice Taken of, is This, That it is not so Sure, as Both Chymists and Aristotelians are wont to Think it, that every Seemingly Similar or Distinct Substance that is Separated from a Body by the Help of the Fire, was Pre-existent in it as a Principle or Element of it.

That I may not make this Paradox a Greater then I needs must, I will First Briefly Explain what the Proposition means, before I proceed to Argue for it.

And I suppose You will easily Believe
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That I do not mean that any thing is separable from a Body by Fire, that was not Materially pre-existent in it; for it Far Exceeds the power of Meer∣ly Naturall Agents, and Consequently of the Fire, to produce anew, so Much as one Atome of Matter, which they can but Modifie and Alter, not Create; which is so Obvious a Truth, that almost all Sects of Philosophers have Deny'd the Power of producing Matter to Second Causes; and the E∣picureans and some Others have Done the Like, in Reference to their Gods themselves.

Nor does the Proposition perempto∣rily Deny but that some Things Ob∣tain'd by the Fire from a Mixt Body, may have been more then barely Mate∣rially pre-existent in it, since there are Concretes, which before they be Ex∣pos'd to the Fire afford us several Do∣cuments of their abounding, some with Salt, and Others with Sulphur. For it will serve the present Turn, if it ap∣pear that diverse things Obtain'd from a Mixt Body expos'd to the Fire, were not its Ingredients Before: for if this be made to appear it, will be Rationall e∣nough
Page 105
to suspect that Chymists may De∣cieve themselves, and Others, in con∣cluding Resolutely and Universally, those Substances to be the Elementary Ingre∣dients of Bodies barely separated by the Fire, of which it yet may be Doubted Whether there be such or No; at least till some other Argument then that drawn from the Analysis be Brought to resolve the Doubt.

That then which I Mean by the Pro∣position I am Explaining, is, That it may without Absurdity be Doubted whether or no the Differing Substances Obtainable from a Concrete Dissipated by the Fire were so Exsistent in it in that Forme (at least as to their minute Parts) wherein we find them when the Analysis is over, that the Fire did only Dis joyne and Extricate the Cor∣puscles of one Principle from those of the other wherewith before they were Blended.

Having thus Explain'd my Propositi∣on, I shall endeavour to do two things, to prove it; The first of which is to shew that such Substances as Chymists call Principles May be produc'd De novo (as they speak.) And the other is to
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make it probable that by the Fire we may Actually obtain from some Mixt Bodies such Substances as were not in the Newly Expounded sence, pre-existent in them.

To begin then with the First of these, I Consider that if it be as true as 'tis probable, that Compounded Bodies Differ from One Another but in the Various Textures Resulting from the Bigness, Shape, Motion, and contri∣vance of their smal parts. It will not be Irrationall to conceive that one and the same parcel of the Universal Matter may by Various Alterations and Con∣textures be brought to Deserve the Name, somtimes of a Sulphureous, and sometimes of a Terrene, or Aqueous Bo∣dy. And this I could more largely Ex∣plicate, but that our Friend Mr. Boyle has promis'd us something about Qua∣lities, wherein the Theme I now willing∣ly Resign him, Will I Question not be Studiously Enquired into. Where∣fore what I shall now advance in fa∣vour of what I have lately Deliver'd shall be Deduc'd from Experiments made Divers Years since. The first of which would have been much more
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considerable, but that by some intervening Accidents I was Necessitated to lose the best time of the year, for a trial of the Nature of that I design'd; it being about he middle of May before I was able to begin an Experiment which should have then been two moneths old; but such as it was, it will not per∣haps be impertinent to Give You this Narrative of it. At the time newly Mention'd, I caus'd My Gardiner (be∣ing by Urgent Occasions Hinder'd from being present myself) to dig out a con∣venient quantity of good Earth, and dry it well in an Oven, to weigh it, to put it in an Earthen pot almost level with the Surface of the ground, and to set in it a selected seed he had before re∣ceived from me, for that purpose, of Squash, which is an Indian kind of Pom∣pion, that Growes apace; this seed I Ordered Him to Water only with Rain or Spring Water. I did not (when my Occasions permitted me to visit it) without delight behold how fast it Grew, though unseasonably sown; but the Hastning Winter Hinder'd it from attaining any thing neer its due and Wonted magnitude; (for I found
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the same Autumn, in my Garden, some of those plants, by Measure, as big about as my Middle) and made me order the having it taken Up; Which about the Middle of October was care∣fully Done by the same Gardiner, who a while after sent me this account of it; I have Weighed the Pompion with the Stalk and Leaves, all which Weighed three pound wanting a quarter; Then I took the Earth, baked it as formerly, and found it just as much as I did at First, which made me think I had not dry'd it Sufficiently: then I put it into the Oven twice More, after the Bread was Drawn, and Weighed it the Second time, but found it Shrink little or nothing.

But to deal Candidly with You, E∣leutherius, I must not conceal from You the Event of another Experiment of this Kind made this present Summer, wherein the Earth seems to have been much more Wasted; as may appear by the following account, Lately sent me by the same Gardiner, in these Words. To give You an Account of your Cucumbers, I have Gain'd two Indiffe∣rent Fair Ones, the Weight of them is ten Pound and a Halfe, the Branches with the
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Roots Weighed four Pounds wanting two Ounces; and when I had weighed them I took the Earth, and bak'd it in several small Earthen Dishes in an Oven; and when I had so done, I found the Earth wanted a Pound and a halfe of what it was former∣ly; yet I was not satisfi'd, doubting the Earth was not dry: I put it into an Oven the Second Time, (after the Bread was drawn) and after I had taken it out and weighed it, I found it to be the Same Weight: So I Suppose there was no Moisture left in the Earth. Neither do I think that the Pound and Halfe that was wanting was Drawn a∣way by the Cucumber but a great Part of it in the Ordering was in Dust (and the like) wasted: (the Cucumbers are kept by them∣selves, lest You should send for them.) But yet in this Tryal, Eleutherius, it ap∣pears that though some of the Earth, or rather the dissoluble Salt harbour'd in it, were wasted, the main Body of the Plant consisted of Transmuted Water. And I might add, that a year after I caus'd the formerly mentioned Ex∣periment, touching large Pompions, to be reiterated, with so good success, that if my memory does not much mis-inform me, it did not only much surpass any
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that I made before, but seem'd strange∣ly to conclude what I am pleading for; though (by reason I have unhappily lost the particular Account my Gardiner writ me up of the Circumstances) I dare not insist upon them. The like Experiment may be as conveniently try'd with the seeds of any Plant, whose growth is hasty, and its size Bulky. If Tobacco will in These Cold Climates Grow well in Earth undung'd, it would not be a∣miss to make a Tryal with it; for 'tis an annual Plant, that arises where it pros∣pers, sometimes as high as a Tall Man; and I have had leaves of it in my Garden neer a Foot and a Halfe broad. But the next time I Try this Experiment, it shall be with several seeds of the same sort, in the same pot of Earth, that so the e∣vent may be the more Conspicuous. But because every Body has not Con∣veniency of time and place for this Experiment neither, I made in my Chamber, some shorter and more Expeditions Tryals. I took a Top of Spearmint, about an Inch Long, and put it into a good Vial full of Spring water, so as the upper part of the Mint was above the neck of the Glass, and
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the lower part Immers'd in the Water; within a few Dayes this Mint began to shoot forth Roots into the Water, and to display its Leaves, and aspire up∣wards; and in a short time it had nu∣merous Roots and Leaves, and these very strong and fragrant of the Odour of the Mint: but the Heat of my Cham∣ber, as I suppose, kill'd the Plant when it was grown to have a pretty thick Stalk, which with the various and ra∣mified Roots, which it shot into the Water as if it had been Earth, pre∣sented in its Transparent Flower-pot a Spectacle not unpleasant to behold. The like I try'd with sweet Marjoram, and I found the Experiment succeed al∣so, though somewhat more slowly, with Balme and Peniroyal, to name now no other Plants. And one of these Vege∣tables, cherish'd only by Water, having obtain'd a competent Growth, I did, for Tryals sake, cause to be Distill'd in a small Retort, and thereby obtain'd some Phlegme, a little Empyrcumati∣call Spirit, a small Quantity of adust Oyl, and a Caput mortuum; which ap∣pearing to be a Coal concluded it to consist of Salt and Earth: but
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the Quantity of it was so small that I forbore to Calcine it. The Water I us'd to nourish this Plant was not shift∣ed nor renewed; and I chose Spring∣water rather than Rain-water, because the latter is more discernably a kinde of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which, though it be granted to be freed from grosser Mixtures, seems yet to Contain in it, besides the Steams of several Bodies wandering in the Air, which may be suppos'd to im∣pregnate it, a certain Spirituous Sub∣stance, which may be Extracted out of it, and is by some mistaken for the Spirit of the World Corporify'd, upon what Grounds, and with what Probability, I may elsewhere perchance, but must not now, Discourse to you.

But perhaps I might have sav'd a great part of my Labour. For I finde that Helmont (an Author more consi∣derable for his Experiments than many Learned men are pleas'd to think him) having had an Opportunity to prose∣cute an Experiment much of the same nature with those I have been now speaking of, for five Years together, obtain'd at the end of that time so no∣table a Quantity of Transmuted Water,
Page 113
that I should scarce Think it fit to have his Experiment, and Mine Mention'd to∣gether, were it not that the Length of Time Requisite to this may deterr the Curiosity of some, and exceed the leasure of Others; and partly, that so Paradoxical a Truth as that which these Experiments seem to hold forth, needs to be Con∣firm'd by more Witnesses then one, especially since the Extravagancies and Untruths to be met with in Helmonts Treatise of the Magnetick Cure of Wounds, have made his Testimonies suspected in his other Writings, though as to some of the Unlikely matters of Fact he delivers in them, I might safely undertake to be his Compurgator. But that Experiment of his which I was mentioning to You, he sayes, was this. He took 200 pound of Earth dry'd in an Oven, and having put it into an Earthen Vessel and moisten'd it with Raine wa∣ter he planted in it the Trunk of a VVil∣low tree of five pound VVeight; this he VVater'd, as need required, with Rain or with Distill'd VVater; and to keep the Neighbouring Earth from getting into the Vessell, he employ'd a plate of Iron tinn'd over and per∣forated
Page 114
with many holes. Five years be∣ing efflux'd, he took out the Tree and weighed' it, and (with computing the leaves that fell during four Autumnes) he found it to weigh 169 pound, and about three Ounces. And Having a∣gain Dry'd the Earth it grew in, he found it want of its Former VVeight of 200 Pound, about a couple only of Ounces; so that 164 pound of the Roots, VVood, and Bark, which Con∣stituted the Tree, seem to have Sprung from the VVater. And though it ap∣pears not that Helmont had the Curio∣sity to make any Analysis of this Plant, yet what I lately told You I did to One of the Vegetables I nourish'd with VVater only, will I suppose keep You from Doubting that if he had Distill'd this Tree, it would have afforded him the like Distinct Substances as another Vegetable of the same kind. I need not Subjoyne that I had it also in my thoughts to try how Experiments to the same purpose with those I related to You would succeed in other Bodies then Vegetables, because importunate Avo∣cations having hitherto hinder'd me from putting my Design in Practise, I
Page 115
can yet speak but Confecturally of the Success: but the best is, that the Expe∣riments already made and mention'd to you need not the Assistance of new Ones, to Verifie as much as my pre∣sent task makes it concern me to prove by Experiments of this Nature.

One would suspect (sayes Eleutheri∣us after his long silence) by what You have been discoursing, that You are not far from Helmonts Opinion about the O∣rigination of Compound Bodies, and perhaps too dislike not the Arguments which he imployes to prove it.

VVhat Helmontian Opinion, and what Arguments do you mean (askes Carneades.)

VVhat You have been Newly Dis∣coursing (replies Eleutherius) tells us, that You cannot but know that this bold and Acute Spagyrist scruples not to As∣sert that all mixt Bodies spring from one Element; and that Vegetables, Ani∣mals, Marchasites, Stones, Metalls, &c. are Materially but simple VVater dis∣guis'd into these Various Formes, by the plastick or Formative Virtue of their seeds. And as for his Reasons you may find divers of them scatter'd up and
Page 216
down his writings; the considerabl'st of which seem to be these three; The Ultimate Reduction of mixt Bodies in∣to Insipid VVater, the Vicissitude of the supposed Elements, and the pro∣duction of perfectly mixt Bodies out of simple VVater. And first he affirmes that the Sal circulatus Paracelsi, or his Li∣quor Alkahest, does adaequately resolve Plants, Animals, and Mineralls into one Liquor or more, according to their seve∣ral internall Disparities of Parts (with∣out Caput Mortuum, or the Destruction of their seminal Virtues;) and that the Alkahest being abstracted from these Liquors in the same weight and Virtue wherewith it Dissolv'd them, the Li∣quors may by frequent Cohobations from chalke or some other idoneous matter, be Totally depriv'd of their feminal En∣dowments, and return at last to their first matter, Insipid VVater; some o∣ther wayes he proposes here and there, to divest some particular Bodies of their borrow'd shapes, and make them re∣migrate to their first Simplicity. The second Topick whence Helmont drawes his Arguments, to prove VVater to be the Material cause of Mixt Bodies, I told
Page 117
You was this, that the other suppos'd Elements may be transmuted into one another. But the Experiments by him here and there produc'd on this Occa∣sion, are so uneasie to be made and to be judg'd of, that I shall not insist on them; not to mention, that if they were granted to be true, his Inference from them is somewhat disputable; and there∣fore I shall pass on to tell You, That as, in his First Argument, our Paradox∣ical Author endeavours to prove Wa∣ter the Sole Element of Mixt Bodies, by their Ultimate Resolution, when by his Alkahest, or some other conquering Agent, the Seeds have been Destroy'd, which Disguis'd them, or when by time those seeds are Weari'd or Exantlated or unable to Act their Parts upon the Stage of the Universe any Longer: So in his Third Argument he Endeavours to evince the same Conclusion, by the consti∣tution of Bodies which he asserts to be nothing but Water Subdu'd by Seminal Virtues. Of this he gives here and there in his Writings several Instances, as to Plants and Animals; but divers of them being Difficult either to be try'd or to be Understood, and others of them being
Page 118
not altogether Unobnoxious to Excepti∣ons, I think you have singl'd out the Principal and less Questionable Experi∣ment when you lately mention'd that of the Willow Tree. And having thus, Continues Eleutherius, to Answer your Question, given you a Summary Ac∣count of what I am Confident You know better then I do, I shall be very glad to receive Your Sence of it, if the giving it me will not too much Divert You from the Prosecution of your Dis∣course.

That If (replies Carneades) was not needlesly annex'd: for thorowly to ex∣amine such an Hypothesis and such Ar∣guments would require so many Con∣siderations, and Consequently so much time, that I should not now have the Liesure to perfect such a Digression, and much less to finish my Principle Dis∣course. Yet thus much I shall tell You at present, that you need not fear my rejecting this Opinion for its Novelty; since, however the Helmontians may in complement to their Master pretend it to be a new Discovery, Yet though the Arguments be for the most part his, the Opinion it self is very Antient: For Di∣ogenes
Page 119
Laertius and divers other Authors speak of Thales, as the first among the Grae∣cians that made disquisitions upon nature. And of this Thales, I Remember,
*Tully in∣formes us, that he taught all things were at first made of Water. And it seems by Plutarch and Justin Martyr, that the Opinion was Ancienter then he: For they tell us that he us'd to defend his Tene tby the Testimony of Homer. And a Greek Author, (the Scholiast of Apollo∣nius) upon these Words

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Argo∣naut. 4.
The Earth of Slime was made,
Affirms (out of Zeno) that the Chaos, whereof all things were made, was, ac∣cording to Hesiod, Water; which, set∣tling first, became Slime, and then con∣dens'd into solid Earth. And the same Opinion about the Generation of Slime seems to have been entertain'd by Or∣pheus,* out of whom one of the Antients cites this Testimony,
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Of Water Slime was made.
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It seems also by what is delivered in Stra∣bo out of another Author, * concerning the Indians, That they likewise held that all things had differing Beginnings, but that of which the World was made, was Water. And the like Opinion has been by some of the Antients ascrib'd to the Phoenicians, from whom Thales himself is conceiv'd to have borrow'd it; as pro∣bably he Greeks did much of their The∣logie, and, as I am apt to think, of their Philosophy too; since the Devising of the Atomical Hypothesis commonly ascrib'd to Lucippus and his Disciple Democritus, is by Learned Men attributed to one Moschus a Phoenician. And possibly the Opinion is yet antienter than so; For 'tis known that the Phoenicians borrow'd most of their Learning from the He∣brews. And among those that acknow∣ledge the Books of Moses, many have been inclin'd to think Water to have been the Primitive and Universal Mat∣ter, by perusing the Beginning of Gene∣sis, where the Waters seem to be men∣tion'd as the Material Cause, not only of Sublunary Compounded Bodies, but of all those that make up the Universe; whose Component Parts did orderly, as
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it were, emerge out of that vast Abysse, by the Operation of the Spirit of God, who is said to have been moving Him∣self as hatching Females do (as the Ori∣ginal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, *Meracephet is said to Im∣port, and as it seems to signifie in one of the two other places, * wherein alone I have met with it in the Hebrew Bible) upon the Face of the Waters; which being, as may be suppos'd, Divinely Im∣pregnated with the seeds of all things, were by that productive Incubation qua∣lify'd to produce them. But you, I pre∣sume, Expect that I should Discourse of this Matter like a Naturalist, not a Phi∣lologer. Wherefore I shall add, to Countenance Helmont's Opinion, That whereas he gives not, that I remember, any Instance of any Mineral Body, nor scarce of any Animal, generated of Wa∣ter, a French Chymist, Monsieur de Ro∣chas, has presented his Readers an Expe∣riment, which if it were punctually such as he has deliver'd it, is very Notable. He then, Discoursing of the Generation of things according to certain Chymical and Metaphorical Notions (which I confess are not to me Intelligible) sets down, among divers Speculations not
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pertinent to our Subject, the following Narrative, which I shall repeat to you the sence of in English, with as little variation from the Literal sence of the French words, as my memory will en∣able me. Having (sayes he) discern'd such great Wonders by the Natural Opera∣tion of Water, I would know what may be done with it by Art Imitating Nature. Wherefore I took Water which I well knew not to be compounded, nor to be mix'd with any other thing than that Spirit of Life (whereof he had spoken before;) and with a Heat Artificial, Continual and Pro∣portionate, I prepar'd and dispos'd it by the above mention'd Graduations of Coagulati∣on, Congelation, and Fixation, untill it was turn'd into Earth, which Earth produc'd Animals, Vegetables and Minerals. I tell not what Animals, Vegetables and Mine∣rals, for that is reserv'd for another Occa∣sion: but the Animals did Move of them∣selves, Eat, &c. — and by the true Ana∣tomie I made of them, I found that they were compos'd of much Sulphur, little Mer∣cury, and less Salt. — The Minerals be∣gan to grow and encrease by converting into their own Nature one part of the Earth thereunto dispos'd; they were solid and
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heavy. And by this truly Demonstrative Science, namely Chymistry, I found that they were compos'd of much Salt, little Sul∣phur, and less Mercury.
But (sayes Carneades) I have some Suspitions concerning this strange Rela∣tion, which make me unwilling to De∣clare an Opinion of it, unless I were satisfied concerning divers Material Cir∣cumstances that our Author has left un∣mentioned; though as for the Genera∣tion of Living Creatures, both Vegetable and Sensitive, it needs not seem Incre∣dible, since we finde that our common water (which indeed is often Impreg∣nated with Variety of Seminal Princi∣ples and Rudiments) being long kept in a quiet place will putrifie and stink, and then perhaps too produce Moss and little Worms, or other Insects, according to the nature of the Seeds that were lurk∣ing in it. I must likewise desire you to take Notice, that as Helmont gives us no Instance of the Production of Minerals out of Water, so the main Argument that he employ's to prove that they and other Bodies may be resolv'd into wa∣ter, is drawn from the Operations of his Alkahest, and consequently cannot
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be satisfactorily Examin'd by You and Me.

Yet certainly (sayes Eleutherius) You cannot but have somewhat wonder'd as well as I, to observe how great a share of Water goes to the making up of Di∣vers Bodies, whose Disguises promise nothing neere so much. The Distilla∣tion of Eeles, though it yielded me some Oyle, and Spirit, and Volatile Salt, besides the Caput mortuum, yet were all these so disproportionate to the Phlegm that came from them (and in which at first they boyl'd as in a Pot of Water) that they seem'd to have bin nothing but coagulated Phlegm, which does likewise strangely abound in Vipers, though they are esteem'd very hot in Operation, and will in a Convenient Aire survive some dayes the loss of their Heads and Hearts, so vigorous is their Vivacity. Mans Bloud it self as Spirituous, and as Elaborate a Liquor as 'tis reputed, does so abound in Phlegm, that, the other Day, Distilling some of it on purpose to try the Expe∣riment (as I had formerly done in Deers Bloud) out of about seven Ounces and a half of pure Bloud we drew neere six Ounces of Phlegm, before any of the
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more operative Principles began to arise, and Invite us to change the Receiver. And to satisfie my self that some of these Animall Phlegms were void e∣nough of Spirit to deserve that Name, I would not content my self to taste them only, but fruitlesly pour'd on them acid Liquors, to try if they contain'd any Volatile Salt or Spirit, which (had there been any there) would probably have discover'd it self by making an Ebullition with the affused Liquor. And now I mention Corrosive Spirits, I am minded to Informe you, That though they seem to be nothing else but Fluid Salts, yet they abound in Water, as you may Observe, if either you Entangle, and so Fix their Saline Part, by making them Corrode some idoneous Body, or else if you mortifie it with a contrary Salt; as I have very manifestly Ob∣serv'd in the making a Medecine some∣what like Helmont's Balsamus Samech, with Distill'd Vinager instead of Spirit of Wine, wherewith he prepares it: For you would scarce Beleeve (what I have lately Observ'd) that of that acid Spirit, the Salt of Tartar, from which it is Distill'd, will by mortifying and re∣taining
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the acid Salt turn into worthless Phlegm neere twenty times its weight, before it be so fully Impregnated as to rob no more Distill'd Vinager of its Salt. And though Spirit of Wine Exquisitely rectify'd seem of all Liquors to be the most free from Water, it being so Igne∣ous that it will Flame all away with∣out leaving the least Drop behinde it, yet even this Fiery Liquor is by Helmont not improbably affirm'd, in case what he relates be True, to be Ma∣terially Water, under a Sulphureous Disguise: For, according to him, in the making that excellent Medecine, Para∣celsus his Balsamus Samech, (which is no∣thing but Sal Tartari dulcify'd by Distil∣ling from it Spirit of Wine till the Salt be sufficiently glutted with its Sulphur, and suffer the Liquor to be drawn off, as strong as it was pour'd on) when the Salt of Tartar from which it is Distill'd hath retain'd, or depriv'd it of the Sul∣phureous parts of the Spirit of Wine, the rest, which is incomparably the greater part of the Liquor, will remi∣grate into Phlegm. I added that Clause [In case what he Relates be True] because I have not as yet sufficiently try'd it my
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self. But not only something of Expe∣riment keeps me from thinking it, as many Chymists do, absurd, (though I have, as well as they, in vain try'd it with ordinary Salt of Tartar:) but besides that Helmont often Relates it, and draws Consequences from it; A Person noted for his Sobernesse and Skill in Spagyrical Preparations, having been askt by me, Whether the Experiment might not be made to succeed, if the Salt and Spirit were prepar'd according to a way suit∣able to my Principles, he affirm'd to me, that he had that way I propos'd made Helmont's Experiment succeed very well, without adding any thing to the Salt and Spirit. But our way is neither short nor Easie.

I have indeed (sayes Carneades) some∣times wonder'd to see how much Phlegme may be obtain'd from Bodies by the Fire. But concerning that Phlegme I may anon have Occasion to note some∣thing, which I therefore shall not now an∣ticipate. But to return to the Opinion of Thales, and of Helmont, I consider, that supposing the Alkahest could re∣duce all Bodies into water, yet whether that water, because insipid, must be Ele∣mentary,
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may not groundlesly be doubt∣ed; For I remember the Candid and Eloquent Petrus Laurembergius in his Notes upon Sala's Aphorismes affirmes, that he saw an insipid Menstruum that was a powerfull Dissolvent, and (if my Memory do not much mis-informe me) could dissolve Gold. And the water which may be Drawn from Quicksilver without Addition, though it be almost Tastless, You will I believe think of a differing Nature from simple Water, especially if you Digest in it Appropri∣ated Mineralls. To which I shall add but this, that this Consideration may be further extended. For I see no Ne∣cessity to conceive that the Water men∣tion'd in the Beginning of Genesis, as the Universal Matter, was simple and Elementary VVater; since though we should Suppose it to have been an A∣gitated Congeries or Heap consisting of a great Variety of Seminal Princi∣ples and Rudiments, and of other Cor∣puscles fit to be subdu'd and Fashion'd by them, it might yet be a Body Fluid like VVater, in case the Corpuscles it was made up of, were by their Creator made small enough, and put into such an
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actuall Motion as might make them Glide along one another. And as we now say, the Sea consists of VVater, not∣withstanding the Saline, Terrestrial, and other Bodies mingl'd with it,) such a Liquor may well enough be called VVa∣ter, because that was the greatest of the known Bodies whereunto it was like; Though, that a Body may be Fluid e∣nough to appear a Liquor, and yet con∣tain Corpuscles of a very differing Na∣ture, You will easily believe, if You but expose a good Quantity of Vitriol in a strong Vessel to a Competent Fire. For although it contains both Aqueous, Earthy, Saline, Sulphureous, and Metal∣line Corpuscles, yet the whole Mass will at first be Fluid like water, and boyle like a seething pot.

I might easily (Continues Carneades) enlarge my self on such Considerations, if I were Now Oblig'd to give You my Judgment of the Thalesian, and Hel∣montian, Hypothesis. But Whether or no we conclude that all things were at first Generated of Water, I may Deduce from what I have try'd Concerning the Growth of Vegetables, nourish'd with water, all that I now propos'd to my Self
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or need at present to prove, namely that Salt, Spirit, Earth, and ev'n Oyl (though that be thought of all Bodies the most opposite to Water) may be produc'd out of Water; and consequently that a Chy∣mical Principle as well as a Peripatetick Element, may (in some cases) be Gene∣rated anew, or obtain'd from such a parcel of Matter as was not endow'd with the form of such aprinciple or Element before.

And having thus, Eleutherius, Evinc'd that 'tis possible that such Substances as those that Chymists are wont to call their Tria Prima, may be Generated, anew: I must next Endeavour to make it Probable, that the Operation of the Fire does Actually (sometimes) not on∣ly divide Compounded Bodies into smal Parts, but Compound those Parts after a new Manner; whence Consequent∣ly, for ought we Know, there may E∣merge as well Saline and Sulphureous Substances, as Bodies of other Textures. And perhaps it will assist us in our En∣quiry after the Effects of the Operations of the Fire upon other Bodies, to Con∣sider a little, what it does to those Mix∣tures which being Productions of the Art of Man, We best know the Com∣position
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of. You may then be pleas'd to take Notice that though Sope is made up by the Sope-Boylers of Oyle or Grease, and Salt, and Water Di∣ligently Incorporated together, yet if You expose the Mass they Constitute to a Graduall Fire in a Retort, You shall then indeed make a Separation, but not of the same Substances that were United into Sope, but of others of a Distant and yet not an Elementa∣ry Nature, and especially of an Oyle very sharp and Faetid, and of a very Differing Quality from that which was Employ'd to make the Sope: so if you Mingle in a due Proportion, Sal Ar∣moniack with Quick-Lime, and Distill them by Degrees of Fire, You shall not Divide the Sal Armoniack from the Quick-Lime, though the one be a Vola∣tile, and the other a Fix'd Substance, but that which will ascend will be a Spi∣rit much more Fugitive, Penetrant, and stinking, then Sal Armoniack; and there will remain with the Quick-Lime all or very near all the Sea Salt that concurr'd to make up the Sal Armoniack; con∣cerning which Sea Salt I shall, to satisfie You how well it was United to the
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Lime, informe You, that I have by ma∣king the Fire at length very Vehement, caus'd both the Ingredients to melt in the Retort it self into one Mass and such Masses are apt to Relent in the Moist Air. If it be here Objected, that these Instances are taken from factiti∣ous Concretes which are more Com∣pounded then those which Nature pro∣duces; I shall reply, that besides that I have Mention'd them as much to Illustrate what I propos'd, as to prove it, it will be Difficult to Evince that Nature her self does not make Decompound Bodies, I mean mingle together such mixt Bodies as are already Compounded of Ele∣mentary, or rather of more simple ones. For Vitriol (for Instance) though I have sometimes taken it out of Minerall Earths, where Nature had without any assistance of Art prepar'd it to my Hand, is really, though Chymists are pleas'd to reckon it among Salts, a De-com∣pounded Body Consisting (as I shall have occasion to declare anon) of a Terrestriall Substance, of a Metal, and also of at least one Saline Body, of a peculiar and not Elementary Nature. And we see also in Animals, that their
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blood may be compos'd of Divers very Differing Mixt Bodies, since we find it observ'd that divers Sea-Fowle tast rank of the Fish on which they ordina∣rily feed; and Hipocrates himself Ob∣serves, that a Child may be purg'd by the Milke of the Nurse, if she have ta∣ken Elaterium; which argues that the purging Corpuscles of the Medicament Concurr to make up the Milke of the Nurse; and that white Liquor is gene∣rally by Physitians suppos'd to be but blanch'd and alter'd Blood. And I re∣member I have observ'd, not farr from the Alps, that at a certain time of the Year the Butter of that Country was very Offensive to strangers, by reason of the rank tast of a certain Herb, whereon the Cows were then wont plentifully to feed. But (proceeds Carneades) to give you Instances of another kind, to shew that things may be obtain'd by the Fire from a Mixt Body that were not Pre-existent in it, let Me Remind You, that from many Vegetables there may without any Addition be Obtain'd Glass, a Body, which I presume You will not say was Pre-existent in it, but produc'd by the Fire. To which I shall
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add but this one Example more, namely that by a certain Artificial way of hand∣ling Quicksilver, You may without Addition separate from it at least a 5th. or 4th. part of a clear Liquor, which with an Ordinary Peripatetick would pass for VVater, and which a Vulgar Chy∣mist would not scruple to call Phlegme, and which, for ought I have yet seen or heard, is not reducible into Mercury a∣gain, and Consequently is more then a Disguise of it. Now besides that divers Chymists will not allow Mercury to have any or at least any Considerable Quantity of either of the Ignoble In∣gredients, Earth and VVater; Besides this, I say, the great Ponderousness of Quicksilver makes it very unlikely that it can have so much Water in it as may be thus obtain'd from it, since Mercury weighs 12 or 14 times as much as wa∣ter of the same Bulk. Nay for a fur∣ther Confirmation of this Argument, I will add this Strange Relation, that two Friends of mine, the one a Phy∣sitian, and the other a Mathematician, and both of them Persons of unsuspected Credit, have Solemnly assured me, that after many Tryals they made, to reduce
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Mercury into Water, in Order to a Phi∣losophicall Work, upon Gold (which yet, by the way, I know prov'd Unsuc∣cesfull) they did once by divers Coho∣bations reduce a pound of Quicksilver into almost a pound of Water, and this without the Addition of any other Sub∣stance, but only by pressing the Mer∣cury by a Skillfully Manag'd Fire in pur∣posely contriv'd Vessels. But of these Experiments our Friend (sayes Carne∣ades, pointing at the Register of this Dialogue) will perhaps give You a more Particular Account then it is ne∣cessary for me to do: Since what I have now said may sufficiently evince, that the Fire may sometimes as well alter Bodies as divide them, and by it we may obtain from a Mixt Body what was not Pre-existent in it. And how are we sure that in no other Body what we call Phlegme is barely se∣parated, not Produc'd by the Action of the Fire: Since so many other Mixt Bodies are of a much less Constant, and more alterable Nature, then Mer∣cury, by many Tricks it is wont to put upon Chymists, and by the Experi∣ments I told You of, about an hour
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since, Appears to be. But because I shall ere long have Occasion to resume into Consideration the Power of the Fire to produce new Concretes, I shall no longer insist on this Argument at present; only I must mind You, that if You will not dis-believe Helmonts Rela∣tions, You must confess that the Tria Prima are neither ingenerable nor incor∣ruptible Substances; since by his Alka∣best some of them may be produc'd of Bodies that were before of another De∣nomination; and by the same powerfull Menstruum all of them may be reduc'd into insipid Water.

Here Carneades was about to pass on to his Third Consideration, when Eleu∣therius being desirous to hear what he could say to clear his second General Consideration from being repugnant to what he seem'd to think the true Theory of Mistion, prevented him by telling him, I somewhat wonder, Carneades, that You, who are in so many Points un∣satisfied with the Peripatetick Opinion touching the Elements and Mixt Bodies, should also seem averse to that Notion touching the manner of Mistion, where∣in the Chymists (though perhaps with∣out
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knowing that they do so) agree with most of the Antient Philosophers that preceded Aristotle, and that for Reasons so considerable, that divers Modern Na∣turalists and Physitians, in other things unfavourable enough to the Spagyrists, do in this case side with them against the common Opinion of the Schools. If you should ask me (continues Eleutherius) what Reasons I mean? I should partly by the Writings of Sennertus and other learned Men, and partly by my own Thoughts, be supply'd with more, then 'twere at present proper for me to In∣sist largely on. And therefore I shall mention only, and that briefly, three or four. Of these, I shall take the First from the state of the Controversie it self, and the genuine Notion of Mistion, which though much intricated by the School∣men, I take in short to be this. Aristotle, at least as many of his Interpreters ex∣pound him, and as indeed he Teaches in some places, where he professedly Dis∣sents from the Antients, declares Misti∣on to be such a mutual Penetration, and perfect Union of the mingl'd Elements, that there is no Portion of the mixt Bo∣dy, how Minute soever, which does not
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contain All, and Every of the Four Ele∣ments, or in which, if you please, all the Elements are not. And I remember, that he reprehends the Mistion taught by the Ancients, as too sleight or gross, for this Reason, that Bodies mixt ac∣cording to their Hypothesis, though they appear so to humane Eyes, would not appear such to the acute Eyes of a Lynx, whose perfecter Sight would discerne the Elements, if they were no otherwise mingled, than as his Predecessors would have it, to be but Blended, not United; whereas the Antients, though they did not all Agree about what kind of Bodies were Mixt, yet they did almost unani∣mously hold, that in a compounded Bo∣die, though the Miscibilia, whether Ele∣ments, Principles, or whatever they pleas'd to call them, were associated in such small Parts, and with so much Ex∣actness, that there was no sensible Part of the Mass but seem'd to be of the same Nature with the rest, and with the whole; Yet as to the Atomes, or other Insensible Parcels of Matter, whereof each of the Miscibilia consisted, they re∣tain'd each of them its own Nature, being but by Apposition or Juxta-Position uni∣ted
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with the rest into one Bodie. So that although by virtue of this composition the mixt Body did perhaps obtain Di∣vers new Qualities, yet still the Ingre∣dients that Compounded it, retaining their own Nature, were by the De∣struction of the Compositum separable from each other, the minute Parts dis∣ingag'd from those of a differing Na∣ture, and associated with those of their own sort returning to be again, Fire, Earth, or Water, as they were before they chanc'd to be Ingredients of that Compositum. This may be explain'd (Continues Eleutherius,) by a piece of Cloath made of white and black threds interwoven, wherein though the whole piece appear neither white nor black, but of a resulting Colour, that is gray, yet each of the white and black threds that compose it, remains what it was before, as would appear if the threds were pull'd asunder, and sorted each Co∣lour by it self. This (pursues Eleutherius) being, as I understand it, the State of the Controversie, and the Aristotelians after their Master Commonly Defi∣ning, that Mistion is Miscibilium alterato∣rum Unio, that seems to comport much
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better with the Opinion of the Chy∣mists, then with that of their Adversa∣ries, since according to that as the new∣ly mention'd Example declares, there is but a Juxta-position of separable Cor∣puscles, retaining each its own Nature, whereas according to the Aristotelians, when what they are pleas'd to call a mixt Body results from the Concourse of the Elements, the Miscibilia can∣not so properly be said to be Alter'd, as Destroy'd, since there is no Part in the mixt Body, how small soever, that can be call'd either Fir, or Air, or Water, or Earth.

Nor indeed can I well understand, how Bodies can be mingl'd other wayes then as I have declar'd, or at least how they can be mingl'd, as our Peripateticks would have it. For whereas Aristotle tells us, that if a Drop of Wine be put into ten thousand Measures of Wa∣ter, the Wine being Overpower'd by so Vast a Quantity of Water will be turn'd into it, he speaks to my Appre∣hension, very improbably; For though One should add to that Quantity of Water as many Drops of Wine as would a Thousand times exceed it all,
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yet by his Rule the whole Liquor should not be a Crama, a Mixture of Wine and Water, wherein the Wine would be Predominant, but VVater only; Since the Wine being added but by a Drop at a time would still Fall into nothing but VVater, and Consequently would be turn'd into it. And if this would hold in Metals too, 'twere a rare se∣cret for Goldsmiths, and Refiners; For by melting a Mass of Gold, or Silver, and by but casting into it Lead or An∣timony, Grain after Grain, they might at pleasure, within a reasonable Compass of time, turn what Quantity they de∣sire, of the Ignoble into the Noble Me∣talls. And indeed since a Pint of wine, and a pint of water, amount to about a Quart of Liquor, it seems manifest to sense, that these Bodies doe not Totally Penetrate one another, as one would have it; but that each retains its own Dimensions; and Consequently, that they are by being Mingl'd only di∣vided into minute Bodies, that do but touch one another with their Surfaces, as do the Grains, of VVheat, Rye, Bar∣ley, &c. in a heap of severall sorts of Corn: And unless we say, that as
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when one measure of wheat, for In∣stance, is Blended with a hundred mea∣sures of Barley, there happens only a Juxta-position and Superficial Contact betwixt the Grains of wheat, and as many or thereabouts of the Grains of Barley. So when a Drop of wine is mingl'd with a great deal of water, there is but an Apposition of so many Vinous Corpuscles to a Correspondent Number of Aqueous ones; Unless I say this be said, I see not how that Ab∣surdity will be avoyded, whereunto the Stoical Notion of mistion (namely by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Confusion) was Liable, ac∣cording to which the least Body may be co-extended with the greatest: Since in a mixt Body wherein before the Ele∣ments were Mingl'd there was, for In∣stance, but one pound of water to ten thousand of Earth, yet according to them there must not be the least part of that Compound, that Consisted not as well of Earth, as water. But I in∣sist, Perhaps, too long (sayes Eleuthe∣rius) upon the proofs afforded me by the Nature of Mistion: Wherefore I will but name Two or Three other Ar∣guments; whereof the first shall be,
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that according to Aristotle himself, the motion of a mixt Body followes the Nature of the Predominant Ele∣ment, as those wherein the Earth pre∣vails, tend towards the Centre of heavy Bodies. And since many things make it Evident, that in divers Mixt Bodies the Elementary Qualities are as well Active, though not altogether so much so as in the Elements themselves, it seems not reasonable to deny the actual Existence of the Elements in those Bo∣dies wherein they Operate.

To which I shall add this Convin∣cing Argument, that Experience mani∣fests, and Aristotle Confesses it, that the Miscibilia may be again separated from a mixt Body, as is Obvious in the Chy∣mical Resolutions of Plants and Ani∣malls, which could not be unless they did actually retain their formes in it: For since, according to Aristotle, and I think according to truth, there is but one common Mass of all things, which he has been pleas'd to call Materia Pri∣ma; And since tis not therefore the Mat∣ter but the Forme that Constitutes and Discriminates Things, to say that the Elements remain not in a Mixt Bo∣dy,
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according to their Formes, but ac∣cording to their Matter, is not to say that they remain there at all; Since although those Portions of Matter were Earth and water, &c. before they concurr'd, yet the resulting Body being once Constituted, may as well be said to be simple as any of the Elements, the Matter being con∣fessedly of the same Nature in all Bo∣dies, and the Elementary Formes being according to this Hypothesis perish'd and abolish'd.

