QUESTIONS TOUCHING MINERALS. 409 



whatsoever is of this kind, is very diligently to be en- 

 quired. 



Also it is to be enquired what time or age will reduce 

 without help of fire or body. 



Also it is to be enquired what gives impediment to 

 union or restitution, which is sometimes called mortifi- 

 cation ; as when quicksilver is mortified with turpen- 

 tine, spittle, or butter. 



Lastly, it is to be enquired how the metal restored 

 differeth in any thing from the metal rare : 1 as whether 

 it become not more churlish, altered in colour, or the 

 like. 



Dr. MevereTs answers touching the restitutions of metals and 

 minerals. 



Reduction is chiefly effected by fire, wherein if they stand 

 and nele, the imperfect metals vapour away, and so do all 

 manner of salts which separated them in minimas paries 

 before. 



Reduction is singularly holpen by joining store of metal 

 of the same nature with it in the melting. 



Metals reduced are somewhat churlish, but not altered in 

 colour. 



l So orig. The translation nas crude. 



