blackned with Gauls as Vitriol of Iron is or because it cannot be distilled as Common Vitriol may as some foolishly give forth but why will you fantastically put a force upon Nature from those Accidents which are not common to all Vitriol Surely that Wise Mistriss doth little esteem not only the contumelies of venemous Tongues but she doth as much undervalue the old doting Fables of Wordy Doctors who refuse to learn Attend therefore diligently that you may be informed That as I have shewed a little before of Acids They bring Alcalyes to their will so it must needs happen here For when Natural Acid hath by chance corroded immature Iron then they are both coagulated into Vitriol of Iron which being mingled with Juice of Galls yields a black colour by reason of the Iron and not by reason of the Acid. And when the same Natural Acid hath by chance corroded immature Copper then they are both coagualted into Vitriol of Copper which though mixed with Juice of Galls grows not black yet it is and is also called both by the Skilful and Unskilful Vitriol That Natural Acid drawn forth by Distillation when it hath corroded Iron is coagulated again into Vitriol of Iron of a green colour The same Acid when it hath corroded Copper they are both coagulated into Vitriol of an * Coelesâ—iâ—i Azure colour So the same Acid when it hath corroded Alcaly of Tartar they are both coagulated into Vitriol of a White colour which is nothing else but regenerated Vitriol as my Hippocrates shews Chap. 17. Which Book I would wish you to read over before you rail against the Works of Nature But why your Common Vitriolate Tartar cannot be distilled Why Vitriolate Tartar made the Common way is not Distillable I will now clearly demonstrate That Natural Acidity which hath corroded Iron being Healthful Grateful and Precious is sought after by many but found by few I say This is attempted to be extracted out of the corroded and immature Metal by Art and the help of Fire in Distillation but seeing it cannot never be alone as Hip. de Diaet hath taught it easily carries off with it is like i. e. the Immature and Volatile Metalline Sulphur because the wind carries both in its womb and it becomes Common Spirit of Vitriol Austere and Corrosive by reason of the inseparable immature Metalline Sulphur mixed with it This Common and sourish Liquor of Vitriol however rectified yet contains in it the Sulphureous Liquamen of the Metal upon this ground that it can never be alone as in the progress will clearly appear If this Spirit or Liquor be poured on Alcaly of Tartar untilthe noise cease The Alcaly is impregnated but not with a Natural but a Metalline Acid the Aust erity of the immature Metalline Sulphur having the dominion and so a Son is begotten which must needs resemble the properties of his Father i. e. be fixed and constant in the Fire Lo here your Doctorships may see the reason why your Vitriolate Tartar cannot be Distilled For in that instant of Coition when the more powerful is embraced by the Alcaly The third because it is wealâ— is strangled and slain as will appear by little and little to the Reader This is That which the barren approvers with those which went before them were hitherto ignorant of I do call together with the company of Ancient Philosophers This Son of Metalline Sulphur Alcaly made Regenerated Vitriol Regenerated Vitriol because it hath laid down its Iron or Earthly Body and shines again re-produced in a brighter form Wherefore the soul of the imperfect Metal hid in the fowre Acid Spirit forms to it self a Fixed Body in the Alcaly of Tartar Whence it clearly appears That the Spirit is the Vehicle of the Soul and the Vinculum binding Soul and Body together which in the subsequent Discourse will more evidently appear to the Studious Lovers of the Truth Let us now hear Basilius Valeminus speaking of this Two-fold Spirit of Vitriol not to mention mine own Experience in His Book called Spirit of Vitriol two-fold Repetitio Lapidis Magnis in these words And that you may understand Vitriol says he you must know that it hath two Spirits a White and a Red the White is white Sulphur the Red is red Sulphur He that hath Ears to hear let him hear And let him diligently mark and forget it not for it is a dissicult saying and every word is of great weight the White Spirit of Vitriol is Acid amiable very grateful to the Stomach like Nectar to the Bowels and profitable for Vniversal Concoction but the Red is much more Acid and more weighty than the White and therefore requires a longer time to be extracted by Distillation Hitherto Basilius He that desires more let him consult the cited place the words are of great weight and for good reason cited and transcribed here If therefore the composition of Vitriol