And lastly, and if we will Consult Chymical Experiments, we shall find the Advantages of the Chymical Do∣ctrine above the Peripatetick Title little less then Palpable. For in that Operation that Refiners call Quartation, which they employ to purifie Gold, although three parts of Silver be so exquisitely mingl'd by Fusion with a fourth Part of Gold (whence the Operation is De∣nominated) that the resulting Mass ac∣quires severall new Qualities, by virtue of the Composition, and that there is scarce any sensible part of it that is not Compos'd of both the metalls; Yet if You cast this mixture into Aqua For∣tis, the Silver will be dissolv'd in the
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Menstruum, and the Gold like a dark or black Powder will fall to the Bottom of it, and either Body may be again reduc'd into such a Metal as it was be∣fore, which shews: that it retain'd its Na∣ture, notwithstanding its being mixt per Minima with the other: We likewise see, that though one part of pure Silver be mingled with eight or ten Parts, or more, of Lead, yet the Fire will upon the Cuppel easily and perfectly separate them again. And that which I would have you peculiarly Consider on this Oc∣casion is, that not only in Chymicall Anatomies there is a Separation made of the Elementary Ingredients, but that some Mixt Bodies afford a very much greater Quantity of this or that Ele∣ment or Principle than of another; as we see, that Turpentine and Amber yield much more Oyl and Sulphur than they do Water, whereas Wine, which is confess'd to be a perfectly mixt Bodie, yields but a little Inflamable Spirit, or Sulphur, and not much more Earth; but affords a vast proportion of Phlegm or water: which could not be, if as the Peripateticks suppose, every, even of the minutest Particles, were of the same
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nature with the whole, and consequently did contain both Earth and Water, and Aire, and Fire; Wherefore as to what Aristotle principally, and almost only Objects, that unless his Opinion be ad∣mitted, there would be no true and per∣fect Mistion, but onely Aggregates or Heaps of contiguous Corpuscles, which, though the Eye of Man cannot discerne, yet the Eye of a Lynx might perceive not to be of the same Nature with one another and with their Totum, as the Nature of Mistion requires, if he do not beg the Question, and make Mistion to consist in what other Naturalists deny to be requisite to it, yet He at least ob∣jects That as a great Inconvenience which I cannot take for such, till he have brought as Considerable Argu∣ments as I have propos'd to prove the contrary, to evince that Nature makes other Mistions than such as I have al∣lowed, wherein the Miscibilia are re∣duc'd into minute Parts, and United as farr as sense can discerne: which if You will not grant to be sufficient for a true Mistion, he must have the same Quarrel with Nature her self, as with his Adversaties.

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Wherefore (Continues Eleutherius) I cannot but somewhat marvail that Car∣neades should oppose the Doctrine of the Chymist in a Particular, wherein they do as well agree with his old Mi∣stress, Nature, as dissent from his old Adversary, Aristotle.

I must not (replies Carneades) engage my self at present to examine thorowly the Controversies concerning Mistion: And if there were no third thing, but that I were reduc'd to embrace abso∣lutely and unreservedly either the Opini∣on of Aristotle, or that of the Philoso∣phers that went before him, I should look upon the latter, which the Chy∣mists have adopted, as the more defen∣sible Opinion: But because differing in the Opinions about the Elements from both Parties, I think I can take a middle Course, and Discourse to you of Mistion after a way that does neither perfectly agree, nor perfectly disagree with ei∣ther, as I will not peremptorily define, whether there be not Cases wherein some Phaenomena of Mistion seem to fa∣vour the Opinion that the Chymists Pa∣trons borrow'd of the Antients, I shall only endeavour to shew You that there
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are some cases which may keep the Doubt, which makes up my second Ge∣neral Consideration from being unrea∣sonable.

I shall then freely acknowledge to You (sayes Carneades) that I am not o∣ver-well satisfi'd with the Doctrine that is ascribed to Aristotle, concerning Mi∣stion, especially fince it teaches that the four Elements may again be separa∣ted from the mixt Body; whereas if they continu'd not in it, it would not be so much a Separation as a Producti∣on. And I think the Ancient Philoso∣phers that Preceded Aristotle, and Chy∣mists who have since receiv'd the same Opinion, do speak of this matter more intelligibly, if not more probably, then the Peripateticks: but though they speak Congruously enough, to their be∣lieving, that there are a certain Number of Primogeneal Bodies, by whose Con∣course all those we call Mixts are Ge∣nerated, and which in the Destruction of mixt Bodies do barely part company, and recede from one another, just such as they were when they came together; yet I, who meet with very few Opini∣ons that I can entirely Acquiesce in,
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must confess to You that I am inclin'd to differ not only from the Aristotelians, but from the old Philosophers and the Chymists, about the Nature of Mistion: And if You will give me leave, I shall Briefly propose to you my present No∣tion of it, provided you will look up∣on it, not so much as an Assertion as an Hypothesis; in talking of which I do not now pretend to propose and debate the whole Doctrine of Mistion, but to shew that 'tis not Improbable, that sometimes mingl'd substances may be so strictly u∣nited, that it doth not by the usuall O∣perations of the Fire, by which Chy∣mists are wont to suppose themselves to have made the Analyses of mixt Bo∣dies, sufficiently appear, that in such Bodies the Miscibilia that concurr'd to make them up do each of them re∣tain its own peculiar Nature: and by the Spagyrists Fires may be more easily extricated and Recover'd, than Al∣ter'd, either by a Change of Texture in the Parts of the same Ingredient, or by an Association with some parts of ano∣ther Ingredient more strict than was that of the parts of this or that Miscibile a∣mong themselves. At these words Eleu.
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having press'd him to do what he pro∣pos'd, and promis'd to do what he desir'd;

I consider then (resumes Carneades) that, not to mention those improper Kinds of mistion, wherein Homogene∣ous Bodies are Joyn'd, as when Water is mingl'd with water, or two Vessels full of the same kind of Wine with one ano∣ther, the mistion I am now to Discourse of seems, Generally speaking, to be but an Union per Minima of any two or more Bodies of differing Denominati∣ons; as when Ashes and Sand are Colli∣quated into Glass or Antimony, and Iron into Regulus Martis, or Wine and Water are mingl'd, and Sugar is dissolv'd in the Mixture. Now in this general notion of Mistion it does not appear clearly com∣prehended, that the Miscibilia or Ingre∣dients do in their small Parts so retain their Nature and remain distinct in the Compound, that they may thence by the Fire be again taken asunder: For though I deny not that in some Mi∣stions of certain permanent Bodies this Recovery of the same Ingredients may be made, yet I am not convinc'd that it will hold in all or even in most, or that it is necessarily deducible from Chy∣micall
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Experiments, and the true No∣tion of Mistion. To explain this a little, I assume, that Bodies may be mingl'd, and that very durably, that are not E∣lementary or resolv'd into Elements or Principles that they may be mingl'd; as is evident in the Regulus of Colli∣quated Antimony, and Iron newly mention'd; and in Gold Coyne, which lasts so many ages; wherein generally the Gold is alloy'd by the mixture of a quan∣tity, greater or lesser, (in our Mints they use about a 12th. part) of either silver, or Copper, or both. Next, I consider, that there being but one Universal mat∣ter of things, as 'tis known that the Aristotelians themselves acknowledge, who call it Materia Prima (about which nevertheless I like not all their Opinions,) the Portions of this matter seem to differ from One Another, but in certain Qualities or Accidents, fewer or more; upon whose Account the Corporeal Substance they belong to receives its Denomination, and is re∣ferr'd to this or that particular sort of Bodies; so that if it come to lose, or be depriv'd of those Qualities, though it ceases not to be a Body, yet it ceases
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from being that kind of Body as a Plant, or Animal, or Red, Green, Sweet, Sowre, or the like. I consider that it very often happens that the small parts of Bodies cohere together but by immediate Contact and Rest; and that however, there are few Bodies whose minute Parts stick so close together, to what cause soever their Combination be ascrib'd, but that it is possible to meet with some other Body, whose small Parts may get between them, and so dis-joyn them; or may be fitted to co∣here more strongly with some of them, then those some do with the rest; or at least may be combin'd so closely with them, as that neither the Fire, nor the other usual Instruments of Chymi∣cal Anatomies will separate them. These things being premis'd, I will not peremptorily deny, but that there may be some Clusters of Particules, wherein the Particles are so minute, and the Coherence so strict, or both, that when Bodies of Differing Denominations, and consisting of such durable Clusters, happen to be mingl'd, though the Compound Body made up of them may be very Differing from either of
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the Ingredients, yet each of the little Masses or Clusters may so retain its own Nature, as to be again separable, such as it was before. As when Gold and Silver being melted together in a Due Proportion (for in every Proportion, the Refiners will tell You that the Ex∣periment will not succeed) Aqua Fortis will dissolve the Silver, and leave the Gold untoucht; by which means, as you lately noted, both the Metalls may be recover'd from the mixed Mass. But (Continues Carneades) there are other Clusters wherein the Particles stick not so close together, but that they may meet with Corpuscles of another De∣nomination, which are dispos'd to be more closely United with some of them, then they were among themselves. And in such case, two thus combining Corpuscles losing that Shape, or Size, or Motion, or other Accident, upon whose Account they were endow'd with such a Deter∣minate Quality or Nature, each of them really ceases to be a Corpuscle of the same Denomination it was before; and from the Coalition of these there may emerge a new Body, as really one, as either of the Corpuscles was before
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they were mingl'd, or, if you please, Confounded: Since this Concretion is really endow'd with its own Distinct qua∣lities, and can no more by the Fire, or any other known way of Analysis, be di∣vided again into the Corpuscles that at first concurr'd to make it, than either of them could by the same means be sub∣divided into other Particles. But (sayes Eleutherius) to make this more intelligi∣ble by particular examples; If you dissolve Copper in Aqua Fortis, or Spirit of Nitre, (for I remember not which I us'd, nor do I think it much Material) You may by Crystalizing the Solution Obtain a goodly Vitriol; which though by Virtue of the Composition it have manifestly diverse Qualities, not to be met with in either of the Ingredients, yet it seems that the Nitrous Spi∣rits, or at least many of them, may in this Compounded Mass retain their for∣mer Nature; for having for tryal sake Distill'd this Vitrioll Spirit, there came over store of Red Fumes, which by that Colour, by their peculiar stinke, and by their Sourness, manifested them∣selves to be, Nitrous Spirits; and that the remaining Calx continu'd Copper,
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I suppose you'l easily beleeve. But if you dissolve Minium, which is but Lead Powder'd by the Fire, in good Spirit of Vinager, and Crystalize the Solution, you shall not only have a Saccharine Salt exceedingly differing from both its Ingredients; but the Union of some Parts of the Menstruum with some of those of the Metal is so strict, that the Spirit of Vinager seems to be, as such, destroy'd, since the Saline Corpuscles have quite lost that acidity, upon whose Account the Liquor was call'd Spirit of Vinager; nor can any such Acid Parts as were put to the Minium be Sepa∣rated by any known way from the Sac∣charum Saturni resulting from them both; for not only there is no Sowr∣ness at all, but an admirable Sweetness to be tasted in the Concretion; and not only I found not that Spirit of Wine, which otherwise will immediately hiss when mingl'd with strong Spirit of Vi∣nager, would hiss being pour'd upon Saccharum Saturni, wherein yet the A∣cid Salt of Vinager, did it Survive, may seem to be concentrated; but upon the Distillation of Saccharum Saturni by its Self I found indeed a Liquor very Pe∣netrant,
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but not at all Acid, and differ∣ing as well in smell and other Qualities, as in tast, from the Spirit of Vinager; which likewise seem'd to have left some of its Parts very firmly united to the Caput Mortuum, which though of a Lea∣den Nature was in smell, Colour, &c. differing from Minium; which brings into my mind, that though two Pow∣ders, the one Blew, and the other Yellow, may appear a Green mixture, without either of them losing its own Colour, as a good Microscope has some∣times inform'd me; yet having mingl'd Minium and Sal Armoniack in a requi∣site Proportion, and expos'd them in a Glass Vessel to the Fire, the whole Mass became White, and the Red Cor∣puscles were destroy'd; for though the Calcin'd Lead was separable from the Salt, yet you'l easily beleeve it did not part from it in the Forme of a Red Powder, such as was the Minium, when it was put to the Sal Armoniack, I leave it also to be consider'd, whether in Blood, and divers other Bodies, it be probable, that each of the Corpuscles that concurr to make a Compound Body doth, though some of them in
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some Cases may, retain its own Nature in it, so that Chymsts may Extricate each sort of them from all the others, wherewith it concurr'd to make a Body of one Denomination.

I know there may be a Distinction be∣twixt Matter Immanent, when the ma∣terial Parts remain and retain their own Nature in the things materiated, as some of the Schoolmen speak, (in which sence Wood, Stones and Lime are the matter of a House,) and Transient, which in the materiated thing is so alter'd, as to receive a new Forme, without being capable of re-admitting again the Old. In which sence the Friends of this Di∣stinction say, that Chyle is the matter of Blood, and Blood that of a Humane Bo∣dy, of all whose Parts 'tis presum'd to be the Aliment. I know also that it may be said, that of material Princi∣ples, some are common to all mixt Bo∣dies, as Aristotles four Elements, or the Chymists Tria Prima; others Pe∣culiar, which belong to this or that sort of Bodies; as Butter and a kind of whey may be said to be the Proper Principles of Cream: and I deny not, but that these Dissinctions may in some Cases
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be of Use; but partly by what I have said already, and partly by what I am to say, You may easily enough guess in what sence I admit them, and discerne that in such a sence they will either il∣lustrate some of my Opinions, or at least will not overthrow any of them.

To prosecute then what I was saying before, I will add to this purpose, That since the Major part of Chymists Cre∣dit, what those they call Philosophers affirme of their Stone, I may repre∣sent to them, that though when Com∣mon Gold and Lead are mingled To∣gether, the Lead may be sever'd almost un-alter'd from the Gold; yet if instead of Gold a Tantillum of the Red Elixir be mingled with the Saturn, their Union will be so indissoluble in the per∣fect Gold that will be produc'd by it, that there is no known, nor perhaps no possible way of separating the diffus'd Elixir from the fixed Lead, but they both Constitute a most permanent Body, wherein the Saturne seems to have quite lost its Properties that made it be call'd Lead, and to have been rather transmuted by the Elixir, then barely as∣sociated to it. So that it seems not al∣wayes
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necessary, that the Bodies that are put together per minima, should each retain its own Nature; So as when the Mass it Self is dissipated by the Fire, to be more dispos'd to re-appear in its Pristine Forme, then in any new one, which by a stricter association of its Parts with those of some of the other Ingredients of the Compositum, then with one another, it may have acqui∣red.

And if it be objected, that unless the Hypothesis I oppose be admitted, in such Cases as I have proposed there would not be an Union but a Destruction of mingled Bodies, which seems all one as to say, that of such Bodies there is no mistion at all; I answer, that though the Substances that are mingl'd remain, only their Accidents are Destroy'd, and though we may with tollerable Con∣gruity call them Miscibilia, because they are Distinct Bodies before they are put together, however afterwards they are so Confounded that I should ra∣ther call them Concretions, or Result∣ing Bodies, than mixt ones; and though, perhaps, some other and better Account may be propos'd, upon which the name
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of mistion may remain; yet if what I have said be thought Reason, I shall nor wrangle about Words, though I think it fitter to alter a Terme of Art, then re∣ject a new Truth, because it suits not with it. If it be also Objected that this Notion of mine, concerning mixtion, though it may be allow'd, when Bo∣dies already Compounded are put to be mingl'd, yet it is not applicable to those mixtions that are immediately made of the Elements, or Principles themselves; I Answer in the first place, that I here Consider the Nature of mixtion some∣what more Generally, then the Chy∣mists, who yet cannot deny that there are oftentimes Mixtures, and those very durable ones, made of Bodies that are not Elementary. And in the next place, that though it may be probably pretended that in those Mixtures that are made immediately of the Bodies that are call'd Principles or Elements, the mingl'd Ingredients may better re∣tain their own Nature in the Com∣pounded Mass, and be more easily se∣parated from thence; yet, besides that it may be doubted, whether there be any such Primary Bodies, I see not why the
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reason I alleadg'd, of the destructibility of the Ingredients of Bodies in General, may not sometimes be Applicable to Salt Sulphur or Mercury; 'till it be shewn upon what account we are to believe them Priviledged. And however, (if you please but to recall to mind, to what purpose I told you at First, I meant to speak of Mistion at this Time) you will perhaps allow that what I have hither to Discoursed about it may not only give some Light to the Nature of it in general (especially when I shall have an Oppor∣tunity to Declare to you my thoughts on that subject more fully) but may on some Occasions also be Serviceable to me in the Insuing Part of this Discourse.

But, to look back Now to that part of our Discourse, whence this Excursion concerning Mistion has so long diverted us, though we there Deduc'd, from the differing Substances obtained from a Plant nourished only with Water, and from some other things, that it was not necessary that nature should alwaies compound a Body at first of all such dif∣fering bodies as the fire could afterwards make it afford; yet this is not all that may be collected from those Experi∣ments.
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For from them there seems al∣so Deducible something that Subverts an other Foundation of the Chymical Doctrine. For since that (as we have seen) out of fair Water alone, not only Spirit, but Oyle, and Salt, and Earth may be Produced; It will follow that Salt and Sulphur are not Primo∣geneal Bodies, and principles, since they are every Day made out of plain Water by the Texture which the Seed or Seminal principle of plants puts it into. And this would not per∣haps seem so strange, if through pride, or negligence, We were not Wont to Overlook the Obvious and Fami∣liar Workings of Nature; For if We consider what slight Qualities they are that serve to denominate one of the Tria Prima, We shall find that Nature do's frequently enough work as great Alterations in divers parcells of matter: For to be readily dissoluble in water, is enough to make the bo∣dy that is so, passe for a Salt. And yet I see not why from a new shufling and Disposition of the Component Particles of a body, it should be much harder for Nature to compose a body dissoluble in
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Water, of a portion of Water that was not so before, then of the Liquid substance of an Egg, which will easily mix with VVater, to produce by the bare warmth of a hatching Hen, Membrans, Feathrs, Tendons, and other parts, that are not dissoluble in VVater as that Liquid Sub∣stance was: Nor is the Hardness and Brittleness of Salt more difficult for Nature to introduce into such a yielding body as VVater, then it is for her to make the Bones of a Chick out of the tender Substance of the Liquors of an Egg. But instead of prosecuting this con∣sideration, as I easily might, I will pro∣ceed, as soon as I have taken notice of an objection that lies in my Way. For I easily foresee it will be alledged, that the above mentioned Examples are all taken from Plants, and Animals, in whom the Matter is Fashioned by the Plastick power of the seed, or something analo∣gous thereunto. Whereas the Fire do's not act like any of the Seminal Principles, but destroyes them all, when they come within its Reach. But to this I shall need at present to make but this easy Answer, That whether it be a Seminal Principle, or any other which
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fashions that Matter after those vari∣ous manners I have mentioned to You, yet 'tis Evident, that either by the Pla∣stick principle Alone, or that and Heat Together, or by some Other cause capa∣ble to context the matter, it is yet pos∣sible that the matter may be Anew contriv'd into such Bodies. And 'tis on∣ly for the Possibility of this that I am now contending.

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THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST. The Third Part.
WHat I have hitherto Discours'd, Eleutherius, (sayes his Friend to Him) has, I presume, shew'n You, that a Considering Man may very well question the Truth of those very Sup∣positions which Chymists as well as Peripatericks, without proving, take for granted; and upon which Depends the Validity of the Inferences they draw from their Experiments. Wherefore having dispach't that, which though a Chymist Perhaps will not, yet I do, look upon as the most Important, as well as Difficult, part of my Task, it will now be Seasonable for me to pro∣ceed
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to the Consideration of the Expe∣riments themselves, wherein they are wont so much to Triumph and Glory. And these will the rather deserve a se∣rious Examination, because those that Alledge them are wont to do it with so much Confidence and Ostentation, that they have hitherto impos'd upon almost all Persons, without excepting Philosophers and Physitians themselves; who have read their Books, or heard them talk. For some learned Men have been content rather to beleeve what they so boldly Affirm, then be at the trouble and charge, to try whether or no it be True. Others again, who have Curiosity enough to Examine the Truth of what is Averr'd, want Skill and Opportunity to do what they Desire. And the Generality even of Learned Men, seeing the Chymists (not contenting themselves with the Schools to amuse the World with empty words) Actually Perform'd di∣vers strange things, and, among those Resolve Compound Bodies into several Substances not known by former Phi∣losophers to be contain'd in them: Men I say, seeing these Things, and
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Hearing with what Confidence Chy∣mists Averr the Substances Obtain'd from Compound Bodies by the Fire to be the True Elements, or, (as they speak) Hypostaticall Principles of them, are forward to think it but Just as well as Modest, that according to the Logi∣cians Rule, the Skilfull Artists should be Credited in their own Art; Espe∣cially when those things whose Nature they so Confidently take upon them to teach others are not only Producti∣ons of their own Skill, but such as o∣thers Know not else what to make of.

But though (Continues Carneades) the Chymists have been able upon some or other of the mention'd Acounts, not only to Delight but Amaze, and al∣most to bewitch even Learned Men; yet such as You and I, who are not unpractis'd in the Trade, must not suf∣fer our Selves to be impos'd upon by hard Names, or bold Assertions; nor to be dazl'd by that Light which should but assist us to discern things the more clear∣ly. It is one thing to be able to help Na∣ture to produce things, and another thing to Understand well the Nature
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of the things produc'd. As we see, that many Persons that can beget Chil∣dren, are for all that as Ignorant of the Number and Nature of the parts, es∣pecially the internal ones, that Consti∣tute a Childs? Body, as they that never were Parents. Nor do I Doubt, but you'l excuse me, if as I thank the Chy∣mists for the things their Analysis shews me, so I take the Liberty to consider how many, and what they are, without being astonish'd at them; as if, whosoe∣ver hath Skill enough to shew men some new thing of his own making, had the Right to make them believe whatsoever he pleases to tell them con∣cerning it.

Wherefore I will now proceed to my Third General Consideration, which is, That it does not appear, that Three is precisely and Universally the Number of the Distinct Substances or Elements, whereinto mixt Bodies are resoluble by the Fire; I mean that 'tis not prov'd by Chymists, that all the Compound Bodies, which are granted to be perfectly mixt, are upon their Chymical Analysis divisible each of them into just Three Distinct Substances, nei∣ther
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more nor less, which are wont to be lookt upon as Elementary, or may as well be reputed so as those that are so reputed. Which last Clause I sub∣joyne, to prevent your Objecting, that some of the Substances I may have oc∣casion to mention by and by, are not perfectly Homogeneous, nor Conse∣quently worthy of the name of Princi∣ples. For that which I am now to con∣sider, is, into how many Differing Substances, that may plausibly pass for the Elementary Ingredients of a mix'd Body, it may be Analyz'd by the Fire; but whether each of these be un-com∣pounded, I reserve to examine, when I shall come to the next General Con∣sideration; where I hope to evince, that the Substances which the Chymists not only allow, but assert to be the Com∣ponent Principles of the Body resolv'd into them, are not wont to be uncom∣pounded.

Now there are two Kind of Argu∣ments (pursues Carneades) which may be brought to make my Third Pro∣position seem probable; one sort of them being of a more Speculative Na∣ture, and the other drawn from Expe∣rience.
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To begin then with the first of these.

But as Carneades was going to do as he had said, Eleutherius interrupted him, by saying with a somewhat smiling coun∣tenance;

If you have no mind I should think, that the Proverb, That Good Wits have bad Memories, is Rational and Applica∣ble to You, You must not Forget now you are upon the Speculative Conside∣rations, that may relate to the Num∣ber of the Elements; that your Self did not long since Deliver and Concede some Propositions in Favour of the Chy∣mical Doctrine, which I may without disparagement to you think it uneasie, even for Carneades to answer.

I have not, replies he, Forgot the Concessions you mean; but I hope too, that you have not forgot neither with what Cautions they were made, when I had not yet assumed the Person I am now sustaining. But however, I shall to content You, so discourse of my Third general consideration, as to let You see, That I am not Unmind∣ful of the things you would have me re∣member.

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To talk then again according to such principles as I then made use of, I shall represent, that if it be granted rational to suppose, as I then did, that the Ele∣ments consisted at first of certain small and primary Coalitions of the minute Particles of matter into Corpuscles ve∣ry numerous, and very like each other, It will not be absurd to conceive, that such primary Clusters may be of far more sorts then three or five; and consequent∣ly, that we need not suppose, that in each of the compound Bodies we are treating of there should be found just three sorts of such primitive Coalitions, as we are speaking of.

And if according to this Notion we allow a considerable number of differing Elements, I may add, that it seems ve∣ry possible, that to the constitution of one sort of mixt Bodies two kinds of Elementary ones may suffice (as I lately Exemplify'd to you, in that most dura∣ble Concrete, Glass,) another sort of Mixts may be compos'd of three Ele∣ments, another of four, another of five, and another perhaps of many more. So that according to this Notion, there can be no determinate number assign'd, as
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that of the Elements, of all sorts of com∣pound Bodies whatsoever, it being very probable that some Concretes con∣sist of fewer, some of more Elements. Nay, it does not seem Impossible, accor∣ding to these Principles, but that there may be two sorts of Mixts, whereof the one may not have any of all the same Elements as the other consists of; as we oftentimes see two words, whereof the one has not any one of the Letters to be met with in the other; or as we often meet with diverse Electuaries, in which no Ingredient (except Sugar) is com∣mon to any two of them. I will not here debate whether there may not be a multitude of these Corpuscles, which by reason of their being primary and simple, might be called Elementary, if several sorts of them should convene to compose any Body, which are as yet free, and neither as yet contex'd and entangl'd with primary Corpuscles of other kinds, but remains liable to be subdu'd and fashion'd by Seminal Principles, or the like powerful and Transmuting Agent, by whom they may be so connected a∣mong themselves, or with the parts of one of the bodies, as to make the com∣pound
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Bodies, whose Ingredients they are, resoluble into more, or other Ele∣ments then those that Chymists have hitherto taken notice of.

To all which I may add, that since it appears, by what I observ'd to you of the permanency of Gold and Silver, that even Corpuscles that are not of an Ele∣mentary but compounded Nature, may be of so durable a Texture, as to re∣main indissoluble in the ordinary Analy∣sis that Chymists make of Bodies by the Fire; 'Tis not impossible but that, though there were but three Elements, yet there may be a greater number of Bodies, which the wonted wayes of A∣natomy will not discover to be no Ele∣mentary Bodies.

But, sayes Carneades, having thus far, in compliance to you, talk't conjectural∣ly of the number of the Elements, 'tis now time to consider, not of how many Elements it is possible that Nature may compound mix'd Bodies, but (at least as farr as the ordinary Experiments of Chymists will informe us) of how many she doth make them up.

I say then, that it does not by these sufficiently appear to me, that there is
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any one determinate number of Ele∣ments to be uniformly met with in all the several sorts of Bodies allow'd to be perfectly mixt.

And for the more distinct proof of this Proposition, I shall in the first place Reprelent, That there are divers Bodies, which I could never see by fire divided in∣to so many as three Elementary substan∣ces. I would fain (as I said lately to Philo∣ponus) see that fixt and noble Metal we call Gold separated into Sait, Sulphur and Mercury: and if any man will submit to a comperent forfeiture in case of sailing, I shall willingly in case of prosperous suc∣cesse pay both for the Materials and the charges of such an Experiment. 'Tis not, that after what I have try'd my self I dare peremptorily deny, that there may out of Gold be extracted a certain substance, which I cannot hinder Chy∣mists from calling its Tincture or Sulphur; and which leaves the remaining Body depriv'd of its wonted colour. Nor an I sure, that there cannot be drawn out of the same Metal a real quick and run∣ning Mercury. But for the Salt of Gold, I never could either see it, or be satisfied that there was ever such a thing separa∣ted,
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in rerum natura, by the relation of any credible eye witnesse. And for the several Processes that Promise that ef∣fect, the materials that must be wrought upon are somewhat too pretious and costly to be wasted upon so groundlesse adventures, of which not only the suc∣cesse is doubtful, but the very possibility is not yet demonstrated. Yet that which most deterres me from such tryalls, is not their chargeablenesse, but their unsa∣tisfactorinesse, though they should suc∣ceed. For the Extraction of this golden Salt being in Chymists Processes pre∣scribed to be effected by corrosive Men∣struums, or the Intervention of other Sa∣line Bodies, it will remain doubtful to a wary person, whether the Emergent Salt be that of the Gold it self; or of the Saline Bodies or Spirits employ'd to pre∣pare it; For that such disguises of Me∣tals do often impose upon Artists, I am sure Eleutherius is not so much a stranger to Chymistry as to ignore. I would likewise willingly see the three principles separated from the pure sort of Virgin-Sand, from Qsteocolla, from refined Sil∣ver, from Quicksilver, freed from its ad∣ventitious Sulphur, from Venetian Talk,
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which by long detention in an extreme Reverberium, I could but divide into smaller Particles, (not the constituent principles,) Nay, which, when I caused it to be kept, I know not how long, in a Glasse-house fire, came out in the Fi∣gure it's Lumps had when put in, though alter'd to an almost Amethystine colour; and from divers other Bodies, which it were now unnecessary to enumerate. For though I dare not absolutely affirme it to be impossible to Analyze these Bo∣dies into their Tria Prima; yet because, neither my own Experiments, nor any competent Testimony hath hitherto ei∣ther taught me how such an Analysis may be made, or satisfy'd me, that it hath been so, I must take the Liberty to re∣frain from believing it, till the Chymists prove it, or give us intelligible and pra∣cticable Processes to performe what they pretend. For whilst they affect that Ae∣nigmatical obscurity with which they are wont to puzzle the Readers of their divulg'd Processes concerning the Ana∣lyticall Preparation of Gold or Mercury, they leave wary persons much unsatisfy∣ed whether or no the differing Substan∣ces, they promise to produce, be truly
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the Hypostatical Principles, or only some intermixtures of the divided Bodies with those employ'd to work upon them, as is Evident in the seeming Crystalls of Silver, and those of Mer∣cury; which though by some inconside∣rately supposed to be the Salts of those Metalls, are plainly but mixtures of the Metalline Bodies, with the Saline parts of Aqua fortis or other corrosive Liquors; as is evident by their being reducible into Silver or Quicksilver, as they were before.

I cannot but Confesse (saith Eleuthe∣rius) that though Chymists may upon probable grounds affirm themselves A∣ble to obtain their Tria Prima, from A∣nimals and Vegetables, yet I have often wondred that they should so confidently pretend also to resolve all Metalline and other Mineral bodies into Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury. For 'tis a saying almost Proverbial, among those Chymists themselves that are accounted Philoso∣phers; and our famous Countryman Roger Bacon has particularly adopted it; that Facilius est aurum facere quam destru∣ere. And I fear, with You, that Gold is not the only Mineral from which Chy∣mists are wont fruitlessly to attempt the
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separating of their three Principles. I know indeed (continues Eleutherius) that the Learned Sennertus, even in that book where he takes not upon him to play the Advocate for the Chymists, but the Umpier betwixt them and the Peripa∣teticks, expresses himself roundly, thus; Salem omnibus inesse (mixtis scilicet) & ex iis fieri posse omnibus in resolutionibus Chymicis versatis notissimum est.* And in the next Page, Quod de sale dixi, saies he, Idem de Sulphure dici potest: but by his favour I must see very good proofs, before I believe such general Assertions, how boldly soever made; and he that would convince me of their truth, must first teach me some true and practicable way of separating Salt and Sulphur from Gold, Silver, and those many different sort of Stones, that a violent Fire does not bring to Lime, but to Fusion; and not only I, for my own part, never saw any of those newly nam'd Bodies so re∣solved; but Helmont, who was much better vers'd in the Chymical Anatomi∣zing of Bodies then either Sennertus or I, has somewhere this resolute passage; Scio (saies he) ex arena,*silicibus & saxis, non Calcariis, nunquam Sulphur aut Mercu∣rium
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trahi posse; Nay Quercetanus him∣self, though the grand stickler for the Tria Prima, has this Confession of the Irresolubleness of Diamonds;
*Adamas (saith he) omnium factus Lapidum solidis∣simus ac durissimus ex arctissima videlicet triunt principiorum unione ac Cohaerentia, quae nulla arte separationis in solutionem principiorum suorum spiritualium disjungi potest. And indeed, pursues Eleutherius, I was not only glad, but somewhat sur∣prized to find you inclined to Admit that there may be a Sulphur and a running Mercury drawn from Gold; for unlesse you do (as your expression seem'd to intimate) take the word Sulphur in a ve∣ry loose sence, I must doubt whether our Chymists can separate a Sulphur from Gold: For when I saw you make the experiment that I suppose invited you to speak as you did, I did not judge the golden Tincture to be the true principle of Sulphur extracted from the body, but an aggregate of some such highly colour'd parts of the Gold, as a Chymist would have called a Sulphur incombustible, which in plain English seems to be little better man to call it a Sulphur and no Sulphur. And as for Metalline Mercuries, I had
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not wondred at it, though you had expres∣sed much more severity in speaking of them: For I remember that having once met an old and famous Artist, who had long been (and still is) Chymist to a great Monarch, the repute he had of a very honest man invited me to desire him to tell me ingenuously whether or no, a∣mong his many labours, he had ever re∣ally extracted a true and running Mercu∣ry out of Metalls; to which question he freely replyed, that he had never se∣parated a true Mercury from any Metal; nor had ever seen it really done by any man else. And though Gold is, of all Metalls, That, whose Mercury Chymists have most endeavoured to extract, and which they do the most brag they have extracted; yet the Experienced Angelus Sala, in his Spagyrical account of the seven Terrestrial Planets (that is the seven metalls) affords us this memorable Te∣stimony, to our present purpose; Quan∣quam (faies he) &c. experientia tamen (quam stultorum Magistrum vocamus) certe Comprobavit, Mercurium auri adeo fixum, maturum, & arcte cum reliquis ejusdem cor∣poris substantiis conjungi, ut nullo modo re∣trogredi possit. To which he sub-joynes,
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that he himself had seen much Labour spent upon that Design, but could ne∣ver see any such Mercury produc'd thereby. And I easily beleeve what he annexes; that he had often seen Detected many tricks and Impostures of Cheating Alchymists. For, the most part of those that are fond of such Charlatans, being unskilfull or Credulous, or both, 'tis ve∣ry easie for such as have some Skill, much craft, more boldness, and no Conscience, to impose upon them; and therefore, though many profess'd Al∣chymists, and divers Persons of Quali∣ty have told me that they have made or seen the Mercury of Gold, or of this or that other Metal; yet I have been still apt to fear that either these per∣sons have had a Design to deceive o∣thers; or have not had Skill and circum∣spection enough to keep themselves from being deceived.

You recall to my mind (sayes Car∣neades) a certain Experiment I once devis'd, innocently to deceive some per∣sons, and let them and others see how little is to be built upon the affirma∣tion of those that are either unskillfull or unwary, when they tell us they have
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seen Alchymists make the Mercury of this or that Metal; and to make this the more evident, I made my Experi∣ment much more Slight, Short and Simple, than the Chymists usuall pro∣cesses to Extract Metalline Mercuries; which Operations being commonly more Elaborate and Intricate, and requiring a much more longer time, give the Alchymists a greater opportunity to Co∣zen, and Consequently are more Ob∣noxious to the Spectators suspicion. And that wherein I endeavour'd to make my Experiment look the more like a True Analysis, was, that I not only pretended as well as others to extract a Mercury from the Metal I wrought upon, but likewise to sepa∣rate a large proportion of manifest and inflamable Sulphur. I take then, of the filings of Copper, about a Drachme or two, of common sublimate, pow∣der'd, the like Weight, and Sal Armo∣niack near about as much as of Subli∣mate; these three being well mingl'd together I put into a small Vial with a long neck, or, which I find better, into a Glass Urinall, which (having first stopped it with Cotton) to avoid
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the Noxious Fumes, I approach by de∣grees to a competent Fire of well kindled coals, or (which looks better, but more endangers the Glass) to the Flame of a candle; and after a while the bottom of the Glass being held Just upon the Kindled Coals, or in the flame, You may in about a quarter of an Hour, or perchance in halfe that time, perceive in the Bottom of the Glass some running Mercury; and if then You take away the Glass and break it, You shall find a Parcel of Quicksilver, Perhaps altogether, and perhaps part of it in the pores of the Solid Mass; You shall find too, that the remaining Lump being held to the Flame of the Candle will readily burn with a greenish Flame, and after a little while (perchance presently) will in the Air Acquire a Greenish Blew, which being the Colour that is ascrib'd to Copper, when its Body is unlocked, 'Tis easie to perswade Men that this is the True Sulphur of Venus, especially since not only the Salts may be Sup∣pos'd partly to be Flown away, and partly to be Sublim'd to the upper part of the Glass, whose inside (will
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Commonly appear Whitened by them) but the Metal seems to be quite De∣stroy'd, the Copper no longer appear∣ing in a Metalline Forme, but almost in that of a Resinous Lump; whereas in∣deed the Case is only this, That the Saline parts of the Sublimate, together with the Sal Armoniack, being excited and actuated by the Vehement heat, fall upon the Copper, (which is a Metal they can more easily corrode, than silver) whereby the small parts of the Mercury being freed from the Salts that kept them asunder, and being by the heat tumbled up and down after many Occursions, they Convene into a Conspicuous Mass of Liquor; and as for the Salts, some of the more Volatile of them Sub∣liming to the upper part of the Glass, the others Corrode the Copper, and u∣niting themselves with it do strangely alter and Disguise its Metallick Form, and compose with it a new kind of Concrete inflamable like Sulphur; con∣cerning which I shall not now say any thing, since I can Referr You to the Diligent Observations which I remem∣ber Mr. Boyle has made concerning this Odde kind of Verdigrease. But Continues
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Carneades smiling, you know I was not cut out for a Mountebank, and therefore I will hasten to resume the person of a Sceptick, and take up my discourse where You diverted me from prosecuting it.

In the next place, then, I consider, that, as there are some Bodies which yield not so many as the three Prin∣ciples; so there are many others, that in their Resolution Exhibite more principles than three; and that there∣fore the Ternary Number is not that of the Universal and Adequate Principles of Bodies. If you allow of the Dis∣course I ately made You, touching the primary Associations of the small Particles of matter, You will scarce think it improbable, that of such Ele∣mentary Corpuscles there may be more sorts then either three, or four, or five. And if you will grant, what will scarce be deny'd, that Corpuscles of a com∣pounded Nature may in all the wonted Examples of Chymists pass for Elemen∣tary, I see not, why you should think it impossible, that as Aqua Fortis, or Aqua Regis will make a Separation of colli∣quated Silver and Gold, though the Fire cannot; so there may be some A∣gent
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found out so subtile and so power∣full, at least in respect of those particu∣lar compounded Corpuscles, as to be a∣ble to resolve them into those more simple ones, whereof they consist, and consequently encrease the number of the Distinct Substances, whereinto the mixt Body has been hitherto thought reso∣luble. And if that be true, which I recited to you a while ago out of Hel∣mont concerning the Operations of the Alkahest, which divides Bodies into o∣ther Distinct Substances, both as to num∣ber and Nature, then the Fire does; it will not a little countenance my Conjecture. But confining our selves to such wayes of Analyzing mix'd Bo∣dies, as are already not unknown to Chymists, it may without Absurdity be Question'd, whether besides those gros∣ser Elements of Bodies, which they call Salt Sulphur and Mercury, there may not be Ingredients of a more Subtile Nature, which being extreamly little, and not being in themselves Visible, may escape unheeded at the Junctures of the Destillatory Vessels, though never so carefully Luted. For let me observe to you one thing, which though
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not taken notice of by Chymists, may be a notion of good Use in divers Cases to a Naturalist, that we may well sus∣pect, that there may be severall Sorts of Bodies, which are not Immediate Ob∣jects of any one of our senses; since we See, that not only those little Corpus∣cles that issue out of the Loadstone, and perform the Wonders for which it is justly admired; But the Effluviums of Amber, Jet, and other Electricall Concretes, though by their effects upon the particular Bodies dispos'd to receive their Action, they seem to fall under the Cognizance of our Sight, yet do they not as Electrical immediately Affect any of our senses, as do the bodies, whether mi∣nute or greater, that we See, Feel, Taste, &c. But, continues Carneades, because you may expect I should, as the Chy∣mists do, consider only the sensible In∣gredients of Mixt Bodies, let us now fee, what Experience will, even as to these, suggest to us.

