Baconiana, or, Certain genuine remains of Sr. Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, and Viscount of St. Albans in arguments civil and moral, natural, medical, theological, and bibliographical now for the first time faithfully published ...

What be the Compound Metals that are common and known? and what are the proportions of their Mixtures? As,

LAtten of Brass, and the Calaminar Stone.

Pewter of Tin and Lead.

Bell-Metal of &c. and the counterfeit Plate, which they call Alchimy.

The Decompositees of three Metals or more, are too long to enquire of, except there be some Compositions of them al∣ready observed.

It is also to be observed, whether any two Metals which will not mingle of themselves, will mingle with the help of an other; and what.

What Compounds will be made of Metal with Stone and other Fossiles; As Latten is made with Brass and the Calaminar Stone; As all the Metals incorporate with Vitriol; all with Iron poudered; all with Flint, &c.

Some few of these would be inquired of, to disclose the nature of the rest.

Whether Metals or other Fossiles will in∣corporate with molten Glass, and what Bo∣dy it makes?

The quantity in the mixture would be well considered; for some small quantity perhaps will incorporate, as in the Allays of Gold and Silver Coin.

Upon the Compound Body, three things are chiefly to be observed; The Colour; the Fragility or Pliantness; the Volatili∣ty or Fixation, compared with the simple Bodies.

For present use or profit, this is the Rule: Consider the price of the two simple Bo∣dies; consider again the dignity of the one above the other in use; then see if you can make a Compound that will save more in price than it will lose in dignity of the use.

As for Example; Consider the price of Brass-Ordnance; consider again the price of Iron-Ordnance, and then consider wherein the Brass-Ordnance doth excel the Iron-Ordnance

in Use: Then if you can make a Compound of Brass and Iron that will be near as good in use, and much cheaper in price, then there is profit both to the Private, and the Common-wealth. So of Gold and Silver, the price is double of twelve: The dignity of Gold above Silver is not much, the splendor is a like, and more pleasing to some Eyes, as in Cloth of Sil∣ver, silvered Rapiers, &c. The main dig∣nity is, That Gold bears the Fire, which Silver doth not, but that is an excellency in Nature, but it is nothing at all in use; for any dignity in use I know none, but that silvering will fully and canker more than gilding; which if it might be corre∣cted with a little mixture of Gold, there is profit: And I do somewhat marvel that the latter Ages have lost the Ancient Ele∣ctrum, which was a mixture of Silver with Gold: whereof I conceive there may be much use, both in Coin, Plate, and Gild∣ing.

It is to be noted, That there is in the version of Metals impossibility, or at least great difficulty, as in making of Gold, Sil∣ver, Copper. On the other side, in the adulterating or counterfeiting of Metals, there is deceit and villany. But it should seem there is a middle way, and that is by

new Compounds, if the ways of incorpo∣rating were well known.

What Incorporation or Inbibition Metals will receive from Vegetables, without being dissolved in their Substance: As when the Armorers make their Steel more tough and pliant, by aspersion of Water or Juice of Herbs; when Gold being grown somewhat churlish by recovering, is made more pli∣ant by throwing in shreds of tanned Lea∣ther, or any Leather oiled.

Note; That in these and the like shews of Inbibition, it were good to try by the Weights whether the weight be increased or no; for if it be not, it is to be doubted that there is no inbibition of Substance, but only that the application of that other Body, doth dispose and invite the Metal to ano∣ther posture of parts than of it self it would have taken.

After the Incorporation of Metals by simple Colliquefaction, for the better disco∣very of the Nature, and Consents, and Dis∣sents of Metals, it would be likewise tried by incorporating of their Dissolutions.

There is to be observed in those Disso∣lutions which will not easily incorporate, what the Effects are: As the Bullition; the Precipitation to the bottom; the Ejacu∣lation towards the top; the Suspension in the midst; and the like.

Note; That the dissents of the Men∣strual or strong Waters, may hinder the in∣corporation, as well as the dissents of the Metals themselves; Therefore where the Menstrua are the same, and yet the Incor∣poration followeth not, you may conclude the Dissent is in the Metals; but where the Menstrua are several, not so certain.