Part 2

In the Receiver was seven Drams of most pure Mercury reviv’d from this Powder. In the Bottom of the Retort were 15 Grains of a dark, subtle, and fixed Powder, in so strong and lasting a Fire. There was a broad Spot, very thin, of a beautiful red, impressed on the Bottom of the Retort, and, as it were, penetrating into the Glass.

COROLLARIES.

1. Mercury by Fire alone is changed into the Powder above describ’d. (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.)

2. This Powder, by Fire alone, but a stronger, is changed into Mercury.

3. Thus the Serpent that has bitten itself dies.

4. It arises again more glorious from Death.

5. So much Labour, and so great Fire being so long sustain’d, out of 17 Ounces of Mercury, only 15 Grains remain’d fix’d in the Glass, which was so hot, that it was ready to melt.

6. Silver, Gold, and other Metals fought for by this Art out of Quicksilver, is scarce any, in Proportion to the Charge and Labour.

7. Of the Powder so fix’d from Mercury, only the 72ᵈ Part remains fix’d in this Fire, the rest returns to Mercury.

8. Twenty-two Grains were lost. Were they dispers’d? or was this Quantity of Weight first accreted to the Mercury by Fire, thence again separated by a stronger Fire?

9. The Nature of Mercury is constant, simple, and cannot be separated into dissimilar Parts by Distillation; not into fix’d and volatile; not into pure and impure; not into feces and defecated; not into different Elements.

EXPERIMENT IX.

_I put thirteen Grains of this last fix’d Powder (VIII.) into a Crucible, and set it over an open Fire before the Bellows: I increas’d the Heat of the Fire, by blowing till the whole Crucible was red hot: I kept it so for a Quarter of an Hour. The Powder remain’d fix’d in the Bottom, but swell’d up like a Spunge, and of a dark Colour. From hence I learn’d that this Powder had acquired a considerable Degree of Fixedness by Fire alone._

EXPERIMENT X.

_Then I added to this fix’d Powder (IX.) some Borax in a Crucible, and increased the Fire by blowing. It became one Mass, brittle, growing like Glass, and fix’d in this great Fire._

EXPERIMENT XI.

_I gave 2 Grains of that Powder, which had remained fix’d, to the Weight of 15 Grains (VIII.) to a sworn and very skilful Essayer of Metals at AMSTERDAM, to examine it with all possible Accuracy according to the Rules of Art, with Lead. Nothing fix’d remain’d: Therefore in that Powder there was not the least Gold or Silver._

EXPERIMENT XII.

_The thirteen Grains melted down with the Borax into a Mass growing like Glass (almost vitrified) (X.) I gave to a sworn and very skilful Essayer of Metals at AMSTERDAM, to examine this whole little Mass with the greatest Accuracy, according to the Rules of Art, in Lead. Nothing fix’d remain’d of the whole Mass; so there was no Gold nor Silver in it._

COROLLARIES.

1. Quicksilver persists in the Fire, retaining its Nature unalterable.

2. Simple, and not separable, into different Parts by Distillation.

3. It is fixed by Fire, and seems changed in its outward Form.

4. Appearing so, in various Parts, it acquires different Degrees of Fixedness.

5. Yet none of these Parts acquired, by so strong and lasting a Fire, the Fixedness of Gold or Silver.

6. The fixating Cause is Fire passing thro’ the Glass; thus changing part of the Mercury, either by its simple Action, or by its uniting itself with the Quicksilver.

7. The Fire so acting, by 511 Distillations, by its Action or Conjunction, could not yet change the smallest Particle of the Mercury into Gold or Silver.

8. But from the Mercury so fixed by Fire, a greater Fire restores true Mercury; or the known Power of Lead makes it vanish out of the Cupell.

9. Therefore it does not appear, by these Experiments, that from Mercury and Fire so conspiring, any known Metal is produced. Those 13 Grains did not run by a Wind-Furnace; they did not persist in the Lead; they were not dissolved with the Mercury into an Amalgama.

10. Therefore Fire, by these Experiments, is not demonstrated to be the Sulphur of the Philosophers that fixes Mercury into Metals.

11. But it seems probable that the Sulphur of the Philosophers is something else very near it.

12. The fixed part is not the Feces of Mercury, nor its crude generating Sulphur; it returns into Mercury.

13. The Depuration of Mercury from the earthy Feces, and the watry Crudeness, seems scarcely to be obtained so easily by Distillation alone; perhaps by some more secret Work it is obtain’d.

14. To make Gold or Silver of Mercury, does not proceed. Ignorant Men are given up to Imagination, easy to Promises, rich in Hope. This Mercury remained Mercury.

15. Safe from the fallacious Writings and Prescriptions of the Philosophers, who promise such Things in a short Time, or a few Months from Mercury and Fire: Indeed, within the Space of many Years, I have not discovered the least Marks of a first beginning.

EXPERIMENT XIII.

_Mercury kept under boiling Water, is not rais’d from the Bottom of the Vessel._

_The Operation._

I pour’d a Drachm of Mercury twice distilled into a Glass Urinal, which I fill’d with Rain Water: Then I set the Vessel upon the naked Fire: The Water boil’d strongly for eight Hours, yet so that there still was some Water swimming over the Mercury. The Mercury being afterwards weigh’d, gave a Drachm without any Loss.

