A choice collection of rare secrets and experiments in philosophy as also rare and unheard-of medicines, menstruums and alkahests : with the true secret of volatilizing the fixt salt of tartar / collected and experimented by the honourable and truly learned Sir Kenelm Digby, Kt., Chancellour to Her Majesty the Queen-Mother ; hitherto kept secret since his decease, but now published for the good and benefit of the publick by George Hartman.

TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

THIS Trea••ise contains some of the Choicest Collections of the Famous Sir Kenelm Digby (some whereof have been wrought by his own hands, some commu∣nicated to him by Learned Men of all Na∣tions) in praise whereof no more need be said, but, that they are his; either of his production, or of his approbation. I shall therefore, omitting other Artifices and In∣sinuations, only satisfie the Reader with all the clearness and ingenuity I can, how I came by them; and thereby I question not, but I shall very successively recommend this Collection of them to all Ingenious Lovers of Art, whose Ears the Fame of the Worthy Author hath reached.

To this End I must acquaint him, that I had the Honour several years to wait upon Sir Kenelm, and to have several of his Ma∣nuscripts in my Custody, more particularly this with others was committed to my

Charge, when my Worthy Master intended a Journey to France for his Healths sake, and to settle his Affairs there: And he had Progressed in his designed Journey as far as Cittenburn, when a violent Distemper forced him back again to his own House in Covent-Garden; and in three days after his return, left the Learned World to lament the loss of so great a Man. And here besides his in∣comparable self, his Friends and Countrey lost also the benefit of his Famous Library he had in France (which for want of his be∣ing Naturalized) fell into the French King•• hands, who bestowed it upon a Gentleman, and it was sold (as I was credibly informed) for•• ten thousand Crowns. In which no doubt were Manuscripts of his own, of very great worth and rich value, and might have much obliged the World, had they fallen in∣to the hands of Generous and Communica∣tive Men.

But it was my happiness to have, among some other Manuscripts of his, the sole Pro∣priety of this Choice Manual, which con∣tains rare and profitable Secrets in Philoso∣phy and Chymistry, delivered with more perspicuity and plainness than is yet to be found in any Chymical Book: Yea, such, that any understanding Reader may with great facility be conducted as with an Ariad∣nean

Line into the most intricate and hither∣to fatigating Arcana of Chymistry. Here are the true Menstruums and Alkahests, and that hitherto hidden Secret of Volatilizing the fixed Salt of Tartar without any Heterogene Substance, being the true Vegetable Men∣struum; with many other rare and unheard∣of Medicines, some whereof I had a mind to reserve for my self, and not to Publish them during my Life, because of the great Experience, and the good Success I have had with them in desperate cases; but Impium est ta••ere, quae si promulgata essent, multo∣rum misere decumbentium, in levamen ex∣tarent. 'Tis Impious and unchristian to for∣bear the Publication of those things, which being rendred Publick, will effectually re∣dound to the Advantage and Comfort of mi∣serable Men.

I have Translated most of these Secrets out of the Latine, French, German, and Ita∣lian Tongues. And if I have committed any indecencies against the Idiom of the English Speech, I hope the Candid Reader will for∣give a Foreigner. As for any Ornaments and Embellishments of Language, as the Work requires no such Painting, so the Pub∣lishers Foreign Stile and mean Talents are not able to afford it.

I have no more to acquaint the Reader

with, but that these Secrets had been Com∣municated to him long before, but that have been most part of my time since my Excellent Masters Decease, abroad: How∣ever, I hope they will be now kindly en∣tertained. For it is the height of my Ambi∣tion to make the Memory of my incom∣parable Master to Live, who was my pri∣vate, and the Worlds publick Benefactor, which can no where do so with such Advan∣tage as in his Learned Works, for thereby being dead he yet speaks and instructs.

And though it be no addition to his Glori∣ous Name, yet for the Wit and smartness of the thing, and the Readers diversion, I shall conclude here with that Elegant Epitaph made on him by the Ingenious Dr. Farrar, which is as followeth.

AN EPITAPH UPON The Honourable and Truly Noble Sir Kenelm Digby, K^t. Chancellour to Her MAJESTY THE Queen-Mother.

UNder this Tomb the Matchless Digby lies; Digby the Great, the Valiant, and the Wise: This Ages Wonder for his Noble Parts, Skill'd in Six Tongues, and Learn'd in all the Arts.

Born on the Day He Dy'd, Th' Eleventh of June, And that Day Bravely Fought at Scandaroun•• 'Tis Rare, that one and the same Day should be His Day of Birth, of Death, and Victory.

R. F.