u 
N aturall Hiftorj : 
j 
Experiment 
Solitary tou¬ 
ching the Ma¬ 
ture of Gold. 
328 
Fifth is, chat there bee Choyce made of the Ukelieft and be ft Trepa 
red Meta!l,forthe Ferfon : For that will facilitate the worke. 
The Sixth is, chat you giueriw<?« 0 H££ fortheWorke : Not to 
prolong Hopes (as the Alchy mills doe; ) but indeed to giue 
j Nature aeonucnient Space to workein. Thefe Principles are 
mod cercaine,and true j wc will now deriucadiredion of Trial 
oucof them j which may (perhaps^ by further Meditation, bee 
improued. 
Let there be a Small Furnace made, of a T mperate Heat ; Let the Heat 
bee filch, as may keepe the detail perpetually Maul ten, and no more ; For 
that aboue all importeth to the Worke. For the Materiall, take Sd- 
uer , which is the Metall that in Nature Symbolizeth moft with Gold • 
Put in alfo j with the SUtter 3 a Tenth Part of Quick filuer , and a Twelfth 
Part of Nitre, by weight • Both thefe to quicken and open the Body of 
the Metall • And fb let the Worke bee continued by the space of six Mo - 
f*tf/tf,atthelealL Iwifhaifo, that there be, at fome times, anlnie&i- 
on of fome Oyled Sub fiance • Such as they vfe in the Recouering of 
Gold : whichby Vexingwith Separations hath bcene made Churhfh: 
And this is to lay the Parts more Clofe and Smooth, which is the 
Maine Wcrke. For Gold (as wee fee) is the Clofell (and therefore the 
Heauicft) of Metalls : And is likewife the mod Flexible, and Tennble. 
Note, that to thinketo make Gold of Quick-filuer, becaufeit isthehea-j 
uieft, is a Thing not to bee hoped j For Quick-filuer will nor endure the 
Mannage of the Fire. Next to Siluer, I thinke Copper were httell to be the 
Materiall. 
G old hath thefe Natures • Great nsffe of weight-, Clofeneffeof Parts - 
Fixation ; Pliantnejfe, or So\tnef]e • Immunity from Rujl . Colour , or 
Tin flare of Tetlow. Therefore the Sure Way, (though moft about,) to 
make Golf is to know the Cau/es of theSeuerall Natures before rehear- 
- fed, and the Axiomes concerning the fame. For if a Man can make a 
MetaU , that hath all thefe Properties 3 Let Men difpute, whether it be Gold 
or no? 
Experiments 
in Contort 
touching the 
VHtreftMkn. 
The Enduring and Accelerating of Putrefaction, is a Subicdf 
ofa very Vniucrfall Enquiry : ¥ ox Corruption is a. Reciprocal! 
AuSwgot ^Generation : And they Two, are as Natures twoTermes or 
Bundaries , And the Guides to Life and Death; Putrefaction is 
the worke of the Spirits of Bodies, which euer are Vnquiet t o 
j Get forth , and Congregate with the Aire , and to enioy the S un¬ 
hemes: ThcGettingfirtb , or Spreading of the Spirits , ( which 
is a Degree of Getting forth,) hath hue Differing Operations . If 
the 