Again; I pour’d a Drachm of Mercury into a clean dry Glass Vessel. This I so fitted in a Kettle, that it cou’d not fall aside. I filled the Kettle with Water; I made the Water boil eight Hours. This Vessel was cylindrical, open, two Inches and one half deep, and placed so that the Water cou’d not get in. After this was so done, the Mercury weighed one Drachm without any Loss.

I put pure Mercury into a Glass Vessel, I poured Water upon it; and setting the Still over it, I boil’d it for a long while: No Mercury ascended. I continued boiling, till all the Water being gone out, the Mercury remained dry in the Bottom of the Vessel. However, I did not then increase the Fire; but the Mercury presently ascended to the Sides of the Vessel, and into the Head. The Reason of this appears from what I have written in my chemical Institutions about Water and Fire.

EXPERIMENT XIV.

_Mercury may be chang’d by Art so as that it shall ascend from the Bottom of the Vessel, by the Heat of Vinegar, before it boils up._

_The Operation._

Having made a Mass of a Pound and a half of Mercury, with half a Pound of Lead (the Chemists call such a Mass an Amalgama) I shook it in a Glass Vessel. There was produced a very black Powder. This I put into a Glass Cucurbite 14 Inches high; I pour’d pure distill’d Wine-Vinegar over it. By a gentle Distillation I took away the Phlegm. I then increased the Heat a little, but so that the Liquor did not boil. The Mercury ascended into the Head, together with the Phlegm, and thence into the Receiver. The same I tried and experienced other Ways. It is a Circumstance worthy a Chemist’s Speculation; but I shall say no more of it here. By much the like Artifice, I have seen Quicksilver made so volatile, that it was rais’d in my Digestory-Furnace with a less Degree of Heat, than that of a Man in Health, and ascended to the Sides of the Vessel. Do you think the Mercury was then purer? It was mix’d with Metal, and very dry. But perhaps I may some other time relate some very laborious Experiments which I have made for several Years, in examining Mercury and Metals, if I find that such Things are likely to meet with the Approbation of the Learned.

EXPERIMENT XV.

_GEBER has written, that pure Mercury is heavier than Gold: For a long time I endeavour’d to learn, Whether Mercury could be brought to a denser, and consequently a heavier State, than that it is naturally in? I began to attempt this by a Separation of the lighter and more changeable Part, from the more heavy Remainder, but cou’d not do it. I afterwards strove to defecate it by various Methods: It did not succeed. However, I discovered some Things that deserve the Contemplation of curious Observers, which I beg leave to mention, as follows: Two Ounces of pure Gold in a Mass, by hydrostatical Examination, in Rain-Water, defecated by gentle Distillation, I found to weigh in proportion to Water, as 19¹¹⁹⁄₅₀₀ to 1. Common Mercury, as sold, once distilled from the Retort to the same Water, weighs as 13⁵⁷⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury amalgamated with purest Gold, and then distilled some hundred times, as 13⁵⁵⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury so treated with the purest Silver, was to Water as 13⁵⁷⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury united with Lead, and with it all turn’d into Powder, and thence resuscitated by a strong Fire, was to Water, as 13⁵⁸⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury 511 times distilled, was as 14¹¹⁄₁₀₀ to 1._

These Statical Weighings were made by Instruments that cou’d not be found fault with, and with the most prudent Care. I spent some Years to prepare Mercury for this Purpose; and, for ought I know, no one else has had any Regard to it. Afterwards, many Things proper for Meditation may be drawn from thence, by proper Judges in this Matter: But I may be allowed to make a few Observations.

COROLLARIES.

1. If Mercury, when defecated, becomes lighter, then it is rendred most defecated by Gold and Lead. By the Art of _Suchtenius_ and _Philalethes_, it remains the same.

2. If Mercury, when defecated, becomes heavier, then it is rendred most defecated by Silver, in proportion to other Metals; but most of all by simple Distillation, by a Conversion into a Red Præcipitate of itself, and a Resuscitation thence made.

3. Mercury may be made thicker (condensated) by Silver and Fire.

4. Mercury may be thickned by Distillation by Fire most of all. Is this then the best Way to depurate and perfect it?

5. Does Mercury deposite its heaviest Part in Gold? Is this deposited Matter the Seed of Gold?

6. Does Mercury deposite its heaviest Part in Lead? Is this deposited Matter the Seed of Gold?

7. Does Fire, boiling the Mercury 511 times, fixing and resuscitating it, increase that heaviest Part? Can Mercury, by a continued Work, at length be thickned into the Weight of Gold? Would it then be live Gold, or the Mercury of the Philosophers? This let proper Judges examine.

Let these few Remarks, and yet not made without Trouble and Caution, concerning the Purification of Quicksilver, suffice at this time. I have some by me much more operose concerning the extracting of Mercury out of Metals, of its Action upon Metals, of Metals themselves; perhaps, when I have Leisure, I may offer them to the Public, that Persons, after being warned, may spare a fruitless Labour and Expence. _Farewell._