which in Vegetables and Animals Chymists have been pleas'd to call
their Mercury. So that when Mercury is got by the help of the fire out
of a metal or other Mineral Body, if we will not suppose that it was
not pre-existent in it, but produc'd by the action of the fire upon
the Concrete, we may at least suppose this Quicksilver to have been a
perfect Body of its own kind (though perhaps lesse heterogeneous then
more secundary mixts) which happen'd to be mingl'd _per minima_, and
coagulated with the other substances, whereof the Metal or Mineral
consisted. As may be exemplyfied partly by Native Vermillion wherein
the Quicksilver and Sulphur being exquisitely blended both with one
another, and that other course Mineral stuff (what ever it be) that
harbours them, make up a red body differing enough from both; and yet
from which part of the Quicksilver, and of the Sulphur, may be easily
enough obtain'd; Partly by those Mines wherein nature has so curiously
incorporated Silver with Lead, that 'tis extreamly difficult, and yet
possible, to separate the former out of the Latter. [Errata: latter;]
And partly too by native Vitriol, wherein the Metalline Corpuscles are
by skill and industry separable from the saline ones, though they be
so con-coagulated with them, that the whole Concrete is reckon'd among
Salts.
And here I further observe, that I never could see any Earth or Water,
properly so call'd, separated from either Gold or Silver (to name now
no other Metalline Bodies) and therefore to retort the argument upon
my Adversaries, I may conclude, that since there are some bodies in
which, for ought appears, there is neither Earth nor Water. [Errata:
Water;] I may be allow'd to conclude that neither of those two is an
Universal Ingredient of all those Bodies that are counted perfectly
mixt, which I desire you would remember against Anon.
It may indeed be objected, that the reason why from Gold or Silver we
cannot separate any moisture, is, because that when it is melted out
of the Oare, the vehement Fire requisite to its Fusion forc'd away all
the aqueous and fugitive moisture; and the like fire may do from the
materials of Glass. To which I shall Answer, that I Remember I read
not long since in the Learned _Josephus Acosta_,[31] who relates it
upon his own observation; that in _America_, (where he long lived)
there is a kind of Silver which the _Indians_ call _Papas_, and
sometimes (sayes he) they find pieces very fine and pure like to small
round roots, the which is rare in that metal, but usuall in Gold;
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