be of the Natural Acid amiable and of a sweet smell like Nectar to the Inwards in which no sensible biting is perceived by the Tongue but a spiritual and grateful Acidity Let Bâ—filius Acid Waters and Experience be all witnesses and of Immature Sulphureous Metal which Two cannot possibly be severed by Distillation for the Natural Acidity which is highly Volatile ascends not without its Companion the Acid Sulphur of the immature Metal because it cannot bâ— alone as I have shewn out of Hippocrates and have also learned by experience it remains therefore that it must be catch'd by crafty hands and that in a fit time too when it is asleep There are many private ways which the Studiers of Natures Secrets may take to procure this grateful and much sought for Acid which though many yet all conduce to one end as Geber rightly observes yet This way is not to be despised though the ignorant do contumeliously charge it to procure vomiting and raise many other Symptoms Ah unhappy Patients what Ministers of Nature have you got I speak not to deaf ones as being uncapable but to you who love the Truth I devote and offer this my work Dissolve then Vitriol of Iron I say of Iron which hath no smell of Copper if This cannot be had prepare That as Nature her self shews the way Hippoc. Chymic Chap. 28. For That which is Artificial of the Distilled Acid of Vitriol and Iron will not serve here Tartar Vitriolate of great 〈◊〉 see Hippoc. Chymic Chap. 17. The Roman is the best Instill into this clear Solution the purest Alcaly of Tartar which presently attracts and consumes the Natural Acid The Acid and Alcaly do not wax hot in this Conjunction as before in the Common Preparation of Vitriolate Tartar because the Fire or the Sulphur of the Immature Metal covets the Fire and for the greatest part is separated from the Natural Spirit as by degrees I shall Mechanically demonstrate ad oculum If this Composition seem to thee too thick so that the
and constant which yet as Raimund saith will make the empty Brain of one who hath seen nothing in Philosophy nor is ever like to see to be altogether sottish and stupid Yet in my Hippocrates Chymicus I have demonstrated the Acidity of Gold by two familiar Examples which I shall now again recite out of my late Hippocrates for a solid confirmation of the Truth and the shame of all Zoilusses and Detractors for if you dip the end of an Iron Rod in Gold melted or put to fusion the Iron in a moment will be turned into Scoria or rust as if it were burnt with kindled Sulphur Croâ—us Martâ—â— now unless Gold were Occultly Acid and pinguous as common Sulphur is it would never corrode Iron Those superficial and vain Writers who are enemies to the Doctrine of Hippocrates cannot comprehend this fixed Acid who had rather seem wise than be so much good may their vain applause do them I envy them not for they know no other Acid but that which they dream to distill from Copper which they falsly call Spirit of Venus because out of sloth they deny that there is a fixed Acid in Nature as if That in Copper were Volatile Secondly The purest Gold is dissolved in Aqua Regia instill Alcaly of Tartar into the Solution which will drink up the Acid Spirits even of the Gold it self my Hippocrates Chymicus Chap. 7. shews the Reason viz. Because the Alcaly of Tartar embraces the Nature even of Metals themselves and the Gold so drunk up falls into a Powder of a Yellow Colour Croll us teacheth this Preparation in his Cordial so doth Beguinus under its proper Title Corannocryson Aurum Fulmiâ—naâ—s In this slight Preparation Gold hath acquired a Fulminating or Thundering force because its Sulphur being of its own Nature acetous to use the words of Sendivogius is associated with Artificial Nitre which association is made in the Alcaly of Tartar in the very moment wherein it is poured into the Aqua Regia containing the dissolved Gold The manner how this is to be done is laid down in Hippocrates Chymicus Chap. 7. for those things which have been spoken elsewhere and rightly by others I will not unnecessarily repeat so that Gold unless it were Acid and Pinguous Gold is Sulphur as common Sulphur is would never perform Sulphurous Actions with Nitre as common Sulphur doth with the same Nitre for Gunpowder If then the Sun according to Hormes be the Father of that Vital Spirit which dwells in the Air and Gold and Fire are its Brethren the Sons must necessarily partake of the quality Fire Acid. dispositions and properties of the ParenÌ„t so that it must needs follow by Reason and Authority Experience also a stipulating thereunto that the Vital Spirit of ours the Child of the Sun as also Gold and Fire are Acid and Pinguous wherefore Acid and Pinguous is a most Ancient Principle the Life and Fountain of