Metal.
The other Germane Relation is of That great Traveller and Laborious
Chymist _Johannes_ (not _Georgus_) _Agricola_; who in his notes upon
what _Poppius_ has written of Antimony, Relates, that when he was
among the _Hungarian_ Mines in the deep Groves, he observ'd that there
would often arise in them a warm Steam (not of that malignant sort
which the Germains call _Shwadt_, which (sayes he) is a meer poyson,
and often suffocates the Diggers [Errata: diggers)], which fasten'd it
self to the Walls; and that coming again to review it after a couple
of dayes, he discern'd that it was all very fast, and glistering;
whereupon having collected it and Distill'd it _per Retortam_, he
obtain'd from it a fine Spirit, adding, that the Mine-Men inform'd
him, that this Steam or Damp of the English Mine [Errata: damp as the
Englishmen also call it] (retaining the dutch Term) would at last have
become a Metal, as Gold or Silver.
I referr (sayes _Carneades_) to another Occasion, the Use that may be
made of these Narratives towards the explicating the Nature of
Metalls; and that of Fixtness, Malleableness, and some other Qualities
conspicuous in them. And in the mean time, this I may at present
deduce from these Observations, That 'tis not very probable, that,
whensoever a Mineral, or even a Metall, is to be Generated in the
Bowels of the Earth, Nature needs to have at hand both Salt, and
Sulphur, and Mercury to Compound it of; for, not to urge that the two
last Relations seem less to favour the Chymists than _Aristotle_, who
would have Metals Generated of certain _Halitus_ or steams, the
foremention'd Observations together, make it seem more Likely that the
mineral Earths or those Metalline steams (wherewith probably such
Earths are plentifully imbu'd) do contain in them some seminal
Rudiment, or some thing Equivalent thereunto; by whose plastick power
the rest of the matter, though perhaps Terrestrial and heavy, is in
Tract of time fashion'd into this or That metalline Ore; almost as I
formerly noted, that fair water was by the seminal Principle of Mint,
Pompions, and other Vegetables, contriv'd into Bodies answerable to
such Seeds. And that such Alterations of Terrestrial matter are not
impossible, seems evident from that notable Practice of the Boylers of
Salt-Petre, who unanimously observe, as well here in _England_ as in
other Countries; That if an Earth pregnant with Nitre be depriv'd, by
the affusion of water, of all its true and dissoluble Salt, yet the
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