36 Mayow 



terra damnata are to be found in almost every thing. 

 Water seems to be a suitable vehicle for nitro-aerial 

 spirit and sulphur, and together with terra damnata 

 contributes to the building up of the frame of things 

 in due strength and consistency. 



Thus far of the elements viewed in themselves ; we 

 have next to consider them in regard to how far they 

 act on each other and mutually enter into various 

 combinations. Hence proceed the internal move- 

 ments of things and their rise and destruction. 



First then, in the birth of plants, the nitro-aerial 

 spirit or Mercury when set in motion by the impulse 

 of solar rays descends in virtue of its very penetrating 

 nature into the depths of the earth and attacks there 

 its most bitter en^my terrestrial sulphur, firmly 

 united with fixed salt and nearly hidden and buried 

 in its embrace ; and by its very frequent vibrations 

 lashes and wears it. The sulphur thus aroused and 

 to some extent liberated from its terrestrial yoke by 

 the frequent blows of the nitro-aerial particles begins 

 a contest with its nitro-aerial foe, and from their 

 mutual disturbance a rather notable effervescence is 

 excited in the bosom of the earth, as we have indi- 

 cated above. Meanwhile the particles of fixed salt 

 held in the embrace of the sulphur are so worn by 

 numerous strokes of the nitro-aerial spirit that they 

 are brought at last into a fluid condition in the way 

 described above. And by these, when liquefied, any 

 fixed salt still adhering to the terrestrial sulphur is 

 lixiviated (as was shown above). And so at last the 

 nitro-aerial Mercury, having according to his furtive 

 nature secretly entered the territory of his enemy 

 sulphur and robbed him of his saline consort, wedded 

 to her as to a suitable spouse succumbs, fixed by fate 

 of an unhappy marriage, and almost buried in her 