all things Writers give It several Names as Fire Sun Gold Spirit Sulphur Form Humid Calid Dry and many other Appellations all which are Synonymous signifying the same thing but in different respects diversifyed into several Names But I both here and elswhere call it Acid. This Acid doth occultly lurk in all Seeds because of its self it is a most peaceable and quiet thing in regard Nature hath implanted more of Alcaly than of Acid in every Compositum except Sulphurs and therefore it moves not unless it be excited as we see plainly in Dough of Bread which being excited by a very little Acid Ferment and by Heat is moved and from that Heat and Motion the Acid is multiplied and unless it were bridled and restrained by a heat exceeding the inward i. e. by Artificial Fire it would proceed to Vitality and produce Worms Hence it appears That Natural Fire is quite another thing then Artificial and that these Two differ much from one another Natural Fire Acid. for the Natural or Soft Fire according to Hippocrates as I have shewed in Dough doth Impregnate Cherish Infuse Strength and doth semblably perform all things in its Lesser World which the Sun its Parent doth in the Greater World Hence we may observe A Microcosme what That the proud Name of Microcosme doth not belong onely to Man for every Seed every Worm every Member says Hippocrates hath its Ventricle and may be therefore called a Microcosme But Artificial Fire is an enemy to all Generation it lives upon Prey and Rapine it fubfists by others Ruins being the Destroyer of Life and Enemy of Nature Wherefore from the Sun as from a Fountain Natural Acid and Vital Light do flow forth which in reality are both one only distinguished by their Office for it is the Office of the Acid to pierce into the inwards of Nature whereas Light doth only discover the externals of things however the Beams of the Sun do operate both So that the Sun is the first Natural Organ by whose Access and Recess all the Operations of Nature are variously governed intended and remitted Hence the Ingenious Cosmopolita If there were not a Vegetable power in Sulphur that is a Pinguous Acid and Child of the Sun Water would never be Coagulated into Herbs If therefore the Acid flowing from the Sun be infused into Matter as for Example Mineral presently it receives the determination of the Nature and the Vertue of the Mineral The like may be said of other Animals and Vegetables too as Lully speaks and because this Natural Acidity is coupled with all Matter in the World it hath therefore the Name of Mercury given it by the Wise And though the Eyes of the Vulgar do daily behold this multiplication and also incorporation of the Natural Acid yet they do not understandingly consider it Take the Mine of Salt-petre at Padua The Mother of Nitre for an Example which is now exhausted but in Five or Seven years time will be filled again for the Earth is its Nurse as Hermes testifies whence it is That this Spirit assumes a Body in it and becomes inflammable Nitre But I have a greater thing to speak off There 's an Island in the Tuscane Sea commonly called Little Elbe Elbe the Mether of Iron containing twenty Italian Miles in compass very Rich in Iron from which that Metal hath been dug out for many ages and is so to this day so that not only the Mountains there but the two Islands also must needs have been dug through and exhausted yet nevertheless Iron once dug forth in twenty years renews again and now more and better than formerly because the Alcaly or Mother of the Mineral there is again exsaturated from the Vital Fountain and takes the determination of Metal so becomming Iron Also the evacuated Mine of Vitriol in Carinthia Mother of Vitriol first being exposed to the free and open Air and afterwards covered for some years is again replenished so that Calid most acutely Teaches That the Roots
out of which it was made and again is Congealed into Verdigreese the Faeces being rejected c. Spirit of Venus made This purged Aerago or eroded Brass is distilled with an open Fire out of a plated Retort and afrerwards is rectified out of Sand. Lo here Thou Mystes of Nature This is that Spirit of Venus and asecret menstruum as Alcahest see Hippoc. Chymic Chap. 29. which the Deans and Doctors of the Austrian and Norinberg Physick with their Fellows do adore for the Son of Venus of whom Epictetus sayes well Many are word-wife not deed-wise The proâ—city and filthy licentiousness that Venus is accused of by the many but vain clamours of false witnesses viz. that It admits of Five Lovers in one Act hath drawn Philosophers not only to the admiration but even to the unbelief thereof unless they had also known That in the Court of Accusation a multitude of Witnesses is many times loathsome