( 7 8o) 
tht celebrated great things petform'dbyChimftry, faid, that, 
to convince him, all was not vain what this Art profeffed, he 
did herewith truft him with a fnaall powder, fcarce of the 
weight of a Barly-corne, on condition, that after the procefs, 
he was to make with it, in 6 houres time, he fliould return it 
to him. This procefs was, That he Ihould take 3 or 4/. of 
Fountain ot River- water in a Glafs, and caft this powder into it, 
Hid by frequently fhaking the Glafs, make fomething of the 
powder incorporate with the water. Then, after fome hours, 
he (hould decant the liquor into another Veffel, and dry the 
powder. All which the faid San-Simon performed. The 
ftranger being return'dat night, taketh his powder again, and 
bids Sun- Simon to put fome ounces of common Mercury into 
the impregnated Water,and to look for a beneficial germinati- 
on, when he was gone. Eight ounces being put in, after a lit- 
tle while there were feen to rife by little and little out of the 
Mercury a thoufand fmall Silver-like branches or threds,fpread- 
ing themfelves eyery where through the whole Liquor 3 and 
fho'ot jng up even above the furface of the Water, on which ap- 
peared here and there an oleofity, that was taken off, as being 
fome matter of a groffeexcrementitious nature, and heteroge- 
neous to the fubftance it felf of the Mercury , hindring the coa- 
gulation of the Mercury, but being remov'd, the Mercury runs 
and fticks clofe together, and becomes a firm MettalJ. San- 
Simon having powred out the liquor into another Glafs , ga- 
thered the branches, and found them by the beft Goldfmiths of 
that place efteem'd very excellent pure Silver, after the fevereft 
examinations by Fire. After this, San-Simon poures new 
Mercury to the remainder,anci fees a new Wood arife like the for- 
mer, very pure Silver likewife 5 repeating it to the fixth time, 
alwayes with good fuccefs, yet fo, that by degrees rhe liquor 
grew languid, and at laft was quite deprived of its force: ma- 
ny perfons flocking in, and beholding the wonder. 
A nother Obfervation is of a Buctil Salt, faid to have been 
made by himfelf of Sal Armoniack , often diflblved in a large 
Glafs . and frequently and flowly Chryftallifed , whence at 
length proceeded Chryftals as long as the Veflel was large $ 
fome of them being at times 6 inches long, flexible, and ape 
to 
