But, sayes _Carneades_, having thus far, in compliance to you, talk't
conjecturally of the number of the Elements, 'tis now time to
consider, not of how many Elements it is possible that Nature may
compound mix'd Bodies, but (at least as farr as the ordinary
Experiments of Chymists will informe us) of how many she doth make
them up.
I say then, that it does not by these sufficiently appear to me, that
there is any one determinate number of Elements to be uniformly met
with in all the several sorts of Bodies allow'd to be perfectly mixt.
And for the more distinct proof of this Proposition, I shall in the
first place Represent, That there are divers Bodies, which I could
never see by fire divided into so many as three Elementary substances.
I would fain (as I said lately to _Philoponus_) see that fixt and
noble Metal we call Gold separated into Salt, Sulphur and Mercury: and
if any man will submit to a competent forfeiture in case of failing, I
shall willingly in case of prosperous successe pay both for the
Materials and the charges of such an Experiment. 'Tis not, that after
what I have try'd my self I dare peremptorily deny, that there may out
of Gold be extracted a certain substance, which I cannot hinder
Chymists from calling its Tincture or Sulphur; and which leaves the
remaining Body depriv'd of its wonted colour. Nor am I sure, that
there cannot be drawn out of the same Metal a real quick and running
Mercury. But for the Salt of Gold, I never could either see it, or be
satisfied that there was ever such a thing separated, _in rerum
natura_, by the relation of any credible eye witnesse. And for the
several Processes that Promise that effect, the materials that must be
wrought upon are somewhat too pretious and costly to be wasted upon so
groundlesse adventures, of which not only the successe is doubtful,
but the very possibility is not yet demonstrated. Yet that which most
deterres me from such tryalls, is not their chargeablenesse, but their
unsatisfactorinesse, though they should succeed. For the Extraction of
this golden Salt being in Chymists Processes prescribed to be effected
by corrosive _Menstruums_, or the Intervention of other Saline Bodies,
it will remain doubtful to a wary person, whether the Emergent Salt be
that of the Gold it self; or of the Saline Bodies or Spirits employ'd
to prepare it; For that such disguises of Metals do often impose upon
Artists, I am sure _Eleutherius_ is not so much a stranger to
Chymistry as to ignore. I would likewise willingly see the three
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