someting [Transcriber's Note: something] else out of them. But coming
to break the pot, he found above but very little _Faeces_, and those
Grey and not White; but beneath there lay a fine Red _Regulus_ which
he first marvell'd at and knew not what to make of, being well assured
that not the least thing, besides the _Faeces_ of the Sulphur, came
into the pot; and that the Sulphur it self had only been dissolv'd in
Linseed Oyle; this _Regulus_ he found heavy and malleable almost as
Lead; having caus'd a Goldsmith to draw him a Wire of it, he found it
to be of the Fairest copper, and so rightly colour'd, that a Jew of
_Prague_ offer'd him a great price for it. And of this Metal he sayes
he had 12 _loth_ (or six ounces) out of one pound of Ashes or _Faeces_.
And this Story may well incline us to suspect that since the _Caput
Mortuum_ of the Sulphur was kept so long in the fire before it was
found to be any thing else then a _Terra damnata_, there may be divers
other Residences of Bodies which are wont to pass only for the
Terrestrial _Faeces_ of things, and therefore to be thrown away as soon
as the Distillation or Calcination of the Body that yielded them is
ended; which yet if they were long and Skilfully examin'd by the fire
would appear to be differing from Elementary Earth. And I have taken
notice of the unwarrantable forwardness of common Chymists to
pronounce things useless _Faeces_, by observing how often they reject
the _Caput Mortuum_ of Verdegrease; which is yet so farr from
deserving that Name, that not only by strong fires and convenient
Additaments it may in some hours be reduc'd into copper, but with a
certain Flux Powder I sometimes make for Recreation, I have in two or
three minutes obtain'd that Metal from it. To which I may add, that
having for tryall sake kept Venetian Taclk [Errata: Talck] in no less
a heat than that of a glass Furnace, I found after all the Brunt of
the fire it had indur'd, the remaining Body though brittle and
discolour'd, had not lost very much of its former Bulke, and seem'd
still to be nearer of kin to Talck than to meer Earth. And I remember
too, that a candid Mineralist, famous for his Skill in trying of Oars,
requesting me one day to procure him a certain _American_ Mineral
Earth of a _Virtuoso_, who he thought would not refuse me; I enquir'd
of him why he seem'd so greedy of it: he confess'd to me that this
Gentleman having brought that Earth to the publick Say-Masters; and
they upon their being unable by any means to bring it to fusion or
make it fly away, he (the Relator) had procur'd a little of it; and
having try'd it with a peculiar Flux separated from it neer a third
part of pure Gold; so great mistakes may be committed in hastily
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