1 66 A Tretfife ^/BODIES. Chap, i f. 



parts of the watcr.nor of the fire that make thcmfelves away into 

 the body of thegolil,are fmall and jfubtile enough to get between, 

 the parts that corrjpofe the eflence of it:and therefore all they can 

 attain unto, is to divide it onejy in his quantity or bulk, not 

 in the composition of its nature. 



Yet I intend not to deny but that this is poflible to be arri- 

 ved unto, either by pure fire duly applyed. or by fome other at- 

 finance; as peradventure by fome kind of Mercury; which be- 

 irgof a nearer cognation unto mctalh then any other liquour 

 js.inay happily have a more powerfull ingreflion into gold .then 

 any other body whatsoever; and being withall very fubje<5V to 

 rarefaction, it may (after it 1$ entered) fo perfectly penetrate the 

 gold, as it may Separate every leaft part of ic, and to reduce it 

 into an abfolute calx. But in this place I explicate no more 

 then what ordinarily pafTeth, leaving the myfteries of this art 

 to thole who profeffe it. 



6. To goon then with what we have in hand: lead hath abua- 



whyieuJisea. dance of water overminelcd with its earth, as appearcch by its 



fi v trcnfumcd r . . .. , . ,, . n J- t_ 



and caicr.cd eafie yifkljiig to be bent any way, and by its quiet Itanding bent 

 Ly fitc. i ;1 ^e f atT)C pofition that the force which bowed it Icaveth it in. 



And therefore the liquid parts of lead, areeafily feparatcd from 

 its dry and earthy ones: and when it is melted, the very fluking 

 of it, catifcth the grctfe parts to descend, and many liquid ones 

 to flic away with the fire; fo that fuddenly it is thus converted 

 into powder. But this powder is grofle in rcfpe^l of other me- 

 talls; unlcfTc this operation be often reiterated , or the fire more 

 powerfully applyaithen what is juft enoi'gh to bring the body 

 of the lead into powder. 



The next connderation of bodies that fire worketh upon, is 

 of U:ch as it dividcth into fpirits,falts,oyles ) wacers j or phlegms, 

 by fire andcarth. Now thefe are not pure and fimplc parts of the d'n- 

 .fah!; folvcd boi^y, but new expounded bodies made of the firlt by 

 an / ea j lh ; AnU ' the operation of heat. As ftnoke is not pure water, but water 

 C r. ;^l .fire tcgctlicr : and therefore bccometh not water but by- 

 cooling, that is, by the fire flying away from it. So Jikcvviie 

 thofc fpirits, f'l'cs, oyls, and the vcf^ ; arc but dorc of cliiwgs 

 which fire makc<h of ciivcrie parts of the diiioJved body, by ic- 

 pnracingthcm one from another, -and incorporating it Iclfwith 

 t!>cm. And fo tlicy arc all of them compounded of the foure ele- 

 and arc further reiblvablc in:o them. Yet: 



