PHYSIOLOGICAL REMAINS. 193 



The making of gold seemeth a thing scarcely 

 possible ; because gold is the heaviest of metals, and 

 to add matter is impossible : and again, to drive 

 metals into a narrower room than their natural 

 extent beareth, is a condensation hardly to be ex 

 pected. But to make silver seemeth more easy, 

 because both quicksilver and lead are weightier than 

 silver ; so as there needeth only fixing, and not con 

 densing. The degree unto this that is already 

 known, is infusing of quicksilver in a parchment, or 

 other wise, in the midst of molten lead when it cooleth ; 

 for this stupifieth the quicksilver that it runneth no 

 more. This trial is to be advanced three ways. 

 First, by iterating the melting of the lead, to see 

 whether it will not make the quicksilver harder and 

 harder. Secondly, to put realgar hot into the midst 

 of the quicksilver, whereby it may be condensed, as 

 well from within as without. Thirdly, to try it 

 in the midst of molten iron, or molten steel, which 

 is a body more likely to fix the quicksilver than 

 lead. It may be also tried, by incorporating powder 

 of steel, or coppel dust, by pouncing, into the quick 

 silver, and so to proceed to the stupifying. 



Upon glass four things would be put in proof. 

 The first, means to make the glass more crystalline. 

 The second, to make it more strong for falls, and 

 for fire, though it come not to the degree to be 

 malleable. The third, to make it coloured by tinc 

 tures, comparable to or exceeding precious stones. 

 The fourth, to make a compound body of glass and 

 galletyle ; that is, to have the colour milky like a 



VOL. vii. o 



