HISTORY OF THE ATOMIC THEOKY. 113 



two sperms, composed of the elements, the one masculine, the 

 other feminine. The male sulphur is nothing but fire and 

 air; and the true sulphur is as a fire, but not the vulgar, 

 which contains no metallic substance. The feminine sperm 

 is argent- vive, which is nothing but earth and water," &c. 

 And Norton, about the same time, reasons thus ; 



" Metalls of kinde grow lowe under grounde, 



For above erth rust in them is found ; 



Soe above erth appeareth corruption 



Of metalls, and in long tyme destruction. 



Whereof noe cause is found in this case. 



But that above erth thei be not in their place.** * 



But he denies, like Geber, any growing in glass vessels ; 



" For cause efficient of mettalls find ye shall. 



Only to be the vertue minerall, 



Which in everie erth is not found, 



But in certain places of eligible ground." 



When once grown, however, they could not multiply 

 according to him ; 



" Trewly ye maie trust as I said before, 



How of one ounce of silver, maie silver be no more." 



But this was not the general opinion, as they were supposed 

 to grow in the preparation, as Ripley says; On calcina- 

 tion, v. 15 ;t 



** If thou intend therefore to make 

 Gold and sylver by craft of our philosophy ; 

 Thereto nother eggs nor blood thou take, 

 But gold and sylver which naturally, 

 Calcyned wysely, and not manually. 

 And new generation wyll forth bryng, 

 Incresying theyr kynde aa doth each thyng." 



As metals grew by their life, and life is the blood, so it was a 

 desirable thing to find out the blood of metals ; 



" The true blood of mettalls is hard to have.''^ 



As the prima materia was of indeterminate properties, was 



• Ashmole's " Theatrum Chemicum," 1652, pp. 18, 19, and 20. 

 t Same, p. 132. 

 X ** Anon." Same, p. 406. 

 Q 



