The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony. 93 



thereof, and earnestly ask the student to 

 bear in mind that fire is the sure key by 

 which access is obtained to most of the 

 secrets of our Art. This mineral pre- 

 paration of Antimony is prepared in 

 various manners by the regimen of fire 

 and by a multiple manual operation, 

 whence its medicinal activity, virtue, 

 potency, and colour flow and emanate. 



As Antimony is distinguished by a 

 crude, black colour, variegated with white, 

 I will now speak of the first operation to 

 which the substance is subjected, viz., 

 calcination, or incineration, which 

 carried out in the following manner : 



Take best Hungarian Antimony, or 

 any kind you can~get ; pulverize it asTine- 

 ly as possible, spread thinly on an earth- 

 enwarejdish (round or square) provided 

 with a low margin ; place the dish on a 

 calcinatory furnace over a coal fire, which 

 should at first be moderate. As soon as 

 you see smoke rise from the Antimony, 

 stir it about with an iron spoon, and con- 

 tinue doing so till there is no more 

 smoke, and the Antimony sticks together 