It seems then questionable enough, whether from Grapes variously order'd there may not be drawn more distinct Substances by the help of the Fire, then from most other mixt Bodies. For the
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Grapes themselves being dryed into Raysins and distill'd, will (besides Al∣cali, Phlegm, and Earth) yield a conside∣rable quantity of an Empyreumatical Oyle, and a Spirit of a very different na∣ture from that of Wine. Also the un∣fermented Juice of Grapes affords other distil'd Liquors then Wine doth. The Juice of Grapes after fermentation will yield a Spiritus Ardens; which if compe∣tently rectifyed will all burn away with∣out leaving any thing remaining. The same fermented Juice degenerating into Vinager, yields an acid and corroding Spirit. The same Juice turn'd up, armes it self with Tartar; out of which may be separated, as out of other Bodies, Phlegme, Spirit, Oyle, Salt and Earth: not to mention what Substances may be drawn from the Vine it self, probably differing from those which are separated from Tartar, which is a body by it self, that has few resemblers in the World. And I will further consider that what force soever you will allow this instance, to evince that there are some Bodies that yield more Elements then others, it can scarce be deny'd but that the Major part of bodies that are divisible into Ele∣ments,
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yield more then three. For, be∣sides those which the Chymists are pleased to name Hypostatical, most bo∣dies contain two others, Phlegme and Earth, which concurring as well as the rest to the constitution of Mixts, and be∣ing as generally, if not more, found in their Analysis, I see no sufficient cause why they should be excluded from the number of Elements. Nor will it suf∣fice to object, as the Paracelsians are wont to do, that the Tria prima are the most useful Elements, and the Earth and Water but worthlesse and unactive; for Elements being call'd so in relation to the constituting of mixt Bodies, it should be upon the account of its Ingrediency, not of its use, that any thing should be affirmed or denyed to be an Element: and as for the pretended uselessness of Earth and Water, it would be consider'd that usefulnesse, or the want of it, de∣notes only a Respect or Relation to us; and therefore the presence, or absence of it, alters not the Intrinsick nature of the thing. The hurtful Teeth of Vipers are for ought I know useless to us, and yet are not to be deny'd to be parts of their Bodies; and it were hard to shew of
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what greater Use to Us, then Phlegme and Earth, are those Undiscern'd Stars, which our New Telescopes discover to Us, in many Blanched places of the Sky; and yet we cannot but acknowledge them Constituent and Considerably great parts of the Universe. Besides that whether or no the Phlegme and Earth be immediately Useful, but necessary to constitute the Body whence they are separated; and consequently, if the mixt Body be not Useless to us, those con∣stituent parts, without which it could not have been That mixt Body, may be said not to be Unuseful to Us: and though the Earth and Water be not so conspicuously Operative (after separati∣on) as the other three more active Prin∣ciples, yet in this case it will not be amiss to remember the lucky Fable of Menemius Aggrippa, of the dangerous Sedition of the Hands and Legs, and other more busie parts of the Body, against the seemingly unactive Stomack. And to this case also we may not unfitly apply that Reasoning of an Apostle, to ano∣ther purpose; If the Ear shall say, because I am not the Eye, I am not of the Body; Is it therefore not of the Body? If the whole
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Body were Eye, where were the Hearing? If the whole were for hearing, where the smelling? In a word, since Earth and water appear, as clearly and as generally as the other Principles upon the resoluti∣on of Bodies, to be the Ingredients where∣of they are made up; and fince they are useful, if not immediately to us, or ra∣ther to Physitians, to the Bodies they constitute, and so though in somewhat a remoter way, are serviceable to us; to ex∣clude them out of the number of Ele∣ments, is not to imitate Nature.

But, pursues Carneades, though I think it Evident, that Earth and Phlegme are to be reckon'd among the Elements of most Animal and Ve∣getable Bodies, yet 'tis not upon that Account alone, that I think divers Bo∣dies resoluble into more Substances then three. For there are two Experi∣ments, that I have sometimes made to shew, that at least some Mixts are divisi∣ble into more Distinct Substances then five. The one of these Experiments, though 'twill be more seasonable for me to mention it fully anon, yet in the mean time, I shall tell you thus much of it, That out of two Distill'd Liquors,
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which pass for Elements of the Bodies whence they are drawn, I can without Addition make a true Yellow and In∣flamable Sulphur, notwithstanding that the two Liquors remain afterwards Distinct. Of the other Experiment, which perhaps will not be altogether unworthy your Notice, I must now give you this particular Account. I had long observ'd, that by the Destillation of di∣vers Woods, both in Ordinary, and some unusuall sorts of Vessels, the Co∣pious Spirit that came over, had besides a strong tast, to be mot with in the Em∣pyreumaticall Spirits of many other Bodies, an Acidity almost like that of Vinager: Wherefore I suspected, that though the sowrish Liquor Distill'd, for Instance, from Box-Wood, be lookt up∣on by Chymists as barely the Spirit of it, and therefore as one single Element or Principle; yet it does really consist of two Differing Substances, and may be divisible into them; and consequently, that such Woods and other Mixts as abound with such a Vinager, may be said to consist of one Element or Prin∣ciple, more then the Chymists as yet are Aware of; Wherefore bethinking
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my self, how the separation of these two Spirits might be made, I Quickly found, that there were several wayes of Compassing it. But that of them which I shall at present mention, was this, Having Destill'd a Quantity of Box-Wood per se, and slowly rectify'd the sowrish Spirit, the better to free it both from Oyle and Phlegme, I cast in∣to this Rectify'd Liquor a convenient Quantity of Powder'd Coral, expecting that the Acid part of the Liquor would Corrode the Coral, and being associa∣ted with it would be so retain'd by it, that the other part of the Liquor, which was not of an acid Nature, nor fit to fa∣sten upon the Corals, would be permit∣ted to ascend alone. Nor was I deceiv'd in my Expectation; For having gently abstracted the Liquor from the Coralls; there came over a Spirit of a Strong smell, and of a tast very piercing, but without any sourness; and which was in diverse qualities manifestly different, not only from a Spirit of Vinager, but from some Spirit of the same Wood, that I purposely kept by me without depriving it of its acid Ingredient. And to satisfy you, that these two Substances were of
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a very differing Nature, I might informe you of several Tryals that I made, but must not name some of them, because I cannot do so without making some un∣seasonable discoveries. Yet this I shall tell you at present, that the sowre Spirit of Box, not only would, as I just now related, dissolve Corals, which the other would not fasten on, but being pour'd upon Salt of Tartar would imme∣diately boile and hiss, whereas the other would lye quietly upon it. The acid Spirit pour'd upon Minium made a Sugar of Lead, which I did not find the other to do; some drops of this penetrant spi∣rit being mingl'd with some drops of the blew Syrup of Violets seem'd rather to dilute then otherwise alter the colour; whereas the Acid Spirit turn'd the surup of a reddish colour, and would probably have made it of as pure a red as Acid Salts are wont to do, had not its opera∣tion been hindered by the mixture of the other Spirit. A few drops of the com∣pound Spirit being Shaken into a pretty quantity of the infusion of Lignum Ne∣phriticum, presently destroyed all the blewish colour, whereas the other Spirit would not take it away. To all which
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it might be added, that having for tryals sake pour'd fair water upon the Corals that remained in the bottom of the glass wherein I had rectifyed the double spirit (if I may so call it) that was first drawn from the Box, I found according to my expectation that the Acid Spirit had re∣ally dissolved the Corals, and had co∣agulated with them. For by the affusi∣on of fair Water, I Obtain'd a Soluti∣on, which (to note that singularity upon the bye) was red, whence the Water being evaporated, there remained a solu∣ble Substance much like the Ordinary Salt of Coral, as Chymists are pleas'd to call that Magistery of Corals, which they make by dissolving them in common spirit of Vinager, and abstracting the Menstruum ad Siccitatem. I know not whether I should subjoine, on this occasi∣on, that the simple spirit of Box, if Chymists will have it therefore Saline because it has a strong tast, will furnish us with a new kind of Saline Bodies, dif∣fering from those hitherto taken notice of. For whereas of the three chief sorts of Salts, the Acid, the Alcalizate, and the Sulphureous, there is none that seems to be friends with both the other
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two, as I may, e're it be long, have oc∣casion to shew; I did not find but that the simple spirit of Box did agree very well (at least as farr as I had occasion to try it) both with the Acid and the other Salts. For though it would lye very quiet with salt of Tartar, Spirit of Urine, or other bodies, whose Salts were either of an Alcalizate or fugitive Nature; yet did not the mingling of Oyle of Vitriol it self produce any hissing or Effervescence, which you know is wont to ensue upon the Affusion of that highly Acid Liquor upon eit her of the Bodies newly men∣tioned.

I think my self, sayes Eleutherius, be∣holden to you, for this Experiment; not only because I forsee you will make it helpful to you in the Enquiry you are now upon, but because it teaches us a Method, whereby we may prepare a numerous sort of new spirits, which though more simple then any that are thought Elementary, are manifestly en∣dow'd with peculiar and powerfull qua∣lities, some of which may probably be of considerable use in Physick, as well alone, as associated with other things; as one may hopefully guess by the redness of
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that Solution your sour Spirit made of Corals, and by some other circumstances of your Narrative. And suppose (pur∣sues Eleutherius) that you are not so confin'd, for the separation of the Acid parts of these compound Spirits from the other, to employ Corals; but that you may as well make use of any Alcali∣zate Salt, or of Pearls, or Crabs eyes, or any other Body, upon which common Spirit of Vinager will easily work, and, to speak in an Helmontian Phrase, Exant∣late it self.

I have not yet tryed, sayes Carneades, of what use the mention'd liquors may be in Physick, either as Medicines or as Men∣struums: But I could mention now (and may another time) divers of the tryals that I made to satisfy my self of the dif∣serence of these two Liquors. But that, as I allow you thinking what you newly told me about Corals, I presume you will allow me, from what I have said already, to deduce this Corollary; That there are divers compound bodies, which may be resolv'd into four such differing Substan∣ces, as may as well merit the name of Principles, as those to which the Chy∣mists freely give it. For since they scruple
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not to reckon that which I call the com∣pound Spirit of Box, for the spirit, or as others would have it, the Mercury of that Wood, I see not, why the Acid li∣quor, and the other, should not each of them, especially that last named, be lookt upon as more worthy to be called an Ele∣mentary Principle; since it must needs be of a more simple nature then the Liquor, which was found to be divisible into that, and the Acid Spirit. And this further use (continues Carneades) may be made of our experiment to my present purpose, that it may give us a rise to sus∣pect, that since a Liquor reputed by the Chymists to be, without dispute, Homo∣geneous, is by so slight a way divisible into two distinct and more simple Ingredients, some more skilful or happier Experimen∣ter then I may find a way either further to divide one of these Spirits, or to resolve some or other, if not all, of those other Ingredients of mixt Bodies, that have hi∣therto pass'd among Chymists for their Elements or Principles.

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THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST. The Fourth Part.
ANd thus much (sayes Carneades) may suffice to be said of the Num∣ber of the Distinct substances separable from mixt Bodies by the Fire: Where∣fore I now proceed to consider the na∣ture of them, and shew you, That though they seem Homogeneous Bodies, yet have they not the purity and sim∣plicity that is requisite to Elements. And I should immediately proceed to the proof of my Assertion, but that the Confidence wherewith Chymists are wont to call each of the Substances we speak of by the name of Sulphur or Mercury, or the other of the Hyposta∣ticall
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Principles, and the intollerable Ambiguity they allow themselves ie their Writings and Expressions, makes it necessary for me in Order to the Keeping you either from mistaking me, or thinking I mistake the Contro∣versie, to take Notice to you and com∣plain of the unreasonable Liberty they give themselves of playing with Names at pleasure. And indeed if I were ob∣lig'd in this Dispute, to have such re∣gard to the Phraseology of each parti∣cular Chymist, as not to Write any thing which this or that Author may not pretend, not to contradict this or that sence, which he may give as Oc∣casion serves to his Ambiguous Expres∣sions, I should scarce know how to dis∣pute, nor which way to turn my self. For I find that even Eminent Writers, (such as Raymund Lully, Paracelsus and others) do so abuse the termes they employ, that as they will now and then give di∣vers things, one name; so they will of∣tentimes give one thing, many Names; and some of them (perhaps) such, as do much more properly signifie some Di∣stinct Body of another kind; nay even in Technical Words or Termes of Art,
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they refrain not from this Confound∣ing Liberty; but will, as I have Ob∣serv'd, call the same Substance, some∣times the Sulphur, and Sometimes the Mercury of a Body. And now I speak of Mercury, I cannot but take Notice, that the Descriptions they give us of that Principle or Ingre∣dient of. mixt Bodies, are so intricate, that even those that have Endeavour'd to Pollish and Illustrate the Notions of the Chymists, are fain to confess that they know not what to make of it, ei∣ther by Ingenuous Acknowledgments, or Descriptions that are not Intelligi∣ble.

I must confess (sayes Eleutherius) I have, in the reading of Paracelsus and o∣ther Chymical Authors, been troubled to find, that such hard Words and E∣quivocal Expressions, as You justly com∣plain of, do even when they treat of Principles, seem to be studiously affected by those Writers; whether to make themselves to be admir'd by their Rea∣ders, and their Art appear more Ve∣nerable and Mysterious, or, (as they would have us think) to conceal from them a Knowledge themselves judge in∣estimable.

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But whatever (sayes Carneades) these Men may promise themselves from a Canting way of delivering the Princi∣ples of Nature, they will find the Ma∣jor part of Knowing Men so vain, as when they understand not what they read, to conclude, that it is rather the Writers fault then their own. And those that are so ambitious to be ad∣mir'd by the Vulgar, that rather then go without the Admiration of the Ig∣norant they will expose themselves to the contempt of the Learned, those shall, by my consent, freely enjoy their Option. As for the Mystical Writers scrupling to Communicate their Know∣ledge, they might less to their own Disparagement, and to the trouble of their Readers, have conceal'd it by wri∣ting no Books, then by Writing bad ones. If Themistius were here, he would not stick to say, that Chymists write thus darkly, not because they think their Notions too precious to be explain'd, but because they fear that if they were explain'd, men would dis∣cern, that they are farr from being pre∣cious. And indeed, I fear that the chief Reason why Chymists have written so
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obscurely of their three Principles, may be, That not having Clear and Di∣stinct Notions of them themselves, they cannot write otherwise then Confusedly of what they but Confusedly Appre∣hend: Not to say that divers of them, being Conscious to the Invalidity of their Doctrine, might well enough dis∣cerne that they could scarce keep them∣selves from being confuted, but by keep∣ing themselves from being clearly under∣stood. But though much may be said to Excuse the Chymists when they write Darkly, and Aenigmatically, about the Preparation of their Elixir, and Some few other grand Arcana, the divulging of which they may upon Grounds Plausi∣ble enough esteem unfit; yet when they pretend to teach the General Principles of Natural Philosophers, this Equivo∣call Way of Writing is not to be en∣dur'd. For in such Speculative Enqui∣ties, where the naked Knowledge of the Truth is the thing Principally aim'd at, what does he teach me worth thanks that does not, if he can, make his No∣tion intelligible to me, but by Mystical Termes, and Ambiguous Phrases dark∣ens what he should clear up; and makes
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me add the Trouble of guessing at the sence of what he Equivocally expresses, to that of examining the Truth of what he seems to deliver. And if the mat∣ter of the Philosophers Stone, and the manner of preparing it, be such Myste∣ries as they would have the World be∣lieve them, they may Write Intelligi∣bly and Clearly of the Principles of mixt Bodies in General, without Dis∣covering what they call the Great Work. But for my part (Continues Carneades) what my Indignation at this Un-philosophical way of teaching Prin∣ciples has now extorted from me, is meant chiefly to excuse my self, if I shall hereafter oppose any Particular O∣pinion or assertion, that some Follow∣er of Paracelsus or any Eminent Artist may pretend not to be his Masters. For, as I told you long since, I am not Ob∣lig'd to examine private mens writings, (which were a Labour as endless as unprofitable) being only engag'd to ex∣amine those Opinions about the Tria Prima, which I find those Chymists I have met with to agree in most: And I Doubt not but my Arguments against their Doctrine will be in great part ea∣sily
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enough applicable ev'n to those private Opinions, which they do not so directly and expresly oppose. And in∣deed, that which I am now entering upon being the Consideration of the things themselves whereinto Spagyrists resolve mixt Bodies by the Fire, If I can shew that these are not of an Elementa∣ry Nature, it will be no great matter what names these or those Chymists have been pleased to give them. And I question not that to a Wise man, and consequently to Eleutherius, it will be lesse considerable to know, what Men Have thought of Things, then what they Should have thought.

In the fourth and last place, then, I consider, that as generally as Chymists are wont to appeal to Experience, and as confidently as they use to instance the several substances separated by the Fire from a Mixt Body, as a sufficient proof of their being its component Ele∣ments: Yet those differing Substances are many of them farr enough from Ele∣mentary simplicity, and may be yet look'd upon as mixt Bodies, most of them also retaining, somewhat at least, if not very much, of the Nature of those
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Concretes whence they were forc'd.

I am glad (sayes Eleutherius) to see the Vanity or Envy of the canting Chy∣mists thus discover'd and chastis'd; and I could wish, that Learned Men would conspire together to make these deluding Writers sensible, that they must no longe hope with Impunity to abuse the World. For whilst such Men are quiet∣ly permitted to publish Books with pro∣mising Titles, and therein to Assert what they please, and contradict others, and ev'n themselves as they please, with as little danger of being confuted as of being understood, they are encourag'd to get themselves a name, at the cost of the Readers, by finding that intelligent Men are wont for the reason newly menti∣on'd, to let their Books and Them a∣lone: And the ignorant and credulous (of which the number is still much grea∣ter then that of the other) are forward to admire most what they least under∣stand. But if Judicious men skill'd in Chymical affaires shall once agree to write clearly and plainly of them, and thereby keep men from being stunn'd, as it were, or imposd upon by dark or empty Words; 'tis to be hop'd that
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these men finding that they can no long∣er write impertinently and absurdly, without being laugh'd at for doing so, will be reduc'd either to write nothing, or Books that may teach us something, and not rob men, as formerly, of invalua∣ble Time; and so ceasing to trouble the World with Riddles or Impertinencies, we shall either by their Books receive an Advantage, or by their silence escape an Inconvenience.

But after all this is said (continues Eleutherius) it may be represented in fa∣vour of the Chymists, that, in one regard the Liberty they take in using names, if it be excusable at any time, may be more so when they speak of the substan∣ces whereinto their Analysis resolves mixt Bodies: Since as Parents have the Right to name their own Children, it has e∣ver been allow'd to the Authors of new Inventions, to Impose Names upon them. And therefore the subjects we speak of being so the Productions of the Chymist's Art, as not to be otherwise, but by it, obtainable; it seems but equitable to give the Artists leave to name them as they please: considering also that none are so fit and likely to teach us what those Bo∣dies
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are, as they to whom we ow'd them.

I told You already (sayes Carneades) that there is great Difference betwixt the being able to make Experiments, and the being able to give a Philosophical Ac∣count of them. And I will not now add, that many a Mine-digger may meet, whilst he follows his work, with a Gemm or a Mineral which he knowes not what to make of, till he shews it a Jeweller or a Mineralist to be inform'd what it is. But that which I would rather have here observ'd, is, That the Chymists I am now in debate with have given up the Liberty You challeng'd for them, of using Names at Pleasure, and confin'd Themselves by their Descriptions, though but such as they are, of their Principles; so that although they might freely have call'd any thing their Analysis presents them with, either Sulphur, or Mercury, or Gas, or Blas, or what they pleas'd; yet when they have told me that Sulphur (for instance) is a Primogeneal and simple Body, Inflamable, Odorous, &c. they must give me leave to dis-believe them, if they tell me that a Body that is either compounded or uninflamable is
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such a Sulphur; and to think they play with words, when they teach that Gold and some other Minerals abound with an Incombustible Sulphur, which is as pro∣per an Expression, as a Sun-shine Night, or Fluid Ice.

But before I descend to the Mention of Particulars belonging to my Fourth Consideration, I think it convenient to premise a few Generals; some of which I shall the less need to insist on at present, because I have Touched on them al∣ready.

And first I must invite you to take notice of a certain passage in Helmont;* which though I have not Found much heeded by his Rea∣ders, He Himself mentions as a notable thing, and I take to be a very considera∣ble one; for where∣as the Distill'd oyle of oyle-olive, though
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drawn per se is (as I have try'd) of a ve∣ry sharp and fretting Quality, and of an odious tast, He tells us that Simple oyle being only digested with Paracelsus's sal circulatum, is reduc'd into dissimilar parts, and yields a sweet Oyle, very differ∣ing from the oyledistill'd, from sallet oyle; as also that by the same way there may be separated from Wine a very sweet and gentle Spirit, partaking of a far other and nobler quality then that which is immediately drawn by distillation and call'd Dephlegm'd Aqua vitae, from whose Acrimony this other spirit is exceedingly remote, although the sal circulatum that makes these Anatomies be separated from the Analyz'd Bodies, in the same weight and with the same qualities it had before; which Affirmation of Helmont if we ad∣mit to be true, we must acknowledge that there may be a very great disparity betwixt bodies of the same denomination (as several oyles, or several spirits) se∣parable from compound Bodies: For, besides the differences I shall anon take notice of, betwixt those distill'd Oyles that are commonly known to Chymists, it appears by this, that by means of the Sal Circulatum, There may
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be quite another sort of Oyles obtain'd from the same Body; and who knowes but that there may be yet other Agents found in Nature, by whose help there may, whether by Transmutation or o∣therwise, be obtain'd from the Bodies Vulgarly call'd Mixt, Oyles or other sub∣stances, Differing from those of the same Denomination, known either to Vulgar Chymists, or even to Helmont Himself: but for fear You should tell me, that this is but a conjecture groun∣ded upon another Man's Relation, whose Truth we have not the means to Experi∣ment, I will not Insist upon it; but leaving You to Consider of it at lea∣sure, I shall proceed to what is next.

Secondly, Then if that be True which was the Opinion of Lucippus, Democritus, and other prime Anatomists of old, and is in our dayes reviv'd by no mean Phi∣losophers; namely, That our Culinary Fire, such as Chymists use, consists of swarmes of little Bodies swiftly moving, which by their smallness and motion are able to permeate the sollidest and Compactest Bodies, and even Glass it Self; If this (I say) be True, since we see that In flints and other Concretes,
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the Fiery part is Incorporated with the Grosser, it will not be Irrationall to con∣jecture, that multitudes of these Fiery Corpuscles, getting in at the Pores of the Glass, may associate themselves with the parts of the mixt Body where∣on they work, and with them Consti∣tute new Kinds of Compound Bodies, according as the Shape, Size, and other Affections of the Parts of the Dissipa∣ted Body happen to dispose them, in Reference to such Combinations; of which also there may be the greater Number; if it be likewise granted that the Corpuscles of the Fire, though all exceeding minute, and very swiftly mo∣ved, are not all of the same bigness, nor Figure. And if I had not Weightier Considerations to Discourse to you of, I could name to you, to Countenance what I have newly said, some particu∣lar Experiments by which I have been Deduc'd to think, that the Particles of an open Fire working upon some Bo∣dies may really Associate themselves therewith, and add to the Quantity. But because I am not so sure, that when the Fire works upon Bodies included in Glasses, it does it by a reall Tra∣jection
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of the Fiery Corpuscles them∣selves, through the Substance of the Glass, I will proceed to what is next to be mention'd.

I could (sayes Eleutherius) help you to some Proofes, whereby I think it may be made very probable, that when the Fire acts immediately upon a Body, some of its Corpuscles may stick to those of the burnt Body, as they seem to do in Quicklime, but in greater numbers, and more permanently. But for fear of retarding Your Progress, I shall desire you to deferr this Enquiry till another time, and proceed as you intended.

You may then in the next place (sayes Carneades) observe with me, that not only there are some Bodies, as Gold, and Silver, which do not by the usual Examens, made by Fire, Discover them∣selves to be mixt; but if (as You may Remember I formerly told You) it be a De-compound Body that is Dissipa∣ble into several Substances, by being expos'd to the Fire it may be resolv'd into such a; are neither Elementary, nor such as it was upon its last mix∣ture Compounded of; but into new
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Kinds of mixts. Of this I have already given You some Examples in Sope, Su∣gar of Lead, and Vitrioll. Now if we shall Consider that there are some Bo∣dies, as well Natural, (as that I last nam'd) as Factitious, manifestly De∣compounded; That in the Bowells of the Earth Nature may, as we see she sometimes does, make strange Mix∣tures; That Animals are nourish'd with other Animals and Plants; And, that these themselves have almost all of them their Nutriment and Growth, either from a certain Nitrous Juice Harbour'd in the Pores of the Earth, or from the Excrements of Animalls, or from the pu∣trify'd Bodies, either of living Crea∣tures or Vegetables, or from other Sub∣stances of a Compounded Nature; If, I say, we consider this, it may seem pro∣bable, that there may be among the Works of Nature (not to mention those of Art) a greater Number of De-compound Bodies, then men take Notice of; And indeed, as I have for∣merly also observ'd, it does not at all ap∣pear, that all Mixtures must be of Ele∣mentary Bodies; but it seems farr more probable, that there are divers sorts of
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compound Bodies, even in regard of all or some of their Ingredients, con∣sider'd Antecedently to their Mixture. For though some seem to be made up by the immediate Coalitions of the E∣lements, or Principles themselves, and therefore may be call'd Prima Mista, or Mista Primaria; yet it seems that many o∣ther Bodies are mingl'd (if I may so speak) at the second hand, their imme∣diate Ingredients being not Elementary, but these primary Mixts newly spoken of; And from divers of these Secon∣dary sort of Mixts may result, by a fur∣ther Composition, a Third sort, and so onwards. Nor is it improbable, that some Bodies are made up of Mixt Bo∣dies, not all of the same Order, but of several; as (for Instance) a Concrete may consist of Ingredients, whereof the one may have been a primary, the other a Secondary Mixt Body; (as I have in Native Cinnaber, by my way of Re∣solving it, found both that Courser the part that seems more properly to be Oar, and a Combustible Sulphur, and a Running Mercury:) or perhaps without any Ingredient of this latter sort, it may be compos'd of Mixt Bodies, some of
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them of the first, and some of the third Kind; And this may perhaps be somewhat Illustrated by reflecting upon what happens in some Chymical Pre∣parations of those Medicines which they call their Bezoardicum's. For first, they take Antimony and Iron, which may be look'd upon as Prima Mista; of these they compound a Starry Regulus, and to this they add according to their In∣tention, either Gold, or Silver, which makes with it a new and further Com∣position. To this they add Sublimate, which is it self a De-compound body, (consisting of common Quicksilver, and divers Salts United by Sublimation in∣to a Crystalline Substance) and from this Sublimate, and the other Metal∣line Mixtures, they draw a Liquor, which may be allow'd to be of a yet more Compounded Nature. If it be true, as Chymists affirm it, that by this Art some of the Gold or Silver mingl'd with the Regulus may be carry'd over the Helme with it by the Sublimate; as indeed a Skilfull and Candid person complain'd to me a while since, That an experienc'd Friend of His and mine, having by such a way brought over a
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great Deal of Gold, in hope to do something further with it, which might be gainfull to him, has not only miss'd of his Aim, but is unable to recover his Volatiliz'd Gold out of the Anti∣monial butter, wherewith it is strictly united.

Now (Continues Carneades) if a Compound body consist of Ingredients that are not meerly Elementary; it is not hard to conceive, that the Substan∣ces into which the Fire Dissolves it, though seemingly Homogeneous e∣nough, may be of a Compounded Nature, those parts of each body that are most of Kin associating themselves into a Compound of a new Kind. As when (for example sake) I have caus'd Vitrioll and Sal Armoniack, and Salt Petre to be mingl'd and Destill'd together, the Liquor that came over manifested it self not to be either Spirit of Nitre, or of Sal Armoniack, or of Vitrioll. For none of these would dissolve crude gold, which yet my Liquor was able readily to do; and thereby manifested it self to be a new Compound, consisting at least of Spirit of Nitre, and Sal Armoniack, (for the latter dissolv'd in the former,
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will Work on Gold) which never∣theless are not by any known way se∣parable, and consequently would not pass for a Mixt Body, if we our selves did not, to obtain it, put and Distill to∣gether divers Concretes, whose Distinct Operations were known before hand. And, to add on this Occasion the Ex∣periment I lately promis'd You, be∣cause it is Applicable to our present purpose, I shall Acquaint You, that suspecting the Common Oyle of Vitrioll not to be altogether such a simple Liquor as Chymists presume it, I mingl'd it with an equal or a Double Quantity (for I try'd the Experiment more then once) of common Oyle of Turpentine, such as together with the other Liquor I bought at the Drugsters. And ha∣ving carefully (for the Experiment is Nice, and somewhat dangerous) Di∣still'd the Mixture in a small Glass Re∣tort, I obtain'd according to my De∣sire, (besides the two Liquors I had put in) a pretty Quantity of a certain sub∣stance, which sticking all about the Neck of the Retort Discover'd it self to be Sulphur, not only by a very strong Sulphureous smell, and by the colour of
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Brimstone; but also by this, That be∣ing put upon a coal, it was immediate∣ly kindl'd, and burn'd like common Sul∣phur. And of this Substance I have yet by me some little Parcells, which You may command and examine when you please. So that from this Experi∣ment I may deduce either one, or both of these Propositions, That a real Sul∣phur may be made by the Conjunction of two such Substances as Chymists take for Elementary, And which did not ei∣ther of them apart appear to have any such body in it; or that Oyle of Vitrioll though a Distill'd Liquor, and taken for part of the Saline Principle of the Concrete that yields it, may yet be so Compounded a body as to contain, be∣sides its Saline part, a Sulphur like com∣mon brimstone, which would hardly be it self a simple or un-compounded body.

I might (pursues Carneades) remind You, that I formerly represented it, as possible, That as there may be more E∣lements then five, or six; so the Ele∣ments of one body may be Different from those of another; whence it would follow, that from the Resolution of De∣compound
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compound body, there may result Mixts of an altogether new kind, by the Coa∣lition of Elements that never perhaps conven'd before. I might, I say, mind You of this, and add divers things to this second Consideration; but for fear of wanting time I willingly pretermit them, to pass on to the third, which is this, That the Fire does not alwayes barely re∣solve or take asunder, but may also af∣ter a new manner mingle and compound together the parts (whether Elementa∣ry or not) of the Body Dissipated by it.

This is so evident, sayes Carneades, in some obvious Examples, that I cannot but wonder at their Supiness that have not taken notice of it. For when Wood being burnt in a Chimney is dissipated by the Fire into Smoke and Ashes, that smoke composes soot, which is so far from being any one of the principles of the Wood, that (as I noted above) you may by a further Anlysis sepa∣rate five or six distinct substances from it. And as for the remaining Ashes, the Chy∣mists themselves teach us, that by a fur∣ther degree of fire they may be indissolu∣bly united into glass. 'Tis true, that the A∣nalysis
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which the Chymists principally build upon is made, not in the open air, but in close Vessels; but however, the Examples lately produc'd may invite you shrewdly to suspect, That heat may as well compound as dissipate the Parts of mixt Bodies: and not to tell you, that I have known a Vitrification made even in close vessels, I must remind you that the Flowers of Antimony, and those of Sul∣phur, are very mix'd Bodies, though they ascend in close vessells: And that 'twas in stopt glasses that I brought up the whole Body of Camphire. And whereas it may be objected, that all these Exam∣ples are of Bodies forc'd up in a dry, not a Fluid forme, as are the Liquors wont to be obtain'd by distillation; I answer, That besides that 'tis possible, that a Body may be chang'd from Con∣sistent to Fluid, or from Fluid to Con∣sistent, without being otherwise much altered, as may appear by the Easiness wherewith in Winter, without any Ad∣dition or Separation of Visible Ingredi∣ents, the same substance may be quickly harden'd into brittle Ice, and thaw'd a∣gain into Fluid Water; Besides this, I say it would be consider'd, that common
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Quick-silver it self, which the Eminen∣test Chymists confess to be a mixt Body, may he Driven over the Helme in its Pristine forme of Quicksilver, and con∣sequently, in that of a Liquor. And cer∣tainly 'tis possible that very compounded Bodies may concur to Constitute Li∣quors; Since, not to mention that I have found it possible, by the help of a certain Menstruum, to distill Gold it self through a Retort, even with a Moderate Fire: Let us but consider what happens in Butter of Antimony. For if that be carefully rectify'd, it may be reduc'd in∣to a very clear Liquor; and yet if You cast a quantity of fair water upon it, there will quickly precipitate a Ponderous and Vomitive Calx, which made before a considerable part of the Liquor, and yet is indeed (though some eminent Chymists would have it Mercurial) an Antimoni∣al Body carryed over and kept dissolv'd by the Salts of the Sublimate, and con∣sequently a compounded one; as You may find if You will have the Curiosity to Examine this White powder by a skil∣ful Reduction. And that You may not think that Bodies as compounded as flow∣ers of Brimstone cannot be brought
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to Concurr to Constitute Distill'd Li∣quors; And also That You may not imagine with Divers Learned Men that pretend no small skill in Chymistry, that at least no mixt Body can be brought over the Helme, but by corrosive Salts, I am ready to shew You, when You please, among other wayes of bringing over Flowers of Brimstone (perhaps I might add even Mineral Sulphurs) some, wherein I employ none but Oleaginous bodies to make Volatile Liquors, in which not only the colour, but (which is a much surer mark) the smell and some Opera∣tions manifest that there is brought over a Sulphur that makes part of the Li∣quor.

One thing more there is, Eleutherius, sayes Carneades, which is so pertinent to my present purpose, that though I have touch'd upon it before, I cannot but on this occasion take notice of it. And it is this, That the Qualities or Accidents, upon whose account Chymists are wont to call a portion of Matter by the name of Mercury or some other of their Prin∣ciples, are not such but that 'tis pos∣sible as Great (and therefore why not the like?) may be produc'd by such changes
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of Texture, and other Alterations, as the Fire may make in the small Parts of a Body. I have already prov'd, when I discours'd of the second General Consi∣deration, by what happens to plants nourish'd only with fair water, and Eggs hatch'd into Chickens, that by changing the disposition of the compo∣nent parts of a Body, Nature is able to effect as great Changes in a parcell of Matter reputed similar, as those requisite to Denominate one of the Tria Prima. And though Helmont do somewhere wittily call the Fire the Destructor and the Artificial Death of Things; And al∣though another Eminent Chymist and Physitian be pleas'd to build upon this, That Fire can never generate any thing but Fire; Yet You will, I doubt not, be of another mind, If You consider how many new sorts of mixt Bodies Chy∣mists themselves have produc'd by means of the Fire: And particularly, if You con∣sider how that Noble and Permanent Body, Glass, is not only manifestly pro∣duc'd by the violent action of the Fire, but has never, for ought we know, been produc'd any other way. And indeed it seems but an inconsiderate Assertion of
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some Helmontians, that every sort of Body of a Peculiar Denomination must be produc'd by some Seminal power; as I think I could evince, if I thought it so necessary, as it is for me to hasten to what I have further to discourse. Nor need it much move us, that there are some who look upon whatsoever the Fire is employ'd to produce, not as up∣on Natural but Artificial Bodies. For there is not alwaies such a difference as many imagine betwixt the one and the other: Nor is it so easy as they think, clearly to assigne that which Properly, Constantly, and Sufficiently, Discrimi∣nates them. But not to engage my self in so nice a Disquisition, it may now suf∣fice to observe, that a thing is common∣ly termed Artificial, when a parcel of matter is by the Artificers hand, or Tools, or both, brought to such a shape or Form, as he Design'd before-hand in his Mind: Whereas in many of the Chymical Productions the effect would be produc'd whether the Artificer in∣tended it or no; and is oftentimes very much other then he Intended or Look't for; and the Instruments employ'd, are not Tools Artificially fashion'd and
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shaped, like those of Tradesmen, for this or that particular Work; but, for the most part, Agents of Nature's own providing, and whose chief Powers of Operation they receive from their own Nature or Texture, not the Artificer. And indeed, the Fire is as well a Natural Agent as Seed: And the Chymist that imployes it, does but apply Natural A∣gents and Patients, who being thus brought together, and acting according to their respective Natures, performe the worke themselves; as Apples, Plums, or other fruit, are natural Productions, though the Gardiner bring and fasten together the Sciens of the Stock, and both Water, and do perhaps divers other wayes Contribute to its bearing fruit. But, to proceed to what I was going to say, You may observe with me, Eleu∣therius, that, as I told You once before, Qualities sleight enough may serve to Denominate a Chymical Principle. For, when they anatomize a compound Body by the Fire, if they get a Substance in∣flamable, and that will not mingle with Water, that they presently call Sulphur; what is sapid and Dissoluble in Water, that must passe for Salt; Whatsoever is
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fix'd and indissoluble in Water, that they name Earth. And I was going to add, that, whatsoever Volatile substance they know not what to make of, not to say, whatsoever they please, that they call Mercury. But that these Qualities may either be produc'd, otherwise then by such as they call Seminal Agents, or may belong to bodies of a compounded Nature, may be shewn, among other Instances, in Glass made of ashes, where the exceeding strongly-tasted Alcali∣zate Salt joyning with the Earth becomes insipid, and with it constitutes a Body, which though also dry, fixt, and indis∣soluble in Water, is yet manifestly a mixt Body; and made so by the Fire it self.

And I remmember to our present pur∣pose, that Helmont, amongst other Me∣dicines that he commends, has a short processe, wherein, though the Directions for Practice are but obscurely intimated; yet I have some reason not to Dis-believe the Process, without affirming or denying any thing about the vertues of the remedy to be made by it.
*Quando (sayes he) ole∣um cinnamomi &c. suo sali alkali miscetur absque omni aqua, trium mensium artificiosa occultaque circulatione, totum in salem vola∣tilem
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commutatum est, vere essentiam sui simplicis in nobis exprimit, & usque in pri∣ma nostri constitutivasese ingerit. A not unlike Processe he delivers in another place; from whence, if we suppose him to say true, I may argue, that since by the Fire there may be produc'd a substance that is as well Saline and volatile as the Salt of Harts-horn, blood, &c. which pass for Elementary; and since that this Vo∣latile Salt is really compounded of a Chymical Oyle and a fixt Salt, the one made Volatile by the Other, and both associated by the fire, it may well be suspected that other Substances, emer∣ging upon the Dissipation of Bodies by the Fire, may be new sorts of Mixts, and consist of Substances of differing natures; and particularly, I have sometimes sus∣pected, that since the Volatile Salts of Blood, Harts-horn, &c. are figitive and endow'd with an exceeding strong smell, either that Chymists do Erroneously a∣scribe all odours to sulphurs, or that such Salts consist of some oyly parts well in∣corporated with the Saline ones. And the like conjecture I have also made con∣cerning Spirit of Vinager, which, though the Chymists think one of the Principles
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of that Body, and though being an Acid Spirit it seems to be much less of kin then Volatile Salts to sulphurs; yet, not to mention its piercing smell; which I know not with what congruity the Chy∣mist will deduce from Salt, I wonder they have not taken notice of what their own Tyrocinium Chymicum teach us con∣cerning the Destillation of Saccharum Sa∣turni; out of which Beguinus assures Us,
* that he distill'd, besides a very fine spirit, no lesse then two Oyles, the one blood∣red and ponderous, but the other swim∣ming upon the top of the Spirit, and of a yellow colour; of which he sayes that he kept then some by him, to verify what he delivers. And though I remember not that I have had two distinct Oyles from Sugar of Lead, yet that it will though distill'd without addition yield some Oyle, disagrees not with my Expe∣rience. I know the Chymists will be apt to pretend, that these Oyls are but the volatiliz'd sulphur of the lead; and will perhaps argue it from what Beguinus re∣lates, that when the Distillation is end∣ed, you'l find a Caput Mortuum extream∣ly black, and (as he speaks) nullius momenti, as if the Body, or at least the chief part of
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the Metal it self were by the distillation carried over the Helme. But since you know as well as I that Saccharum Saturni is a kind of Magistery, made only by cal∣cining of Lead per se, dissolving it in di∣still'd Vinager, and crystalizing the so∣lution; if I had leasure to tell You how Differing a thing I did upon examination find the Caput Mortuum, so sleighted by Beguinus, to be from what he represents it, I believe you would think the con∣jecture propos'd less probable then one or other of these three; either that this Oyle did formerly concur to constitute the Spirit of Vinager, and so that what passes for a Chymical Principle may yet be further resoluble into distinct substan∣ces; or that some parts of the Spirit to∣gether with some parts of the Lead may constitute a Chymical Oyle, which there∣fore though it pass for Homogeneous, may be a very compounded Body: or at least that by the action of the Distill'd Vinager and the Saturnine Calx one up∣on another, part of the Liquor may be so alter'd as to be transmuted from an Acid Spirit into an Oyle. And though the truth of either of the two former conjectures would make the example I
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have reflected on more pertinent to my present argument; yet you'l easily dis∣cern, the Third and last Conjecture cannot be unserviceable to confirm some other passages of my discourse.

