Experiments, notes, &c. about the mechanical origine or production of divers particular qualities among which is inferred a discourse of the imperfection of the chymist's doctrine of qualities : together with some reflections upon the hypothesis of alcali and acidum / by the Honourable Robert Boyle ...

EXPER. XII.

To heighten good smells by Composi∣tion.

'TIS well known to Perfumers, and is easie to be observed, that Amber-greece alone, though e∣steemed the best and richest perfume

that is yet known in the world, has but a very faint and scarce a pleasant sent. And I remember, that I have seen some hundreds of ounces toge∣ther newly brought from the East-Indies; but if I had not been before acquainted with the smell of Amber-greece alone, and had had onely the vulgar conceit of it, that 'tis the best and strongest of perfumes, my Nostrills would scarce have made me suspect those lumps to have been any thing a-kin to Amber-greece. But if a due proportion of Musk, or even Civet, be dexterously mixt with Am∣ber, the latent fragrancy, though it be thereby somewhat compounded, will quickly be called forth, and ex∣ceedingly heightned. And indeed 'tis not, as 'tis commonly presumed, the plenty of the richest Ingredients, as Amber-greece and Musk, but the just proportion and skilful mixture of them, that makes the noblest and most lasting perfume, of which I have had sufficient experience; so that with a far less quantity of Musk

and Amber, than not onely ordinary persons, but Perfumers themselves are wont to imploy, we have had se∣veral Perfumes, that for fragrancy were much preferred to those where Musk and Amber-greece are so plen∣tifully imployed. The proportions and ways of mixture we best appro∣ved of, would be too long, and are not necessary, to be here set down; but you will not much erre in making use of such a proportion as this, viz. eight parts of Amber-greece, two of Musk, and one of Civet: which quantities of Ingredients if they be skilfully and exactly mingled, you will not miss of a good Composition, with which you may innoble other materials, as Benzoin, Storax, sweet Flowers, &c. fit to make Pastills, Ointments for Leather, Poman∣der, &c. And we may here add, that, upon the score of the new Tex∣ture acquired by Composition, some things, that are not fragrant them∣selves, may yet much heighten the fragrancy of Odoriferous bodies.

And of liquid perfumes I remember, 'twas the secret of some Court-La∣dies, noted for Curiosity about per∣fumes, to mingle always a due pro∣portion of Wine-vinegar with the odoriferous Ingredients. And on this occasion, to shew the power of mixtures in improving Odours, I shall add something about a Liquour of mine, that has had the good fortune to be very favourably spoken of by persons of Quality accustomed to choice Perfumes. This Liquour, though thought an elaborate prepa∣ration, as well for another reason, as to recommend it to some, whose Critical palates can tast the very titles of things, I called it Essence of Musk, is indeed a very plain simple preparation, which I thus make.

I take an arbitrary Quantity of choice Musk without finely powde∣ring it, and pour upon it about a finger's breadth of pure Spirit of Wine; these in a Glass closely stopt I set in a quiet place to digest, with∣out the help of any Furnace, and

after some days, or a few weeks, (ac∣cording as Circumstances determi∣ned,) the Spirit, which is some∣what odd, will in the cold have made a solution of the finest parts of the Musk, and will be thereby much tinged, but not of a red colour. This Liquour being decanted, I keep by it self as the richest of all; and pour a like quantity of Spirit on the remaining Musk, which u∣sually will in the cold, though more slowly, draw a tincture, but fainter than the former, which being pou∣red off, the remaining Musk may be imployed for inferiour uses. Now that which made me mention this Pre∣paration as pertinent to our present Subject, is this Phaenomenon of it, that the first essence, or rather tin∣cture, being smelt to by it self, has but a faint, and not very pleasing, o∣dour of Musk, so that every body would not discover that there was Musk in it; but if a single drop, or two drops at most, were mixt with a pint, or perhaps a quart, of good Sack,

the whole body of the Wine would presently acquire a considerably mu∣sky sent, and be so richly perfumed both as to tast and smell, as seemed strange enough to those that knew the vast disproportion of the Ingre∣dients.