and suspected by the Judges especially since they are not ignorant that in Nature Love is so far from admiting Five that it endures not a Third whence it is That they rather give sentence against the Accusers and say That as Venus upon Examination notwithstanding the false Imputations of her Accusers is found chaste and constant to one Male so it may likewise happen that any man may grow Famous from such Accusations as many have done who were otherwise unknown 'T is known to be True That indeed Venus is Lascivious Copper growe green from all Acids and that she admits every Male that is all Acids as well Occult as Manifest as Vinegar Oyl Suet Sugar Honey c. I say they all wax green with Copper without any difference into her Imbraces so that all Males are hot in Love i. e. wax green with Her But witness Alcaly the Mother of Natural Things She is never ravished with the delight of any of them to a del quium but only with her own Brother But that this discourse may appear more clear we will setch the Doctrine of it a little higher viz. That the Acid of every Vegetable drawn forth either by Fermentation on Distillation or Expression whether it be Occult or Manifest if it be poured on the Alcaly of Tartar doth inform the fame Alcaly with the Soul of That from whence it was taken and it is made a Salt of the same Acid Nature as I have shewed in the beginning of this Chapter by the Graines of Kermes in which the Deans with their Fellows deny that there is any Acid i. e. any Seminal Vertue and by Meal out of which They boast they can distill Acid Spirit of Sal Armoniackâ— see also Hippoc. Chymic Chap 2. and the end of Chap. 17. So also Vinegar of Wine distilled and cast upon Alcaly of Tartar to fatiety is Coagulated into Tartar Artificial Tartar and 〈◊〉 of the same Nature with the Wine from whence the Vinegar was taken This Tartar if it be distilled out of a Retort with Fire of Sand or an open Fire there comes forth a fat Oyl and bitterish Liquor as in the Distillation of Common Tartar I have also shewed the same thing Artificial Silt. in the beginning of this Chapter concerning Nitre concerning Salt concerning Allum and also concerning Vitriol for all Acid Liquor joyned with Alcaly doth impregnate it with the Soul of that Body from which it was reduced and forms a Body to it self ad Lubitum i.e. like its own proper Nature Let us see now Spirit of Venus â—reduced to an Examen for a Tryal of the Verity and Glory of Noble Physick whether That Vinegar Distilled from Verdigrease which they do so solicitously endeavour to keep from the Examen of Learned Men be the Legitimate Son of Venus or no I have shewed That Acid is the one only Spirit of the World and the Child of the Sun which is not found naked upon the earth but refusing to be alone It assumes Matter wherewith it dwells encreaseth regerminates and is multiplied sometimes as the Artificer pleases for his proper ends This when it falls on the seed of Copper that I may so speak it cloaths it self with the Nature of Copper in a long and laborious work Therefore it is not separable from Copper it self unless by the total destruction of the Copper as the example of Salt of Tartar in my Hippoc. Chymic Chap 10. doth shew for carrying in it the least Odor of a Metalline Nature it cannot descend to the Nature of Vegetables And the same Spirit falling upon the Seed of a Vine Clothes it self there with the indoles of the Vine and in like manner cannot ascend to the Nature of Minerals as I have demonstrated out of Lully and by Experience yea it is not separated from the Disposition or Indoles of the Vine unless being dissolved or loosned from its Body by Nature and Art it return to the Element of Air whence it came as Hippoc. Chymic in the fore-cited 10. and 18. Chapters shews The same is also to be understood of Salt of Vitriol of Nitre and of all the Things in the World for this cause because Art cannot create Seeds he that boasts he can do it Cosmopolita proves him to be a Deceiver so that every Spirit either Occultly or Manifestly Acid hath but one only Soul within it with which it being inseparably joyned doth constitute the Form of That Body in which it determines to dwell from which wehn it is extracted and again instilled upon a new Alcaly and is absorbed by it it takes upon it the like Body wherewith it was cloathed before or from whence it was first extracted but that Body somewhat clearer an Infallible Argument That a Spirit either Occultly or Manifestly Acid is the Vehicle of the Soul and the Bond uniting Soul and Body together And unless the Spirit of all Things in the Universe were Acid it could not invisibly carry in its Belly or Womb the Aima or Soul of the Body as Hermes and Experience Teach Let us now return to the