To return then to what I was saying just before I mention'd Helmont's Ex∣periment, I shall subjoyne, That Chy∣mists must confess also that in the per∣fectly Dephlegm'd spirit of Wine, or o∣ther Fermented Liquors, that which they call the Sulphur of the Concrete loses, by the Fermentation, the Proper∣ty of Oyle, (which the Chymists likewise take to be the true Sulphur of the Mixt) of being unminglable with the Water.
* And if You will credit Helmont, all of the purest Spirit of Wine may barely by the help of pure Salt of Tartar (which is but the fixed Salt of Wine) be resolv'd or Transmuted into scarce half an ounce of Salt, and as much Ele∣mentary Water as amounts to the re∣maining part of the mention'd weight. And it may (as I think I formerly also noted) be doubted, whether that Fixt and Alcalizate Salt, which is so unani∣mously agreed on to be the Saline Principle of incinerated Bodies, be not,
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as 'tis Alcalizate, a Production of the Fire? For though the tast of Tartar, for Example, seem to argue that it contains a Salt before it be burn'd, yet that Salt being very Acid is of a quite Differing Tast from the Lixiviate Salt of Calcin'd Tartar. And though it be not truly Objected against the Chymists, that they obtain all Salts they make, by reducing the Body they work on into Ashes with Violent Fires, (since Hartshorn, Amber, Blood, and divers other Mixts yield a copious Salt before they be burn'd to Ashes) yet this Vo∣latile Salt Differs much, as we shall see anon, from the Fixt Alcalizate Salt I speak of; which for ought I remem∣ber is not producible by any known Way, without Incineration. 'Tis not unknown to Chymists, that Quicksilver may be Precipitated, without Addition, into a dry Powder, that remains so in Water. And some eminent Spagy∣rists, and even Raimund Lully himself, teach, that meerly by the Fire Quick∣silver may in convenient Vessels be re∣duc'd (at least in great part) into a thin Liquor like Water, and mingla∣ble with it. So that by the bare Action
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of the Fire, 'tis possible, that the parts of a mixt Body should be so dispos'd after new and differing manners, that it may be sometimes of one consistence, sometimes of another; And may in one State be dispos'd to be mingl'd with Water, and in another not. I could also shew you, that Bodies from which apart Chymists cannot ob∣tain any thing that is Combustible, may by being associated together, and by the help of the Fire, afford an in∣flamable Substance. And that on the other side, 'tis possible for a Body to be inflamable, from which it would ve∣ry much puzzle any ordinary Chymist, and perhaps any other, to separate an inflamable Principle or Ingredient. Wherefore, since the Principles of Chy∣mists may receive their Denominati∣ons from Qualities, which it often ex∣ceeds not the power of Art, nor al∣wayes that of the Fire to produce; And since such Qualities may be found in Bodies that differ so much in other Qualities from one another, that they need not be allow'd to agree in that pure and simple Nature, which Princi∣ples, to be so indeed, must have; it may
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justly be suspected, that many Pro∣ductions of the Fire that are shew'd us by Chymists, as the Principles of the Concrete that afforded them, may be but a new kind of Mixts. And to annex, on this Occasion, to these argu∣ments taken from the Nature of the thing, one of those which Logicians call ad Hominem, I shall desire You to take Notice, that though Paracelsus Him∣self, and some that are so mistaken as to think he could not be so, have ven∣tur'd to teach, that not only the bo∣dies here below, but the Elements themselves, and all the other Parts of the Universe, are compos'd of Salt, Sulphur and Mercury; yet the learned Sennertus, and all the more wary Chy∣mists, have rejected that conceit, and do many of them confess, that the Tria Pri∣ma are each of them made up of the four Elements; and others of them make Earth and Water concur with Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, to the Con∣stitution of Mixt bodies. So that one sort of these Spagyrists, notwithstanding the specious Titles they give to the pro∣ductions of the Fire, do in effect grant what I contend for. And, of the o∣ther
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sort I may well demand, to what Kind of Bodies the Phlegme and dead Earth, to be met with in Chymical Re∣solutions, are to be referr'd? For either they must say, with Paracelsus, but a∣gainst their own Concessions as well as against Experience, that these are also compos'd of the Tria Prima, whereof they cannot separate any one from ei∣ther of them; or else they must con∣fess that two of the vastest Bodies here below, Earth, and Water, are neither of them compos'd of the Tria Prima; and that consequently those three are not the Universal, and Adequate In∣gredients, neither of all Sublunary Bo∣dies, nor even of all mixt Bodies.

I know that the chief of these Chy∣mists represent, that though the Distinct Substances into which they divide mixt bodies by the Fire, are not pure and Ho∣mogeneous; yet since the four Elements into which the Aristotelians pretend to resolve the like bodies by the same A∣gent, are not simple neither, as them∣selves acknowledge, 'tis as allowable for the Chymists to call the one Princi∣ples, as for the Peripateticks to call the other Elements; since in both cases the
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Imposition of the name is grounded on∣ly upon the Predominancy of that Ele∣ment whose name is ascrib'd to it. Nor shall I deny, that this Argument of the Chymists is no ill one against the Aristo∣telians. But what Answer can it prove to me, who you know am disputing a∣gainst the Aristotelian Elements, as the Chymicall Principles, and must not look upon any body as a true Prin∣ciple or Element, but as yet compoun∣ded, which is not perfectly Homogene∣ous, but is further Resoluble into any number of Distinct Substances how small soever. And as for the Chymists calling a body Salt, or Sulphur, or Mer∣cury, upon pretence that the Principle of the same name is predominant in it, That it self is an Acknowledgment of what I contend for; namely that these productions of the Fire, are yet com∣pounded bodies. And yet whilst this is granted, it is affirm'd, but not prov'd, that the reputed Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury, consists mainly of one body that deserves the name of a principle of the same Denomination. For how do Chymists make it appear that there are any such primitive and simple bo∣dies
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in those we are speaking of; since 'tis upon the matter confess'd by the an∣swer lately made, that these are not such? And if they pretend by Reason to evince what they affirm, what becomes of their confident boasts, that the Chymists (whom they therefore, after Beguinus, call a Philosophus or Opifex Sensatus) can con∣vince our Eyes, by manifestly shewing in any mixt body those simple substances he teaches them to be compos'd of? And indeed, for the Chymists to have recourse in this case to other proofs then Experi∣ments, as it is to wave the grand Argu∣ment that has all this while been given out for a Demonstrative One; so it re∣leases me from the obligation to prose∣cute a Dispute wherein I am not engag'd to Examine any but Experimentall proofs. I know it may plausibly E∣nough be Represented, in favour of the Chymists, that it being evident that much the greater part of any thing they call Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury, is really such; it would be very rigid to deny those Substances the names ascribed them, only because of some sleight mix∣ture of another Body; since not only the Peripateticks call particular parcels of
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matter Elementary, though they ac∣knowledge that Elements are not to be anywhere found pure, at least here below; And since especially there is a manifest Analogie and Resemblance betwixt the bodies obtainable by Chymical Anato∣mies and the principles whose names are given them; I have, I say, consider'd that these things may be represented: But as for what is drawn from the Cu∣stome of the Peripateticks, I have alrea∣dy told You, that though it may be em∣ploy'd against Them, Yet it is not availa∣ble against me who allow nothing to be an Element that is not perfectly Homo∣geneous. And whereas it is alledg'd, that the Predominant Principle ought to give a name to the substance wherein it abounds; I answer, that that might much more reasonably be said, if either we or the Chymists had seen Nature take pure Salt, pure Sulphur, and pure Mer∣cury, and compound of them every sort of Mixt Bodies. But, since 'tis to expe∣rience that they appeal, we must not take it for granted, that the Distill'd Oyle (for instance) of a plant is mainly com∣pos'd of the pure principle call'd Sulphur, till they have given us an ocular proof,
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that there is in that sort of Plants such an Homogeneous Sulphur. For as for the specious argument, which is drawn from the Resemblance betwixt the Pro∣ductions of the Fire, and the Respective, either Aristotelian Elements, or Chymical Principles, by whose names they are call'd; it will appear more plausible then cogent, if You will but recall to mind the state of the controversie; which is not, whether or no there be obtain'd from mixt Bodies certain substances that a∣gree in outward appearance, or in some Qualities with Quicksilver or Brimstone, or some such obvious or copious Body; But whether or no all Bodies confess'd to be perfectly mixt were compos'd of, and are resoluble into a determinate number of primary unmixt Bodies. For, if you keep the state of the question in your Eye, you'l easily discerne that there is much of what should be Demonstrated, left unprov'd by those Chymical Experi∣ments we are Examining. But (not to repeat what I have already discover'd more at large) I shall now take notice, that it will not presently follow, that be∣cause a Production of the Fire has some affinity with some of the greater Masses
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of matter here below, that therefore they are both of the same Nature, and deserve the same Name; for the Chymists are not content, that flame should be look't upon as a parcel of the Element of Fire, though it be hot, dry, and active, because it wants some other Qualities belonging to the nature of Elementary fire. Nor will they let the Peripateticks call Ashes, or Quick∣lime, Earth, notwithstanding the many likenesses between them; because they are not tastlesse, as Elementary Earth ought to be: But if you should ask me, what then it is, that all the Chymical Anatomies of Bodies do prove, if they prove not that they consist of the three Principles into which the fire resolves them? I answer, that their Dissections may be granted to prove, that some mixt bodies (for in many it will not hold) are by the fire, when they are included in close Vessels, (for that Condition also is often requisite) dissolube into several Substances differing in some Qualities, but principally in Consistence. So that out of most of them may be obtain'd a fixt sub∣stance partly saline, and partly insipid, an unctuous Liquor, and another Liquor or
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more that without being unctuous have a manifest taste. Now if Chymists will agree to call the dry and sapid substance salt, the Unctuous liquor Sulphur, and the other Mercury, I shall not much quarrel with them for so doing: But if they will tell me that Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, are simple and primary bodies whereof each mixt body was actually compounded, and which was really in it antecedently to the operation of the fire, they must give me leave to doubt whe∣ther (whatever their other arguments may do) their Experiments prove all this. And if they will also tell me that the Substances their Anatomies are wont to afford them, are pure and similar, as Principles ought to be, they must give me leave to believe my own senses; and their own confessions, before their bare Assertions. And that you may not (Eleutherius) think I deal so rigidly with them, because I scruple to Take these Productions of the Fire for such as the Chymists would have them pass for, up∣on the account of their having some af∣finity with them; consider a little with me, that in regard an Element or Princi∣ple ought to be perfectly Similar and
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Homogeneous, there is no just cause why I should rather give the body propos'd the Name of this or that Element or Principle, because it has a resemblance to it in some obvious Quality, rather then deny it that name upon the account of divers other Qualities, wherein the propos'd Bodies are unlike; and if you do but consider what sleight and easily producible qualities they are that suffice, as I have already more then once observ'd, to Denominate a Chymical Principle or an Element, you'l not, I hope, think my wariness to be destitute either of Exam∣ple, or else of Reason. For we see that the Chymists will not allow the Aristo∣telians that the Salt in Ashes ought to be called Earth, though the Saline and Ter∣restrial part symbolize in weight, in dry∣ness, in fixness and fusibility, only be∣cause the one is sapid and dissoluble in Water, and the other not: Besides, we see that sapidness and volatility are wont to denominate the Chymists Mercury or Spirit; and yet how many Bodies, think you, may agree in those Qualities which may yet be of very differing natures, and disagree in qualities either more nume∣rous, or more considerable, or both. For
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not only Spirit of Nitre, Aqua For∣tis, Spirit of Salt, Spirit of Oyle of Vitriol, Spirit of Allome, Spirit of Vi∣nager, and all Saline Liquors Distill'd from Animal Bodies, but all the A∣cetous Spirits of Woods freed from their Vinager; All these, I say, and many others must belong to the Chy∣mists Mercury, though it appear not why some of them should more be comprehended under one denomina∣tion then the Chymists Sulphur, or Oyle should likewise be; for their Di∣still'd Oyles are also Fluid, Volatile, and Tastable, as well as their Mer∣cury; Nor is it Necessary, that their Sulphur should be Unctuous or Dissoluble in Water, since they gene∣rally referr Spirit of Wine to Sulphurs, although that Spirit be not Unctuous, and will freely mingle with Water. So that bare Inflamability must con∣stitute the Essence of the Chymists Sulphur; as uninflamablenesse joyn∣ed with any taste is enough to intitle a Distill'd Liquor to be their Mercury. Now since I can further observe to You, that Spirit of Nitre and Spirit of Harts∣horne being pour'd together will boile
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and hisse and tosse up one another into the air, which the Chymists make signes of great Antipathy in the Natures of Bodies (as indeed these Spirits differ much both in Taste, Smell, and Operations;) Since I elsewhere tell you of my having made two sorts of Oyle out of the same mans blood, that would not mingle with one another; And since I might tell You Divers Examples I have met with, of the Contrariety of Bodies which according to the Chymists must be huddl'd up together under one Deno∣mination; I leave you to Judge whether such a multitude of Substances as may agree in these sleight Qualities, and yet Disagree in Others more Considerable, are more worthy to be call'd by the Name of a Princi∣ple (which ought to be pure and homogeneous,) than to have appellati∣ons given them that may make them dif∣fer, in name too, from the bodies from which they so wildly differ in Nature. And hence also, by the bye, you may perceive that 'tis not unreasonable to di∣strust the Chymists way of Argumenta∣tion, when being unable to shew us that
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such a Liquor is (for Example) purely saline, they prove, that at least salt is much the predominant principle, because that the propos'd substance is strongly tasted, and all Tast proceeds from salt; whereas those Spirits, such as spirit of Tartar, spirit of Harts-horn, and the like, which are reckoned to be the Mercuries of the Bodies that afford them, have manifestly a strong and piercing tast, and so has (according to what I formerly noted) the spirit of Box &c. even after the acid Liquor that concurr'd to com∣pose it has been separated from it. And indeed, if sapidness belong not to the spi∣rit or Mercurial Principle of Vegitables and Animals: I scarce know how it will be discriminated from their phlegm, since by the absence of Inflamability it must be distinguish'd from their sulphur, which affords me another Example, to prove how unacurate the Chymical Do∣ctrine is in our present Case; since not only the spirits of Vegitables and Ani∣mals, but their Oyles are very strongly tasted, as he that shall but wet his tongue with Chymical Oyle of Cinnamon, or of Cloves, or even of Turpentine, may quick∣ly find, to his smart. And not only I
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never try'd any Chymical Oyles whose tast was not very manifest and strong; but a skilful and inquisitive person who made it his business by elaborate operations to depurate Chymical Oyles, and reduce them to an Elementary simplicity, In∣formes us, that he never was able to make them at all Tastless; whence I might inferr, that the proof Chymists confi∣dently give us of a bodies being saline, is so far from demonstrating the Predomi∣nancy, that it does not clearly Evince so much as the presence of the saline Prin∣ciple in it. But I will not (pursues Car∣neades) remind you, that the Volatile salt of Harts-horn, Amber, Blood, &c. are exceeding strongly scented, notwith∣standing that most Chymists deduce O∣dours from Sulphur, and from them ar∣gue the Predominancy of that Principle in the Odorous body, because I must not so much as add any new Examples of the incompetency of this sort of Chymical arguments; since having already detain'd You but too long in those generals that appertain to my fourth consideration, 'tis time that I proceed to the particulars themselves, to which I thought fit they should be previous:

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These Generals (continues Carneades) being thus premis'd, we might the better survey the Unlikeness that an attentive and unprepossess'd observer may take no∣tice of in each sort of Bodies which the Chymists are wont to call the salts or sulphurs or Mercuries of the Concretes that yield Them, as if they had all a simplicity, and Identity of Nature: where∣as salts if they were all Elementary would as little differ as do the Drops of pure and simple Water. 'Tis known that both Chymists and Physitians as∣cribe to the fixt salts of calcin'd Bodies the vertues of their concretes; and con∣sequently very differing Operations. So we find the Alkali of Wormwood much commended in distempers of the sto∣mach; that of Eyebright for those that have a weak sight; and that of Guaiacum (of which a great Quantity yields but a very little salt) is not only much com∣mended in Venereal Diseases, but is believed to have a peculiar purgative vertue, which yet I have not had occa∣sion to try. And though, I confess, I have long thought, that these Alkalizate salts are, for the most part, very neer of kin, and retain very little of the properties of
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the Concretes whence they were sepa∣rated; Yet being minded to Observe watchfully whether I could meet with any Exceptions to this General Observa∣tion, I observ'd at the Glasse-house, that sometimes the Metal (as the Workmen call it) or Masse of colliquated Ingredi∣ents, which by Blowing they fashion in∣to Vessels of divers shapes, did some∣times prove of a very differing colour, and a somewhat differing Texture, from what was usuall. And having enquired whe∣ther the cause of such Accidents might not be derived from the peculiar Nature of the fixt salt employ'd to bring the sand to fusion, I found that the know∣ingst Workmen imputed these Mis-ad∣ventures to the Ashes, of some certain kind of Wood, as having observ'd the ignobler kind of Glass I lately mention'd to be frequently produc'd when they had employ'd such sorts of Ashes which therefore they scruple to make use of, if they took notice of them beforehand. I remember also, that an Industrious Man of my acquaintance having bought a vast quantity of Tobacco stalks to make a fixt Salt with, I had the Curiosity to go see whether that Exotick Plant, which
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so much abounds in volatile salt, would afford a peculiar kind of Alcali; and I was pleas'd to find that in the Lixivium of it, it was not necessary, as is usual, to evaporate all the Liquor, that there might be obtain'd a Saline Calx, con∣sisting like lime quench'd in the Air of a heap of little Corpuscles of unregarded shapes: but the fixt salt shot into figur'd Crystal, almost as Nitre or Sal-armoni∣ack and other uncalcin'd salts are wont to do; And I further remember that I have observ'd in the fixt Salt of Urine, brought by depuration to be very white, a tast not so unlike to that of common salt, and very differing from the wonted cau∣stick Lixiviate tast of other salts made by Incineration. But because the Instances I have alledg'd of the Difference of Alca∣lizate salt are but few, and therefore I am still inclin'd to think, that most Chy∣mists and many Physitians do, inconside∣ratly enough and without Warrant from Experience, ascribe the Vertues of the Concretes expos'd to Calcination, to the salts obtain'd by it; I shall rather, to shew the Disparity of salts, mention in the first Place the apparent Difference betwixt the Vegetable fixt salts and the
Page 250
Animal Volatile ones: As (for Ex∣ample) betwixt salt of Tartar, and salt of Harts-horn; whereof the former is so fixt that 'twill indure the brunt of a violent Fire, and stand in fusion like a Me∣tal; whereas the other (besides that it has a differing tast and a very differing smell) is so far from being fixt, that it will fly away in a gentle heat as easily as spirit of Wine it self. And to this I shall add, in the next place, That even among the Volatile salts themselves, there is a considerable Difference, as ap∣pears by the distinct Properties of (for Instance) salt of Amber, salt of Urine, salt of Mans Skull, (so much extoll'd a∣gainst the falling Sicknesse) and divers others which cannot escape an ordinary Observer. And this Diversity of Vola∣tile salts I have observ'd to be somtimes Discernable even to the Eye, in their Figures. For the salt of Harts-horn I have observ'd to adhere to the Receiver in the forme almost of a Parallelipipedon; and of the Volatile salt of humane blood (long digested before distillation, with spirit of Wine) I can shew you store of graines of that Figure which Geometrici∣ans call a Rhombus; though I dare not
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undertake that the Figures of these or o∣ther Saline Crystals (if I may so call Them) will be alwaies the same, what∣ever degree of Fire have been employ'd to force them up, or how hastily soever they have been made to convene in the spirits or liquors, in the lower part of which I have usually observ'd them af∣ter a while to shoot. And although, as I lately told You, I seldom found a∣ny Difference, as to Medical Vertues, in the fixt Salts of Divers Vegetables; and accordingly I have suspected that most of these volatile Salts, having so great a Resemblance in smell, in tast, and fugi∣tiveness, differ but little, if at all, in their Medicinal properties: As indeed I have found them generally to agree in divers of them (as in their being some∣what Diaphoretick and very Deopila∣tive;
* Yet I remem∣ber Helmont some∣where informes us, that there is this Difference betwixt the saline spirit of U∣rine and that of Mans blood, that the former will not cure the Epilepsy,
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but the Latter will. Of the Ef∣ficacy also of the Salt of Common Amber against the same Disease in Children, (for in Grown Persons it is not a specifick) I may elsewhere have an Occasion to Entertain You. And when I consider that to the ob∣taining of these Volatile Salts (espe∣cially that of Urine) there is not requi∣site such a Destructive Violence of the Fire, as there is to get those Salts that must be made by Incineration, I am the more invited to conclude, that they may differ from one another, and con∣sequently recede from an Elementary Simplicity. And, if I could here shew You what Mr. Boyle has Observ'd, touching the Various Chymicall Di∣stinctions of Salts; You would quickly discern, not only that Chymists do give themselves a strange Liberty to call Concretes Salts, that are according to their own Rules to be look'd upon as very Compounded Bodies; but that a∣mong those very Salts that seem Ele∣mentary, because produc'd upon the Anatomy of the Bodies that yield them, there is not only a visible Dispa∣rity, but, to speak in the common Lan∣guage,
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a manifest Antipathy or Contra∣riety: As is evident in the Ebullition and hissing that is wont to ensue, when the Acid Spirit of Vitrioll, for Instance, is pour'd upon pot ashes, or Salt of Tartar. And I shall beg leave of this Gentleman, sayes Carneades, cast∣ing his Eyes on me, to let me observe to You out of some of his papers, par∣ticularly those wherein he treats of some Preparations of Urine, that not only one and the same body may have two Salts of a contrary Nature, as he ex∣emplifies in the Spirit and Alkali of Nitre; but that from the same body there may without addition be obtain'd three differing and Visible Salts. For He Relates, that he observ'd in Urine, not only a Volatile and Crystalline Salt, and a fixt Salt, but likewise a kind of Sal Armoniack, or such a Salt as would sublime in the form of a salt, and therefore was not fixt, and yet was far from being so fugitive as the Vo∣latile salt; from which it seem'd also o∣therwise to differ. I have indeed suspected that this may be a Sal Armoniack proper∣ly enough so call'd, as Compounded of the Volatile salt of Urine, and the fixt
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of the same Liquor, which, as I noted, is not unlike sea-salt; but that it self argues a manifest Difference betwixt the salts, since such a Volatile salt is not wont to Unite thus with an ordi∣nary Alcali, but to fly away from it in the Heat. And on this occasion I re∣member that, to give some of my Friends an Ocular proof of the diffe∣rence betwixt the fixt and Volatile salt (of the same Concrete) Wood, I de∣vis'd the following Experiment. I took common Venetian sublimate, and dis∣solv'd as much of it as I well could in fair Water: then I took Wood Ashes, and pouring on them Warme Water, Dissolv'd their salt; and filtrating the Water, as soon as I found the Lixi∣vium sufficiently sharp upon the tongue, I reserv'd it for use: Then on part of the former solution of sublimate drop∣ping a little of this Dissolv'd Fixt salt of Wood, the Liquors presently turn'd of an Orange Colour; but upon the other part of the clear solution of sub∣limate putting some of the Volatile salt of Wood (which abounds in the spirit of soot) the Liquor immediately turn'd white, almost like Milke, and af∣ter
Page 255
a while let fall a white sediment, as the other Liquor did a Yellow one. To all this that I have said concern∣ing the Difference of salts,
* I might add what I Formerly told you, concern∣ing the simple spirit of Box, and such like Woods, which differ much from the other salts hitherto mention'd, and yet would belong to the saline Princi∣ple, if Chymists did truly teach that all Tasts proceed from it. And I might also annex, what I noted to you out of Helmont concerning Bodies, which, though they consist in great part of Chymical Oyles, do yet ap∣pear but Volatile salts; But to insist on these things, were to repeat; and there∣fore I shall proceed.

This Disparity is also highly eminent in the separated sulphurs or Chymical Oyles of things. For they contain so much of the scent, and tast, and vertues, of the Bodies whence they were drawn, that they seem to be but the Material Crasis (if I may so speak) of their Concretes. Thus the Oyles of Cinna∣mon,
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Cloves, Nutmegs and other spi∣ces, seem to be but the United Aroma∣tick parts that did ennoble those Bo∣dies. And 'tis a known thing, that Oyl of Cinnamon, and oyle of Cloves, (which I have likewise observ'd in the Oyles of several Woods) will sink to the Bottom of Water: whereas those of Nutmegs and divers other Vege∣tables will swim upon it. The Oyle (abusively call'd spirit) of Roses swims at the Top of the Water in the forme of a white butter, which I remember not to have observ'd in any other Oyle drawn in any Limbeck; yet there is a way (not here to be declar'd) by which I have seen it come over in the forme of other Aromatick Oyles, to the Delight and Wonder of those that be∣held it. In Oyle of Anniseeds, which I drew both with, and without Fer∣mentation, I observ'd the whole Body of the Oyle in a coole place to thicken into the Consistence and Appearance of white Butter, which with the least heat resum'd its Former Liquidness. In the Oyl of Olive drawn over in a Re∣tort, I have likewise more then once seen a spontaneous Coagulation in the
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Receiver: And I have of it by me thus Congeal'd; which is of such a strangely Penetrating scent, as if 'twould Perforate the Noses that approach it. The like pungent Odour I also observ'd in the Distill'd Liquor of common sope, which forc'd over from Minium, lately afforded an oyle of a most admirable Penetrancy; And he must be a great stranger, both to the Writings and pre∣parations of Chymists, that sees not in the Oyles they distill from Vegetables and Animals, a considerable and obvi∣ous Difference. Nay I shall venture to add, Eleutherius, (what perhaps you will think of kin to a Paradox) that di∣vers times out of the same Animal or Ve∣getable, there may be extracted Oyles of Natures obviously differing. To which purpose I shall not insist on the swimming and sinking Oyles, which I have sometimes observ'd to float on, and subside under the spirit of Guaja∣cum, and that of divers other Vegeta∣bles Distill'd with a strong and lasting Fire; Nor shall I insist on the obser∣vation elsewhere mention'd, of the di∣vers and unminglable oyles afforded us by Humane Blood long fermented and
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Digested with spirit of Wine, because these kind of oyles may seem chiefly to differ in Consistence and Weight, being all of them high colour'd and a∣dust. But the Experiment which I de∣vis'd to make out this Difference of the oyles of the same Vegetable, ad Ocu∣lum, (as they speak) was this that followes. I took a pound of Annis∣seeds, and having grosly beaten them, caused them to be put into a very large glass Retort almost filled with fair Water; and placing this Retort in a sand Furnace, I caus'd a very Gentle heat to be administer'd during the first day, and a great part of the second, till the VVater was for the most part drawn off, and had brought over with it at least most of the Volatile and Aro∣matick Oyle of the seeds. And then encreasing the Fire, and changing the Receiver, I obtain'd besides an Empy∣reumatical Spirit, a quantity of adust oyle; whereof a little floated upon the Spirit, and the rest was more heavy, and not easily separable from it. And whereas these oyles were very dark, and smell'd (as Chymists speak) so strongly of the Fire, that their Odour
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did not betray from what Vegetables they had been forc'd; the other Aroma∣tick Oyle was enrich'd with the genuine smell and tast of the Concrete; and spon∣taneously coagulating it self into white butter did manifest self to be the true Oyle of Annisseeds; which Concrete I therefore chose to employ about this Ex∣periment, that the Difference of these Oyles might be more conspicuous then it would have been, had I instead of it de∣still'd another Vegetable.

I had almost forgot to take notice, that there is another sort of Bodies, which though not obtain'd from Concretes by Distillation, many Chymists are wont to call their Sulphur; not only because such substances are, for the most part, high colour'd (whence they are also, and that more properly, called Tinctures) as dis∣solv'd Sulphurs are wont to be; but espe∣cially because they are, for the most part, abstracted and separated from the rest of the Masse by Spirit of Wine: which Liquor those men supposing to be Sulphureous, they conclude, that what it works upon, and abstracts, must be a Sul∣phur also. And upon this account they presume, that they can sequester the sul∣phur
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even of Minerals and Metalls; from which 'tis known that they cannot by Fire alone separate it. To all This I shall answer; That if these sequestred substances where indeed the sulphurs of the Bodies whence they are drawn, there would as well be a great Disparity be∣twixt Chymical Sulphurs obtain'd by Spirit of Wine, as I have already shewn there is betwixt those obtain'd by Distil∣lation in the forme of Oyles: which will be evident from hence, that not to urge that themselves ascribe distinct vertues to Mineral Tinctures, extolling the Tincture of Gold against such and such Diseases; the Tincture of Antimony, or of its Glass, against others; and the Tincture of Emerauld against others; 'tis plain, that in Tinctures drawn from Vegetables, if the superfluous spirit of Wine be distill'd off, it leaves at the bottom that thicker sub∣stance which Chymists use to call the Extract of the Vegetable. And that these Extracts are endow'd with very differing Qualities according to the Na∣ture of the Particular Bodies that affor∣ded them (though I fear seldom with so much of the specifick vertues as is wont to be imagin'd) is freely confess'd
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both by Physitians and Chymists. But, Eleutherius, (sayes Carneades) we may here take Notice that the Chymists do as well in this case, as in many others, allow themselves a License to abuse Words: For not again to argue from the differing properties of Tinctures, that they are not exactly pure and Elementa∣ry Sulphurs; they would easily appear not to be so much as Sulphur's, although we should allow Chymical Oyles to de∣serve that Name. For however in some Mineral Tinctures the Natural fixtness of the extracted Body does not alwayes suffer it to be easily further resoluble in∣to differing substances; Yet in very ma∣ny extracts drawn from Vegetables, it may very easily be manifested that the spirit of Wine has not sequestred the sulphureous Ingredient from the saline and Mercurial ones; but has dissolv'd (for I take it to be a Solution) the finer Parts of the Concrete (without making any nice distinction of their being perfect∣ly Sulphureous or not) and united it self with them into a kind of Magistery; which consequently must contain Ingre∣dients or Parts of several sorts. For we see that the stones that are rich in vitriol,
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being often drench'd with rain-Water, the Liquor will then extract a sine and transparent substance coagulable in∣to Vitriol; and yet though this Vitriol be readily dissoluble in Water, it is not a true Elementary Salt, but, as You know, a body resoluble into very differ∣ing Parts, whereof one (as I shall have occasion to tell You anon) is yet of a Metalline, and consequently not of an E∣lementary Nature. You may consider also, that common Sulphur is readily dis∣soluble in Oyle of Turpentine, though notwithstanding its Name it abounds as well, if not as much, in Salt as in true Sulphur; witness the great quantity of saline Liquor it affords being set to flame away under a glasse Bell. Nay I have, which perhaps You will think strange, with the same Oyle of Turpentine alone easily enough dissolv'd crude Antimony finely powder'd into a Blood-red Balsam, wherewith perhaps considerable things may be perform'd in Surgery. And if it were now Requisite, I could tell You of some other Bodies (such as Perhaps You would not suspect) that I have been able to work upon with certain Chymi∣cal Oyles. But instead of digressing further
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I shall make this use of the Example I have nam'd. That 'tis not unlikely, but that Spirit of Wine which by its pun∣gent tast, and by some other Qualities that argue it better (especially its Re∣duciblenesse, according to Helmont, into Alcali, and Water,) seems to be as well of a Saline as of a Sulphureous Nature, may well be suppos'd Capable of Dissolving Substances That are not meerly Elementary sulphurs, though perhaps they may abound with Parts that are of kin thereunto. For I find that Spirit of Wine will dissolve Gumm Lacca, Benzoine, and the Resinous Parts of Jallap, and even of Guaiacum; whence we may well suspect that it may from Spices, Herbs, and other lesse com∣pacted Vegetables, extract substances that are not perfect Sulphurs but mixt Bodies. And to put it past Dispute, there is many a Vulgar Extract drawn with Spirit of Wine, which committed to Distillation will afford such differing substances as will Loudly proclaim it to have been a very compounded Body. So that we may justly suspect, that e∣ven in Mineral Tinctures it will not al∣waies follow, that because a red substance
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is drawn from the Concrete by spirit of Wine, that Substance is its true and Ele∣mentary Sulphur. And though some of these Extracts may perhaps be infla∣mable; Yet besides that others are not, and besides that their being reduc'd to such Minuteness of Parts may much fa∣cilitate their taking Fire; besides this, I say, We see that common Sulphur, common Oyle, Gumm Lac, and ma∣ny Unctuous and Resinous Bodies, will flame well enough, though they be of very compounded natures: Nay Tra∣vellers of Unsuspected Credit assure Us, as a known thing, that in some Nor∣thern Countries where Firr trees and Pines abound, the poorer sort of Inha∣bitants use Long splinters of those Resi∣nous Woods to burne instead of Candles. And as for the rednesse wont to be met with in such solutions, I could easily shew, that 'tis not necessary it should proceed from the Sulphur of the Con∣crete, Dissolv'd by the Spirit of Wine; if I had leasure to manifest how much Chymists are wont to delude themselves and others by the Ignorance of those o∣ther causes upon whose account spirit of Wine and other Menstruums may acquire
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a red or some other high colour. But to returne to our Chymical Oyles, sup∣posing that they were exactly pure; Yet I hope they would be, as the best spirit of Wine is, but the more infla∣mable and deflagrable. And therefore since an Oyle can be by the Fire alone im∣mediately turn'd into flame, which is something of a very differing Nature from it: I shall Demand how this Oyle can be a Primogeneal and Incor∣ruptible Body, as most Chymists would have their Principles; Since it is further resoluble into flame, which whether or no it be a portion of the Element of Fire, as an Aristotelian would conclude, is certainly something of a very differ∣ing Nature from a Chymical Oyle, since it burnes, and shines, and mounts swiftly upwards; none of which a Chymical Oyle does, whilst it continues such. And if it should be Objected, that the Dissipated Parts of this flaming Oyle may be caught and collected again into Oyl or Sulphur; I shall demand, what Chymist appears to have ever done it; and without Examining whether it may not hence be as well said that sulphur is but compacted Fire, as that Fire is but
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diffus'd Sulphur, I shall leave you to consider whether it may not hence be argu'd, that neither Fire nor Sulphur are primitive and indestructible Bodies; and I shall further observe that, at least it will hence appear that a portion of matter may without being Compoun∣ded with new Ingredients, by having the Texture and Motion of its small parts chang'd, be easily, by the means of the Fire, endow'd with new Quali∣ties, more differing from them it had be∣fore, then are those which suffice to discriminate the Chymists Principles from one another.

We are next to Consider, whether in the Anatomy of mixt Bodies, that which Chymists call the Mercurial part of them be un-compounded, or no. But to tell You True, though Chymists do Unanimously affirm that their Resoluti∣ons discover a Principle, which they call Mercury, yet I find them to give of it Descriptions so Differing, and so Aenigmaticall, that I, who am not a∣sham'd to confess that I cannot under∣stand what is not sence, must acknow∣ledge to you that I know not what to make of them. Paracelsus himself, and
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therefore, as you will easily believe, ma∣ny of his Followers, does somewhere call that Mercury which ascends upon the burning of Wood, as the Peripate∣ticks are wont to take the same smoke for Air; and so seems to define Mer∣cury by Volatility, or (if I may coyne such a Word) Effumability. But since, in this Example, both Volatile Salt and Sulphur make part of the smoke, which does indeed consist also both of Phleg∣matick and Terrene Corpuscles, this Notion is not to be admitted; And I find that the more sober Chymists them∣selves disavow it. Yet to shew you how little of clearness we are to expect in the accounts even of latter Spagyrists, be pleas'd to take notice, that Beguinus, e∣ven in his Tyrocinium Chymicum, written for the Instruction of Novices, when he comes to tell us what are meant by the Tria Prima, which for their being Principles ought to be defin'd the more accurately and plainly, gives us this De∣scription of Mercury; Mercurius (sayes he) est liquor ille acidus, permeabilis,*pe∣netrabilis, aethereus, ac purissimus, a quo omnis Nutricatio, Sensus, Motus, Vires, Colores, Senectutisque Praeproperae retarda∣tio.
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Which words are not so much a Definition of it, as an Encomium: and yet Quercetanus in his Description of the same Principle adds to these, di∣vers other Epithets. But both of them, to skip very many other faults that may be found with their Metaphoricall De∣scriptions, speak incongruously to the Chymists own Principles. For if Mer∣cury be an Acid Liquor, either Her∣metical Philosophy must err in ascribing all Tasts to Salt, or else Mercury must not be a Principle, but Compounded of a Saline Ingredient and somewhat else. Libavius, though he find great fault with the obscurity of what the Chymists write concerning their Mer∣curial Principle, does yet but give us such a Negative Description of it, as Sennertus, how favourable soever to the Tria Prima, is not satisfi'd with. And this Sennertus Himself, though the Learnedst Champion for the Hyposta∣tical Principles, does almost as frequent∣ly as justly complain of the unsatis∣factoriness of what the Chymists teach concerning their Mercury; and yet he himself (but with his wonted modesty) Substitutes instead of the Description
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of Libavius, another, which many Rea∣ders, especially if they be not Peripa∣teticks, will not know what to make of. For scarce telling us any more, then that in all bodies that which is found besides Salt and Sulphur, and the E∣lements, or, as they call them, Phlegm and Dead Earth, is that Spirit which in Aristotles Language may be call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. He sayes that which I confess is not at all satisfacto∣ry to me, who do not love to seem to acquiesce in any mans Mystical Do∣ctrines, that I may be thought to under∣stand them.

If (sayes Eleutherius) I durst pre∣sume that the same thing would be thought clear by me, and those that are fond of such cloudy Expressions as You justly Tax the Chymists for, I should ven∣ture to offer to Consideration, whether or no, since the Mercurial Principle that arises from Distillation is unanimously asserted to be distinct from the salt and Sulphur of the same Concrete, that may not be call'd the Mercury of a Body, which though it ascend in Distillation, as do the Phlegme and Sulphur, is nei∣ther insipid like the former, nor infla∣mable
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like the latter. And therefore I would substitute to the too much abu∣sed Name of Mercury, the more clear and Familiar Appellation of Spirit, which is also now very much made use of even by the Chymists themselves, of our times, though they have not given us so Distinct an Explication, as were fit, of what may be call'd the Spi∣rit of a mixt Body.

I should not perhaps (sayes Carne∣ades) much quarrel with your Notion of Mercury. But as for the Chymists, what they can mean, with congruity to their own Principles, by the Mercu∣ry of Animals and Vegetables, 'twill not be so easie to find out; for they as∣cribe Tasts only to the Saline Principle, and consequently would be much put to it to shew what Liquor it is, in the Re∣solution of Bodies, that not being in∣sipid, for that they call Phlegme, nei∣ther is inflamable as Oyle or Sulphur, nor has any Tast; which according to them must proceed from a Mixture, at least, of Salt. And if we should take Spirit in the sence of the Word re∣ceiv'd among Modern Chymists and Physitians, for any Distill'd Liquor that
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is neither Phlegme nor oyle, the Ap∣pellation would yet appear Ambigu∣ous enough. For, plainly, that which first ascends in the Distillation of Wine and Fermented Liquors, is generally as well by Chymists as others reputed a Spirit. And yet pure Spirit of Wine being wholly inflamable ought accor∣ding to them to be reckon'd to the Sul∣phureous, not the Mercurial Principle. And among the other Liquors that go under the name of Spirits, there are divers which seem to belong to the fa∣mily of Salts, such as are the Spirits of Nitre, Vitriol, Sea-Salt and others, and even the Spirit of Harts-horn, being, as I have try'd, in great part, if not totally reducible into Salt and Phlegme, may be suspected to be but a Volatile Salt disguis'd by the Phlegme mingl'd with it into the forme of a Liquor. How∣ever if this be a Spirit, it manifestly dif∣fers very much from that of Vinager, the Tast of the one being Acid, and the other Salt, and their Mixture in case they be very pure, sometimes occasioning an Effervescence like that of those Li∣quors the Chymists count most contra∣ry to one another. And even among
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those Liquors that seem to have a bet∣ter title then those hitherto mention'd, to the name of Spirits, there appears a sensible Diversity; For spirit of Oak, for instance, differs from that of Tartar, and this from that of Box, or of Guaiacum. And in short, even these spirits as well as other Distill'd Liquors manifest a great Dis∣parity betwixt themselves, either in their Actions on our senses, or in their other operations.

