CENTURY IV. 



Experiment solitary touching the nature of gold. 



328. Gold hath these natures ; greatness of 

 weight, closeness of parts, fixation, pliantness or 

 softness, immunity from rust, colour or tincture 

 of yellow. Therefore the sure way, though most 

 about, to make gold, is to know the causes of the 

 several natures before rehearsed, and the axioms 

 concerning the same. For if a man can make a 

 metal that hath all these properties, let men dispute 

 whether it be gold or no. 



Experiments in consort touching the inducing and 



accelerating of putrefaction. 



The inducing and accelerating of putrefaction, is 

 a subject of a very universal inquiry : for corruption 

 is a reciprocal to generation : and they two are as 

 nature s two terms or boundaries ; and the guides to 

 life and death. Putrefaction is the work of the 

 spirits of bodies, which ever are unquiet to get forth 

 and congregate with the air, and to enjoy the sun 

 beams. The getting forth, or spreading of the 

 spirits, which is a degree of getting forth, hath five 

 differing operations. If the spirits be detained 

 within the body, and move more violently, there 

 folio weth colliquation, as in metals, &c. If more 

 mildly, there followeth digestion or maturation, as in 

 drinks and fruits. If the spirits be not merely 

 detained, but protrude a little, and that motion be 

 confused and inordinate, there followeth putrefac- 



