Chap. if. A Treatifc ^/BODIES. 169 



in every part ) but that onely Tome parts containing the whole 

 fubftanccjor rather the nature of the whole fubftance in them, arc 

 feparatcd from other parts that have likewife the fame nature in 

 them. ^ 



The third inftrument Tor the reparation and difTolution of bo- g. 

 dies is water, whofe proper matter to work upon is fait. And it HOW water the 

 lerveth to fupply what the fire could not perform , which is the mem to d 

 Reparation of the fait from the earth in calcined bodies. All the todies, di 

 othcr parts fire was able to (ever, but in theie he hath fo baked fair, an 

 the little humidity he hath left in them with their much earth; T 

 as he cannot divide them any %r-ther. And (b though he incor- 

 poratcth himfelf with them.yet he can carry nothing away with 

 him. If then pare water be put upon that chalk, the fubtileft dry 

 parts of it do eafily joyn to the fupervenient moyfture, & flick- 

 ing clofe to it do draw it down to them: but because they are the 

 lighter, it happeneth to them as when a man in a boat pulleth 

 the land to him; thatcometh no: to him, but he rcinoveth hiin- 

 felf and his boat to it: fo thele afcend in the water as they dif- 

 fblve. And the water more and more penetrating them, and by 

 addition of its parts making the humidity which gleweth their 

 earthy parts together greater and greater, doch make a wider 

 and wider feparation between thofe little earthy parts; and fb 

 imbueth the whole body of the water wich them, into which 

 they are difperfed in little atomes.Thofe that are of biggefl bulk 

 remain loweft, in the water. And in the fame meafure as their 

 quantities diffolve into leffe and lefie, they afcend higher and 

 higher in the water; till at tiie length the water is hilly -reple- 

 niQicd with them, and they are diffused through the whole bo- 

 dy of it: whiles the more grofle and heavic earthy parts ^having 

 nothing i%the;ii to make a preicnt combination between them 

 and the water) do fall down to the bottom, and (ctcle under the 

 water in duft. 



In which becaufe earth alone doth predominate in a very 

 great excefiCjWe can expect no oilier virtue to b? in it, but that 

 which is proper to mere earth ; to wit, drineiie and we-ii;'-.:. 

 Which ordinary Alchymifts look not after: and therefore cull ic 

 terra damnata ' but others find a fixing quality in ir> by which 

 they perform very admirable operations. Now if you pourc 

 the impregnated water from the tcrr* dtimnaia, and then eva- 



norate 