And (continues Carneades) besides this Disparity that is to be met with a∣mong those Liquors that the Modernes call spirits, & take for similar bodies, what I have formerly told you concerning the Spirit of Box-wood may let you see that some of those Liquors not only have qua∣lities very differing from others, but may be further resolved into substances differing from one another.

And since many moderne Chymists and other Naturalists are pleased to take the Mercurial spirit of Bodies for the same Principle, under differing names, I must invite you to observe, with me, the great difference that is conspicuous be∣twixt all the Vegetable and Animal spi∣rits I have mention'd and running
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Mercury. I speak not of that which is commonly sold in shops that many of themselves will confesse to be a mixt Body; but of that which is separated from Metals, which by some Chymists that seem more Philosophers then the rest, and especially by the above menti∣oned Claveus, is (for distinction sake) cal∣led Mercurius Corporum. Now this Me∣talline Liquor being one of those three Principles of which Mineral Bodies are by Spagyrists affirmed to be compos'd and to be resoluble into them, the many no∣torious Differences betwixt them and the Mercuries, as They call Them, of Ve∣getables and Animals will allow me to inferr, either that Minerals and the o∣ther two sorts of Mixt Bodies consist not of the same Elements, or that those Principles whereinto Minerals are im∣mediately resolved, which Chymists with great ostentation shew us as the true principles, of them, are but Secundary Principles, or Mixts of a peculiar sort, which must be themselves reduc'd to a very differing forme, to be of the same kind with Vegetable and Animal Li∣quors.

But this is not all; for although I for∣merly
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told You how Little Credit there is to be given to the Chymical Processes commonly to be met with, of Extracting the Mercuries of Metals, Yet I will now add, that supposing that the more Ju∣dicious of Them do not untruly affirme that they have really drawn true and running Mercury from several Metals (which I wish they had cleerly taught Us how to do also,) yet it may be still doubted whether such extracted Mercu∣ries do not as well differ from common Quicksilver, and from one another, as from the Mercuries of Vegetables and Animalls. Claveus, in his Apology, speaking of some experiments where∣by Metalline Mer∣curies may be fixt into the nobler me∣tals,
* adds, that he spake of the Mercuries drawn from me∣tals; because common Quicksilver by rea∣son of its excessive coldnesse and moisture is unfit for that particular kind of opera∣tion; for which though a few lines be∣fore he prescribes in general the Mercu∣ries of Metalline Bodies, yet he chiefly commends that drawn by art from silver.
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And elsewhere, in the same Book, he tells us, that he himself tryed, that by bare coction the quicksilver of Tin or Pewter (argen um vivum ex stanno prolicitum) may by an efficient cause, as he speaks, be turn'd into pure Gold. And the Expe∣rienc'd Alexander van Suchten, some∣where tells us, that by a way he intimates may be made a Mercury of Copper, not of the Silver colour of other Mercuries, but green; to which I shall add, that an eminent person, whose name his tra∣vells and learned writings have made famous, lately assur'd me that he had more then once seen the Mercury of Lead (which what ever Authors pro∣mise, you will find it very difficult to make, at least in any considerable quanti∣ty) fixt into perfect Gold. And being by me demanded whether or no any o∣ther Mercury would not as well have been changed by the same Operations, he assured me of the Negative.

And since I am fallen upon the men∣tion of the Mercuries of metals, you will perhaps expect (Eleutherius!) that I should say something of their two other principles; but I must freely confess to you, that what Disparity there may be be∣tween
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the salts and sulphurs of Metals and other Menerals, I am not my self experienced enough in the separations and examens of them, to venture to de∣termine: (for as for the salts of Metals, I formerly represented it as a thing much to be question'd, whether they have any at all:) And for the processes of separation I find in Authors, if they were (what many of them are not) successfully practicable, as I noted above, yet they are to be per∣formed by the assistance of other bodies, so hardly, if upon any termes at all, se∣parable from them, that it is very difficult to give the separated principles all their due, and no more. But the Sulphur of Antimony which is vehemently vomi∣tive, and the strongly scented Anodyne Sulphur of Vitriol inclines me to think that not only Mineral Sulphurs differ from Vegetable ones, but also from one another, retaining much of the nature of their Concretes. The salts of metals, and of some sort of minerals, You will easily guesse by the Doubts I formerly express'd, whether metals have any salt at all, that I have not been so happy as yet to see, perhaps not for want of cu∣riosity. But if Paracelsus did alwaies
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write so consentaneously to himself that his opinion were confidently to be collect∣ed from every place of his writings where he seems to expresse it, I might safely take upon me to tell you, that he both countenances in general what I have de∣livered in my Fourth main consideration, and in particular warrants me to suspect that there may be a difference in metal∣line and mineral Salts, as well as we find it in those of other bodies. For, Sulphur (sayes he) aliud in auro, aliud in argento,*aliud in ferro, aliud in plumbo, stanno, &c. sic aliud in Saphiro, aliud in Sma∣ragdo, aliud in rubino, chrysolito, amethis∣to, magnete, &c. Item aliud in lapidibus, silice, salibus, fontibus, &c. nec vero tot sulphura tantum, sed & tot idem salia; sal a∣liud in metallis, aliud in gemmis, aliud in lapidibus, aliud in salibus, aliud in vitrio∣lo, aliud in alumine: similis etiam Mercurii est ratio. Alius in Metallis, alius in Gemmis, &c. Ita ut unicuique speciei suus peculiaris Mercurius sit. Et tamen res sal∣tem tres sunt; una essentia est sulphur; una est sal; una est Mercurius. Addo quod & specialius adhuc singula dividantur; aurum enim non unum, sed multiplex, ut et non unum pyrum, pomum, sed idem multiplex; totidem e∣tiam
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sulphura auri, salia auri, mercurii auri; idem competit etiam metallis & gemmis; ut quot saphyri praestantiores, laeviores, &c. tot etiam saphyrica sulphura, saphyrica salia, suphyrici Mercurii, &c. Idem verum eti∣am est de turconibus & gemmis aliis uni∣versis. From which passage (Eleuthe∣rius) I suppose you will think I might without rashness conclude, either that my opinion is favoured by that of Para∣celsus, or that Paracelsus his opinion was not alwaies the same. But because in divers other places of his writings he seems to talk at a differing rate of the three Principles and the four Elements, I shall content my self to inferr from the alledg'd passage, that if his doctrine be not consistent with that Part of mine which it is brought to countenance, it is very difficult to know what his opinion concerning salt, sulphur and mercury, was; and that consequently we had rea∣son about the beginning of our conferen∣ces, to decline taking upon us, either to examine or oppose it.

I know not whether I should on this occasion add, that those very bodies the Chymists call Phlegme and Earth do yet recede from an Elementary simplicity.
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That common Earth and Water fre∣quently do so, notwithstanding the receiv∣ed contrary opinion, is not deny'd by the more wary of the moderne Peripateticks themselves: and certainly, most Earths are much lesse simple bodies then is com∣monly imagined even by Chymists, who do not so consideratly to prescribe and employ Earths Promiscuously in those distillations that require the mixture of some caput mortuum, to hinder the flow∣ing together of the matter, and to re∣tain its grosser parts. For I have found some Earths to yield by distillation a Li∣quor very far from being inodorous or in∣sipid; and 'tis a known observation, that most kinds of fat Earth kept cover'd from the rain, and hindred from spend∣ing themselves in the production of vege∣tables, will in time become impregnated with Salt-Petre.

But I must remember that the Wa∣ter and Earths I ought here to speak of, are such as are separated from mixt Bo∣dies by the fire; and therefore to restrain my Discourse to such, I shall tell you, That we see the Phlegme of Vitriol (for instance) is a very effectual remedie a∣gainst burnes; and I know a very Fa∣mous
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and experienc'd Physitian, whose un∣suspected secret (himself confess'd to me) it is, for the discussing of hard and Obsti∣nate Tumours. The Phlegme of Vina∣ger, though drawn exceeding leasurly in a digesting Furnace, I have purposely made tryall of; and sometimes found it able to draw, though slowly, a saccha∣rine sweetness out of Lead; and as I re∣member by long Digestion, I dissolv'd Corpals in it. The Phlegme of the su∣gar of Saturne is said to have very pecu∣liar properties. Divers Eminent Chymists teach, that it will dissolve Pearls, which being precipitated by the spirit of the same concrete are thereby (as they say) rendred volatile; which has been confirm∣ed to me, upon his own observation, by a person of great veracity. The Phlegme of Wine, and indeed divers other Li∣quors that are indiscriminately condemnd to be cast away as phlegm, are endow'd with qualities that make them differ both from meer water, and from each other; and whereas the Chymists are pleas'd to call the caput mortuum of what they have distill'd (after they have by affusion of water drawn away its salt) terra damnata, or Earth, it may be doubted whether or
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no those earths are all of them perfectly alike: and it is scarce to be doubted, but that there are some of them which re∣main yet unreduc'd to an Elementary na∣ture. The ashes of wood depriv'd of all the salt, and bone-Ashes, or calcin'd Harts∣horn, which Refiners choose to make Tests of, as freest from Salt, seem unlike: and he that shall compare either of these insipid ashes to Lime, and much more to the calx of Talk (though by the affusion of water they be exquisitely dulcify'd) will perhaps see cause to think them things of a some∣what differing nature. And it is evident in Colcothar that the exactest calcination, follow'd by an exquisite dulcification, does not alwaies reduce the remaining bo∣dy into elementary earth; for after the salt or Vitriol (if the Calcination have been too faint) is drawn out of the Colcothar, the residue is not earth, but a mixt body, rich in Medical vertues (as experience has inform'd me) and which Angelus Sa∣la affirmes to be partly reducible into malleable Copper; which I judge very probable: for though when I was ma∣king Experiments upon Colcothar, I was destitute of a Furnace capable of giving a heat intense Enough to bring such a
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Calx to Fusion; yet having conjectur'd that if Colcothar abounded with that Metal, Aqua Fortis would find it out there, I put some dulcifi'd Colcothar into that Menstruum, and found the Li∣quor, according to my Expectation, presently Colour'd as Highly as if it had been an Ordinary Solution of Cop∣per.

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THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST. The Fifth Part.
HEre Carneades making a pause, I must not deny (sayes his Friend to him) that I think You have suffici∣ently prov'd that these distinct Substan∣ces which Chymists are wont to obtain from Mixt Bodies, by their Vulgar De∣stillation, are not pure and simple e∣nough to deserve, in Rigour of speaking, the Name of Elements, or Principles. But I suppose You have heard, that there are some Modern Spagyrists, who give out that they can by further and more Skilfull Purifications, so reduce the separated Ingredients of Mixt Bo∣dies to an Elementary simplicity, That
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the Oyles (for Instance) extracted from all Mixts shall as perfectly resemble one another, as the Drops of Water do.

If you remember (replies Carneades) that at the Beginning of our Conference with Philoponus, I declar'd to him be∣fore the rest of the Company, that I would not engage my self at present to do any more then examine the usual proofs alledg'd by Chymists, for the Vulgar doctrine of their three Hypostatical Prin∣ciples; You will easily perceive that I am not oblig'd to make answer to what you newly propos'd; and that it rather grants, then disproves what I have been contending for: Since by pre∣tending to make so great a change in the reputed Principles that Destillation affords the common Spagyrists, 'tis plainly enough presuppos'd, that before such Artificial Depurations be made, the Substances to be made more simple were not yet simple enough to be look'd upon as Elementary; Wherefore in case the Artists you speak of could per∣form what they give out they can, yet I should not need to be asham'd of ha∣ving question'd the Vulgar Opinion
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touching the tria Prima. And as to the thing it self, I shall freely acknowledge to you, that I love not to be forward in determining things to be impossible, till I know and have consider'd the means by which they are propos'd to be effected. And therefore I shall not pe∣remptorily deny either the possibility of what these Artists promise, or my As∣sent to any just Inference; however de∣structive to my Conjectures, that may be drawn from their performances. But give me leave to tell you withall, that because such promises are wont (as Experience has more then once in∣form'd me) to be much more easily made, then made good by Chymists, I must withhold my Beliefe from their as∣sertions, till their Experiments exact it; and must not be so easie as to expect before hand, an unlikely thing upon no stronger Inducements then are yet given me: Besides that I have not yet found by what I have heard of these Artists, that though they pretend to bring the several Substances into which the Fire has divided the Concrete, to an exqui∣site simplicity, They pretend also to be able by the Fire to divide all Concretes,
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Minerals, and others, into the same number of Distinct Substances. And in the mean time I must think it im∣probable, that they can either truly se∣parate as many differing Bodies from Gold (for Instance) or Osteocolla, as we can do from Wine, or Vitriol; or that the Mercury (for Example) of Gold or Saturn would be perfectly of the same Nature with that of Harts∣horn; and that the sulphur of Antimo∣ny would be but Numerically different from the Distill'd butter or oyle of Ro∣ses.

But suppose (sayes Eleutherius) that you should meet with Chymists, who would allow you to take in Earth and Water into the number of the prin∣ciples of Mixt Bodies; and being also content to change the Ambiguous Name of Mercury for that more in∣telligible one of spirit, should conse∣quently make the principles of Com∣pound Bodies to be Five; would you not think it something hard to reject so plausible an Opinion, only because the Five substances into which the Fire divides mixt Bodies are not exactly pure, and Homogeneous? For my part
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(Continues Carneades) I cannot but think it somewhat strange, in case this Opinion be not true, that it should fall out so luckily, that so great a Variety of Bodies should be Analyz'd by the Fire into just five Distinct substances; which so little differing from the Bodies that bear those names, may so Plausibly be call'd Oyle, Spirit, Salt, Water, and Earth.

The Opinion You now propose (an∣swers Carneades) being another then that I was engag'd to examine, it is not requisite for me to Debate it at present; nor should I have leisure to do it tho∣rowly. Wherefore I shall only tell you in General, that though I think this O∣pinion in some respects more defensi∣ble then that of the Vulgar Chymists; yet you may easily enough learn from the past Discourse what may be thought of it: Since many of the Objections made against the Vulgar Doctrine of the Chy∣mists seem, without much alteration, employable against this Hypothesis also. For, besides that this Doctrine does as well as the other take it for granted, (what is not easie to be prov'd) that the Fire is the true and Adequate Ana∣lyzer
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of Bodies, and that all the Di∣stinct substances obtainable from a mixt Body by the Fire, were so pre-existent in it, that they were but extricated from each other by the Analysis; Besides that this Opinion, too, ascribe to the Productions of the Fire an Elementary simplicity, which I have shewn not to belong to them; and besides that this Doctrine is lyable to some of the o∣ther Difficulties, wherewith That of the Tria Prima is incumber'd; Besides all this, I say, this quinary number of E∣lements, (if you pardon the Expressi∣on) ought at least to have been re∣strain'd to the Generality of Animal and Vegetable Bodies, since not only a∣mong these there are some Bodies (as I formerly argu'd) which, for ought has yet been made to appear, do con∣sist, either of fewer or more similar substances then precisely Five. But in the Mineral Kingdom, there is scarce one Concrete that has been evinc'd to be adequatly divisible into such five Prin∣ciples or Elements, and neither more nor less, as this Opinion would have e∣very mixt Body to consist of.

And this very thing (continues Car∣neades)
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may serve to take away or les∣sen your Wonder, that just so many Bodies as five should be found upon the Resolution of Concretes. For since we find not that the fire can make any such Analysis (into five Elements) of Metals and other Mineral Bodies, whose Texture is more strong and permanent, it remains that the Five Substances un∣der consideration be Obtain'd from Ve∣getable and Animal Bodies, which (pro∣bably by reason of their looser Con∣texture) are capable of being Distill'd. And as to such Bodies, 'tis natural e∣nough, that, whether we suppose that there are, or are not, precisely five E∣lements, there should ordinarily occurr in the Dissipated parts a five Fold Di∣versity of Scheme (if I may so speak.) For if the Parts do not remain all fix'd, as in Gold, Calcin'd Talck, &c. nor all ascend, as in the Sublimation of Brim∣stone, Camphire, &c. but after their Dissipation do associate themselves into new Schemes of Matter; it is very like∣ly, that they will by the Fire be divided into fix'd and Volatile (I mean, in Re∣ference to that degree of heat by which they are destill'd) and those Volatile
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parts will, for the most part, ascend either in a dry forme, which Chymists are pleas'd to call, if they be Tastless, Flowers; if Sapid, Volatile Salt; or in a Liquid Forme. And this Liquor must be either inflamable, and so pass for oyl, or not inflamable, and yet subtile and pungent, which may be call'd Spirit; or else strengthless or insipid, which may be nam'd Phlegme, or Water. And as for the fixt part, or Caput Mor∣tuum, it will most commonly consist of Corpuscles, partly Soluble in Water, or Sapid, (especially if the Saline parts were not so Volatile, as to fly away be∣fore) which make up its fixt salt; and partly insoluble and insipid, which there∣fore seems to challenge the name of Earth. But although upon this ground one might easily enough have foretold, that the differing substances obtain'd from a perfectly mixt Body by the Fire would for the most part be reducible to the five newly mentioned States of Matter; yet it will not presently follow, that these five Distinct substances were simple and primogeneal bodies, so pre∣existent in the Concrete that the fire does but take them asunder. Besides
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that it does not appear, that all Mixt Bodies, (witness, Gold, Silver, Mercu∣ry, &c.) Nay nor perhaps all Vege∣tables, which may appear by what we said above of Camphire, Benzoin, &c. are resoluble by Fire into just such dif∣fering Schemes of Matter. Nor will the Experiments formerly alledg'd per∣mit us to look upon these separated Substances as Elementary, or uncom∣pounded. Neither will it be a suffici∣ent Argument of their being Bodies that deserve the Names which Chy∣mists are pleas'd to give them, that they have an Analogy in point of Consistence, or either Volatility or Fixtness, or else some other obvious Quality, with the suppos'd Principles, whose names are ascrib'd to them. For, as I told you above, notwithstanding this Resemblance in some one Quality, there may be such a Disparity in others, as may be more fit to give them Dif∣fering Appellations, then the Resem∣blance is to give them one and the same. And indeed it seems but some∣what a gross Way of judging of the Nature of Bodies, to conclude without Scruple, that those must be of the same
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Nature that agree in some such Gene∣ral Quality, as Fluidity, Dryness, Vo∣latility, and the like: since each of those Qualities, or States of Matter, may Comprehend a great Variety of Bo∣dies, otherwise of a very differing Na∣ture; as we may see in the Calxes of Gold, of Vitriol, and of Venetian Talck, compar'd with common Ashes, which yet are very dry, and fix'd by the ve∣hemence of the Fire, as well as they. And as we may likewise gather from what I have formerly Observ'd, touch∣ing the Spirit of Box-Wood, which though a Volatile, Sapid, and not infla∣mable Liquor, as well as the Spirits of Harts-horn, of Blood and others, (and therefore has been hitherto call'd, the Spirit, and esteem'd for one of the Principles of the Wood that affords it;) may yet, as I told You, be subdi∣vided into two Liquors, differing from one another, and one of them at least, from the Generality of other Chymical Spirits.

But you may your self, if you please, (pursues Carneades) accommodate to the Hypothesis you propos'd what other par∣ticulars you shall think applicable to it,
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in the foregoing Discourse. For I think it unseasonable for me to meddle now a∣ny further with a Controversie, which since it does not now belong to me, Leaves me at Liberty to Take my Own time to Declare my Self about it.

Eleutherius perceiving that Carneades was somewhat unwilling to spend any more time upon the debate of this Opinion, and having perhaps some thoughts of taking hence a Rise to make him Discourse it more fully another time, thought not fit as then to make any fur∣ther mention to him of the propos'd opi∣nion, but told him;

I presume I need not mind you, Carne∣ades, That both the Patrons of the ternary number of Principles, and those that would have five Elements, endeavour to back their experiments with a specious Reason or two; and espe∣cially some of those Embracers of the O∣pinion last nam'd (whom I have con∣vers'd with, and found them Learned men) assigne this Reason of the necessity of five distinct Elements; that otherwise mixt Bodies could not be so compounded and temper'd as to obtain a due consi∣stence
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and competent Duration. For Salt (say they) is the Basis of Solidity; and Permanency in Compound Bodies, without which the other four Elements might indeed be variously and loosly blended together, but would remain in∣compacted; but that Salt might be dis∣solv'd into minute Parts, and convey'd to the other Substances to be compacted by it, and with it, there is a Necessity of Water. And that the mixture may not be too hard and brittle, a Sulphureous or Oyly Principle must intervene to make the mass more tenacious; to this a Mer∣curial spirit must be superadded; which by its activity may for a while premeate, and as it were leaven the whole Mass, and thereby promote the more ex∣quisite mixture and incorporation of the Ingredients. To all which (lastly) a portion of Earth must be added, which by its drinesse and poracity may soak up part of that water wherein the Salt was dissolv'd, and eminently concurr with the other ingredients to give the whole body the requisite consistence.

I perceive (sayes Carneades smiling) that if it be true, as 'twas lately rooted from the Proverb, That good Wits have
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bad Memories, You have that Title, as well as a better, to a place among the good Wits. For you have already more then once forgot, that I declar'd to you that I would at this Confe∣rence Examine only the Experiments of my Adversaries, not their Specula∣tive Reasons. Yet 'tis not (Subjoynes Carneades) for fear of medling with the Argument you have propos'd, that I decline the examining it at present. For if when we are more at leasure, you shall have a mind that we may So∣lemnly consider of it together; I am confident we shall scarce find it insolu∣ble. And in the mean time we may observe, that such a way of Arguing may, it seems, be speciously accommoda∣ted to differing Hypotheses. For I find that Beguinus, and other Assertors of the Tria Prima, pretend to make out by such a way, the requisiteness of their Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, to constitute mixt Bodies, without taking notice of any ne∣cessity of an Addition of Water and Earth.

And indeed neither sort of Chymists seem to have duly consider'd how great Variety there is in the Textures and
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Consistences of Compound Bodie; sand how little the consistence and Durati∣on of many of them seem to accommo∣date and be explicable by the propos'd Notion. And not to mention those almost incorruptible Substances obtainable by the Fire, which I have prov'd to be somewhat compounded, and which the Chymists will readily grant not to be perfectly mixt Bodies: (Not to menti∣on these, I say) If you will but recall to mind some of those Experiments, whereby I shew'd You that out of com∣mon Water only mixt Bodies (and even living ones) of very differing con∣sistences, and resoluble by Fire into as many Principles as other bodies ac∣knowledg'd to be perfectly mixt; if you do this, I say, you will not, I suppose, be averse from beleeving, that Nature by a convenient disposition of the minute parts of a portion of matter may con∣trive bodies durable enough, and of this, or that, or the other Consistence, with∣out being oblig'd to make use of all, much less of any Determinate quantity of each of the five Elements, or of the three Principles to compound such bodies of. And I have (pursues Carne∣ades)
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something wonder'd, Chymists should not consider, that there is scarce any body in Nature so permanent and indissoluble as Glass; which yet them∣selves teach us may be made of bare Ashes, brought to fusion by the meer Violence of the Fire; so that, since Ashes are granted to consist but of pure Salt and simple Earth, sequestred from all the other Principles or Elements, they must acknowledge, That even Art it self can of two Elements only, or, if you please, one Principle and one Element, compound a Body more du∣rable then almost any in the World. Which being undeniable, how will they prove that Nature cannot com∣pound Mixt Bodies, and even durable Ones, under all the five Elements or ma∣terial Principles.

But to insist any longer on this Occa∣sional Disquisition, Touching their O∣pinion that would Establish five Ele∣ments, were to remember as little as You did before, that the Debate of this matter is no part of my first undertak∣ing; and consequently, that I have alrea∣dy spent time enough in what I look back upon but as a digression, or at best an Excursion.

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And thus, Eleutherius, (sayes Carnea∣des) having at length gone through the four Considerations I propos'd to Dis∣course unto you, I hold it not unfit, for fear my having insisted so long on each of them may have made you forget their Series, briefly to repeat them by telling you, that

Since, in the first place, it may justly be doubted whether or no the Fire be, as Chymists suppose it, the genuine and Universal Resolver of mixt Bodies;

Since we may doubt, in the next place, whether or no all the Distinct Substances that may be obtain'd from a mixt body by the Fire were pre-existent there in the formes in which they were separated from it;

Since also, though we should grant the Substances separable from mixt Bo∣dies by the fire to have been their component Ingredients, yet the Number of such substances does not appear the same in all mixt Bodies; some of them being Resoluble into more differing sub∣stances than three, and Others not being Resoluble into so many as three.

And Since, Lastly, those very substan∣ces that are thus separated are not for the
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most part pure and Elementary bodies, but new kinds of mixts;

Since, I say, these things are so, I hope you will allow me to inferr, that the Vulgar Experiments (I might perchance have Added, the Arguments too) wont to be Alledg'd by Chymists to prove, that their three Hypostatical Principles do adequately compose all mixt Bodies, are not so demonstrative as to reduce a wary Person to acquiesce in their Do∣ctrine, which, till they Explain and prove it better, will by its perplexing darkness be more apt to puzzle then satisfy con∣sidering men, and will to them appear incumbred with no small Difficulties.

And from what has been hitherto de∣duc'd (continues Carneades) we may Learn, what to Judge of the common Practice of those Chymists, who because they have found that Diverse compound Bodies (for it will not hold in All) can be resolv'd into, or rather can be brought to afford two or three differing Substan∣ces more then the Soot and Ashes, where∣into the naked fire commonly divides them in our Chymnies, cry up their own Sect for the Invention of a New Philoso∣phy, some of them, as Helmont, &c. styling
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themselves Philosophers by the Fire; and the most part not only ascribing, but as far as in them lies, engrossing to those of their Sect the Title of PHILOSO∣PHERS.

But alas, how narrow is this Philoso∣phy, that reaches but to some of those compound Bodies, which we find but upon, or in the crust or outside of our ter∣restrial Globe, which is it self but a point in comparison of the vast extended Uni∣verse, of whose other and greater parts the Doctrine of the Tria Prima does not give us an Account! For what does it teach us, either of the Nature of the Sun, which Astronomers affirme to be eight∣score and odd times bigger then the whole Earth? or of that of those numerous sixt Starrs, which, for ought we know, would very few, if any of them, appear inferi∣our in bulke and brightness to the Sun, if they were as neer us as He? What does the knowing that Salt, sulphur and Mercury, are the Principles of Mixt Bo∣dies, informe us of the Nature of that vast, fluid, and Aetherial Substance, that seemes to make up the in∣terstellar, and consequently much the greatest part of the World? for as for
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the opinion commonly ascrib'd to Para∣celsus, as if he would have not only the four Peripatetick Elements, but e∣ven the Celestial parts of the Universe to consist of his three Principles, since the modern Chymists themselves have not thought so groundless a conceit worth their owning, I shall not think it Worth my confuting.

But I should perchance forgive the Hy∣pothesis I have been all this while exa∣mining, if, though it reaches but to a ve∣ry little part of the World, it did at least give us a satisfactory account of those things to which 'tis said to reach. But I find not, that it gives us any other then a very imperfect information even about mixt Bodies themselves: For how will the knowledge of the Tria Prima disco∣ver to us the Reason, why the Loadstone drawes a Needle and disposes it to re∣spect the Poles, and yet seldom precise∣ly points at them? how will this Hypo∣thesis teach Us how a Chick is formed in the Egge, or how the Seminal Princi∣ples of Mint, Pompions, and other Ve∣gitables, that I mention'd to You above, can fashion Water into Various Plants, each of them endow'd with its peculiar
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and determinate shape, and with divers specifick and discriminating Qualities? How does this Hypothesis shew us, how much Salt, how much Sulphur, and how much Mereury must be taken to make a Chick or a Pompion? and if We know that, what Principle is it, that manages these Ingredients, and contrives (for in∣stance) such Liquors as the White and Yelk of an Egge into such a variety of Textures as is requisite to fashion the Bones, Veines, Arteries, Nerves, Ten∣dons, Feathers, Blood, and other parts of a Chick; and not only to fashion each Limbe, but to connect them altoge∣ther, after that manner that is most congruous to the perfection of the Ani∣mal which is to Consist of Them? For to say, that some more fine and subtile part of either or all the Hypostatical Principles is the Director in all this busi∣ness, and the Architect of all this Elabo∣rate structure, is to give one occasion to demand again, what proportion and way of mixture of the Tria Prima afford∣ed this Architectonick Spirit, and what Agent made so skilful and happy a mix∣ture? And the Answer to this Question, if the Chymists will keep themselves
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within their three Principles, will be ly∣able to the same Inconvenience, that the Answer to the former was. And if it were not to intrench upon the Theame of a Friend of ours here present, I could easily prosecute the Imperfections of the Vulgar Chymists Philosophy, and shew you, that by going about to expli∣cate by their three Principles, I say not, all the abstruse Properties of mixt Bodies, but even such Obvious and more familiar Phaenomena as Fluidity and Firmness, The Colours and Figures of Stones, Mine∣rals, and other compound Bodies, The Nutrition of either Plants or Animals, the Gravity of Gold or Quicksilver com∣par'd with Wine or Spirit of Wine; By attempting, I say, to render a reason of these (to omit a thousand others as dif∣ficult to account for) from any proporti∣on of the three simple Ingredients, Chy∣mists will be much more likely to discre∣dit themselves and their Hypothesis, then satisfy an intelligent Inquirer after Truth.

But (interposes Eleutherus) This Ob∣jection seems no more then may be made against the four Peripatetick Elements. And indeed almost against any other Hy∣pothesis,
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that pretends by any Determi∣nate Number of Material Ingredients to render a reason of the Phaenomena of Na∣ture. And as for the use of the Chymi∣cal Doctrine of the three Principles, I suppose you need not be told by me,
* that The great Champion of it, The Learn∣ed Sennertus, assignes this noble use of the Tria Prima, That from Them, as the neerest and most Proper Principles, may be Deduc'd and Demonstrated the Properties which are in Mixt Bodies, and which cannot be Proximately (as They speak) deduc'd from the Ele∣ments. And This, sayes he, is chiefly Apparent, when we Inquire into the Properties and Faculties of Mede∣cines. And I know (continues Eleu∣therius) That the Person You have assum'd, of an Opponent of the Her∣metick Doctrine, will not so far prevaile against your Native and wonted Equity, as To keep You from acknowledging that Philosophy is much beholden to the Notions and Discoveries of Chy∣mists.

If the Chymists You speak of (Re∣plyes Carneades) had been so modest, or so Discreet, as to propose their O∣pinion
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of the Tria Prima, but as a Noti∣on useful among Others, to increase Humane knowledge, they had deserv'd more of our thanks; and less of our Op∣position; but since the Thing that they pretend is not so much to contribute a Notion toward the Improvement of Philosophy, as to make this Notion at∣tended by a few lesse considerable ones) pass for a New Philosophy it self. Nay, since they boast so much of this phancie of theirs, that the famous Quercetanus scruples not to write, that if his most certain Doctrine of the three Principles were sufficiently Learned, Examin'd, and Cultivated, it would easily Dispel all the Darkness that benights our minds, and bring in a Clear Light, that would remove all Difficulties. This School af∣fording Theorems and Axiomes irrefra∣gable, and to be admitted without Dis∣pute by impartial Judges; and so useful withal, as to exempt us from the necessi∣ty of having recourse, for want of the knowledg of causes, to that Sanctuary of the igorant, Occult Qualities; since, I say, this Domestick Notion of the Chy∣mists is so much overvalued by them, I cannot think it unfit, they should be made
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sensible of their mistake; and be admo∣nish'd to take in more fruitful and com∣prehensive Principles, if they mean to give us an account of the Phaenomena of Nature; and not confine themselves and (as far as they can) others to such narrow Principles, as I fear will scarce inable them to give an account (I mean an intelligible one) of the tenth part (I say not) of all the Phaenomena of Nature; but even of all such as by the Leucippian or some of the other sorts of Principles may be plausibly enough ex∣plicated. And though I be not unwil∣ling to grant, that the incompetency I impute to the Chymical Hypothesis is but the same which may be Objected a∣gainst that of the four Elements, and di∣vers other Doctrines that have been maintain'd by Learnedmen; yet since 'tis the Chymical Hypothesis only which I am now examining, I see not why, if what I impute to it be a real inconveni∣ence, either it should cease to be so, or I should scruple to object it, because o∣ther Theories are lyable thereunto, as well as the Hermetical. For I know not why a Truth should be thought lesse a Truth for the being fit to overthrow variety of Errors.

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I am oblig'd to You (continues Carne∣ades, a little smiling) for the favourable Opinion You are pleas'd to express of my Equity, if there be no design in it. But I need not be tempted by an Artifice, or invited by a Complement, to acknow∣ledge the great service that the Labours of Chymists have done the Lovers of useful Learning; nor even on this occasi∣on shall their Arrogance hinder my Gra∣titude. But since we are as well exami∣ning to the truth of their Doctrine as the merit of their industry, I must in order to the investigation of the first, continue a reply, to talk at the rate of the part I have assum'd; And tell you, that when I acknowledg the usefulness of the La∣bours of Spagyrists to Natural Philoso∣phy, I do it upon the score of their ex∣periments, not upon that of Their Spe∣culations; for it seems to me, that their Writings, as their Furnaces, afford as well smoke as light; and do little lesse obscure some subjects, then they illustrate others. And though I am unwilling to deny, that 'tis difficult for a man to be an Accomplisht Naturalist, that is a stranger to Chymistry, yet I look upon the common Operations and practices
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of Chymists, almost as I do on the Letters of the Alphabet, without whose know∣ledge 'tis very hard for a man to become a Philosopher; and yet that knowledge is very far from being sufficient to make him One.

But (sayes Carneades, resuming a more serious Look) to consider a little more particularly what you alledg in favour of the Chymical Doctrine of the Tria Pri∣ma, though I shall readily acknowledge it not to be unuseful, and that the Divi∣sers and Embracers of it have done the Common-Wealth of Learning some service, by helping to destroy that ex∣cessive esteem, or rather veneration, wherewith the Doctrine of the four Ele∣ments was almost as generally as unde∣servedly entertain'd; yet what has been alledg'd concerning the usefulness of the Tria Prima, seems to me liable to no con∣temptible Difficulties.

And first, as for the very way of Pro∣bation, which the more Learned and more Sober Champions of the Chymical cause employ to evince the Chymical Principles in Mixt Bodies, it seems to me to be farr enough from being convincing. This grand and leading Argument, your
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Sennertus Himself, who layes Great weight upon it, and tells us, that the most Learned Philosophers employ this way of Reasoning to prove the most important things, proposes thus: Ubi∣cunque (sayes he) pluribus eaedem affecti∣ones & qualitates insunt, per commune quoddam Principium insint necesse est, si∣cut omnia sunt Gravia propter terram, ca∣lida propter Ignem. At Colores, Odores, Sapores, esse〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & similia alia, mi∣neralibus, Metallis, Gemmis, Lapidibus, Plantis, Animalibus insunt. Ergo per com∣mune aliquod principium, & subiectum, in∣sunt. At tale principium non sunt Ele∣menta. Nullam enim habent ad tales quali∣tates producendas potentiam. Ergo alia prin∣cipia, unde fluant, inquirenda sunt.

In the Recital of this Argument, (sayes Carneades) I therefore thought fit to retain the Language wherein the Author proposes it, that I might also retain the propriety of some Latine Termes, to which I do not readily re∣member any that fully answer in Eng∣lish. But as for the Argumentation it self, 'tis built upon a precarious suppo∣sition, that seems to me neither De∣monstrable nor true; for, how does it
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appear, that where the same Quality is to be met with in many Bodies, it must belong to them upon the Account of some one Body whereof they all par∣take? (For that the Major of our Au∣thors Argument is to be Understood of the Material Ingredients of bodies, appears by the Instances of Earth and Fire he annexes to explain it.) For to begin with that very Example which he is pleas'd to alledge for himself; how can he prove, that the Gravity of all Bodies proceeds from what they par∣ticipate of the Element of Earth? Since we see, that not only common Water, but the more pure Distill'd Rain Water is heavy; and Quicksil∣ver is much heavier than Earth it self; though none of my Adversaries has yet prov'd, that it contains any of that Element. And I the Rather make use of this Example of Quicksilver, because I see not how the Assertors of the E∣lements will give any better Account of it then the Chymists. For if it be demanded how it comes to be Fluid, they will answer, that it participates much of the Nature of Water. And indeed, according to them, Water
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may be the Predominant Element in it, since we see, that several Bodies which by Distillation afford Liquors that weigh more then their Caput Mor∣tuum do not yet consist of Liquor e∣nough to be Fluid. Yet if it be deman∣ded how Quicksilver comes to be so heavy, then 'tis reply'd, that 'tis by rea∣son of the Earth that abounds in it; but since, according to them, it must consist also of air, and partly of Fire, which they affirm to be light Elements, how comes it that it should be so much hea∣vier then Earth of the same bulk, though to fill up the porosities and other Cavi∣ties it be made up into a mass or paste with Water, which it self they allow to be a heavy Element. But to returne to our Spagyrists, we see that Chymical Oyles and fixt Salts, though never so exquisitely purify'd and freed from ter∣restrial parts, do yet remain ponderous enough. And Experience has inform'd me, that a pound, for instance, of some of the heaviest Woods, as Guajacum that will sink in Water, being burnt to Ashes will yield a much less weight of them (whereof I found but a small part to be Alcalyzate) then much ligh∣ter
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Vegetables: As also that the black Charcoal of it will not sink as did the wood, but swim; which argues that the Differing Gravity of Bodies proceeds chiefly from their particular Texture, as is manifest in Gold, the closest and Compactest of Bodies, which is many times heavier then we can possibly make any parcell of Earth of the same Bulk. I will not examine, what may be ar∣gu'd touching the Gravity or Quality Analagous thereunto, of even Celestial bodies, from the motion of the spots a∣bout the Sun, d from the appearing equality of the suppos'd Seas in the Moon; nor consider how little those Phaemonea would agree with what Sen∣nertus presumes concerning Gravity. But further to invalidate his supposition, I shall demand, upon what Chymical Principle Fluidity depends? And yet Flu∣idity is, two or three perhaps excepted, the most diffused quality of the universe, and far more General then almost any other of those that are to be met with in any of the Chymicall Principles, or Aristotelian Elements; since not only the Air, but that vast expansion we call Heaven, in comparison of which
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our Terrestrial Globe (supposing it were all Solid) is but a point; and perhaps to the Sun and the fixt Stars are fluid bodies. I demand also, from which of the Chymical Principles Motion flowes; which yet is an affection of matter much more General then any that can be deduc'd from any of the three Chymical Principles. I might ask the like Question concerning Light, which is not only to be found in the Kindl'd Sulphur of mixt Bodis, but (not to mention those sorts of rotten Woods, and rotten Fish that shine in the Dark) in the tails of living Glow-wormes, and in the Vast bodies of the Sun and Stars. I would gladly also know, in which of the three Principles the Qua∣lity, we call Sound, resides as in its proper Subject; since either Oyl fall∣ing upon Oyle, or Spirit upon Spirit, or Salt upon Salt, in a great quantity, and from a considerable height, will make a noise, or if you please, create a sound, and (that the objection may reach the Aristotelians) so will also wa∣ter upon water, and Earth upon Earth. And I could name other qualities to be met within divers bodies, of which I
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suppose my Adversaries will not in haste assign any Subject, upon whose Account it must needs be, that the quality be∣longs to all the other several bodies.

