Part 6

4. Appearing so, in various Parts, it acquires different Degrees of Fixedness.

5. Yet none of these Parts acquired, by so strong and lasting a Fire, the Fixedness of Gold or Silver.

6. The fixating Cause is Fire passing thro’ the Glass; thus changing part of the Mercury, either by its simple Action, or by its uniting itself with the Quicksilver.

7. The Fire so acting, by 511 Distillations, by its Action or Conjunction, could not yet change the smallest Particle of the Mercury into Gold or Silver.

8. But from the Mercury so fixed by Fire, a greater Fire restores true Mercury; or the known Power of Lead makes it vanish out of the Cupell.

9. Therefore it does not appear, by these Experiments, that from Mercury and Fire so conspiring, any known Metal is produced. Those 13 Grains did not run by a Wind-Furnace; they did not persist in the Lead; they were not dissolved with the Mercury into an Amalgama.

10. Therefore Fire, by these Experiments, is not demonstrated to be the Sulphur of the Philosophers that fixes Mercury into Metals.

11. But it seems probable that the Sulphur of the Philosophers is something else very near it.

12. The fixed part is not the Feces of Mercury, nor its crude generating Sulphur; it returns into Mercury.

13. The Depuration of Mercury from the earthy Feces, and the watry Crudeness, seems scarcely to be obtained so easily by Distillation alone; perhaps by some more secret Work it is obtain’d.

14. To make Gold or Silver of Mercury, does not proceed. Ignorant Men are given up to Imagination, easy to Promises, rich in Hope. This Mercury remained Mercury.

15. Safe from the fallacious Writings and Prescriptions of the Philosophers, who promise such Things in a short Time, or a few Months from Mercury and Fire: Indeed, within the Space of many Years, I have not discovered the least Marks of a first beginning.

EXPERIMENT XIII.

Mercury kept under boiling Water, is not rais’d from the Bottom of the Vessel.

The Operation.

I pour’d a Drachm of Mercury twice distilled into a Glass Urinal, which I fill’d with Rain Water: Then I set the Vessel upon the naked Fire: The Water boil’d strongly for eight Hours, yet so that there still was some Water swimming over the Mercury. The Mercury being afterwards weigh’d, gave a Drachm without any Loss.

Again; I pour’d a Drachm of Mercury into a clean dry Glass Vessel. This I so fitted in a Kettle, that it cou’d not fall aside. I filled the Kettle with Water; I made the Water boil eight Hours. This Vessel was cylindrical, open, two Inches and one half deep, and placed so that the Water cou’d not get in. After this was so done, the Mercury weighed one Drachm without any Loss.

I put pure Mercury into a Glass Vessel, I poured Water upon it; and setting the Still over it, I boil’d it for a long while: No Mercury ascended. I continued boiling, till all the Water being gone out, the Mercury remained dry in the Bottom of the Vessel. However, I did not then increase the Fire; but the Mercury presently ascended to the Sides of the Vessel, and into the Head. The Reason of this appears from what I have written in my chemical Institutions about Water and Fire.

EXPERIMENT XIV.

Mercury may be chang’d by Art so as that it shall ascend from the Bottom of the Vessel, by the Heat of Vinegar, before it boils up.

The Operation.

Having made a Mass of a Pound and a half of Mercury, with half a Pound of Lead (the Chemists call such a Mass an Amalgama) I shook it in a Glass Vessel. There was produced a very black Powder. This I put into a Glass Cucurbite 14 Inches high; I pour’d pure distill’d Wine-Vinegar over it. By a gentle Distillation I took away the Phlegm. I then increased the Heat a little, but so that the Liquor did not boil. The Mercury ascended into the Head, together with the Phlegm, and thence into the Receiver. The same I tried and experienced other Ways. It is a Circumstance worthy a Chemist’s Speculation; but I shall say no more of it here. By much the like Artifice, I have seen Quicksilver made so volatile, that it was rais’d in my Digestory-Furnace with a less Degree of Heat, than that of a Man in Health, and ascended to the Sides of the Vessel. Do you think the Mercury was then purer? It was mix’d with Metal, and very dry. But perhaps I may some other time relate some very laborious Experiments which I have made for several Years, in examining Mercury and Metals, if I find that such Things are likely to meet with the Approbation of the Learned.

EXPERIMENT XV.

GEBER has written, that pure Mercury is heavier than Gold: For a long time I endeavour’d to learn, Whether Mercury could be brought to a denser, and consequently a heavier State, than that it is naturally in? I began to attempt this by a Separation of the lighter and more changeable Part, from the more heavy Remainder, but cou’d not do it. I afterwards strove to defecate it by various Methods: It did not succeed. However, I discovered some Things that deserve the Contemplation of curious Observers, which I beg leave to mention, as follows: Two Ounces of pure Gold in a Mass, by hydrostatical Examination, in Rain-Water, defecated by gentle Distillation, I found to weigh in proportion to Water, as 19¹¹⁹⁄₅₀₀ to 1. Common Mercury, as sold, once distilled from the Retort to the same Water, weighs as 13⁵⁷⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury amalgamated with purest Gold, and then distilled some hundred times, as 13⁵⁵⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury so treated with the purest Silver, was to Water as 13⁵⁷⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury united with Lead, and with it all turn’d into Powder, and thence resuscitated by a strong Fire, was to Water, as 13⁵⁸⁄₁₀₀ to 1. Mercury 511 times distilled, was as 14¹¹⁄₁₀₀ to 1.

These Statical Weighings were made by Instruments that cou’d not be found fault with, and with the most prudent Care. I spent some Years to prepare Mercury for this Purpose; and, for ought I know, no one else has had any Regard to it. Afterwards, many Things proper for Meditation may be drawn from thence, by proper Judges in this Matter: But I may be allowed to make a few Observations.

COROLLARIES.

1. If Mercury, when defecated, becomes lighter, then it is rendred most defecated by Gold and Lead. By the Art of Suchtenius and Philalethes, it remains the same.

2. If Mercury, when defecated, becomes heavier, then it is rendred most defecated by Silver, in proportion to other Metals; but most of all by simple Distillation, by a Conversion into a Red Præcipitate of itself, and a Resuscitation thence made.