Child new born which the Sworn Servant of Venus have lately begun to nominate and to commend for the Son or Spirit of Venus peremptorily also affirming That This hath drawn mighty Vertues from his Mother or Copper but they consider not that the Vertues of Things as also the force of Purgatives do confist in their Soul which I have shewed in the first Chapter to be a Child of the Sun The Vertue of Purgatives whence and to be inseparably joyned to the Spirit of that Thing both which do constitute that Eximious Vertue which is in Copper which Spirit ought again to manifest it self in Alcaly if it did flow in an Acid form as I have experimentally shewed to the Eyc concerning other Spirits and concerning Alcaly of Tartar Let us now proceed to Experience and to make Trial of this Acid and Rectifyed Spirit of Venus saturated to Susliciency Spirit of Venus in Alcaly made Tartar
with Alcaly of Tartar as I have formerly taught conconcerning Salt Vinegar and Distilled Nitre i. e. Thus Pour so much of This Spirit on the Alcaly of Tartar till the hissing cease near upon equal parts suffer the abounding or exceeding Flegme to exhale or if you will distill it carefully to Siceity distill that Flegm from an high Glass in Balneo and there will come forth Aqua Ardens see Hippoc. Chymic Chap. 18. and you shall sind regenerated Tartar of the same Nature Condition and Property that That was which was above generated from Vinegar of Wine for it is the very same for if it hid any thing of the Nitre the Allum or the Copper hid in it as they ignorantly give forth they would all be manifested in the Alcaly of Tartar as I have Mechanically shewed above But it must needs be that This Spirit can have no other Instruments but distilled Vinegar since it can only make a Body of Tartar for it self Whence this Spirit hath been presently known by Philosophers Spirit of Venus which is as Alcahest is known to be Vinegar not for the Immortal Son of Venus or as Alcahest but for the True Genuine Brother of Vinegar of Wine and that not Spurious neither as my Revilers and Reproachers have published to the World but the Legitimate Son of the Vine which hereafter will count it an impious thing to be reviled by unskilful Masters Therefore in this regeneration He was willing again to discover himself to the Curious and to the Lovers of Truth for the True and Natural Brother of Vinegar of Wine i. e. for Distilled Vinegar Now that nothing may be wanting to this Enquiry but all doubt taken away viz. that This Spirit which they dream to be the Child of Venus hath acquired no Constancy no Immortality or excellent Vertues from the Copper nor that it is as Alcahest as the Deans with their Fellows do cant you may learn by this Experiment Take this regenerated Tartar to wit from the Imaginary Spirit of Venus and the Alcaly of Tartar distill It out of a Retort as you did before and there will extil an Oyl of a loathsome smell together with a bitterish Water as I have shewed a little before from regenerated Tartar out of simply Distilled Vinegar Out of what hath been spoken it appears that whatsoever is distilled from the Alcaly of Tartar which is impregnated with Distilled Vinegar i. e. the bitterish Water Aqua Ardens and the Oyl taking Flame the same thing is distilled from Alcaly of Tartar impregnated with fained Spirit of Venus to wit bitterish Water Aqua Adrens and Oyl taking Flame Spirit of Venus is Distilled Vinegar and so That Spirit of Venus since it hath all the Properties and Operatious of Vinegar is nothing else nor never will be than distilled Vinegar Witness Aristotle and Experience But leaving this puny vain and futile Society to please themselves in their foolish Detrectings I convert my Speech to you O ye famous Lights of the World That you may judge of the Truth herein not that I would trouble you to vindicate it from the fained and rash Contumelies of such clamorous Reproachers since it appears out of Pliny That when Frogs croak more than ordinary it is a sign of a Tempest ensuing supposing then but not granting that one drop of Acid contains only the 8200 part of the Eximious Vertue of Copper I say this so small part ought yet under the heat of Fermentation to extend it self and to regenerate if not in Vegetable Alcaly yet at least in Metalline as the order of Fermentation elsewhere shews so that it would turn though not much yet a small quantity of the Metalline Alcaly into Copper no otherwise then the Vertue of Acid Vegetables and the mid-sort of Minerals doth transmute Alcaly of Tartar into a Salt of its own proper Nature as I have before said and proved but as the Antecedent and their Premises are false and favour of gross ignorance so is the Consequence Again supposing but not granting That Vinegar