CHAPTER XV.

CONXERKING THE SpECIES OP VlTIUOL AND THE TeSTS OF FT.
The species of Vitriol are as varied as the mines or sources from which it is extracted. The tests of its greater or less excellence vary in equal proportion. First, if it tinges an iron plate to the colour of copper, the more deeply it does so, the better it is considered. But this is the highest of all kinds. Secondly, when it is taken internally in a crude form it drives out intestinal worms better than any other medicine, and the more effectually it does this the better it is
man. I taj this c oo c t ra ing aransomtauoD in order to make yon ondcrstand hov that cnvioos phikMophcr, Anstode, in his philoBOphr* 1>3S no sure foondaiioo^ but b simply farcons. I viU lay befare yon, in doe coarse, the recipe itself^ so chat in an parts of the German nation yon may know how to make copper oat of iron. From thi^ power of craiBmnta- cion we can easily gather that many other transmutatioas are posstbte, thoagh they are at present anknown to a&. It cannot be denied that many arts are still occult, and that these are not rereakd by God bfcacse we are not worthy of knowing then. Of coarse the change of iron into copper b not of the same importance as the change of iron into gold. God twanifr these arts are not without their EUasi. The following is the recipe for transmntatKO : Take raspings or filings of inm, withoot any other metal, soch as copper^ tin, etc, one pound : add quk^sihrer. half a poond. Put both into an iron pan or pot; poor over them one measure of acetxun and a qiuuter of a pound of vitriol, with one oonce and a half of sad annooiahc. Let these be botkd together and constantly well stirred with wocd. If the acerom be ^^p'-^'H, poor in sooke more and add fresh vitrioL Bv this dccoctioa the iron is traxkUBUtcd into ccpper. If the copper is made it all passes away to the quicksilver. Ha\-ing continued the decoction for ten or twelve hours* then separate as much of the qukksihrer as is left from the iron, and wash it carefully so that it may be quite deaik Receive the quicaathrer in a b^ made of soft leather or cotton and squeexe it out. Then you wilt see an amalgam left. Let that ««»»«Ty. expend ics^, and you will find pure and good copper. Of this copper take half an ounce and the same quantity of silver. Let them pass into a state mgth od of pro\-iRg that such copper is made from iron. It is not, however, true that the grades are fixed. But whoever can work well with regale will be abundantly rewarded. £\-«rything in thb operation depends on skill in working. This b where most operators £ul. By the abo>i-e>mention thb to confirm the transmutation of one body into another. The nature of \itrioI b such that if its colcothar be cal- cined it b at once, even with slight liquefaction, txumed into copper. .\ remarkable cuprine nature b in ic and there b also an equally remarkable Wtriolic nature in copper. If the copper be dissolved in aqua fortb and granulated, all the copper becomes vitrioL There b no more copper left. So, also, copper b made oat of vitriol, and no oMre vitriol
The Economy of Minerals,
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considered to be as a medicine. A third test is when it transmutes iron into copper. The more perfectly and the more rapidly it does this, the better
should it be esteemed in both faculties, for there is the greatest affinity between these two metals. Nor is this remarkable when by means of borax water quicksilver is made in like manner from lead. There are other kinds of cachimiaB which convert metals ; and besides these there is a fountain in Hungary, or rather a torrent, which derives its origin from Vitriol, nay, its whole substance is Vitrioli and any iron thrown into it is at once consumed and turned to rust, while this rust is immediately reduced to the best and most permanent copper, by means of fire and bellows. A fourth test is when its red colcothar, subjected to a strong fire, exhibits copper of itself. This is comparatively weak in Medicine, but of great excellence in Alchemy. We must not omit to speak of its colours. That which is altogether ccerulean is not so strong in medicine as that which under the same colour has red and yellow spots mixed together. That which is of a pale sky blue colour should be selected before all others for the prepar- of the green and the white oil. That which inclines to a red or dark yellow colour is best for preparing the red oil from it. The last test is when with gall nuts it makes a very black and dark ink. This should be selected in preference to all the others. The species, therefore^ are reckoned according to the tests.