Musæum regalis societatis, or, A catalogue and description of the natural and artificial rarities belonging to the Royal Society and preserved at Gresham Colledge made by Nehemiah Grew ; whereunto is subjoyned The comparative anatomy of stomachs and guts by the same author.

CHAP. III. Of ANTIMONY, MERCURY, and other METALLICK BODIES.

STYRIATED ANTIMONY, from the Gold Mines of Chremnitz. Given by Dr. E. Brown. The Styriae, in this, are very fair, many of them as thick as in that which is factitious.

STYRIATED ANTIMONY, also Native, from Corn∣wall; called ROSCARROCKS. A Congeries of strait, long, slender, and edged Styriae, of a bright Steel-colour, almost like a cluster of small broken Needles. Aldrovandus a 1.1 hath a sort of native Antimony, which Ambrosinus calls Plumosum.

GRAINED ANTIMONY, or rather Antimonial Ore, from Hungary. Given by Mr. Oldenburge. It looks like black grained Silver Ore. Immersed in a Stone, although of a scurvy opacous and sandy colour, yet so hard as to cut Glass.

ANTIMONIAL ORE from Transylvania. Given by Dr. E. Brown. It grows in a soft Bed, almost like Lead Ore.

ANTIMONIAL ORE, holding Iron, from Cornwall. Almost of the colour of Amber: yet with a Grain somewhat glossy and very cross.

A Metallick (probably an ANTIMONIAL) Cornish Stone, black, hard, and ponderous. It consisteth of a great many Clusters of short glossy Styriae, radiated almost as in the Belemnites. But because irregularly broken and heaped together, but difficulty observ'd.

Antimony is of excellent use for the Refining of Gold: see an accurate Process, communicated by Dr. Jonathan Godard, and by Me published in the Philosph. Transactions. b 1.2 An ^•th part in proportion to the Copper, is by some add∣ed with the Tin, for the best Metallick Speculums. Founders add a little to their Bell-Metal, to make it more sonorous. And so Pewterers, to their Pewter, to make it sound more clear like Silver. 'Tis also used in the casting of Iron Bullets, to make the Metal run the better. The

Spanish Women rub their Eye-brows with it, to give them an acceptable Black. a 1.3

The Cathartick Property of Antimony, was first taken notice of by Paracelsus. And several Preparations hereof both Cathartick, and Diaphoretick, are now much cele∣brated. Of the Virtue of it also taken Crude, see the Phil. Transact. b 1.4 The Red Oil, called Stibij Sanguis, admirable in Malignant Ulcers. c 1.5

MERCURIAL ORE. Given by Mr. Oldenburge. 'Tis all of one colour, much like that of the Hepatick Cinna∣bar,* 1.6 but somewhat sadder. In the West-Indies, all their silver is refined, or else melted down with Quick-silver. e 1.7 A Past made hereof with Gold, is sometimes used for gild∣ing of Brass Vessels; which being daub'd with the same, and held to the fire, the Gold adheres, and the Mercury ex∣hales. With this the Tin-Foile is made to stick close to the backsides of Looking-Glasses. Of Sublimate, Ceruss, Juyce of Limons, and Rose-water, mixed like an Oyntment; is made That Paint, which is both the best and the worst in the World.

In Medicine, the great use of Mercury is in the Lues Vene∣rea; sometimes in the Cholick and Iliac Passion; and for Wormes, especially those small ones, called Ascarides; against which, if duly prepar'd, there is no Medicine so effectual, or more safe. Being prepar'd, and mixed with convenient Catharticks, 'tis also very properly us'd in divers Chronick Diseases.

A rich piece of Native CINNABAR, from Carinthia. It weighs above ℥ij and ʒij, and is entirely of a Scarlet colour.

Another Piece of CINNABAR, of a Scarlet-colour, from Tyrol.

A Piece of Native CINNABAR, of a purple colour, almost like that of fine Lake. Given by Mr. Olden∣burge.

A piece of BLACK CINNABAR. Given by Dr. Walter Pope. Hard and ponderous, about as big as a Lambs Heart. Where it breaks, of a shining black.

Another piece, of a shining Black, mixed with a sad Pur∣ple. By the same Hand.

The best Cinnabar in the Schemnitz Mines, ground with

Oil, makes a Vermillion, equal to, if not surpassing, that made by sublimation. a 1.8

YELLOW MUNDICK. Marchasita. Pyrites Aureus; not for that it hath any Gold in it, but is both within, and without, of a shining Metallick yellow. As heavy, as most Ores. Here are of various Figures; as

The ORBICULAR MARCHASITE; tuberated, about the bigness of Hand-Ball.

Another, lesser, and a little compressed.

The GRAP-MARCHASITE. March. Botryidea. It con∣sisteth of small Globules growing together in the form of a young Bunch of Grapes. There is one like this in Ferr. Im∣perato.