did carry off with it such eximious Vertues from Copper as they unlearnedly and without truth affirm yet I could never find eithe ramongst Philosophers or Physicians that It was assumed within the Body but whatsoever was got from the Copper was always used outwardly for Chirurgical Operations And although mighty Vertues might be drawn forth and distilled out of Copper by Vinegar which I have shewed to be impossible why is not the same Eximious Vertue drawn forth with less labour out of immature Copper since it is easier to go one Mile than two Why should my regenerated Vitriol prepared from Crude Vitriol of Mars procure monstrous Vomitings and Suffocations This sained yet prâ—sed Spirit of Venus is 〈◊〉 a counter â—â— Pâ—â—acta and Alcahist is if you draw forth such Eximious Vertues from mature Copper by Vinegar to which you subjoyn these losty but most false words This most praise-worthy Spirit is not only of great use in Physick seeing in highly Cures and Relieves the Epilepsy Appolexy Histerical and Hypochondriatal Listempers but is as the Liquor Alcahest and not as other Acid Spirits which by Solution do suffer and are destroyed and so turned into another ens See Hippoc. Chy. mic Chap. 29. Now let the Reader who loves the Truth judge whether any thing could have been devised more sottish than to affirm That the regenerated Vitriol of Philosophers educed from an Immature Mine of Iron is pernicious and deadly when we see that every year some Myriads of Men do drink even in great quantity Acid Waters saturated with Immature Iron and Natural Spirit and that with great benefit and advantage and also That the great Imaginary Vertue extracted with Vinegar out of Mature Copper if there were any such is a Panacea I may very aptly apply hither That of Plautus nothing can be more foolishly sottishly or falsly spoken It remaines that we bring That most praised Spirit of Venus which they fay is as Alcahest by dissolving some Body unto an Examen Now Alcahest is described by Helmont to be an Eximious Liquor Alcahest what (a) Pharm 14 ti be got by the Art or Labour of Sophia (b.) Imâ—g Form S. 8. which doth not only resolve every visible Body into its first Matter (c.) Verb. explic but is moreover Immortaland Incorruptable (d.) Arcana Paracels it putrifies Nature and takes away all Diseases (e.) Potesl Medic. S. 4. 2. but it is not given to putative and empty Doctors but to well Lined and rich Vnderstandings (f.) Arboravita in sine So Helmont Now let the equal Reader Judge whether this praised Vinegar of these Prateing and Wordy Doctors which is Distilled from Copper be alike in Vertue to Alcahest Truly if this their foolish Assertion were profoundly examined and laid before the Eyes of the Readers it would move Nauseousness and Indignation and therefore I shall discover their Vanity by Experience
efficacious This distilled Spirit of Vitriol if it again corrode any thing either Iron or Copper and be coagulated with it and again be re-distilled from it the Liquor indeed returns Acid of the same nature but much more subtle because that in all Coagulation every Salt or Saline Spirit loses of its Radical Humid what that is I shall shew anon when of necessity it must lay down its Earth the Vulgar call it its Faex and so the Lumen must be more contracted But from the repeated Coagulation and Distillation It returns more watery and at last returns to Elements as I have Mechanically shewed in Alcaly of Tartar for Example in my Hippoc. Chymic Chap. 10. After the same manner and fashion Counterfeit Spirit of Venus by repeated Solution Coagulation and Distillation re-passes into Elements for as often as it dissolves Corals or any other thing I began with Corals and will end with Them and is afterwards Coagulated and Exsiccated with the same Corals so often it lays down its Earth or Alcaly and as much Earth as it lays down so much Acid Salt the Corals do drink up because this cannot be alone and the Vinegar becomes so much the more Aqueous and by repeated labour at last returns to Element i. e. into Insipid Water but the Earth and Acid Salt gave weight to the Corals which also pass out of them by repeated Distillation and go to their own Country after the same manner as I have shewed concerning Wine in Hippoc. Chymic chap. 18. Now that Vinegar or Spirit of Vitriol poured on Copper Why Vinegar returns Acid from Copper and not from Alcaly and re-distilled do return Acid but from the Alcaly of Tartar Insipid and Aqueous the reason is because Alcaly being a Vacuum saturated it self with Acid Salt which dwelt in the Aqueous Liquor whence the Acid Salt converts and transmutes the Alcaly into its own nature But Copper is not a Vacuum for the Acid or Form of Copper doth overcome its Alcaly and