without being otherwise much altered, as may appear by the Easiness
wherewith in Winter, without any Addition or Separation of Visible
Ingredients, the same substance may be quickly harden'd into brittle
Ice, and thaw'd again into Fluid Water; Besides this, I say it would
be consider'd, that common Quick-silver it self, which the Eminentest
Chymists confess to be a mixt Body, may be Driven over the Helme in
its Pristine forme of Quicksilver, and consequently, in that of a
Liquor. And certainly 'tis possible that very compounded Bodies may
concur to Constitute Liquors; Since, not to mention that I have found
it possible, by the help of a certain _Menstruum_, to distill Gold it
self through a Retort, even with a Moderate Fire: Let us but consider
what happens in Butter of Antimony. For if that be carefully
rectify'd, it may be reduc'd into a very clear Liquor; and yet if You
cast a quantity of fair water upon it, there will quickly precipitate
a Ponderous and Vomitive Calx, which made before a considerable part
of the Liquor, and yet is indeed (though some eminent Chymists would
have it Mercurial) an Antimonial Body carryed over and kept dissolv'd
by the Salts of the Sublimate, and consequently a compounded one; as
You may find if You will have the Curiosity to Examine this White
powder by a skilful Reduction. And that You may not think that Bodies
as compounded as flowers of Brimstone cannot be brought to Concurr to
Constitute Distill'd Liquors; And also That You may not imagine with
Divers Learned Men that pretend no small skill in Chymistry, that at
least no mixt Body can be brought over the Helme, but by corrosive
Salts, I am ready to shew You, when You please, among other wayes of
bringing over Flowers of Brimstone (perhaps I might add even Mineral
Sulphurs) some, wherein I employ none but Oleaginous bodies to make
Volatile Liquors, in which not only the colour, but (which is a much
surer mark) the smell and some Operations manifest that there is
brought over a Sulphur that makes part of the Liquor.
One thing more there is, _Eleutherius_, sayes _Carneades_, which is so
pertinent to my present purpose, that though I have touch'd upon it
before, I cannot but on this occasion take notice of it. And it is
this, That the Qualities or Accidents, upon whose account Chymists are
wont to call a portion of Matter by the name of Mercury or some other
of their Principles, are not such but that 'tis possible as Great (and
therefore why not the like?) may be produc'd by such changes of
Texture, and other Alterations, as the Fire may make in the small
Parts of a Body. I have already prov'd, when I discours'd of the
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