The art of glass shewing how to make all sorts of glass, crystal and enamel : likewise the making of pearls, precious stones, china and looking-glasses : to which is added, the method of painting on glass and enameling : also how to extract the colours from minerals, metals, herbs and flowers ... : illustrated with proper sculptures / written originally in French, by Mr. H. Blancourt, and now first translated into English ; with an appendix, containing exact instructions for making glass-eyes of all colours.

CHAP. LVI. Another way of making Aq. Reg. more easie, and with less precaution.

THIS second way of making Aq. Reg. will be more easie than the former, and the Water of as much force. Take 1 pound of good Salt-Petre, pow∣der it, and mix it with 3 Pound of Potters Clay, or Flints calcined to Powder; put the whole into a Glass Retort well luted, and sit to it a great Recei∣ver, lute the Joints well, then put it in a reverbera∣tory Furnace, and distil it according to Art in a gra∣dual Fire. When all the red Spirits are passed over, as we have explained in speaking of Aq. fortis in the 52 Chapter. Then draw off the Phlegm in Balneo Mariae (which the Chymists and we hereafter will note by the two Letters B. M.) then rectifie it in an Ash Furnace, and keep it for use.

Then take a Pound of Sal Armoniac, well pow∣der'd, and mix it with four Pound of Wood-Ashes, (out of which you have before extracted all the Salt with warm Water) then put the whole into a Re∣tort, sit a Receiver to it, and distil it in a Sand-Fur∣nace, and the Spirit of the Sal Armoniac will pass over into the Receiver.

Then unlute your Receiver, and take off that Phlegm of the Spirit in B. M. and rectifie it in Ashes. This done, take equal parts of each of these Spirits; then mix them together and distil them in an Ash∣Furnace. Then you'll have a strong Menstruum for dissolving Gold.

I can't here omit, that the Spirit of Sea-water Salt distill'd as Salt-petre, has the same effects as the Wa∣ter of the 2 Champions whereof we have given the

Preparation in the preced. Chap. and as that we have just now treated of; and in the mean while is not so sharp nor corrosive. You must, to make it succes∣fully, take 3 parts of Spirits of Sea-water Salt, and add to it one part of Salt-petre, then distil it together in an Ash-Furnace, the better to unite them. Then you'll have an Aqua Regalis, which will dissolve Gold sooner than the Spirit of Sal-Armoniac, and which will make it rise and pass over in the Recei∣ver; thus you may this easie way make it more fit for the use you design it for.

But notwithstanding this, you must not imagine that this Solution of Gold is a radical and total one, because it will pass over in an Alembic, and that so it is reduc'd into a Species of Aurum potabile: For there is nothing but the one Sovereign Menstruum of the Philosophers, which has that virtue, as being homogeneous to it, and formed of it. That is the only Liquor in which it can putrisie and be totally re∣solved, and regenerated again after the manner of the Phoenix, to become a Spiritual and Glorious Bo∣dy, capable of performing all those wonderful Ef∣fects ascrib'd to it.