The APPLE MARCHASITE, as it may be call'd. 'Tis round, excepting on one side, where it falls in, and hath a stalk, like a young Apple.

The FLORID MARCHASITE. So I name it. For it looks like a Cluster of Buds ready to flower.

The YELLOW BUD. Marchasita Phylloidea. For it looks like a single Bud composed of several small leaves.

Part of a CYLINDRICK MARCHASITE, radiated from a Vitriolick Pith or Centre.

The TABULATED MARCHASITE. Broad and plain, or flat like a Tablet. Consisting of flaked and small Cubick knobs, growing on a rough Stone.

Another, only Flaked, growing to a blackish Stone.

A Third flaked, but of an irregular form.

The GRANULATED MARCHASITE. It grows on a brown Stone, in a Crust of about ••/12^th of an inch thick, with the surface all over grained. This kind is found near Hin∣don in Middlesex.

Not only the greater Flakes of which the other Varie∣ties consist, but even the smallest and almost invisible Grains, are all either Squares, or at least pointed with Right Angles. Whereas the Pyrites, simply so call'd, is always Radiated. Which, and not the colour, according to others, I take to be the principal difference between them.

The CUBICK Marchasite, about 1/••^d of an inch square. The Marchasite seems to attain the perfection of its Figure, in a Cube; that is, a Square upon a Square. But sometimes it consisteth of parts neither Cubick nor Square; as in

The PENTAGONATE Marchasite. About the bigness of a little Gall; somewhat round, defined with several sides, each with five Angles.

A Tuberated Marchasite with a Green Spar.

A MARCHASITE growing to its own Spar, together with a white one pointed and semiperspicuous.

A Mixed MARCHASITE. It consisteth of yellow pieces partly cubick, and partly flaked: with Lead-Ore holding Silver growing to it on one side; on the other, several sets of ash-colour'd Flakes growing together in the form of little Roses.

As all Metals, so Marchasites have their SPARS, called Fluores. Both because they melt in the fire; and make the Ores to which they belong, to melt the better. The rea∣son whereof is, For that in all Spars, there is a certain Salt which lies more loose and open, and which in mixing with the Ore, frets and tears it all to pieces.

A Piece of WHITE MUNDICK.

WHITE MUNDICK ORE, immersed in Grains in an ash-colour'd Stone.

GREEN MUNDICK, or Mundick Ore, running in Veins in white Clay.

A large sphaerical and knobed FIRE-STONE, or Pyrites, about two inches in Diametre.

Another, of the same Figure, as big as a Walnut, and of an Iron-colour.

A Piece of a large one of the same Figure, and with a black surface. The whole Body is radiated from a Vitrio∣lick Centre or Pith about ¼ of an inch in Diametre. Which radiation is also seen in most Fire-stones.

Another whole of the same form, a little lesser.

A Round PYRITES, compressed. Another lesser.

A PYRITES, partly Cylindrick, and partly Oval; Cy∣lindrovalis. 'Tis two inches long, and near an inch and ••/2 over; Cylindrick in the middle, and Oval at both ends. The Surface, smooth, and of a shining black.

MUNDICK ORE, as it may be call'd; having the same Analogy to that which is figur'd; as the Ores of Metals, have to such as are pure and perfect. This is for the most part of a greenish ash-colour, not very hard, and somewhat gritty.

Yellow Mundick GRAIN-ORE; immersed in a Spar of an Amethystine colour.

Another sort, like Silver Grain-Ore, in a Spar of the co∣lour of that of Tin. So hard as to cut Glass.

A piece of Mundick-Ore in a white Spar, both Grained and Vein'd.

A piece or two of Veined Ore from a Silver-Mine.

Mundick Ore and Vitriol mixed with a White and Green Spar.

Mundick Ore, and Black Daze, mixed with a Vein of White and Green Spar; all lying between two firm Beds or Walls. These Ores, by some are called Mock-Ores.

A MOCK-FIRE-STONE. Pyrites stirilis. Outwardly, of the colour of polish'd Steel. And radiated from the Centre, as the true Pyrites. But of a light and useless sub∣stance.

No sort of Mundick, that I find, either in the Ore, or per∣fect, stirreth with Acids. Every Metal hath its Marchasite: which is sometimes added to them, instead of Lead, a 1.9 to make them flow the better. But if too much, it robs them, by over volatilizing them b 1.10 in the Furnace. Out of most Fire-stones, may be made both Vitriol and Sulphur.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Mus. Met.
• b 1.2

  Num.
• a 1.3

  Ambro∣sinus, and others.
• b 1.4

  N. 39.
• c 1.5

  Wicker.
• * 1.6

  Dr. Popes account of the Mines.
• e 1.7

  Kirch. Hist. Ind. l. 4. c. 3.
• a 1.8

  Dr. Brown's Trav. p. 91.
• a 1.9

  Boet. de Lapid. l. 2.
• b 1.10

  Dr. Brown's Tra∣vails.