And, before I proceed any further, I must here invite you to compare the supposition we are examining, with some other of the Chymical Tenents. For, first they do in effect teach that more then one quality may belong to, and be deduc'd from, one Principle. For, they ascribe to Salt Tasts, and the power of Coagulation; to sulphur, as well Odours as inflamableness; And some of them ascribe to Mercury, Co∣lours; as all of them do effumability, as they speak. And on the other side, it is evident that Volatility belongs in common to all the three Principles, and to Water too. For 'tis manifest, that Chymical Oyles are Volatile; That al∣so divers Salts Emerging, upon the A∣nalysis of many Concretes, are very Vo∣latile, is plain from the figitiveness of Salt, of Harts-horne, flesh, &c. ascend∣ing in the Distillation of those bodies. How easily water may be made to as∣cend in Vapours, there is scarce any body that has not observ'd. And as
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for what they call the Mercuriall Prin∣ciple of bodies, that is so apt to be rais'd in the form of Steam, that Paracelsus and others define it by that aptness to fly up; so that (to draw that inference by the way) it seems not that Chy∣mists have been accurate in their Do∣ctrine of qualities, and their respective Principles, since they both derive seve∣ral qualities from the same Principle, and must ascribe the same quality to al∣most all their Principles and other bodies besides. And thus much for the first thing taken for granted, without suffi∣cient proof, by your Sennertus: And to add that upon the Bye (continues Carne∣ades) we may hence learn what to judge of the way of Argumentation, which that fierce Champion of the Aristote∣lians against the Chymists,
*Anthonius Guntherus Billichius employes, where he pretends to prove against Beguinus, that not only the four Elements do imme∣diately concur to Constitute every mixt body, and are both present in it, and obtainable from it upon its Dissolution; but that in the Tria Prima themselves, whereinto Chymists are wont to resolve mixt Bodies, each of them clearly dis∣covers
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it self to consist of four Elements. The Ratiocination it self (pursues Car∣neades) being somewhat unusual, I did the other Day Transcribe it, and (sayes He, pulling a Paper out of his Pocket) it is this. Ordiamur, cum Beguino, a ligno viridi, quod si concremetur, videbis in su∣dore Aquam, in fumo Aerem, in flamma & Prunis Ignem, Terram in cineribus: Quod si Beguino placuerit ex eo colligere humi∣dum aquosum, cohibere humidum oleagi∣nosum, extrahere ex cineribus salem; E∣go ipsi in unoquoque horum seorsim quatu∣or Elementa ad oculum demonstrabo, eodem artificio quo in ligno viridi ea demonstravi. Humorem aquosum admovebo Igni. Ipse Aquam Ebullire videbit, in Vapore Aerem conspiciet, Ignem sentiet in aestu, plus minus Terrae in sedimento apparebit. Humor porro Oleaginosus aquam humiditate & flu∣iditate per se, accensus vero Ignem flam∣ma prodit, fumo Aerem, fuligine, nidore & amurca terram. Salem denique ipse Beguinus siccum vocat & Terrestrem, qui tamen nec fusus Aquam, nec caustica vi ig∣nem celare potest; ignis vero Violentia in halitus versus nec ab Aere se alienum esse demonstrat; Idem de Lacte, de Ovis, dese∣mine Lini, de Garyophyllis, de Nitro,
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de sale Marino, denique de Antimonio, quod fuit de Ligno viridi Judicium; eadem de illorum partibus, quas Beguinus adducit, sententia, quae de viridis ligni humore aquoso, quae de liquore ejusdem oleoso, quae de sale fuit.

This bold Discourse (resumes Carnea∣des, putting up again his Paper,) I think it were not very difficult to confure, if his Arguments were as considerable as our time will probably prove short for the remaining and more necessary Part of my Discourse; wherefore referring You for an Answer to what was said con∣cerning the Dissipated Parts of a burnt piece of green Wood, to what I told Themistius on the like occasion, I might easily shew You, how sleightly and super∣ficially our Guntherus talks of the dividing the flame of Green Wood into his four Elements; When he makes that vapour to be air, which being caught in Glasses and condens'd, presently discovers it self to have been but an Aggregate of innumerable very minute drops of Li∣quor; and When he would prove the Phlegmes being compos'd of Fire by that Heat which is adventitious to the Liquor, and ceases upon the absence of what pro∣duc'd
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it (whether that be an Agitati∣on proceeding from the motion of the External Fire, or the presence of a Multitude of igneous Atomes pervading the pores of the Vessel, and nimbly per∣meating the whole Body of the Water) I might, I say, urge these and divers o∣ther Weaknesses of His Discourse. But I will rather take Notice of what is more pertinent to the Occasion of this Digres∣sion, namely, that Taking it for Granted, that Fluidity (with which he unwarily seems to confound Humidity) must pro∣ceed from the Element of Water, he makes a Chymical Oyle to Consist of that Elementary Liquor; and yet in the very next Words proves, that it consists also of Fire, by its Inflamability; not re∣membring that exquisitely pure Spirit of Wine is both more Fluid then Water it self, and yet will Flame all away without leaving the Least Aqueous Moisture behind it; and without such an Amurca and Soot as he would De∣duce the presence of Earth from. So that the same Liquor may according to his Doctrine be concluded by its great Fluidity to be almost all Water; and by its burning all away to be all disguised
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Fire. And by the like way of Probati∣on our Author would shew that the fixt salt of Wood is compounded of the four Elements. For (sayes he) being turn'd by the violence of the Fire into steames, it shews it self to be of kin to Air; whereas I doubt whether he e∣ver saw a true fixt Salt (which to become so, must have already endur'd the vio∣lence of an Incinerating Fire) brought by the Fire alone to ascend in the Forme of Exhalations; but I do not doubt that if he did, and had caught those Exhalati∣ons in convenient Vessels, he would have found them as well as the Steames of common Salt, &c. of a Saline and not an Aereal Nature. And whereas our Au∣thour takes it also for Granted, that the Fusibility of Salt must be Deduc'd from Water, it is indeed so much the Effect of heat variously agitating the Minute Parts of a Body, without regard to Wa∣ter, that Gold (which by its being the hea∣vyest and fixtest of Bodies, should be the most Earthy) will be brought to Fusion by a strong Fire; which sure is more like∣ly to drive away then increase its Aque∣ous Ingredient, if it have any; and on the other side, for want of a sufficient a∣gitation
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of its minute parts, Ice is not Fluid, but Solid; though he pre∣sumes also that the Mordicant Quality of Bodies must proceed from a fiery ingredi∣ent; whereas, not to urge that the Light and inflamable parts, which are the most likely to belong to the Element of Fire, must probably be driven away by that time the violence of the Fire has reduc'd the Body to ashes; Not to urge this, I I say, nor that Oyle of Vitriol which quenches Fire, burnes the Tongue and flesh of those that Unwarily tast or apply it, as a caustick doth, it is precarious to prove the Presence of Fire in fixt salts from their Caustick power, unlesse it were first shewn, that all the Qualities as∣cribed to salts must be deduc'd from those of the Elements; which, had I Time, I could easily manifest to be no easy talk. And not to mention that our Authour makes a Body as Homogene∣ous as any he can produce for Elementa∣ry, belong both to Water and Fire, Though it be neither Fluid nor Insipid, like Water; nor light and Volatile, like Fire; he seems to omit in this Anato∣my the Element of Earth, save That he intimates, That the salt may pass for
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that; But since a few lines before, he takes Ashes for Earth, I see not how he will avoid an Inconsistency either betwixt the Parts of his Discourse or betwixt some of them and his Doctrine. For since There is a manifest Difference betwixt the Saline and the insipid Parts of Ashes, I see not how substances That Disagree in such Notable Qualities can be both said to be Portions of an Ele∣ment, whose Nature requires that it be Homogeneous, especially in this case where an Analysis by the Fire is sup∣pos'd to have separated it from the admixture of other Elements, which are confess'd by most Aristotelians to be Generally found in common Earth, and to render it impure. And sure if when we have consider'd for how little a Disparities sake the Peripateticks make these Symbolizing Bodies Aire and Fire to be two Distinct Elements, we shall also consider that the Saline part of Ashes is very strongly Tasted, and easily soluble in Water; whereas the other part of the same Ashes is insipid and indissoluble in the same Li∣quor: Not to add, that the one sub∣stance is Opacous, and the other some∣what
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Diaphanous, nor that they differ in Divers other Particulars; If we con∣sider those things, I say, we shall hardly think that both these Substances are E∣lementary Earth; And as to what is sometimes objected, that their Saline Tast is only an Effect of Incineration and A∣dustion, it has been elsewhere fully re∣ply'd to, when propos'd by Themistius, and where it has been prov'd against him, that however insipid Earth may perhaps by Additaments be turn'd into Salt, yet 'tis not like it should be so by the Fire alone: For we see that when we refine Gold and Silver, the violentest Fires We can Employ on them give them not the least Rellish of Salt∣ness. And I think Philoponus has right∣ly observ'd, that the Ashes of some Concretes contain very little salt if any at all; For Refiners suppose that bone∣ashes are free from it, and therefore make use of them for Tests and Cuppels, which ought to be Destitute of Salt, lest the Violence of the Fire should bring them to Vitrification; And ha∣ving purposely and heedfully tasted a Cuppel made of only bone-ashes and fair water, which I had caus'd to be ex∣pos'd
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to a Very Violent Fire, acuated by the Blast of a large pair of Double Bellows, I could not perceive that the force of the Fire bad imparted to it the least Saltness, or so much as made it less Insipid.

But (sayes Carneades) since neither You nor I love Repetitions, I shall not now make any of what else was urg'd a∣gainst Themistius but rather invite You to take notice with me that when our Au∣thour, though a Learned Man, and one that pretends skill enough in Chymistry to reforme the whole Art, comes to make good his confident Undertaking, to give us an occular Demonstration of the immediate Presence of the four Elements in the resolution of Green Wood, He is fain to say things that agree very little with one another. For about the be∣ginning of that passage of His lately re∣cited to you, he makes the sweat as he calls it of the green Wood to be Water, the smoke Aire, the shining Matter Fire, and the Ashes Earth; whereas a few lines after, he will in each of these, nay (as I just now noted) in one Distinct Part of the Ashes, shew the four Ele∣ments. So that either the former Ana∣lysis
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must be incompetent to prove that Number of Elements, since by it the burnt Concrete is not reduc'd into Ele∣mentary Bodies, but into such as are yet each of them compounded of the four Elements; or else these Qualities from which he endeavours to deduce the presence of all the Elements, in the fixt salt, and each of the other separated substances, will be but a precarious way of probation: especially if you consider, that the extracted Alcali of Wood, being for ought appears at least as similar a Body as any that the Peripateticks can shew us, if its differing Qualities must argue the presence of Distinct Elements, it will scarce be possible for them by a∣ny way they know of employing the fire upon a Body, to shew that any Body is a Portion of a true Element: And this recals to my mind, that I am now but in an occasional Excussion, which aim∣ing only to shew that the Peripateticks as well as the Chymists take in our pre∣sent Controversie something for granted which they ought to prove, I shall re∣turne to my exceptions, where I ended the first of them, and further tell you, that neither is that the only precarious
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thing that I take notice of in Sennertus his Argumentation; for when he in∣ferrs, that because the Qualities he Mentions as Colours, Smels, and the like, belong not to the Elements; they therefore must to the Chymical Princi∣ples, he takes that for granted, which will not in haste be prov'd; as I might here manifest, but that I may be and by have a fitter opportunity to take no∣tice of it. And thus much at present may suffice to have Discours'd against the Supposition, that almost every Quali∣ty must have some 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as they speak, some Native receptacle, wherein as in its proper Subject of in he∣sion it peculiarly resides, and on whose ac∣count that quality belongs to the other Bodies, Wherein it is to be met with. Now this Fundamental supposition be∣ing once Destroy'd, whatsoever is built upon it, must fall to ruine of it self.

But I consider further, that Chymists are (for ought I have found) far from being able to explicate by any of the Tria Prima, those qualities which they pretend to belong primarily unto it, and in mixt Bodies to Deduce from it. Tis true indeed, that such qua∣lities
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are not explicable by the four E∣lements; but it will not therefore fol∣low, that they are so by the three herme∣tical Principles; and this is it that seems to have deceiv'd the Chymists, and is indeed a very common mistake amongst most Disputants, who argue as if there could be but two Opinions con∣cerning the Difficulty about which they contend; and consequently they in∣ferr, that if their Adversaries Opinion be Erroneous, Their's must needs be the Truth; whereas many questions, and especially in matters Physiological, may admit of so many Differing Hypotheses, that 'twill be very inconsiderate and fal∣lacious to conclude (except where the Opinions are precisely Contradictory) the Truth of one from the falsity of a∣nother. And in our particular case 'tis no way necessary, that the Proper∣ties of mixt Bodies must be explicable either by the Hermetical, or the Aristo∣telian Hypothesis, there being divers o∣ther and more plausible wayes of ex∣plaining them, and especially that, which deduces qualities from the moti∣on, figure, and contrivance of the small parts of Bodies; as I think might be
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shewn, if the attempt were as seasona∣ble, as I fear it would be Tedious.

I will allow then, that the Chymists do not causelessly accuse the Doctrine of the four elements of incompetency to ex∣plain the Properties of Compound bo∣dies. And for this Rejection of a Vul∣gar Error, they ought not to be deny'd what praise men may deserve for ex∣ploding a Doctrine whose Imperfecti∣ons are so conspicuous, that men need∣ed but not to shut their Eyes, to dis∣cover them. But I am mistaken, if our Hermetical Philosophers Themselves need not, as well as the Peripateticks, have Recourse to more Fruitfull and Comprehensive Principles then the trial Prima, to make out the Properties of the Bodies they converse with. Not to accumulate Examples to this pur∣pose, (because I hope for a fitter op∣portunity to prosecute this Subject) let us at present only point at Colour, that you may guess by what they say of so obvious and familiar a Quality, how little Instruction we are to expect from the Tria Prima in those more abstruse ones, which they with the Aristotelians stile Occult. For about Colours, nei∣ther
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do they at all agree among them∣selves, nor have I met with any one, of which of the three Perswasions soever, that does intelligibly explicate Them. The Vulgar Chymists are wont to as∣cribe Colours to Mercury;
*Paracelsus in divers places attributes them to Salt; and Sennertus, having recited their dif∣fering Opinions, Dissents from both, and referrs Colours rather unto Sul∣phur. But how Colours do, nay, how they may, arise from either of these Principles, I think you will scarce say that any has yet intelligibly explicated. And if Mr. Boyle will allow me to shew you the Experiments which he has col∣lected about Colours, you will, I doubt not, confess that bodies exhibite colours, not upon the Account of the Predomi∣nancy of this or that Principle in them, but upon that of their Texture, and espe∣cially the Disposition of their superficial parts, whereby the Light rebounding thence to the Eye is so modifi'd, as by differing Impressions variously to affect the Organs of Sight. I might here take notice of the pleasing variety of Co∣lours exhibited by the Triangular glass, (as 'tis wont to be call'd) and demand,
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what addition or decrement of either Salt, Sulphur, or Mercury, befalls the Body of the Glass by being Prismati∣cally figur'd; and yet 'tis known, that without that shape it would not af∣for'd those colours as it does. But because it may be objected, that these are not real, but apparent Colours; that I may not lose time in examing the Di∣stinction, I will alledge against the Chy∣mists, a couple of examples of Real and Permanent Colours Drawn from Me∣talline Bodies, and represent, that with∣out the addition of any extraneous bo∣dy, Quicksilver may by the Fire alone, and that in glass Vessels, be depriv'd of its silver-like Colour, and be turn'd into a Red Body; and from this Red Body without Addition likewise may be obtain'd a Mercury Bright and Spe∣cular as it was before; So that I have here a lasting Colour Generated and Destroy'd (as I have seen) at pleasure, without adding or taking away either Mercury, Salt, or Sulphur; and if you take a clean and slender piece of har∣den'd steel, and apply to it the flame of a candle at some little distance short of the point, You shall not have held
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the Steel long in the flame, but You shall perceive divers Colours, as Yel∣low, Red and Blew, to appear upon the Surface of the metal, and as it were run along in chase of one another towards the point; So that the same body, and that in one and the same part, may not only have a new colour produc'd in it, but exhibite successively divers Colours within a minute of an hour, or thereabouts; and any of these Colours may by Removing the Steel from the Fire, become Permanent, and last many years. And this Production and Variety of Colours cannot reaso∣nably be suppos'd to proceed from the Accession of any of the three Princi∣ples, to which of them soever Chy∣mists will be pleas'd to ascribe Colours; especially considering, that if you but suddenly Refrigerate that Iron, First made Red hot, it will be harden'd and Colourless again; and not only by the Flame of a Candle, but by any other equivalent heat Conveniently appli'd, the like Colours will again be made to appear and succeed one another, as at the First. But I must not any further pro∣secute an Occasional Discourse, though
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that were not so Difficult for me to do, as I fear it would be for the Chy∣mists to give a better Account of the other Qualities, by their Principles, then they have done of Colours. And your Sennertus Himself (though an Author I much value) would I fear have been ex∣ceedingly puzl'd to resolve, by the Tria Prima, halfe that Catalogue of Pro∣blems,
* which he challenges the Vulgar Peripateticks to explicate by their four Elements. And supposing it were true, that Salt or Sulphur were the Princi∣ple to which this or that Quality may be peculiarly referr'd, yet though he that teaches us this teaches us some∣thing concerning That quality, yet he Teaches us but something. For indeed he does not Teach us That which can in any Tollerable measure satisfie an in∣quisitive Searcher after Truth. For what is it to me to know, that such a quality resides in such a Principle or E∣lement, whilst I remain altogether ig∣norant of the Cause of that quality, and the manner of its production and Operation? How little do I know more then any Ordinary Man of Gravity, if I know but that the Heaviness of mixt
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bodies proceeds from that of the Earth they are compos'd of, if I know not the reason why the Earth is Heavy? And how little does the Chymist teach the Philosopher of the Nature of Purgati∣tion, if he only tells him that the Purga∣tive Vertue of Medicines resides in their Salt? For, besides that this must not be conceded without Limitation, since the purging parts of many Vegetables Extracted by the Water wherein they are infus'd, are at most but such com∣pounded Salts, (I mean mingl'd with Oyle, and Spirit, and Earth, as Tartar and divers other Subjects of the Vegeta∣ble Kingdom afford;) And since too that Quicksilver precipitated either with Gold, or without Addition, into a pow∣der, is wont to be strongly enough Ca∣thartical, though the Chymists have not yet prov'd, that either Gold or Mercu∣ry have any Salt at all, much less any that is Purgative; Besides this, I say, how little is it to me, to know That 'tis the Salt of the Rhubarb (for In∣stance) that purges, if I find That it does not purge as Salt; since scarce any Elementary Salt is in small quantity ca∣thartical. And if I know not how
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Purgation in general is effected in a Hu∣mane Body? In a word, as 'tis one thing to know a mans Lodging, and another, to be acquainted with him; so it may be one thing to know the sub∣ject wherein a Quality principally re∣sides, and another thing to have a right notion and knowledg of the quality its self. Now that which I take to be the reason of this Chymical Deficiency, is the same upon whose account I think the Aristo∣telian and divers other Theories incom∣petent to explicate the Origen of Quali∣ties. For I am apt to think, that men will never be able to explain the Phaeno∣mena of Nature, while they endeavour to deduce them only from the Presence and Proportion of such or such material In∣gredients, and consider such ingredients or Elements as Bodies in a state of rest; whereas indeed the greatest part of the affections of matter, and consequently of the Phaenomena of nature, seems to depend upon the motion and the continuance of the small parts of Bodies. For 'tis by motion that one part of matter acts upon another; and 'tis, for the most part, the texture of the Body upon which the mo∣ving parts strike, that modifies to moti∣on
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or Impression, and concurrs with it to the production of those Effects which make up the chief part of the Naturalists Theme.

But (sayes Eleutherius) me thinks for all this, you have left some part of what I alledg'd in behalf of the three principles, unanswer'd. For all that you have said will not keep this from being a useful Discovery, that since in the Salt of one Concrete, in the Sulphur of another and the Mercury of a third, the Medici∣nal vertue of it resides, that Principle ought to be separated from the rest, and there the desired faculty must be sought for.

I never denyed (Replyes Carneades) that the Notion of the Tria Prima may be of some use, but (continues he laugh∣ing) by what you now alledg for it, it will but appear That it is useful to A∣pothecaries, rather than to Philosophers, The being able to make things Opera∣tive being sufficient to those, whereas the Knowledge of Causes is the Thing looked after by These. And let me Tell You, Eleutherius, even this it self will need to be entertained with some caution.

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For first, it will not presently fol∣low, That if the Purgative or other ver∣tue of a simple may be easily extracted by Water or Spirit of Wine, it Resides in the Salt or Sulphur of the Concrete; Since unlesse the Body have before been resolved by the Fire, or some Other Powerful Agent, it will, for the most part, afford in the Liquors I have nam∣ed, rather the finer compounded parts of it self, Than the Elementary ones. As I noted before, That Water will dissolve not only pure Salts, but Crystals of Tartar, Gumme Arabick, Myrr'h, and Other Compound Bodies. As also Spirit of Wine will Dissolve not only the pure Sulphur of Concretes, but like∣wise the whole Substance of divers Re∣sinous Bodies, as Benzoin, the Gum∣mous parts of Jallap, Gumme Lacca, and Other bodies that are counted per∣fectly Mixt. And we see that the Extracts made either with Water or Spirit of Wine are not of a simple and Elemen∣tary Nature, but Masses consisting of the looser Corpuseles, and finer parts of the Concretes whence they are Drawn; since by Distillation they may be Divided into more Elementary sub∣stances.

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Next, we may consider That even when there intervenes a Chymical re∣solution by he Fire, 'tis seldom in the Saline or Sulphureous principle, as such, that the desir'd Faculty of the Concrete Resides; But, as that Titular Salt or Sulphur is yet a mixt body, though the Saline or Sulphureous Nature be predo∣minant in it. For, if in Chymical Re∣solutions the separated Substances were pure and simple Bodies, and of a per∣fect Elementary Nature; no one would be indued with more Specifick Vertues, than another; and their qualities would Differ as Little as do those of Water. And let me add this upon the bye, That even Eminent Chymists have suffer'd themselves to be reprehended by me for their over great Diligence in purifying some of the things they obtain by Fire from mixt Bodies. For though such compleatly purifyed Ingredients of Bo∣dies might perhaps be more satisfactory to our Understanding; yet others are often more useful to our Lives, the effi∣cacy of such Chymical Productions de∣pending most upon what they retain of the Bodies whence they are separated, or gain by the new associations of the Dis∣sipated
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among themselves; whereas if they were meerly Elementary, their uses would be comparatively very small; and the vertues of Sulphurs, Salts, or Other such Substances of one denominati∣on, would be the very same.

And by the Way (Eleutherius) I am inclin'd upon this ground to Think, That the artificial resolution of compound bodies by Fire does not so much en∣rich mankind, as it divides them into their supposed Principles; as upon the score of its making new compounds by new combinations of the dissipated parts of the resolv'd Body. For by this means the Number of mixt Bodies is considera∣bly increased. And many of those new productions are indow'd with useful qua∣lities, divers of which they owe not to the body from which they were obtein'd, but to Their newly Acquired Tex∣ture.

But thirdly, that which is principally to be Noted is this, that as there are di∣vers Concretes whose Faculties reside in some one or other of those differing Substances that Chymists call their Sul∣phurs, Salts, and Mercuries, and con∣sequently may be best obtain'd, by ana∣lyzing
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the Concrete whereby the desir∣ed Principles may be had sever'd or freed from the rest; So there are other where∣in the noblest properties lodge not in the Salt, or Sulphur, or Mercury, but depend immediately upon the form (or if you will) result from the determinate stru∣cture of the Whole Concrete; and consequently they that go about to ex∣tract the Vertues of such bodies, by ex∣posing them to the Violence of the Fire, do exceedingly mistake, and take the way to Destroy what they would ob∣tain.

I remmember that Helmont himself somewhere confesses, That as the Fire betters some things and improves their Vertues, so it spoyles others and makes them degenerate. And elsewhere he judiciously affirmes, that there may be sometimes greater vertue in a simple, such as Nature has made it, than in any thing that can by the fire be separated from it.
* And lest you should doubt whether he means by the vertues of things those that are Medical; he has in one place this ingenuous confession; Cre∣do (sayes he) simplicia in sua simplicitate esse sufficientia pro sanatione omnium morborum.
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Nag. Barthias, even in a Comment upon Beguinus,* scruples not to make this ac∣knowledgment; Valde absurdum est (sayes he) ex omnibus rebus extracta facere, sa∣lia, quintas essentias; praesertim ex substan∣tiis per se plane vel subtilibus vel homogeneis, quales sunt uniones, Corallia, Moscus, Am∣bra, &c. Consonantly whereunto he also tells Us (and Vouches the famous Platerus, for having candidly given the same Advertisement to his Auditors,) that some things have greater vertues, and better suited to our humane nature, when unprepar'd, than when they have past the Chymists Fire; as we see, sayes my Au∣thor, in Pepper; of which some grains swallowed perform more towards the relief of a Distempered stomack, than a great quantity of the Oyle of the same spice.

It has been (pursues Carneades) by our Friend here present observ'd concerning Salt-petre, that none of the substances into which the Fire is wont to divide it, retaines either the Tast, the cooling ver∣tue, or some other of the properties of the Concrete; and that each of those Substances acquires new qualities, not to be found in the Salt-Petre it self. The
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shining property of the tayls of gloworms does survive but so short a time the little animal made conspicuous by it, that in∣quisitive men have not scrupled publickly to deride Baptista Porta and others; who deluded perhaps with some Chymical surmises have ventur'd to prescribe the distillation of a Water from the tayles of Glowormes, as a sure way to obtain a li∣quor shining in the Dark. To which I shall now add no other example than that afforded us by Amber; which, whilst it remains an intire body, is en∣dow'd with an Electrical faculty of drawing to it self fethers, strawes, and such like Bodies; which I never could observe either in its Salt, its Spirit, its Oyle, or in the Body I remember I once made by the reunion of its divided Elements; none of these having such a Texture as the intire Goncrete. And however Chymists boldly deduce such and such properties from this or that proportion of their component Principles; yet in Concretes that abound with this or that Ingredient, 'tis not alwayes so much by vertue of its presence, nor its plenty, that the Concrete is qualify'd to perform such and such Effects; as upon the account
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of the particular texture of that and the other Ingredients, associated after a determinate Manner into one Concrete (though possibly such a proportion of that ingredient may be more convenient than an other for the constituting of such a body.) Thus in a clock the hand is mov'd upon the dyal, the bell is struck, and the other actions belonging to the engine are perform'd, not because the Wheeles are of brass or iron, or part of one metal and part of another, or because the weights are of Lead, but by Vertue of the size, shape, bigness, and co-aptati∣on of the several parts; which would performe the same things though the wheels were of Silver, or Lead, or Wood, and the Weights of Stone or Clay; pro∣vided the Fabrick or Contrivance of the engine were the same: though it be not to be deny'd, that Brasse and Steel are more convenient materials to make clock-wheels of than Lead, or Wood. And to let you see, Eleutherius, that 'tis sometimes at least, upon the Texture of the small parts of a body, and not alwaies upon the presence, or recesse, or increase, or Decrement of any one of its Principle, that it may lose some
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such Qualities, and acquire some such o∣thers as are thought very strongly inhe∣rent to the bodies they Reside in. I will add to what may from my past di∣scourse be refer'd to this purpose, this Notable Example, from my Own expe∣rience; That Lead may without any ad∣ditament, and only by various applica∣tions of the Fire, lose its colour, and acquire sometimes a gray, sometimes a yellowish, sometimes a red, sometimes an amethihstine colour; and after having past through these, and perhaps divers others, again recover its leaden colour, and be made a bright body. That also this Lead, which is so flexible a metal, may be made as brittle as Glasse, and present∣ly be brought to be again flexible and Malleable as before. And besides, that the same lead, which I find by Microscopes to be one of the most opacous bodies in the World, may be reduced to a fine transparent glasse; whence yet it may returne to an opacous Nature again; and all this, as I said, without the addition of any extraneous body, and meerly by the manner and Method of exposing it to the Fire.

But (sayes Carneades) after having al∣ready
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put you to so prolix a trouble, it is time for me to relieve you with a pro∣mise of putting speedily a period to it; And to make good that promise, I shall from all that I have hitherto discoursed with you, deduce but this one proposition by way of Corollary. [That it may as yet be doubted, whether or no there be any de∣terminate Number of Elements; Or, if you please, whether or no all compound bodies, do consist of the same number of Elementary ingredients or material Principles.]

This being but an inference from the foregoing Discourse, it will not be re∣quisite to insist at large on the proofs of it; But only to point at the chief of Them, and Referr You for Particulars to what has been already Delivered.

In the First place then, from what has been so largely discours'd, it may ap∣pear, that the Experiments wont to be brought, whether by the common Peri∣pateticks, or by the vulgar Chymists, to demonstrate that all mixt bodies are made up precisely either of the four E∣lements, or the three Hypostatical Prin∣ciples, do not evince what they are al∣ledg'd to prove. And as for the other common arguments, pretended to be
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drawn from Reason in favour of the A∣ristotelian Hypothesis (for the Chymists are wont to rely almost altogether upon Experiments) they are Commonly grounded upon such unreasonable or pre∣carious Suppositions, that 'tis altogether as easie and as just for any man to re∣ject them, as for those that take them for granted to assert them, being indeed all of them as indemonstrable as the con∣clusion to be inferr'd from them; and some of them so manifestly weak and proof∣lesse; that he must be a very courteous ad∣versary, that can be willing togrant them; and as unskilful a one, that can be com∣pelled to do so.

In the next place, it may be considered, if what those Patriarchs of the Spagyrists, Paracelsus and Helmont, do on divers oc∣casions positively deliver, be true; name∣ly that the Alkahest does Resolve all mixt Bodies into other Principles than the fire, it must be decided which of the two resolutions (that made by the Al∣kahest, or that made by the fire) shall determine the number of the Elements, before we can be certain how many there are.

And in the mean time, we may take
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notice in the last place, that as the di∣stinct substances whereinto the Alkahest divides bodies, are affirm'd to be differ∣ing in nature from those whereunto they are wont to be re∣duc'd by fire,
* and to be obtain'd from some bodies more in Number than from some others; since he tells us, he could totally reduce all sorts of Stones into Salt only, where∣as of a coal he had two distinct Liquors. So, although we should acquiesce in that resolution which is made by fire, we find not that all mixt bodies are thereby di∣vided into the same number of Elements and Principles; some Concretes afford∣ding more of them than others do; Nay and sometimes this or that Body afford∣ing a greater number of Differing sub∣stances by one way of management, than the same yields by another. And they that out of Gold, or Mercury, or Musco∣vy-glasse, will draw me as many distinct substances as I can separate from Vitriol, or from the juice of Grapes variously or∣derd, may teach me that which I shall very Thankfully learn. Nor does it ap∣pear
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more congruous to that variety that so much conduceth to the perfection of the Universe, that all elemented bodies be compounded of the same numberof E∣lements, then it would be for a language, that all its words should consist of the same number of Letters.

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THE SCEPTICAL CHYMIST OR, A Paradoxical Appendix to the Foregoing Treatise. The Sixth Part.
HEre Carneades Having Dispach't what he Thought Requisite to op∣pose against what the Chymists are wont to alledge for Proof of their three Principles, Paus'd awhile, and look'd about him, to discover whether it were Time for him and his Friend to Re∣joyne the Rest of the Company. But Eleutherius perceiving nothing yet to
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forbid Them to Prosecute their Dis∣course a little further, said to his Friend, (who had likewise taken Notice of the same thing) I halfe expected, Car∣neades, that after you had so freely de∣clar'd Your doubting, whether there be any Determinate Number of Elements, You would have proceeded to question whether there be any Elements at all. And I confess it will be a Trouble to me if You defeat me of my Expectation; especially since you see the leasure we have allow'd us may probably suffice to examine that Paradox; because you have so largly Deduc'd already many Things pertinent to it, that you need but intimate how you would have them Apply'd, and what you would inferr from them.

Carneades having in Vain represented that their leasure could be but very short, that he had already prated very long, that he was unprepared to main∣tain so great and so invidious a Para∣dox, was at length prevail'd with to tell his Friend; Since, Eleutherius, you will have me Discourse Ex Tempore of the Paradox you mention, I am content, (though more perhaps to express my
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Obedience, then my Opinion) to tell you that (supposing the Truth of Hel∣monts and Paracelsus's Alkahestical Ex∣periments, if I may so call them) though it may seem extravagant, yet it is not absurd to doubt, whether, for ought has been prov'd, there be a necessity to admit any Elements, or Hypostatical Principles, at all.

And, as formerly, so now, to avoid the needless trouble of Disputing seve∣rally with the Aristotelians and the Chy∣mists, I will address my self to oppose them I have last nam'd, Because their Doctrine about the Elements is more applauded by the Moderns, as pretend∣ing highly to be grounded upon Expe∣rience. And, to deal not only fairly but favourably with them, I will allow them to take in Earth and Water to their other Principles. Which I con∣sent to, the rather that my Discourse may the better reach the Tenents of the Peripateticks; who cannot plead for a∣ny so probably as for those two Ele∣ments; that of fire above the Air be∣ing Generally by Judicious Men explo∣ded as an Imaginary thing; And the Air not concurring to compose Mixt
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Bodies as one of their Elements, but only lodging in their pores, or Rather replenishing, by reason of its Weight and Fluidity, all those Cavities of bo∣dies here below, whether compound∣ed or not, that are big enough to ad∣mit it, and are not fill'd up with any grosser substance.

And, to prevent mistakes, I must ad∣vertize You, that I now mean by Ele∣ments, as those Chymists that speak plainest do by their Principles, certain Primitive and Simple, or perfectly un∣mingled bodies; which not being made of any other bodies, or of one ano∣ther, are the Ingredients of which all those call'd perfectly mixt Bodies are immediately compounded, and into which they are ultimately resolved: now whether there be any one such body to be constantly met with in all, and each, of those that are said to be Elemented bodies, is the thing I now question.

By this State of the controversie you will, I suppose, Guess, that I need not be so absur'd as to deny that there are such bodies as Earth, and Water, and Quicksilver, and Sulphur: But I look upon Earth and Water, as component parts
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of the Universe, or rather of the Ter∣restrial Globe, not of all mixt bo∣dies. And though I will not peremp∣torily deny that there may sometimes ei∣ther a running Mercury, or a Combustible Substance be obtain'd from a Mineral, or even a Metal; yet I need not Concede either of them to be an Element in the sence above declar'd; as I shall have oc∣casion to shew you by and by.

To give you then a brief account of the grounds I intend to proceed upon, I must tell you, that in matters of Phi∣losophy, this seems to me a sufficient reason to doubt of a known and impor∣tant proposition, that the Truth of it is not yet by any competent proof made to appear. And congruously herunto, if I shew that the grounds upon which men are perswaded that there are E∣lements are unable to satisfie a consi∣dering man, I suppose my doubts will appear rational.

Now the Considerations that induce men to think that there are Elements, may be conveniently enough referr'd to two heads. Namely, the one, that it is necessary that Nature make use of E∣lements to constitute the bodies that
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are reputed Mixt. And the other, That the Resolution of such bodies manifests that nature had compounded them of Elementary ones.

In reference to the former of these Considerations, there are two or three things that I have to Represent.

And I will begin with reminding you of the Experiments I not long since re∣lated to you concerning the growth of pompions, mint, and other vegetables, out of fair water. For by those experiments its seems evident, that Water may be Transmuted into all the other Elements; from whence it may be inferr'd, both, That 'tis not every Thing Chymists will call Salt, Sulphur, or Spirit, that needs alwayes be a Primordiate and Ingene∣rable body. And that Nature may con∣tex a Plant (though that be a perfectly mixt Concrete) without having all the Elements previously presented to her to compound it of. And, if you will allow the relation I mention'd out of Mounsieur De Rochas to be True; then may not only plants, but Animals and Minerals too, be produced out of Water, And however there is little doubt to be made, but that the plants my tryals afforded me
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as they were like in so many other re∣spects to the rest of the plants of the same Denomination; so they would, in case I had reduc'd them to putrefaction, have likewise produc'd Wormes or other infects, as well as the resembling Vege∣tables are wont to do; so that Water may, by Various Seminal Principles, be successively Transmuted into both plants and Animals. And if we consi∣der that not only Men, but even suck∣ing Children are, but too often, Tor∣mented with Solid Stones, but that di∣vers sorts of Beasts themselves, (whate∣ver Helmont against Experience think to the contrary) may be Troubled with great and Heavy stones in their Kid∣neys and Bladders, though they Feed but upon Grass and other Vegetables, that are perhaps but Disguised Water, it will not seem improbable that even some Concretes of a mineral Nature, may Likewise be form'd of Water.

We may further Take notice, that as a Plant may be nourisht, and con∣sequently may Consist of Common wa∣ter; so may both plants and Animals, (perhaps even from their Seminal Ru∣diments) consist of compound Bodies,
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without having any thing meerly Ele∣mentary brought them by nature to be compounded by them: This is evident in divers men, who whilst they were Infants were fed only with Milk, afterwards Live altogether upon Flesh, Fish, wine, and other perfectly mixt Bodies. It may be seen also in sheep, who on some of our English Downs or Plains, grow very fat by feeding upon the grasse, with∣out scarce drinking at all. And yet more manifestly in the magots that breed and grow up to their full bignesse with∣in the pulps of Apples, Pears, or the like Fruit. We see also, that Dungs that abound with a mixt Salt give a much more speedy increment to corn and o∣ther Vegetables than Water alone would do: And it hath been assur'd me, by a man experienc'd in such matters, that sometimes when to bring up roots very early, the Mould they were plant∣ed in was made over-rich, the very sub∣stance of the Plant has rasted of the Dung. And let us also consider a Graft of one kind of Fruit upon the upper bough of a Tree of another kind. As for instance, the Ciens of a Pear upon a White-thorne; for there the ascending
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Liquor is already alter'd, either by the root, or in its ascent by the bark, or both wayes, and becomes a new mixt body: as may appear by the differing qualities to be met with in the saps of several trees; as particularly, the medicinal vertue of the Birch-Water (which I have some∣times drunk upon Helmonts great and not undeserved commendation) Now the graft, being fasten'd to the stock must necessarily nourish its self, and produce its Fruit, only out of this compound Juice prepared for it by the Stock, being unable to come at any other aliment. And if we consider, how much of the Vegeta∣ble he feeds upon may (as we noted above) remain in an Animal; we may ea∣sily suppose, That the blood of that Ani∣mal who Feeds upon this, though it be a Well constituted Liquor, and have all the differing Corpuscles that make it up kept in order by one praesiding form, may be a strangely Decompounded Body, many of its parts being themselves decompound∣ed. So little is it Necessary that even in the mixtures which nature her self makes in Animal and Vegetable Bodies, she should have pure Elements at hand to make her compositions of.

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Having said thus much touching the constitution of Plants and Animals, I might perhaps be able to say as much touching that of Minerals, and even Me∣talls, if it were as easy for us to make ex∣periment in Order to the production of these, as of those. But the growth or increment of Minerals being usually a work of excessively long time, and for the most part perform'd in the bowels of the Earth, where we cannot see it, I must instead of Experiments make use, on this occasion, of Observations.

