principles separated from the pure sort of Virgin-Sand, from
_Osteocolla_, from refined Silver, from Quicksilver, freed from its
adventitious Sulphur, from _Venetian_ Talk [Transcriber's Note:
Talck], which by long detention in an extreme _Reverberium_, I could
but divide into smaller Particles, (not the constituent principles,)
Nay, which, when I caused it to be kept, I know not how long, in a
Glasse-house fire, came out in the Figure it's Lumps had when put in,
though alter'd to an almost _Amethystine_ colour; and from divers
other Bodies, which it were now unnecessary to enumerate. For though I
dare not absolutely affirme it to be impossible to Analyze these
Bodies into their _Tria Prima_; yet because, neither my own
Experiments, nor any competent Testimony hath hitherto either taught
me how such an _Analysis_ may be made, or satisfy'd me, that it hath
been so, I must take the Liberty to refrain from believing it, till
the Chymists prove it, or give us intelligible and practicable
Processes to performe what they pretend. For whilst they affect that
_AEnigmatical_ obscurity with which they are wont to puzzle the Readers
of their divulg'd Processes concerning the Analyticall Preparation of
Gold or Mercury, they leave wary persons much unsatisfyed whether or
no the differing Substances, they promise to produce, be truly the
Hypostatical Principles, or only some intermixtures of the divided
Bodies with those employ'd to work upon them, as is Evident in the
seeming Crystalls of Silver, and those of Mercury; which though by
some inconsiderately supposed to be the Salts of those Metalls, are
plainly but mixtures of the Metalline Bodies, with the Saline parts of
_Aqua fortis_ or other corrosive Liquors; as is evident by their being
reducible into Silver or Quicksilver, as they were before.
I cannot but Confesse (saith _Eleutherius_) that though Chymists may
upon probable grounds affirm themselves Able to obtain their _Tria
Prima_, from Animals and Vegetables, yet I have often wondred that
they should so confidently pretend also to resolve all Metalline and
other Mineral bodies into Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury. For 'tis a
saying almost Proverbial, among those Chymists themselves that are
accounted Philosophers; and our famous Countryman _Roger Bacon_ has
particularly adopted it; that _Facilius est aurum facere quam
destruere_. And I fear, with You, that Gold is not the only Mineral
from which Chymists are wont fruitlessly to attempt the separating of
their three Principles. I know indeed (continues _Eleutherius_) that
the Learned _Sennertus_, even in that book where he takes not upon him
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