therefore it doth not absorb Acid Salts and though they act and are busie about It and do erode its body yet they can make no impression of any of their Form or Vertues nor can they destroy It because Copper hath obtained a constant Soul from Nature or to speak in Plautus's Phrase it hath Acid in its breast Again Why from Lead insipid They demand why Vinegar is re-distilled from Copper even as it was poured on but from Lead Insipid Although I am almost ashamed to handle This or the like Childish Question yet being moved with commiseration towards those unskilful and sluggish Doctors hoping that this my present answer may be for their future amendment I shall willingly repeat my former answer I told you that Copper hath a prevailing Acid whence it is that it resists not only Vinegar and the Counterfeit Spirit of Venus but also all Acid Minerals but Lead hath obtained but a very little particle of It by Nature and therefore it imbibes every Acid in hopes of Perfection that I may so speak as I have shewed in Alcalyes This is the cause why Lead is similitudinarily called by Philosophers The first matter of Metals or the Alcaly of Metals in respect of other Metals which are more or less richer in Acid. Gold is most Acid and therefore most perfect as I have shewed in the 2. Chapter See how easily I have extricated my self out of these great Difficulties Some of Ours may wonder why I spend time in a matter so plain for Basilius Valentinus an Age ago hath taught us how to prepare this Vinegar out of Aerugo in juventure and he called it not by the name of Spirit of Venus Spirit of Venus is Vinegar but Vinegar for he knew well so do not the Deans and their Fellows that it was established by the decree of the Supream Creator That the more excellent Nature should not degenerate into the worser which is proved by the remaining Faex or Caput Mortuum left in the Retort after the distillation of this Vinegar which with Borax by an easie Fusion returns into Copper an evident Argument That Copper lost none of its Substance or excellent Vertue as they say See more in my Hppocrates Chymicus chap. 29. For conclusion of this Chapter I repeat That whatsoever the World hath is begot preserved and multiplied by the Acid Spirit either Occult or Manifest to which it owes its All And That the Soul dwells in the Acid and is inseparably bound to it and that the Body or Alcaly is informed according to the property of the Acid Spirit If therefore Nature be alike in every thing and Art doth imitate Nature as Pythagoras Hippocrates and Experience teach it must needs follow That when the Acid Spirit of Vinegar distilled from Verdigrease hath corroded Corals and hath been absorbed by Them and coagulated with them then the Corals will be endued with the properties and conditions of Vinegar not that the innate Acid or Form of Corals doth perish but only is suppressed by a more powerful Acid as I have shewed before in the Magistery If therefore your celebrated Spirit of Venus lawfully and duly as they say exhibited though they never yet shewed the way helps Hippochondriacal Epileptical and Hysterical Distempers c. the Magistery of Corals which with a proud and swoln breast they call Our Soluble Magistery made with Spirit of Venus must needs perform much greater things if otherwise the Spirit must animate the Body to whom it is joyned as I have hitherto clearly and experimentally shewn and shall hereafter shew But as their Spirit of Venus lawfully and duly administred is the best to season a Vinegar Vessel so also it hath and will always retain the nature of Wine-Vinegar till it become like Alcahest But our Master Deans with the rest of their Colledg-Company out of the treasure of their Liberality have lately discovered to us a great Secret which had lain hid to this very day Vinegar cleanseth viz. That their Counterfeit Spirit of Venus helps the Tooth-ach neither could we learn it out of Dioscorides his History of Vinegar unless it had been discovered to the World in a Dream or by hidden Revelation But as Vinegar doth dissolve Corals so it scours off and takes away the hardned Mucus or Filth about the Teeth that the Gums may be again united to the Teeth for sound and sharp-pointed Gums admit not Pain but when they are forced to recede by Filth and the Teeth are never so little denudated or bared presently upon the solution of a continuum the Blood sours putrefies and is coagulated there into an hard Faex which some but improperly call Tartar which Faex when it is abraded or taken off with Vinegar or Spirit of Salt or else with an Instrument of Iron presently the Teeth find relief And thus you have O ye sincere lovers of Truth the entire Tragoedy the Rise and Overthrow of this Celebrated Spirit of Venus which