That stones were not all made at once, but that are some of them now adayes generated, may (though it be deny'd by some) be fully prov'd by several exam∣ples, of which I shall now scarce alledg any other, then that famous place in France known by the name of Les Caves Gentieres, where the Water falling from the upper Parts of the cave to the ground does presently there condense into little stones, of such figures as the drops, fal∣ling either severally or upon one another, and coagulating presently into stone, chance to exhibit. Of these stones some Ingenuous Friends of ours, that went a while since to visit that place, did me
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the favour to present me with some that they brought thence. And I remem∣ber that both that sober Relator of his Voyages, Van Linschoten, and another good Author, inform us that in the Dia∣mond Mines (as they call them) in the East-Indies, when having dig'd the Earth, though to no great depth, they find Diamonds and take them quite a∣way; Yet in a very few years they find in the same place new Diamonds pro∣duc'd there since. From both which Relations, especially the first, it seems probable that Nature does not alwayes stay for divers Elementary Bodies, when she is to produce stones. And as for Metals themselves, Authors of good note assure us, that even they were not in the beginning produc'd at once altogether, but have been observ'd to grow; so that what was not a Mineral or Metal before became one afterwards. Of this it were easie to alledg many testimonies of pro∣fessed Chymists. But that they may have the greater authority, I shall rather present you with a few borrowed from more unsuspected writers. Sulphuris Mi∣neram (as the inquisitive P. Fallopius notes) quae nutrix est caloris subterranei
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fabri seu Archaei fontium & mineralium, Infra terram citissime renasci testantur Hi∣storiae Metallicae. Sunt enim loca e qui∣bus si hoc anno sulphur effossum fuerit; in∣termissa fossione per quadriennium redeunt fossores & omnia sulphure, ut autea, rursus inveniunt plena. Pliny Relates, In Italiae Insula Ilva, gigni ferri metallum. Stra∣bo multo expressius; effossum ibi metallum semper regenerari. Nam si effossio spatio centum annorum intermittebatur, & iterum illue revertebantur, fossores reperisse maxi∣mam copiam ferri regeneratam. Which history not only is countenanced by Fal∣lopius, from the Incom which the Iron of that Island yielded the Duke of Florence in his time; but is mention'd more e∣pressely to our porpose, by the Learned Cesalpinus. Vena (sayes he) ferri copio∣fissima est in Italia; ob eam nobilitata Ilva Tirrheni maris Insula incredibili copia, eti∣am nostris temporibus eam gignens: Nam terra quae eruitur dum vena effoditur tota, procedente tempore in venam convertitur. Which last clause is therefore very nota∣ble, because from thence we may deduce, that earth, by a Metalline plastick princi∣ple latent in it, may be in processe of time chang'd into a metal. And even Agricola
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himself, though the Chymists complain of him as their adversary, acknow∣ledges thus much and more; by telling us that at a Town called Saga in Ger∣many,* they dig up I∣ron in the Fields, by sinking ditches two foot deep; And adding,
* that within the space of ten years the Ditches are digged again for Iron since produced, As the same Metal is wont to be ob∣tain'd in Elva. Also concerning Lead, not to mention what even Galen notes, that it will increase both in bulk and Weight if it be long kept in Vaults or Sellars, where the Air is gross and thick, as he collects from the smelling of those pieces of Lead that were imploy'd to fasten together the parts of old Statues. Not to mention this, I say, Boccacius Certaldus, as I find him Quoted by a Diligent VVriter, has this Passage touching the Growth of Lead. Fessularum mons (sayes he) in Hetruria, Florentiae civitati imminens, lapides plum∣barios babet; qui si excidantur, brevi tem∣poris spatio, novis incrementis instauran∣tur; ut (annexes my Author) tradit
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Boccacius Cortaldus, qui id compotissimum esse scribit. Nihil hoc novi est; sed de eadem Plinius, lib. 34. Hist. Natur. cap. 17. dudum prodidit, Inquiens, mirum in his solis plumbi metallis, quod derelicta fertilius reviviscunt. In plumbariis se∣cundo Lapide ab Amberga dictis ad A∣sylum recrementa congesta in cumulos,*ex∣posita solibus pluviisque paucis annis, red∣dunt suum metallum cum fenore. I might Add to these, continues Carneades, many things that I have met with concerning the Generation of Gold and Silver. But, for fear of wanting time, I shall men∣tion but two or three Narratives. The First you may find Recorded by Ger∣hardus the Physick Professor, in these Words. In valle (sayes he) Joachimaca argentum gramini modo & more e Lapidi∣bus minerae velut e radice excrevisse digiti Longitudine, testis est Dr. Schreterus, qui ejusmodi venas aspectu jucundas & ad∣mirabiles Domi sua aliis saepe monstravit & Donavit. Item Aqua caerulea Inventa est Annebergae, ubi argentum erat adhuc in primo ente, quae coagulata redacta est in calcem fixi & boni argenti.

The other two Relations I have not met with in Latine Authours, and yet
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they are both very memorable in them∣selves, and as pertinent to our present purpose.

The first I meet with in the Commen∣tary of Johannes Valehius upon the Kleine Baur, In which that Industrious Chy∣mist Relates, with many circumstances, that at a Mine-Town (If I may so English the German Bergstat) eight miles or Leagues distant from Strasburg call'd Mariakirch, a Workman came to the Overseer, and desired employment; but he telling him that there was not a∣ny of the best sort at present for him, added that till he could be preferr'd to some such, he might in the mean time, to avoid idleness, work in a Grove or Mine-pit thereabouts, which at that time was little esteem'd. This Work∣man after some weeks Labour, had by a Crack appearing in the Stone upon a Stroak given near the wall, an Invi∣tation Given him to Work his Way through, which as soon as he had done, his Eyes were saluted by a mighty stone or Lump which stood in the middle of the Cleft (that had a hollow place be∣hind it) upright, and in shew like an armed-man; but consisted of pure fine
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Silver having no Vein or Ore by it, or any other Additament, but stood there free, having only underfoot something like a burnt matter; and yet this one Lump held in Weight above a 1000 marks, which, according to the Dutch, Account makes 500 pound weight of fine silver. From which and other Cir∣cumstances my Author gathers; That by the warmth of the place, the Noble Metalline Spirits, (Sulphureous and Mercurial) were carri'd from the neigh∣bouring Galleries or Vaults, through o∣ther smaller Cracks and Clefts, into that Cavity, and there collected as in a close Chamber or Cellar; whereinto when they were gotten, they did in pro∣cess of time settle into the forementio∣ned precious mass of Metal.

The other Germane Relation is of That great Traveller and Laborious Chymist Johannes (not Georgus) Agrico∣la; who in his notes upon what Poppi∣us has written of Antimony, Relates, that when he was among the Hungarian Mines in the deep Groves, he observ'd that there would often arise in them a warm Steam (not of that malignant sort which the Germains call Shwadt,
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which (sayes he) is a meer poyson, and often suffocates the Diggers, which fasten'd it self to the Walls; and that coming again to review it after a couple of dayes, he discern'd that it was all ve∣ry fast, and glistering; whereupon ha∣ving collected it and Distill'd it per Re∣tortam, he obtain'd from it a fine Spirit, adding, that the Mine-Men inform'd him, that this Steam or Damp of the English Mine (retaining the dutch Term) would at last have become a Metal, as Gold or Silver.

I referr (sayes Carneades) to another Occasion, the Use that may be made of these Narratives towards the explica∣ting the Nature of Metalls; and that of Fixtness, Malleableness, and some o∣ther Qualities conspicuous in them. And in the mean time, this I may at pre∣sent deduce from these Observations, That 'tis not very probable, that, when∣soever a Mineral, or even a Metall, is to be Generated in the Bowels of the Earth, Nature needs to have at hand both Salt, and Sulphur, and Mercury to Compound it of; for, not to urge that the two last Relations seem less to fa∣vour the Chymists than Aristotle, who
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would have Metals Generated of cer∣tain Halitus or steams, the forementi∣on'd Observations together, make it seem more Likely that the mineral Earths or those Metalline steams (where∣with probably such Earths are plentifully imbu'd) do contain in them some semi∣nal Rudiment, or some thing Equiva∣lent thereunto; by whose plastick pow∣er the rest of the matter, though per∣haps Terrestrial and heavy, is in Tract of time fashion'd into this or That me∣talline Ore; almost as I formerly noted, that fair water was by the seminal Prin∣ciple of Mint, Pompions, and other Vegetables, contriv'd into Bodies an∣swerable to such Seeds. And that such Alterations of Terrestrial matter are not impossible, seems evident from that no∣table Practice of the Boylers of Salt-Petre, who unanimously observe, as well here in England as in other Coun∣tries; That if an Earth pregnant with Nitre be depriv'd, by the affusion of wa∣ter, of all its true and dissoluble Salt, yet the Earth will after some years yield them Salt-Petre again; For which rea∣son some of the eminent and skillfullest of them keep it in heaps as a perpetual
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Mine of Salt Petre; whence it may ap∣pear, that the Seminal Principle of Ni∣tre latent in the Earth does by degrees Transforme the neighbouring matter in∣to a Nitrous Body; for though I deny that some Volatile Nitre may by such Earths be attracted (as they speak) out of the Air, yet that the inner∣most parts of such great heaps that lye so remote from the Air should borrow from it all the Nitre they abound with, is not probable, for other reasons be∣sides the remoteness of the Air, though I have not the Leasure to mention them.

And I remember, that a personof Great Credit, and well acquainted with the wayes of making Vitriol, affirm'd to me, that he had observ'd, that a kind of mineral which abounds in that Salt, being kept within Doors and not ex∣pos'd (as is usual) to the free Air and Rains, did of it self in no very long time turn into Vitriol, not only in the out∣ward or superficial, but even in the in∣ternal and most Central parts.

And I also remember, that I met with a certain kind of Merkasite that lay together in great Quantities under
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ground, which did, even in my chamber, in so few hours begin of it self to turne in∣to Vitriol, that we need not distrust the newly recited narrative. But to return to what I was saying of Nitre; as Nature made this Salt-Petre out of the once al∣most and inodorous Earth it was bred in, and did not find a very stinking and corrosive Acid Liquor, and a sharp Al∣calyzate Salt to compound it of, though these be the Bodies into which the Fire dissolves it; so it were not necessary that Nature should make up all Metals and other Minerals of Pre-existent Salt, and Sulphur, and Mereury, though such Bodies might by Fire be obtained from it. Which one consideration duly weigh'd is very considerable in the present con∣troversy: And to this agree well the Relations of our two German Chymists; for besides that it cannot be convincing∣ly prov'd, it is not so much as likely that so languid and moderate a heat as that within the Mines, should carry up to so great a heat, though in the forme of fumes, Salt, Sulphur and Mercury; since we find in our Distillations, that it re∣quires a considerable Degree of Fire to raise so much as to the height of one
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foot not only Salt, but even Mercury it self, in close Vessels. And if it be object∣ed, that it seems by the stink that is sometimes observ'd when Lightening falls down here below, that sulphureous steams may ascend very high without any extraordinary Degree of heat; It may be answer'd, among other things, that the Sulphur of Silver is by Chymists said to be a fixt Sulphur, though not al∣together so well Digested as that of Gold.

But, proceeds Carneades, If it had not been to afford You some hints con∣cerning the Origine of Metals, I need not have deduc'd any thing from these Observations; It not being necessary to the Validity of my Argument that my Deductions from them should be irre∣fragable, because my Adversaries the Aristotelians and Vulgar Chymists do not, I presume, know any better then I, a priori, of what ingredients Nature com∣pounds Metals and Minerals. For their Argument to prove that those Bodies are made up of such Principles, is drawn a posteriori; I mean from this, that upon the Analysis of Mineral bodies they are resolv'd into those differing substances.
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That we may therefore examine this Argument, Let us proceed to consider what can be alledg'd in behalf of the E. lements from the Resolutions of Bodies by the fire; which you remember was the second Tophick whence I told you the Arguments of my Adversaries were de∣sum'd.

And that I may first dispatch what I have to say concerning Minerals, I will begin the remaining part of my discourse with considering how the fire divides them.

And first, I have partly noted above, that though Chymists pretend from some to draw salt, from others running Mercu∣ry, and from others a Sulphur; Yet they have not hitherto taught us by any way in us among them to separate any one principle, whether Salt, Sulphur, or Mercury, from all sorts of Minerals with∣out exception. And thence I may be al∣low'd to conclude that there is not any of the Elements that is an Ingredient of all Bodies, since there are some of which it is not so.

In the next place, supposing that either Sulphur or Mercury were obtainable from all sorts of Minerals. Yet still this
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Sulphur or Mercury would be but a com∣pounded, not an Elementary body, as I told you already on another occasion. And certainly he that takes notice of the wonderful Operations of Quicksilver, whether it be common, or drawn from Mineral Bodies, can scarce be so inconsi∣derate as to think it of the very same na∣ture with that immature and fugitive sub∣stance which in Vegetables and Ani∣mals Chymists have been pleas'd to call their Mercury. So that when Mercury is got by the help of the fire out of a me∣tal or other Mineral Body, if we will not suppose that it was not pre-existent in it, but produc'd by the action of the fire upon the Concrete, we may at least sup∣pose this Quicksilver to have been a per∣fect Body of its own kind (though per∣haps lesse heterogeneous then more se∣cundary mixts) which happen'd to be mingl'd per minima, and coagulated with the other substances, whereof the Metal or Mineral consisted. As may be exem∣plyfied partly by Native Vermillion wherein the Quicksilver and Sulphur be∣ing exquisitely blended both with one a∣nother, and that other course Mineral stuff (what ever it be) that harbours
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them, make up a red body differing e∣nough from both; and yet from which part of the Quicksilver, and of the Sul∣phur, may be easily enough obtain'd; Partly by those Mines wherein nature has so curiously incorporated Silver with Lead, that 'tis extreamly difficult, and yet possible, to separate the former out of the Latter. And partly too by na∣tive Vitriol, wherein the Metalline Cor∣puscles are by skill and industry separa∣ble from the saline ones, though they be so con-coagulated with them, that the whole Concrete is reckon'd among Salts.

And here I further observe, that I ne∣ver could see any Earth or Water, pro∣perly so call'd, separated from either Gold or Silver (to name now no other Metalline Bodies) and therefore to re∣tort the argument upon my Adversaries, I may conclude, that since there are some bodies in which, for ought appears, there is neither Earth nor Water. I may be allow'd to conclude that neither of those two is an Universal Ingredient of all those Bodies that are counted per∣fectly mixt, which I desire you would re∣member against Anon.

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It may indeed be objected, that the reason why from Gold or Silver we can∣not separate any moisture, is, because that when it is melted out of the Oare, the vehement Fire requisite to its Fusion forc'd away all the aqueous and fugitive moisture; and the like fire may do from the materials of Glass. To which I shall Answer, that I Remember I read not long since in the Learned Josephus Acosta, who relates it upon his own observation; that in America,* (where he long lived) there is a kind of Silver which the Indians call Papas, and sometimes (sayes he) they find pieces very fine and pure like to small round roots, the which is rare in that metal, but usuall in Gold; Concerning which metal he tells us, that besides this they find some which they call Gold in grains, which he tells us are small morsels of Gold that they find whole without mix∣ture of any other metal, which hath no need of melting or Refining in the fire.

I remember that a very skilful and credible person affirmed to me, that be∣ing in the Hungarian mines he had the good fortune to see a mineral that was
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there digg'd up, wherein pieces of Gold of the length, and also almost of the bigness of a humane Finger, grew in the Oar, as if they had been parts and Branches of Trees.

And I have my self seen a Lump of whitish Mineral, that was brought as a Rarity to a Great and knowing Prince, wherein there grew here and there in the Stone, which looked like a kind of sparr, divers little Lumps of fine Gold, (for such I was assured that Tryal had manifested it to be) some of them Seeming to be about the Bigness of pease.

But that is nothing to what our A∣costa subjoynes, which is indeed very memorable, namely, that of the mor∣sels of Native and pure Gold, which we lately heard him mentioning he had now and then seen some that weighed many pounds; to which I shall add, that I my self have seen a Lump of Oar not long since digged up,
* in whose stony part there grew, almost like Trees, divers parcels though not of Gold, yet of (what perhaps Mineralists will more wonder at) another Metal which seemed to be very pure or un∣mixt
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with any Heterogeneous Substan∣ces, and were some of them as big as my Finger, if not bigger. But upon Observations of this kind, though per∣haps I could, yet I must not at present dwell any longer.

To proceed Therefore now (sayes Carneades) to the Consideration of the Analysis of Vegetables, although my Tryals give me no cause to doubt but that out of most of them five differing Substances may be obtain'd by the fire, yet I think it will not be so easily De∣monstrated that these deserve to be call'd Elements in the Notion above ex∣plain'd.

And before I descend to particulars, I shall repeat and premise this General Consideration, that these differing sub∣stances that are call'd Elements or Principles, differ not from each other as Metals, Plants and Animals, or as such Creatures as are immediately produc'd each by its peculiar Seed, and Consti∣tutes a distinct propagable sort of Crea∣tures in the Universe; but these are on∣ly Various Schemes of matter or Sub∣stances that differ from each other, but in consistence (as Running Mercury and
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the same Metal congeal'd by the Vapor of Lead) and some very few other ac∣cidents, as Tast, or Smel, or Inflama∣bility, or the want of them. So that by a change of Texture not impossible to be wrought by the Fire and other A∣gents that have the Faculty not only to dissociate the smal parts of Bodies, but afterwards to connect them after a new manner, the same parcell of mat∣ter may acquire or lose such accidents as may suffice to Denominate it Salt, or Sulphur, or Earth. If I were fully to clear to you my apprehensions con∣cerning this matter, I should perhaps be obliged to acquaint you with divers of the Conjectures (for I must yet call them no more) I have had Concerning the Principles of things purely Corpo∣real: For though because I seem not satisfi'd with the Vulgar Doctrines, ei∣ther of the Peripatetick or Paracelsi∣an Schools, many of those that know me, (and perhaps, among Them, Eleu∣therius himself) have thought me wed∣ded to the Epicurean Hypotheses, (as others have mistaken me for an Hel∣montian;) yet if you knew how little Conversant I have been with Epicurean
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Authors, and how great a part of Lu∣cretius himself I never yet had the Cu∣liosity to read, you would perchance be of another mind; especially if I were to entertain you at large, I say not, of my present Notions; but of my former thoughts concerning the Principles of things. But, as I said above, fully to clear my Apprehensions would require a Longer Discourse than we can now have.

For, I should tell you that I have sometimes thought it not unfit, that to the Principles which may be assign'd to things, as the World is now Consti∣tuted, we should, if we consider the Great Mass of matter as it was whilst the Universe was in making, add ano∣ther, which may Conveniently enough be call'd an Architectonick Principle or power; by which I mean those Various Determinations, and that Skilfull Guidance of the motions of the small parts of the Univer∣sal matter by the most wise Author of things, which were necessary at the be∣ginning to turn that confus'd Chaos into this Orderly and beautifull World; and Especially, to contrive the Bodies of A∣nimals
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and Plants, and the Seeds of those things whose kinds were to be propagated. For I confess I cannot well Conceive, how from matter, Barely put into Motion, and then left to it self, there could Emerge such Curious Fa∣bricks as the Bodies of men and perfect Animals, and such yet more admirably Contriv'd parcels of matter, as the seeds of living Creatures.

I should likewise tell you upon what grounds, and in what sence, I suspected the Principles of the World, as it now is, to be Three, Matter, Motion and Rest. I say, as the World now is, be∣cause the present Fabrick of the Uni∣verse, and especially the seeds of things, together with the establisht Course of Nature, is a Requisite or Condition, upon whose account divers things may be made out by our three Principles, which otherwise would be very hard, if possible, to explicate.

I should moreover declare in gene∣ral (for I pretend not to be able to do it otherwise) not only why I Conceive that Colours, Odors, Tasts, Fluidness and Solidity, and those other qualities that Diversifie and Denominate Bodies
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may Intelligibly be Deduced from these three; but how two of the Three Epicurean Principles (which, I need not tell, you are Magnitude, Figure and Weight) are Themselves Deducible from Matter and Motion; since the Latter of these Variously Agitating, and, as it were, Distracting the Former, must needs disjoyne its parts; which be∣ing Actually separated must Each of them necessarily both be of some Size, and obtain some shape or other. Nor did I add to our Principles the Aristote∣lean Privation, partly for other Reasons, which I must not now stay to insist on; and partly because it seems to be ra∣ther an Antecedent, or a Terminus a quo, then a True Principle, as the starting-Post is none of the Horses Legs or Limbs.

I should also explain why and how I made rest to be, though not so consi∣derable a Principle of things, as Moti∣on, yet a Principle of them; partly be∣cause it is (for ought we know as An∣cient at least as it, and depends not upon Motion, nor any other quality of mat∣ter; and partly, because it may enable the Body in which it happens to be,
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both to continue in a State of Rest till some external force put it out of that state, and to concur to the production of divers Changes in the bodies that hit against it, by either quite stopping or lessning their Motion (whilst the bo∣dy formerly at Rest Receives all or part of it into it self) or else by giving a new Byass, or some other Modification, to Motion, that is, To the Grand and Pri∣mary instrument whereby Nature pro∣duces all the Changes and other Qua∣lities that are to be met with in the World.

I should likewise, after all this, ex∣plain to you how, although Matter, Mo∣tion and Rest, seem'd to me to be the Catholick Principles of the Universe, I thought the Principles of Particular bo∣dies might be Commodiously enough reduc'd to two, namely Matter, and (what Comprehends the two other, and their effects) the result or Aggregate of those Accidents, which are the Motion or Rest, (for in some Bodies both are not to be found) the Bigness, Figure, Tex∣ture) and the thence resulting Qualities of the small parts) which are necessa∣ry to intitle the Body whereto they
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belong to this or that Peculiar Deno∣mination; and discriminating it from o∣thers to appropriate it to a Determi∣nate Kind of Things, as Yellowness, Fixtness, such a Degree of Weight, and of Ductility, do make the Portion of matter wherein they Concur, to be reckon'd among perfect metals, and ob∣tain the name of Gold.) Which Ag∣gregate or result of Accidents you may, if You please, call either Structure or Texture.

Though indeed, that do not so proper∣ly Comprehend the motion of the con∣stituent parts especially in case some of them be Fluid, or what other appella∣tion shall appear most Expressive. Or if, retaining the Vulgar Terme, You will call it the Forme of the thing it de∣nominates, I shall not much oppose it; Provided the word be interpreted to mean but what I have express'd, and not a Scholastick Substantial Forme, which so many intelligent men profess to be to them altogether Un-intelligi∣ble.

But, sayes Carneades, if you remember that 'tis a Sceptick speaks to you, and that 'tis not so much my present Talk
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to make assertions as to suggest doubts, I hope you will look upon what I have propos'd, rather as a Narrative of my for∣mer conjectures touching the principles of things, then as a Resolute Declarati∣on of my present opinions of them; es∣pecially since although they cannot but appear Very much to their Disad∣vantage, If you Consider Them as they are propos'd without those Rea∣sons and Explanations by which I could perhaps make them appear much lesse extravagant; yet I want time to of∣fer you what may be alledg'd to clear and countenance these notions; my de∣sign in mentioning them unto you at pre∣sent being, partly, to bring some Light and Confirmation to divers passages of my discourse to you; partly to shew you, that I do not (as you seem to have suspected) embrace all Epicurus his principles; but Dissent from him in some main things, as well as from Aristotle and the Chymists, in others; & partly also, or rather chiefly, to intimate to you the grounds upon which I likewise differ from Helmont in this, that whereas he ascribes almost all things, and even diseases themselves, to their de∣terminate Seeds; I am of opinion, that
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besides the peculiar Fabricks of the Bo∣dies of Plants and Animals (and per∣haps also of some Metals and Minerals) which I take to be the Effects of seminal principles, there are many other bodies in nature which have and deserve distinct and Proper names, but yet do but result from such contextures of the matter they are made of, as may without determi∣nate seeds be effected by heat, cold, arti∣ficial mixtures and compositions, and di∣vers other causes which sometimes nature imployes of her own accord; and often∣times man by his power and skill makes use of to fashion the matter according to his Intentions. This may be exemplifi∣ed both in the productions of Nature, and in those of Art; of the first sort I might name multitudes; but to shew how sleight a variation of Textures without addition of new ingredients may procure a parcel of matter divers names, and make it be Lookt upon as Different Things;

I shall invite you to observe with me, That Clouds, Rain, Hail, Snow, Froth, and Ice, may be but water, having its parts varyed as to their size and distance in respect of each other, and as to motion
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and rest. And among Artificial Produ∣ctions we may take notice (to skip the Crystals of Tartar) of Glass, Regulus, Martis-Stellatus, and particularly of the Sugar of Lead, which though made of that insipid Metal and sour salt of Vina∣ger, has in it a sweetnesse surpassing that of common Sugar, and divers other qua∣lities, which being not to be found in ei∣ther of its two ingredients, must be con∣fess'd to belong to the Concrete it self, upon the account of its Texture.

This Consideration premis'd, it will be, I hope, the more easie to perswade you that the Fire may as well produce some new textures in a parcel of matter, as destroy the old.

Wherefore hoping that you have not forgot the Arguments formerly imploy'd against the Doctrine of the Tria prima; namely that the Salt, Sulphur and Mer∣cury, into which the Fire seems to resolve Vegetable and Animal Bodies, are yet compounded, not simple and Elementa∣ry Substances; And that (as appeared by the Experiment of Pompions) the Tria prima may be made out of Water; hoping I say, that you remember These and the other Things that I formerly represented
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to the same purpose, I shall now add on∣ly, that if we doubt not the Truth of some of Helmonts Relation, We may well doubt whether any of these Heteroge∣neities be (I say not pre-existent, so as to convene together, when a plant or Animal is to be constituted but) so much as in-existent in the Concrete whence they are obtain'd, when the Chymists first goes about to resolve it; For, not to insist upon the un-inflamable Spirit of such Concretes, because that may be pretend∣ed to be but a mixture of Phlegme and Salt; the Oyle or Sulphur of Vegetables or Animals is, according to him, reduci∣ble by the help of Lixiviate Salts into Sope; as that Sope is by the help of re∣peated Distillations from a Caput Mortu∣um of Chalk into insipid Water. And as for the saline substance that seems separable from mixt bodies;
* the same Helmonts tryals give us cause to think, That it may be a pro∣duction of the Fire, which by transporting and otherwise al∣tering the particles of the matter, does bring it to a Saline nature.

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For I know (sayes he, in the place formerly alledg'd to another purpose) a way to reduce all stones into a meer Salt of equal weight with the stone whence it was produc'd, and that without any of the least either Sulphur or Mercury; which asseveration of my Author would perhaps seem less incredible to You, if I durst acquaint You with all I could say upon that subject. And hence by the way you may also conclude that the Sul∣phur and Mercury, as they call them, that Chymists are wont to obtain from compound Bodies by the Fire, may possibly in many Cases be the producti∣ons of it; since if the same bodies had been wrought upon by the Agents em∣ploy'd by Helmont, they would have yielded neither Sulphur nor Mercury; and those portions of them which the Fire would have presented Us in the forme of Sulphureous and Mercurial Bodies would have, by Helmonts method, been exhibited to us in the form of Salt.

But though (sayes Eleutherius) You have alledg'd very plausible Arguments against the tria Prima, yet I see not how it will be possible for you to avoid ac∣knowledging that Earth and Water are
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Elementary Ingredients, though not of Mineral Concretes, yet of all Ani∣mal and Vegetable Bodies; Since if any of these of what sort soever be commit∣ted to Distillation, there is regularly and constantly separated from it a phlegme or aqueous part and a Caput Mortuum or Earth.

I readily acknowledged (answers Carneades) it is not so easy to reject Wa∣ter and Earth (and especially the former) as 'tis to reject the Tria Prima, from be∣ing the Elements of mixt Bodies; but 'tis not every difficult thing that is impossi∣ble.

I consider then, as to Water, that the chief Qualities which make men give that name to any visible Substance, are, that it is Fluid or Liquid, and that it is insipid and inodorous. Now as for the tast of these qualities, I think you have never seen any of those separated sub∣stances that the Chymists call Phlegme which was perfectly devoyd both of Tast and Smell: and if you object, that yet it may be reasonably suppos'd, that since the whole Body is Liquid, the mass is nothing but Elementary Water faintly imbu'd with some of the Saline or Sul∣phureous
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parts of the same Concrete, which it retain'd with it upon its Separa∣tion from the Other Ingredients. To this I answer, That this Objection would not appear so stong as it is plausible, if Chymists understood the Nature of Flui∣dity and Compactnesse; and that, as I formerly observ'd, to a Bodies being Fluid there is nothing necessary, but that it be divided into parts small enough; and that these parts be put into such a motion among themselves as to glide some this way and some that way, along each others Surfaces. So that, although a Concrete were never so dry, and had not any Water or other Liquor in∣existent in it, yet such a Comminution of its parts may be made, by the fire or o∣ther Agents, as to turn a great portion of them into Liquor. Of this Truth I will give an instance, employ'd by our friend here present as one of the most conducive of his experiments to Illustrate the nature of Salts. If you Take, then, sea salt and melt it in the Fire to free it from the a∣queous parts, and afterward distill it with a vehement Fire from burnt Clay, or any other, as dry a Caput mortuum as you please, you will, as Chymists confess,
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by teaching it drive over a good part of the Salt in the form of a Liquor. And to satisfy some ingenious men, That a great part of this Liquor was still true sea salt brought by the Operation of the Fire into Corpuscles so small, and per∣haps so advantageously shap'd, as to be capable of the forme of a Fluid Body, He did in my presence poure to such spi∣titual salts a due proportion of the spirit (or salt and Phlegme) of Urine, where∣by having evaporated the superfluous moisture, he soon obtain'd such another Concrete, both as to tast and smell, and easie sublimableness as common Salt Ar∣moniack, which you know is made up of grosse and undistill'd sea salt united with the salts of Urine and of Soot, which two are very neer of kin to each other. And further, to manifest that the Cor∣puscles of sea salt and the Saline ones of Urine retain their several Natures in this Concrete, He mixt it with a convenient quantity of Salt of Tartar, and commit∣ting it to Distillation soon regain'd his spirit of Urine in a liquid form by its self, the Sea salt staying behind with the Salt of Tartar. Wherefore it is very possible that dry Bodies may by the Fire be re∣duc'd
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to Liquors without any separation of Elements, but barely by a certain kind of Dissipation and Comminution of the matter, whereby its parts are brought in∣to a new state. And if it be still objected, that the Phlegme of mixt Bodies must be reputed water, because so weak a tast needs but a very small proportion of Salt to impart it; It may be reply'd, that for ought appears, common Salt and di∣vers other bodies, though they be di∣still'd never so dry, and in never so close Vessels, will yield each of them pretty store of a Liquor, wherein though (as I lately noted) Saline Corpuscles abound, Yet there is besides a large proportion of Phlegme, as may easily be discovered by coagulating the Saline Corpuseles with any convenient Body; as I lately told you, our Friend coagulated part of the Spirit of Salt with Spirit of Urine: and as I have divers times separated a salt from Oyle of Vitriol it self (though a very ponderous Liquor and drawn from a sa∣line body) by boyling it with a just quan∣tity of Mercury, and then washing the newly coagulated salt from the Precipi∣tate with fair Water. Now to what can we more probably ascribe this plenty
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of aqueous Substance afforded us by the Distillation of such bodies, than unto this, That among the various operations of the Fire upon the matter of a Concrete, divers particles of that matter are re∣duc'd to such a shape and bignesse as is re∣quisite to compose such a Liquor as Chy∣mists are wont to call Phlegme or Water. How I conjecture this change may be ef∣fected, 'tis neither necessary for me to tell you, nor possible to do so without a much longer discourse then were now seasona∣ble. But I desire you would with me re∣flect upon what I formerly told you con∣terning the change of Quicksilver into Water; For that Water having but a very faint tast, if any whit more than divers of those liquors that Chymists re∣ferr to Phlegme; By that experiment it seems evident, that even a metalline bo∣dy, and therefore much more such as are but Vegetable or Animal, may by a simple operation of the Fire be turn'd in great part into Water. And since those I dispute with are not yet able out of Gold, or Silver, or divers other Con∣cretes to separate any thing like Water; I hope I may be allow'd to conclude a∣gainst Them, that water it self is not an
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Universal and pre-existent Ingredient of Mixt Bodies.

But as for those Chymists that, Sup∣posing with me the Truth of what Hel∣mont relates of the Alkahest's wonder∣ful Effects, have a right to press me with his Authority concerning them, and to alledge that he could Transmute all re∣putedly mixt Bodies into insipid and meer Water; To those I shall repre∣sent, That though his Affirmations con∣clude strongly against the Vulgar Chy∣mists (against whom I have not there∣fore scrupl'd to Employ Them) since they Evince that the Commonly repu∣ted Principles or Ingredients of Things are not Permanent and indestructible, since they may be further reduc'd into Insipid Phlegme differing from them all; Yet till we can be allow'd to ex∣amine this Liquor, I think it not un∣reasonable to doubt whether it be not something else then meer Water. For I find not any other reason given by Helmont of his Pronouncing it so, then that it is insipid. Now Sapour being an Accident or an Affection of matter that relates to our Tongue, Palate, and other Organs of Tast, it may very possibly be,
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that the small Parts of a Body may be of such a Size and Shape, as either by their extream Littleness, or by their slen∣derness, or by their Figure, to be una∣ble to pierce into and make a percepti∣ble Impression upon the Nerves or Membranous parts of the Organs of Tast, and what may be fit to work o∣therwise upon divers other Bodies than meer Water can, and consequently to Disclose it self to be of a Nature farr e∣nough from Elementary. In Silke dyed Red or of any other Colour, whilst ma∣ny Contiguous Threads makes up a skein, the Colour of the Silke is con∣spicuous; but if only a very few of them be lookt upon, the Colour will appear much fainter then before. But if You take out one simple Thread, you shall not easily be able to discern any Colour at all; So subtile an Object having not the Force to make upon the Optick Nerve an Impression great enough to be taken Notice of. It is also observ'd, that the best sort of Oyl-Olive is almost tast∣less, and yet I need not tell you how exceedingly distant in Nature Oyle is from VVater. The Liquor into which I told you, upon the Relation of Lully,
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and Eye-witness that Mercury might be Transmuted, has sometimes but a very Languid, if any Tast, and yet its Ope∣rations even upon some Mineral Bodies are very peculiar. Quicksilver it self also, though the Corpuscles it consists of be so very small as to get into the Pores of that Closest and compactest of Bo∣dies, Gold, is yet (you know) altogether Tastless. And our Helmont several times tells us, that fair Water wherein a little Quantity f Quicksilver has lain for some time, though it acquire no certain Tast or other sensible Quality from the Quicksilver; Yet it has a power to de∣stroy wormes in humane Bodies; which he does much, but not causelessly extoll. And I remember, a great Lady, that had been Eminent for her Beauty in Divers Courts, confess'd to me, that this insipid Liquor was of all innocent washes for the Face the best that she ever met with.

And here let me conclude my Dis∣course, concerning such waters or Li∣quors as I have hitherto been exami∣ning, with these two Considerations. VVhereof the first is, That by reason of our being wont to drink nothing but
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VVine, Bear, Cyder, or other strongly tasted Liquors, there may be in several of these Liquors, that are wont to pass for insipid Phlegme, very peculiar and Distinct, Tasts though unheeded (and perhaps not to be perceiv'd) by Us. For to omit what Naturalists affirm of Apes, (and which probably may be true of divers other Animals) that they have a more exquisite palate than Men: among Men themselves, those that are wont to drink nothing but water may (as I have try'd in my self) Dis∣cern very sensibly a great Difference of Tasts in several waters, which one un-ac∣customed to drink water would take to be all alike insipid. And this is the first of my two Considerations; the O∣ther is, That it is not impossible that the Corpuscles into which a body is dis∣sipated by the Fire may by the Opera∣tion of the same fire have their figures so altered, or may be by associations with one another brought into little Masses of such a Size and Shape, as not to be fit to make sensible Impressions on the Tongue. And that you may not think such alterations impossible, be pleased to consider with me; that not
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only the sharpest Spirit of Vinager ha∣ving dissolved as much Corall as it can, will Coagulate with it into a Substance, which though soluble in water, like salt, is incomparably less strongly Tasted then the Vinager was before; but (what is more considerable) though the A∣cid salts that are carried up with Quick∣silver in the preparation of common sublimate are so sharp, that being moi∣stened with water it will Corrode some of the Metals themselves; yet this Cor∣rosive Sublimate being twice or thrice re-sublim'd with a full proportion of in∣sipid Quicksilver, Constitutes (as you know) that Factitious Concrete, which the Chymists call Mercurius dul∣cis; not because it is sweet, but because the sharpness of the Corrosive Salts is so taken away by their Combination with the Mercurial Corpuscles, that the whole mixture when it is prepar'd is judg'd to be insipid.

And thus (continues Carneades) ha∣ving given you some Reasons why I re∣fuse to admit Elementary water for a constant Ingredient of Mixt Bodies, It will be easie for me to give you an Ac∣count why I also reject Earth.

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For first, it may well be suspected that many Substances pass among Chymists under the name of Earth, because, like it, they are Dry, and Heavy, and Fixt, which yet are very farr from an Ele∣mentary Nature. This you will not think improbable, If you recall to mind what I formerly told you concerning what Chymists call the Dead Earth of things, and especially touching the cop∣per to be drawn from the Caput Mor∣tuum of Vitriol; And if also you allow me to subjoyn a casual but memorable Experiment made by Johannes Agrico∣la upon the Terra Damnata of Brim∣stone. Our Author then tells us (in his notes upon Popius,) that in the year 1621 he made an Oyle of Sulphur; the remaining Faeces he reverberated in a moderate Fire fourteen dayes; after∣wards he put them well luted up in a VVind Oven, and gave them a strong Fire for six hours, purposing to calcine the Faeces to a perfect Whiteness, that he might make someting else out of them. But coming to break the pot, he found above but very little Faeces, and those Grey and not White; but beneath there lay a fine Red Regulus
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which he first marvell'd at and knew not what to make of, being well assu∣red that not the least thing, besides the Faeces of the Sulphur, came into the pot; and that the Sulphur it self had only been dissolv'd in Linseed Oyle; this Regulus he found heavy and malleable almost as Lead; having caus'd a Goldsmith to draw him a Wire of it, he found it to be of the Fairest copper, and so right∣ly colour'd, that a Jew of Prague Offer'd him a great price for it. And of this Metal he sayes he had 12 loth (or six ounces) out of one pound of Ashes or Faeces. And this Story may well incline us to suspect that since the Ca∣put Mortuum of the Sulphur was kept so long in the fire before it was found to be any thing else then a Terra dam∣nata, there may be divers other Resi∣dences of Bodies which are wont to pass only for the Terrestrial Faeces of things, and therefore to be thrown a∣way as soon as the Distillation or Cal∣cination of the Body that yielded them is ended; which yet if they were long and Skilfully examin'd by the fire would appear to be differing from Elementary Earth. And I have taken notice of the
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unwarrantable forwardness of common Chymists to pronounce things useless Faeces, by observing how often they re∣ject the Caput Mortuum of Verdegrease; which is yet so farr from deserving that Name, that not only by strong fires and convenient Additaments it may in some hours be reduc'd into copper, but with a certain Flux Powder I sometimes make for Recreation, I have in two or three minutes obtain'd that Metal from it. To which I may add, that having for tryall sake kept Venetian Taclk in no less a heat than that of a glass Fur∣nace, I found after all the Brunt of the fire it had indur'd, the remaining Body though brittle and discolour'd, had not lost very much of its former Bulke, and seem'd still to be nearer of kin to Talck than to meer Earth. And I remem∣ber too, that a candid Mineralist, fa∣mous for his Skill in trying of Oars, requesting me one day to procure him a certain American Mineral Earth of a Virtuoso, who he thought would not refuse me; I enquir'd of him why he seem'd so greedy of it: he confess'd to me that this Gentleman having brought that Earth to the publick Say-Masters;
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and they upon their being unable by any means to bring it to fusion or make it fly away, he (the Relator) had pro∣cur'd a little of it; and having try'd it with a peculiar Flux separated from it neer a third part of pure Gold; so great mistakes may be committed in ha∣stily concluding things to be Uselesse Earth.

Next, it may be suppos'd, That as in the Resolution of Bodies by the Fire some of the dissipated Parts may, by their various occursion occasion'd by the heat, be brought to stick together so closely as to constitute Corpuscles too heavy for the Fire to carry away; the aggregate of which Corpuscles is wont to be call'd Ashes or Earth; So other Agents may resolve the Concrete into Minute Parts, after so differing a manner as not to pro∣duce any Caput mortuum, or dry and heavy Body. As you may remember Helmont above inform'd us, that with his great Dissolvent he divided a Coal into two liquid and volatile Bodies, aequiponderant to the Coal, without any dry or fixt Resi∣dence at all.

And indeed, I see not why it should be necessary that all Agents that resolve
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Bodies into portions of differingly quali∣fi'd matter must work on them the same way, and divide them into just such parts, both for nature and Number, as the Fire dissipates them into. For since, as I noted before, the Bulk and shape of the small Parts of bodies, together with their Fitness and Unfitness to be easily put into Motion, may make the liquors or other substances such Corpuscles com∣pose, as much to differ from each other as do some of the Chymical principles: Why may not something happen in this case, not unlike what is usuall in the grosser divisions of bodies by Mechani∣cal Instruments? Where we see that some Tools reduce Wood, for Instance, into darts of several shapes, bignesse, and other qualities, as Hatchets and Wedges divide it into grosser parts; some more long and slender, as splinters; and some more thick and irregular, as chips; but all of considerable bulk; but Files and Saws makes a Comminution of it into Dust; which, as all the others, is of the more solid sort of parts; whereas others divide it into long and broad, but thin and flexible parts, as do Planes: And of this kind of parts it self there is also a
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variety according to the Difference of the Tools employ'd to work on the Wood; the shavings made by the plane being in some things differing from those shives or thin and flexible pieces of wood that are obtain'd by Borers, and these from some others obtainable by other Tools. Some Chymical Examples applicable to this purpose I have elsewhere given you. To which I may add, that where∣as in a mixture of Sulphur and Salt of Tartar well melted and incorporated to∣gether, the action of pure spirit of wine digested on it is to separate the sulphu∣reous from the Alcalizate Parts, by dis∣solving the former and leaving the latter, the action of Wine (probably upon the score of its copious Phlegme) upon the same mixture is to divide it into Cor∣puscles consisting of both Alcalizate and Sulphureous Parts united. And if it be objected, that this is but a Factitious Con∣crete; I answer, that however the in∣stance may serve to illustrate what I propos'd, if not to prove it; and that Nature her self doth in the bowels of the Earth make Decompounded Bodies, as we see in Vitriol, Cinnaber, and even in Sulphur it self; I will not urge that
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the Fire divides new Milk into five dif∣fering Substances; but Runnet and Acid Liquors divide it into a Coagulated mat∣ter and a thin Whey: And on the o∣ther side churning divides it into Butter and Butter-milk, which may either of them be yet reduc'd to other substances differing from the former. I will not presse this, I say, nor other instances of this Nature, because I cannot in few words answer what may be objected, that these Concretes sequestred without the help of the Fire may by it be further divided into Hypostatical Principles. But I will rather represent, That where∣as the same spirit of Wine will dissoci∣are the Parts of Camphire, and make them one Liquor with it self; Aqua Fortis will also disjoyn them, and put them into motion; but so as to keep them to∣gether, and yet alter their Texture into the form of an Oyle. I know also an uncompounded Liquor, that an extra∣ordinary Chymist would not allow to be so much as Saline, which doth (as I have try'd) from Coral it self (as fixt as divers judicious writers assert that Concrete to be) not only obtain a noble Tincture, without the Intervention of Nitre or o∣ther
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Salts; but will carry over the Tin∣cture in Distillation. And if some rea∣sons did not forbid me, I could now tell you of a Menstruum I make my self, that doth more odly dissociate the parts of Minerals very fixt in the fire. So that it seems not incredible, that there may be some Agent or way of Operation found, whereby this or that Concrete, if not all Firme Bodies, may be resolv'd into parts so very minute and so unapt to stick close to one another, that none of them may be fixt enough to stay behind in a strong Fire, and to be incapable of Distillation; nor consequently to be look'd upon as Earth. But to return to Helmont, the same Authour somewhere supply's me with another Argument against the Earth's being such an Element as my Adversaries would have it. For he some∣where affirms, that he can reduce all the Terrestrial parts of mixt bodies into infi∣pid water; whence we may argue a∣gainst the Earths being one of their Ele∣ments, even from that Notion of Ele∣ments which you may remember Philo∣ponus recited out of Aristotle himself, when he lately disputed for his Chymists against Themistius. And here we may
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on this occasion consider, that since a Body from which the Fire hath driven a∣way its looser parts is wont to be look'd upon as Earth, upon the Account of its being endow'd with both these qualities, Tastlessenesse and Fixtnesse, (for Salt of Tartar though Fixt passes not among the Chymists for Earth, because 'tis strongly Tasted) if it be in the power of Natural Agents to deprive the Caput Mortuum of a body of either of those two Qualities, or to give them both to a portion of matter that had them not both before, the Chy∣mists will not easily define what part of a resolv'd Concrete is earth, and make out, that that Earth is a primary, simple, and indestructible Body. Now there are some cases wherein the more skilful of the Vulgar Chymists themselves pre∣tend to be able, by repeated Cohobati∣ons and other fit Operations, to make the Distilled parts of a Concrete bring its own Caput Mortuum over the Helme, in the forme of a Liquor; in which state being both Fluid and Volatile, you will easily believe it would not be taken for Earth. And indeed by a skilful, but not Vulgar, way of managing some Concretes, there may be more effected
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in this kind, then you perhaps would easily think. And on the other side, that either Earth may be Generated, or at least Bodies that did not before ap∣pear to be neer Totally Earth, may be so alter'd as to pass for it, seems very possible, if Helmont have done that by Art which he mentions in several places;
* especi∣ally where He sayes that he knowes wayes whereby Sulphur once dissolv'd is all of it fix'd into a Ter∣restrial Powder, and the whole Bodie of Salt-Petre may be turn'd into Earth: Which last he elsewhere sayes is Done by the Odour only of a certain Sulphu∣reous Fire. And in another place He mentions one way of doing this, which I cannot give you an Account of; be∣cause the Materialls I had prepar'd for Trying it, were by a Servants mistake unhappily thrown away.

And these Last Arguments may be confirm'd by the Experiment I have of∣ten had occasion to mention concerning the Mint I produc'd out of Water. And partly by an Observation of Ron∣deletius
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concerning the Growth of Ani∣mals also, Nourish'd but by Water, which I remember'd not to mention, when I discours'd to you about the Pro∣duction of things out of Water.
* This Diligent VVriter then in his instructive book of fishes, affirmes That his Wife kept a fish in a Glass of water without any other Food for three years; in which space it was constantly augmented, till at last it could not come out of the Place at which it was put in, and at length was too big for the glass it self though that were of a large capacity. And because there is no just reason to doubt, that this Fish, if Distill'd, would have yielded the like differing substances with other Animals: And However, be∣cause the Mint which I had out of wa∣ter afforded me upon Distillation a good quantity of Charcoal, I think I may from thence inferr, that Earth it self may be produc'd out of Water; or if you please, that water may be transmuted into Earth; and consequently, that though it could be prov'd that Earth is an Ingredient actually in-existent in the Vegetable and Animal Bodies whence it may be obtain'd by Fire: yet it would
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not necessarily follow, that Earth as a pre-existent Element Does with other Principles convene to make up those Bo∣dies whence it seems to have been se∣parated.

After all is said (sayes Eleutherius) I have yet something to Object, that I cannot but think considerable, since Carneades Himself alledg'd it as such; for, (continues Eleutherius smiling) I must make bold to try whether you can as luckily answer your own Arguments, as those of your Antagonists, I mean (pur∣sues he) that part of your Concessions, wherein you cannot but remember that you supply'd your Adversaries with an Example to prove that there may be E∣lementary Bodies, by taking Notice that Gold may be an Ingredient in a multi∣tude of differing Mixtures, and yet re∣tain its Nature, notwithstanding all that the Chymists by their Fires and Corro∣sive Waters are able to do to Destroy it.

I sufficiently intimated to you at that time (replies Carneades) that I propos'd this Example, chiefly to shew you how Nature may be Conceived to have made Elements, not to prove that she
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actually has made any; And you know, that a posse ad esse the Inference will not hold. But (continues Carneades) to answer more directly to the Objecti∣on drawn from Gold, I must tell You, that though I know very well that di∣vers of the more sober Chymists have complain'd of the Vulgar Chymists, as of Mountebanks or Cheats, for pretend∣ing so vainly, as hitherto they have done, to Destroy Gold; Yet I know a cer∣tain Menstruum (which our Friend has made, and intends shortly to commu∣nicate to the Ingenious) of so piercing and powerfull a Quality, That if not∣withstanding much care, and some skill, I did not much deceive my self, I have with it really destroy'd even refin'd Gold, and brought it into a Metalline Body of another colour and Nature, as I found by Tryals purposely made. And if some just Considerations did not for the present Forbid it, I could Perchance here shew you by another Experiment or Two of my own Trying, that such Menstruums may be made as to entice a∣way and retain divers parts, from Bo∣dies, which even the more Judicious and Experienc'd Spagyrists have pro∣nounc'd
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irresoluble by the Fire. Though (which I Desire you would mark) in neither of these Instances, the Gold or Precious Stones be Analys'd into any of the Tria Prima, but only Reduc'd to new Concretes. And indeed there is a great Disparity betwixt the Operati∣ons of the several Agents whereby the Parts of a Body come to be Dissipated. As if (for Instance) you dissolve the pu∣rer sort of Vitriol in common Water, the Liquor will swallow up the Mineral, and so Dissociate its Corpuscles, that they will seem to make up but one Li∣quor with those of the water; and yet each of these Corpuscles retains its Na∣ture and Texture, and remains a Vitri∣olate and Compounded Body. But if the same Vitriol be exposed to a strong Fire, it will then be divided not only, as before, into smaller parts, but into Hete∣rogeneous Substances, each of the Vi∣triolate Corpuscles that remain'd en∣tire in the water, being it self upon the Destruction of its former Texture dissi∣pated or divided into new Particles of differing Qualities. But Instances more fitly applicable to this purpose, I have already given you. Wherefore to re∣turn
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to what I told you about the De∣struction of Gold, that Experiment Invites me to Represent to you, that Though there were either Saline, or Sulphureous, or Terrestrial Portions of Matter, whose parts were so small, so firmly united together, or of a figure so fit to make them cohere to one another, (as we see that in quicksilver broken into little Globes, the Parts brought to touch one another do immediately re-imbody) that neither the Fire, nor the usual A∣gents employ'd by Chymists, are pierce∣ing enough to divide their Parts, so as to destroy the Texture of the single Corpuscles; yet it would not necessarily follow, That such Permanent Bodies were Elementary, since tis possible there may be Agents found in Nature, some of whose parts may be of such a Size and Figure as to take better Hold of some parts of these seemingly Elemen∣tary Corpuscles than these parts do of the rest, and Consequently may carry away such parts with them, and so dis∣solve the Texture of the Corpuscle by pulling its parts asunder. And if it be said, that at least we may this way dis∣cover the Elementary Ingredients of
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Things, by observing into what Substan∣ces these Corpuscles that were reputed pure are divided; I answer, that it is not necessary that such a Discovery should be practicable. For if the Particles of the Dissolvent do take such firme hold of those of the Dissolved Body, they must constitute together new Bodies, as well as Destroy the Old; and the strickt Union, which according to this Hypo∣thesis may well be suppos'd betwixt the Parts of the Emergent Body, will make it as Little to be Expected that they should be pull'd asunder, but by little Parts of matter, that to Divide them Associate Themselves and stick extreamly close to those of them which they sever from their Former Adhe∣rents. Besides that it is not impossible, that a Corpuscle suppos'd to be Elemen∣tary may have its Nature changed, with∣out suffering a Divorce of its parts, bare∣ly by a new Texture Effected by some powerfull Agent; as I formerly told you, the same portion of matter may easily by the Operation of the Fire be turn'd at pleasure into the form of a Brittle and Transparent, or an Opacous and Malleable Body.

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And indeed, if you consider how farr the bare Change of Texture, whether made by Art or Nature (or rather by Nature with or without the assistance of man) can go in producing such New Qualities in the same parcel of matter, and how many inanimate Bodies (such as are all the Chymical productions of the Fire) we know are Denominated and Distinguish'd not so much by any I∣maginary Substantial Form, as by the aggregate of these Qualities. If you con∣sider these Things, I say, and that the varying of either the figure, or the Size, or the Motion, or the Situation, or Con∣nexion of the Corpuscles whereof any of these Bodies is compos'd, may alter the Fabrick of it, you will possibly be invited to suspect, with me, that there is no great need that Nature should al∣wayes have Elements before hand, whereof to make such Bodies as we call mixts. And that it is not so easie as Chymists and others have hitherto Ima∣gin'd, to discern, among the many differ∣ing Substances that may without any extraordinary skill be obtain'd from the same portion of matter, Which ought to be esteemed exclusively to all the rest,
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its in-existent Elementary Ingredients; much lesse to determine what Primoge∣neal and Simple Bodies convened toge∣ther to compose it. To exemplify this, I shall add to what I have already on se∣veral occasions Represented, but this sin∣gle instance.

You may remember (Eleutherius) that I formerly intimated to you, that besides Mint and Pompions, I produced divers other Vegetables of very differing Na∣tures out of Water. Wherefore you will not, I presume, think it incongru∣ous to suppose, that when a slender Vine∣slip is set into the ground, and takes root, there it may likewise receive its Nutri∣ment from the water attracted out of the earth by his roots, or impell'd by the warm'th of the sun, or pressure of the am∣bient air into the pores of them. And this you will the more easily believe, if you ever observ'd what a strange quan∣tity of Water will Drop out of a wound given to the Vine, in a convenient place, at a seasonable time in the Spring; and how little of Tast or Smell this Aqua Vi∣tis, as Physitians call it, is endow'd with, notwithstanding what concoction or al∣teration it may receive in its passage
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through the Vine, to discriminate it from common Water. Supposing then this Liquor, at its first entrance into the roots of the Vine, to be common Water; Let Us a little consider how many vari∣ous Substances may be obtain'd from it; though to do so, I must repeat somewhat that I had a former occasion to touch up∣on. And first, this Liquor being Di∣gested in the plant, and assimilated by the several parts of it, is turn'd into the Wood, Bark, Pith, Leaves, &c. of the Vine; The same Liquor may be fur∣ther dry'd, and fashon'd into Vine-buds, and these a while after are advanced unto sour Grapes, which express'd yield Verjuice, a Liquor very differing in se∣veral qualities both from Wine and o∣ther Liquors obtainable from the Vine: These soure Grapes being by the heat of the Sun concocted and ripened, turne to well tasted Grapes; Those if dry'd in the Sun and Distill'd, afford a faetid Oyle and a piercing Empyreumatical Spi∣rit, but not a Vinous Spirit; These dry'd Grapes or Raisins boyl'd in a con∣venient proportion of Water make a sweet Liquor, which being betimes di∣still'd afford an Oyle and Spirit much like
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those of the Raisins themselves; If the juice of the Grapes be squeez'd out and put to Ferment, it first becomes a sweet and turbid Liquor, then grows lesse sweet and more clear, and then affords in common Distillations not an Oyle but a Spirit, which, though inflamable like Oyle, differs much from it, in that it is not fat, and that it will readily mingle with Water. I have likewise without Addition obtain'd in processe of time (and by an easie way which I am ready to teach you) from one of the noblest sorts of Wine, pretty store of pure and curiously figured Crystals of Salt, toge∣ther with a great proportion of a Liquor as sweet almost as Hony; and these I obtained not from Must, but True and sprightly Wine; besides the Vinous Liquor, the fermented Juice of Grapes is partly turned into liquid Dregs or Leeze, and partly into that crust or dry feculan∣cy that is commonly called Tartar; and this Tartar may by the Fire be easily di∣vided into five differing substances; four of which are not Acid, and the other not so manifestly Acid as the Tartar it self; The same Vinous Juice after some time, especially if it be not carefully
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kept, Degenerates into that very sour Li∣quor called Vinegar; from which you may obtain by the Fire a Spirit and a Crystal∣line Salt differing enough from the Spirit and Lixiviate Salt of Tartar. And if you pour the Dephlegm'd Spirit of the Vine∣gar upon the Salt of Tartar, there will be produc'd such a Conflict or Ebul∣lition as if there were scarce two more contrary Bodies in Nature; and often∣times in this Vinager you may observe part of the matter to be turned into an innumerable company of swimming Ani∣mals, which our Friend having divers years ago observed, hath in one of his Papers taught us how to discover clearly without the help of a Microscope.

Into all these various Schemes of mat∣ter, or differingly Qualifyed Bodies, besides divers others that I purposely forbear to mention, may the Water that is imbib'd by the roots of the Vine be brought, partly by the formative power of the plant, and partly by supervenient Agents or Causes, without the visible concurrence of any extraneous Ingredi∣ent; but if we be allowed to add to the Productions of this transmuted Water a sew other substances, we may much
Page 416
encrease the Variety of such Bodies; al∣though in this second sort of Producti∣ons, the Vinous parts seem scarce to re∣tain any thing of the much more fix'd Bodies wherewith they were mingl'd, but only to have by their Mixture with them acquir'd such a Disposition, that in their recess occasion'd by the Fire they came to be alter'd as to shape, or Bigness, or both, and associated after a New manner. Thus, as I formerly told you, I did by the Addition of a Caput Mortuum of Antimony, and some o∣ther Bodies unfit for Distillation, ob∣tain from crude Tartar, store of a very Volatile and Crystalline Salt, differing very much in smell and other Qualities from the usuall salts of Tartar.

But (sayes Eleutherius, interrupting him at these Words) if you have no re∣straint upon you, I would very gladly before you go any further, be more par∣ticularly inform'd, how you make this Volatile Salt, because (you know) that such Multitudes of Chymists have by a scarce imaginable Variety of wayes, at∣tempted in Vain the Volatilization of the Salt of Tartar, that divers learned Spagyrists speak as if it were impossible,
Page 417
to make any thing out of Tartar, that shall be Volatile in a Saline Forme, or as some of them express it, in forma sic∣ca. I am very farr from thinking (an∣swers Carneades) that the Salt I have mention'd is that which Paracelsus and Helmont mean when they speak of Sal Tartari Volatile, and ascribe such great things to it. For the Salt I speak of falls extreamly short of those Vir∣tues, not seeming in its Tast, Smel, and other Obvious Qualities, to differ very much (though something it do differ) from Salt of Harts-horn, and other Vo∣latile Salts drawn from the Distill'd Parts of Animals. Nor have I yet made Tryals enough to be sure, that it is a pure Salt of Tartar without parti∣cipating any thing at all of the Nitre, or Antimony. But because it seems more likely to proceed from the Tar∣tar, than from any of the other In∣gredients, and because the Experiment is in it self not Ignoble, and Luciferous enough (as shewing a new way to pro∣duce a Volatile Salt contrary to Acid Salts from Bodies that otherwise are Observ'd to yield no such Liquor, but either only, or chiefly, Acid ones,) I
Page 418
shall, to satisfie you, acquaint you be∣fore any of my other Friends with the way I now use (for I have formerly us'd some others) to make it.

Take then of good Antimony, Salt-Petre and Tartar, of each an equal weight, and of Quicklime Halfe the Weight of any one of them; let these be powder'd and well mingl'd; this done, you must have in readiness a long neck or Retort of Earth, which must be plac'd in a Furnace for a naked Fire, and have at the top of it a hole of a convenient Bigness, at which you may cast in the Mixture, and presently stop it up again; this Vessel being fitted with a large Re∣ceiver must have Fire made under it, till the bottom of the sides be red hot, and then you must cast in the above pre∣par'd Mixture, by about halfe a spoon∣full (more or less) at a time, at the hole made for that purpose; which being nimbly stopt, the Fumes will pass into the Receiver and condense there into a Liquor, that being rectifi'd will be of a pure golden Colour, and carry up that colour to a great height; this Spirit a∣bounds in the Salt I told you of, part of which may easily enough be separated
Page 419
by the way I use in such cases, which is, to put the Liquor into a glass Egg, or bolthead with a long and narrow Neck. For if this be plac'd a little in∣clining in hot sand, there will sublime up a fine Salt, which, as I told you, I find to be much of kin to the Volatile Salts of Animals: For like them it has a Saltish, not an Acid Salt; it hisses up∣on the Affusion of Spirit of Nitre, or Oyle of Vitriol; it precipitates Corals Dissolv'd in Spirit of Vinager; it turnes the blew Syrup of Violets immediately green; it presently turnes the Solution of Sublimate into a Milkie whiteness; and in summ, has divers Operations like those that I have observ'd in that sort of Salts to which I have resembled it: and is so Volatile, that for Distinction sake, I call it Tartari Fugitivus. What virtues it may have in Physick I have not yet had the opportunity to Try; but I am apt to think they will not be de∣spicable. And besides that a very Inge∣nious Friend of mine tells me he hath done great matters against the stone, with a Preparation not very much Dif∣fering from ours, a very Experienc'd Germane Chymist finding that I was
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unacquainted with the wayes of making this salt, told me that in a great City in his Country, a noted Chymist prizes it so highly, that he had a while since pro∣cur'd a Priviledge from the Magistrates, that none but He, or by his Licence, should vent a Spirit made almost after the same Way with mine, save that he leaves out one of the Ingredients, name∣ly the Quick-lime. But, continues Car∣neades, to resume my Former Discourse where your Curiosity interrupted it;

Tis also a common practice in France to bury thin Plates of Copper in the Marc (as the French call it) or Husks of Grapes, whence the Juice has been squeez'd out in the Wine-press, and by this means the more saline parts of those Husks working by little and little upon the Copper, Coagulate Themselves with it into that Blewish Green Substance we in English call Verdigrease. Of which I therefore take Notice, because having Distill'd it in a Naked Fire, I found as I expected, that by the Association of the Saline with the Metalline parts, the former were so alter'd, that the Distill'd Liquor, even without Rectification, seem'd by smell
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and Tast, strong almost like Aqua For∣tis, and very much surpassed the purest and most Rectifi'd Spirit of Vinager that ever I made. And this Spirit I there∣fore ascribe to the salt of the Husks al∣ter'd by their Co-Mixture with the cop∣per (though the Fire afterwards Di∣vorce and Transmute them) because I found this later in the bottom of the Retort in the Forme of a Crocus or red∣ish powder: And because Copper is of too sluggish a Nature to be forc'd over in close Vessels by no stronger a heat. And that which is also some∣what Remarkable in the Destillation of good Verdigrease, (or at least of that sort that I us'd) is this, that I Never could observe that it yielded me any oyl, (unless a little black slime which was separated in Rectification may pass for Oyle) though both Tartar and Vinager, (especially the former) will by Destil∣lation yield a Moderate proportion of it. If likewise you pour Spirit of Vina∣ger upon Calcin'd Lead, the Acid Salt of the Liquor will by its Commixture with the Metalline parts, though Insi∣pid, acquire in a few hours a more than Saccharine sweetness; and these Saline
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parts being by a strong Fire Destill'd from the Lead wherewith they were imbody'd, will, as I formerly also noted to a Different purpose, leave the Me∣tal behind them alter'd in some quali∣ties from what it was, and will them∣selves ascend, partly in the Forme of an unctuous Body or Oyle, partly in that of Phlegme; but for the greatest part in the Forme of a subtile Spirit, in∣dow'd, besides divers new Qualities which I am not now willing to take no∣tice of, with a strong smell very much other than that of Vinager, and a pier∣cing tast quite differing both from the Sowerness of the Spirit of Vinager, and the Sweetness of the Sugar of Lead.

To be short, As the difference of Bo∣dies may depend meerly upon that of the schemes whereinto their Common matter is put; So the seeds of Things, the Fire and the other Agents are able to alter the minute parts of a Body (ei∣ther by breaking them into smaller ones of differing shapes, or by Uniting to∣gether these Fragments with the un∣broken Corpuscles, or such Corpuscles a∣mong Themselves) and the same A∣gents partly by Altering the shape or
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bigness of the Constituent Corpuscles of a Body, partly by driving away some of them, partly by blending others with them, and partly by some new manner of connecting them, may give the whole por∣tion of matter a new Texture of its mi∣nute parts; and thereby make it de∣serve a new and Distinct name. So that according as the small parts of matter recede from each other, or work upon each other, or are connected together af∣ter this or that determinate manner, a Body of this or that denomination is produced, as some other Body happens thereby to be alter'd or destroy'd.

Since then those things which Chy∣mists produce by the help of the Fire are but inanimate Bodies; since such fruits of the Chymists skill differ from one ano∣ther but in so few qualities that we see plainly that by fire and other Agents we can employ, we can easily enough work as great alterations upon matter, as those that are requisite to change one of these Chymical Productions into a∣nother; Since the same portion of mat∣ter may without being Compounded with any extraneous Body, or at least Element, be made to put on such a va∣riety
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of formes, and consequently to be (successively) turn'd into so many dif∣fering Bodies. And since the matter cloath'd with so many differing formes was originally but water, and that in its passage thorow so many transformations, it was never reduc'd into any of those substances which are reputed to be the Principles or Elements of mixt Bodies, except by the violence of the fire, which it self divides not Bodies into perfectly simple or Elementary substances, but in∣to new Compounds; Since, I say, these things are so, I see not why we must needs believe that there are any Primo∣geneal and simple Bodies, of which as of Pre-exsistent Elements Nature is obli∣ged to compound all others. Nor do I see why we may not conceive that she may produce the Bodies accounted mixt out of one another by Variously altering and contriving their minute parts, with∣out resolving the matter into any such simple or Homogeneous substances as are pretended. Neither, to dispatch, do I see why it should be counted absur'd to think, that when a Body is resolv'd by the Fire into its suppos'd simple Ingre∣dients, those substances are not true and
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proper Elements, but rather were, as it were, Accidentally produc'd by the fire, which by Dissipating a Body in∣to minute Parts does, if those parts be shut up in Close Vessels, for the most part necessarily bring them to Associate Themselves after another manner than before, and so bring Them into Bo∣dies of such Different Consistences as the Former Texture of the Body, and Concurrent Circumstances make such disbanded particles apt to Constitute; as experience shews us (and I have both noted it, and prov'd it already) that as there are some Concretes whose parts when dissipated by fire are fitted to be put into such Schemes of mat∣ter as we call Oyle, and Salt, and Spi∣rit; So there are others, such as are es∣pecially the greatest part of Minerals, whose Corpuscles being of another Size or figure, or perhaps contriv'd a∣nother Way, will not in the Fire yield Bodies of the like Consistences, but ra∣ther others of differing Textures; Not to mention, that from Gold and some o∣ther Bodies, we see not that the Fire separates any Distinct Substances at all; nor That even those Similar Parts of
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Bodies which the Chymists Obtain by the Fire, are the Elements whose names they bear, but Compound Bodies, upon which, for their resemblance to them in consistence, or some other obvious Qua∣lity, Chymists have been pleas'd to be∣stow such Appellations.

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THE CONCLUSION.
THese last Words of Carneades be∣ing soon after follow'd by a noise which seem'd to come from the place where the rest of the Company was, he took it for a warning, that it was time for him to conclude or break off his Di∣scourse; and told his Friend; By this time I hope you see, Eleutherius, that if Helmonts Experiments be true, it is no absurdity to question whether that Do∣ctrine be one, that doth not assert Any Elements in the sence before explain'd. But because that, as divers of my Ar∣guments suppose the marvellous power of the Alkahest in the Analyzing of Bodies, so the Effects ascrib'd to that power are so unparallell'd and stupen∣dious,
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that though I am not sure but that there may be such an Agent, yet little less than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 seems requisite to make a man sure there is. And conse∣quently I leave it to you to judge, how farre those of my Arguments that are built upon Alkahestical Operations are weakned by that Liquors being Match∣less; and shall therefore desire you not to think that I propose this Paradox that rejects all Elements, as an Opinion equally probable with the former part of my discourse. For by that, I hope, you are satisfied, that the Arguments wont to be brought by Chymists, to prove That all Bodies consist of either Three Principles, or Five, are far from being so strong as those that I have employ'd to prove, that there is not any certain and Determinate number of such Princi∣ples or Elements to be met with Uni∣versally in all mixt Bodies. And I sup∣pose I need not tell you, that these An∣ti-Chymical Paradoxes might have been manag'd more to their Advantage; but that having not confin'd my Curiosity to Chymical Experiments, I who am but a young Man, and younger Chymist, can yet be but slenderly furnished with
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them, in reference to so great and diffi∣cult a Task as you impos'd upon me; Besides that, to tell you the Truth, I durst not employ some even of the best Experiments I am acquainted with, be∣cause I must not yet disclose them; but however, I think I may presume that what I have hitherto Discoursed will induce you to think, that Chymists have been much more happy in finding Ex∣periments than the Causes of them; or in assigning the Principles by which they may best be explain'd. And indeed, when in the writings of Paracelsus I meet with such Phantastick and Un-intel∣ligible Discourses as that Writer often puzzels and tyres his Reader with, fa∣ther'd upon such excellent Experiments, as though he seldom clearly teaches, I often find he knew; me thinks the Chymists, in their searches after truth, are not unlike the Navigators of Solo∣mons Tarshish Fleet, who brought home from their long and tedious Voyages, not only Gold, and Silver, and Ivory, but Apes and Peacocks too; For so the Writings of several (for I say not, all) of your Hermetick Philosophers present us, together with divers Substantial and
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noble Experiments, Theories, which ei∣ther like Peacocks feathers make a great shew, but are neither solid nor useful; or else like Apes, if they have some appearance of being rational, are blemish'd with some absurdity or other, that when they are Attentively consi∣der'd, makes them appear Ridicu∣lous.

Carneades having thus finish'd his Di∣scourse against the received Doctrines of the Elements; Eleutherius judging he should not have time to say much to him before their separation, made some haste to tell him; I confess, Carneades, that you have said more in favour of your Para∣doxes then I expected. For though di∣vers of the Experiments you have menti∣on'd are no secrets, and were not un∣known to me, yet besides that you have added many of your own unto them, you have laid them together in such a way, and apply'd them to such purposes, and made such Deductions From them, as I have not Hitherto met with.

But though I be therefore inclin'd to think, that Philoponus, had he heard you, would scarce have been able in all
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points to defend the Chymical Hypo∣thesis against the arguments wherewith you have oppos'd it; yet me thinks that however your Objections seem to evince a great part of what they pretend to, yet they evince it not all; and the nu∣merous tryals of those you call the vulgar Chymists, may be allow'd to prove some∣thing too.

Wherefore, if it be granted you that you have made it probable,

First, that the differing substances in∣to which mixt Bodies are wont to be re∣solved by the Fire are not of a pure and an Elementary nature, especially for this Reason, that they yet retain so much of the nature of the Concrete that afforded them, as to appear to be yet somewhat compounded, and often∣times to differ in one Concrete from Principles of the same denomination in another:

Next, that as to the number of these differing substances, neither is it precise∣ly three, because in most Vegetable and Animal bodies Earth and Phlegme are also to be found among their Ingre∣dients; nor is there any one determinate number into which the Fire (as it is
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wont to be employ'd) does precisely and universally resolve all compound Bodies whatsoever, as well Minerals as others that are reputed perfectly mixt.

Lastly, that there are divers Qualities which cannot well be refer'd to any of these Substances, as if they primarily re∣sided in it and belong'd to it; and some o∣ther qualities, which though they seem to have their chief and most ordinary re∣sidence in some one of these Principles or Elements of mixt Bodies, are not yet so deducible from it, but that also some more general Principles must be taken in to explicate them.

If, I say, the Chymists (continues Eleu∣therius) be so Liberall as to make you these three Concessions, I hope you will, on your part, be so civil and Equitable as to grant them these three other pro∣positions, namely;

First, that divers Mineral Bodies, and therefore probably all the rest, may be resolv'd into a Saline, a Sulphureous, and a Mercurial part; And that almost all Vegetable and Animal Concretes may, if not by the Fire alone, yet, by a skilfull Artist Employing the Fire as
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his chief Instrument, be divided into five differing Substances, Salt, Spirit, Oyle, Phlegme and Earth; of which the three former by reason of their being so much more Operative than the Two Later, deserve to be Lookt upon as the Three active Principles, and by way of Emi∣nence to be call'd the three principles of mixt bodies.

Next, that these Principles, Though they be not perfectly Devoid of all Mixture, yet may without inconveni∣ence be stil'd the Elements of Com∣pounded bodies, and bear the Names of those Substances which they most Re∣semble, and which are manifestly pre∣dominant in them; and that especially for this reason, that none of these E∣lements is Divisible by the Fire into Four or Five differing substances, like the Concrete whence it was separated.

Lastly, That Divers of the Qualities of a mixt Body, and especially the Me∣dical Virtues, do for the most part lodge in some One or Other of its principles, and may Therefore usefully be sought for in That Principle sever'd from the others.

And in this also (pursues Eleutherius)
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methinks both you and the Chymists may easily agree, that the surest way is to Learn by particular Experiments, what differing parts particular Bodies do consist of, and by what wayes (ei∣ther Actual or potential fire) they may best and most Conveniently be Separa∣ted, as without relying too much upon the Fire alone, for the resolving of Bo∣dies, so without fruitlessly contending to force them into more Elements than Nature made Them up of, or strip the sever'd Principles so naked, as by ma∣king Them Exquisitely Elementary to make them almost useless,

These things (subjoynes Eleu.) I pro∣pose, without despairing to see them granted by you; not only because I know that you so much preferr the Reputation of Candor before that of subtility, that your having once suppos'd a truth would not hinder you from imbracing it when clearly made out to you; but because, up∣on the present occasion, it will be no di∣sparagement to you to recede from some of your Paradoxes, since the nature and occasion of your past Discourse did not oblige you to declare your own opinions, but only to personate an Antagonist of
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the Chymists. So that (concludes he, with a smile) you may now by granting what I propose, add the Reputation of Loving the truth sincerely to that of having been able to oppose it subtilly.

Carneades's haste forbidding him to an∣swer this crafty piece of flattery; Till I shal (sayes he) have an opportunity to ac∣quaint you with my own Opinions about the controversies I have been discoursing of, you will not, I hope, expect I should declare my own sence of the Arguments I have employ'd. Wherefore I shall only tell you thus much at present; that though not only an acute Naturalist, but even I my self could take plausible Exceptions at some of them; yet di∣vers of them too are such as will not perhaps be readily answer'd, and will Reduce my Adversaries, at least, to al∣ter and Reform their Hypothesis. I perceive I need not minde you that the Objections I made against the Qua∣ternary of Elements and Ternary of Principles needed not to be oppos'd so much against the Doctrines Them∣selves (either of which, especially the latter, may be much more probably maintain'd than hitherto it seems to
Page 436
have been, by those Writers for it I have met with) as against the unac∣curateness and the unconcludingness of the Analytical Experiments vul∣garly Relyed On to Demonstrate them.

And therefore, if either of the two examin'd Opinions, or any other The∣ory of Elements, shall upon rational and Experimental grounds be clearly made out to me; 'Tis Obliging, but not irrational, in you to Expect, that I shall not be so farr in Love with my Disquieting Doubts, as not to be con∣tent to change them for undoubted truths. And (concludes Carneades smiling) it were no great disparagement for a Sceptick to confesse to you, that as un∣satisfy'd as the past discourse may have made you think me with the Doctrines of the Peripateticks, and the Chymists, about the Elements and Principles, I can yet so little discover what to acquiesce in, that perchance the Enquiries of others have scarce been more unsatisfactory to me, than my own have been to my self.

FINIS.
Page 437
THe Authors constant Absence from the Presse, whilst the for∣mer Treatise was Printing, and the Na∣ture of the Subject it self, wherewith ordinary Composers are not wont to be at all acquainted, will, 'tis hop'd, procure the Readers Excuse, till the next Editi∣on, if the Errata be somewhat nume∣rous, and if among them there want not some grosser mistakes, which yet are not the only Blemishes these lines must take notice of and acknowledg; For the Au∣thor now perceives that through the fault of those to whom he had commit∣ted the former Treatise in loose Sheets, some Papers that belonged to it, have altogether miscarryed. And though it have luckily enough happen'd, for the most part, that the Omission of them does not marr the Cohaerence of the rest; yet till the next design'd Edition afford an opportunity of inserting them, it is thought fit that the Printer give notice of one Omission at the End of the first Dialogue; and that to these Errata there be annex'd the ensuing sheet of Paper, that was ca∣sually lost, or forgotten by him that should have put it into the Presse;
Page 438
where it ought to have been inserted, in the 187. printed Page, at the break, be∣twixt the words, [Nature] in the 13th. line, and [But] in the next line after. Though it is to be noted here, that by the mistake of the Printer, in some Books, the number of 187 is placed at the top of two somewhat distant pages; and in such copies the following addition ought to be inserted in the latter of the two, as followeth.

And on this occasion I cannot but take notice, that whereas the great Argu∣ment which the Chymists are wont to employ to vilify Earth and Water, and make them be look'd upon as useless and unworthy to be reckon'd among the Principles of Mixt Bodies, is, that they are not endow'd with Specifick Proper∣ties, but only with Elementary qualities; of which they use to speak very sleightingly, as of qualities contemptible and unactive: I see no sufficient Reason for this Practice of the Chymists: For 'tis confess'd that Heat is an Elementary Quality, and yet that an almost innume∣rable company of confiderable Things are perform'd by Heat, is manifest to
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them that duly consider the various Phae∣nomena wherein it intervenes as a princi∣pall Actor; and none ought less to ig∣nore or distrust this Truth then a Chy∣mist. Since almost all the operations and Productions of his Art are perform∣ed chiefly by the means of Heat. And as for Cold it self, upon whose account they so despise the Earth and Water, if they please to read in the Voyages of our English and Dutch Navigators in Nova Zembla and other Northern Regi∣ons what stupendious Things may be ef∣fected by Cold, they would not perhaps think it so despicable. And not to re∣peat what I lately recited to You out of Paracelsus himself, who by the help of an intense Cold teaches to separate the Quintessence of Wine; I will only now observe to You, that the Conservation of the Texture of many Bodies both ani∣mate and inanimate do's so much de∣pend upon the convenient motion both of their own Fluid and Looser Parts, and of the ambient Bodies, whether Air, Water, &c. that not only in humane Bodies we see that the immoderate or unseasonable coldness of the Air (espe∣cially when it finds such Bodies everhea∣ted)
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do's very frequently discompose the Oeconomie of them, and occasion va∣riety of Diseases; but in the solid and durable Body of Iron it self, in which one would not expect that suddain Cold should produce any notable change, it may have so great an operation, that if you take a Wire, or other slender piece of steel, and having brought it in the fire to a white heat, You suffer it afterwards to cool leasurely in the Air, it will when it is cold be much of the same hardnesse it was of before: Whereas if as soon as You remove it from the fire, you plunge it into cold water, it will upon the sud∣den Refrigeration acquire a very much greater hardness then it had before; Nay, and will become manifestly brittle. And that you may not impute this to any pe∣culiar Quality in the Water, or other Liquor, or Unctuous matter, wherein such heated steel is wont to be quenched that it may be temper'd; I know a very skillful Tradesman, that divers times hardens steel by suddenly cooling it in a Body that is neither a liquor, nor so much as moist. A tryal of that Nature I re∣member I have seen made. And how∣ever by the operation that Water has
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upon steel quenched in it, whether upon the Account of its coldness and moisture, or upon that of any other of its qualities, it appears, that water is not alwaies so inefficacious and contemptible a Body, as our Chymists would have it passe for. And what I have said of the Efficacy of Cold and Heat, might perhaps be easily enough carried further by other conside∣rations and experiments; were it not that having been mention'd only upon the Bye, I must not insist on it, but pro∣ceed to another Subject.

ERRATA.
PAg. 5. line. 6. read so qualify'd, 15.19. Ratioci∣nations, 25.15. for a, 33.17. in a parenth. (that is no more) 51.24. besides another Caput, 79.10. em∣ploy, 86.13. structure, 97.13. Sack, ibid. 22. Sack, 104.29. instead of appear it, will, leg. appear, it will, 118.20. leasure, ibid. principal, 126.20. and till it suffer, 129. 3 leg. in parenth (notwithstanding, &c. 131.15. so, 144.15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 151.5. nor have been resolved, 180.25. Magistram, 185.15. lately, 188.15. tunned, 200.1. intolerable, ibid. 2. in, 209 21. tegularum, 210.7. distill'd from, 215.25. dele the, 220.1. bodies, 228.11. fugitive, 231.17. instead of all lege a pound, 237.6. Chymist, 248.18. Ashes off, 251. 23 Deopilative) 259.6. it self, 269.10 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ibid.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 276.25. make a parenth at the words, by the, and shut it after the words in the 27. line at all, 280.11. Corals, 288.6. ascribes, 294 22. poresity, ibid 28. noted, 296.1. Bodies. 305.8. (attended, 307.12. dele to, 308.12. devisers. 312
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14. and, 313.3. too, 314.24. fugitivenesse, 333.13. origine, ibid. 24. contrivance of, 339.1. Nay, Bar∣thias, 142.3. in; I will, 350.26. absurd, 356.11. Goutieres. 358.6. antea. 360.1. compertissimum, ibid 18. Joachimica, ibid. 19. graminis, ibid. 23. sua, 362 6. Dutch account, 363.2. diggers) ibid 11. and 12. lin. read damp as the Englishmen also call it, 366.25 a height, 368.19. in use. 370.9. latter; And, ibid. 24. Water; J, 377.22. Rest, ibid. 25. know) 378.23. after Aggregate insert or complex, ibid 27. dele) ibid 28. dele), 379.4. before as begin a parenth. which ends lin. 9. at Gold. ibid. instead of Which, put This, ibid. 12. with the word Texture should be connected the next line, Though, and this word Though is to have put before it a parenthesis, which is to end at the word Fluid in the 16th line, 383 3. Regulus Martis Stellatus, 382.3. Relations, ibid 9. Chymist, 386.29. confesse by teaching it, 391.8. and yet may, 392.1. an, ibid. 12. of, 393. distinct Tasts; 397.13. Talck, 398.18. Earth, 399.18. parts, 404.8. sal-petrae, 419.20. after it put in Sal.

The Publisher doth advertise the Reader, that seeing there are divers Experiments re∣lated in this Treatise, which the Author is not unwilling to submit to the consideration also of Forraign Philosophers, he believes this piece will be very soon translated into Latin.

END.