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. CLXXIX. The Method of drawing the Spirit of the Vitriol of Ve∣nus, which has a wonderful Blue, and how to separate the Caput Mortuum for tinging of Glass.

THE Caput Mortuum of Vitriol of Venus, which we prescribe to tinge Glass of a Sea-green, and whereof we discoursed in Chap. 45. has ingaged us to give this most excellent and hidden Secret of Na∣ture, which the Philosophers have never explained but by ambiguous Riddles, and veiled Parables to conceal the Knowledge thereof from the Vul∣gar.

We confess, 'tis not without some regret we con∣descend to it in this Ungrateful Age, wherein very few deserve to be instructed, or truly admire, and so perfectly love the Mysteries of Sage Philosophy, as to imitate the Vertue and Charity of its devoted Professors; 'tis however in consideration, and for the sake of this small number of Votaries that we have explained and delivered many excellent things in this Book, which we might (but out of regard to such) have laid aside (as foreign to the Art of Glass) but our desire to please them has promoted the opening these intricate Paths, and leaving them in a condition to be enlarged by our small Discovery under the serious Speculations, and smart issues of their own Wit.

Now to finish our precious Essay, you must take a Pound of this Vitriol into a Glass Retort strongly lu∣ted, as directed in Chap. 52. the lute being dry, set the Retort in a Sand-Furnace, fitting to it a very large Receiver, as directed for Aqua fortis in that Chap∣ter;

this done, kindle the Fire, and continue it gen∣••e for four Hours to prevent a too excessive heat, ••hich would drive out the Spirits impetuously, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 burst the Receiver, whereof great care must be ••••ken not to spoil all: As soon as the Spirits ascend like ••hite Clouds, improve your Fire by degrees, until ••ey disperse and your Receiver clears again and ••ols, and all the Spirit comes together: Then let ••e Fire go out of it self, and after twenty four ••ours, unlute the Joynts, take away your Receiver, ••d put the Liquor it contains into Glass-Bottles stopt ••ry close with Glass Stopples to prevent Air, which ••hey could draw, would disperse it all by Exhala∣••n. This choice Liquor has that Noble Blue which ••ords us wonderful Tinctures, and other inestima∣•••• Operations, as well as such surprizing Effects in ••ysick, as cannot be equalled.

The strength of this rich Liquor may be known 〈◊〉〈◊〉 its very penetrating acid smell, and if we were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 afraid to prophane so sublime a Mystery which ••rsons much more Sage and Considerate than we, ••e kept so secret: We would enlarge more on its ••••ellent Qualities, and disperse those Obscurities, •••• we should look upon our selves unworthy of the ••ht we have been able to acquire in this most im∣••••••tant Matter, if we abandoned those Treasures to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ravage of the whole Earth, which ought only to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 possest by the Sacred, Wise, and Studious Mem∣••••s of the Hermetick Science and Philosophy.

But to return to our Caput Mortuum of this preci∣Vitriol, which has occasioned us to give its Pre∣••ation, and is what we make use of for this fine ••ter-colour, or Egmarine on Glass, you'll find it ••he Retort, out of which the white Spirit was di∣••ed, whereof we have discoursed already; to get ••ou must break the Retort, then reduce it to Pow∣•• with a mixture of Zaffer, as directed in Chap. 45.

and so tinge your Crystal of an admirable Sea-green-colour.

We were mistaken in Chap. 45. in saying that the Caput Mortuum must be exposed to the Air before you do pound it with the Zaffer, for that is not alto∣gether incumbent in tinging of Glass, tho this expo∣sing of it cannot but add something to the lustre, for it draws thereby with a certain Magnetick Property, the occult Spirit of the Air, and so from a Black, of which it was before, becomes of a pale Blue-colour, and partly assumes what it lost by Distillation and Ex∣traction of the Spirits, so you may save a great deal of time and pains by this Preparation, to your no small Advantage, in expediting the Matter.

Such as shall comprehend the Vertues of those things we have shewn in the four last Capters, ought to be secret, for many will read these things, and not apprehend, or only Laugh at them, whether it be that the Divine Power, for Reasons best known to himself, will not let them discern, or that they confide in a false Presumption on their own Know∣ledge, as beyond all other Mens. God has neverthe∣less not confined to one only Wit, the whole Know∣ledge, or all the sublime Excellencies of Nature, but on the contrary, to declare his great and unbounded Charity, permits it to be communicated to many for his greater Manifestation and Glory; yet he reserves those more important Secrets to be revealed to his Faithful Servants, that such as would be acquainted with the same Mysteries, may apply to this Father of Light, who alone can inspire them with sufficiency enough for penetrating into these which they could never do without his Assistance.

Now the true Method thereof is obvious to all the World, a Holy and Regular Life opens the Passage, and continual Study and Application guides us

through; but we must add to these an upright Inten∣tion of making good use hereof, that we may not wander; a Love for our Neighbour conformable to the Will of God, to bring us to a safe Port, an ex∣tended Charity to the Poor, to lay open for us the Gate of Heaven; and in a Word, an unlimited and immense Love for this Omnipotent Creator, Eternal, and Incomprehensible, to Hand us to his very Throne: This is the prevailing Attractive, which all the Ju∣dicious Philosophers made use of to draw down this Divine Intelligence, and which I most heartily wish to all that would imitate them.

The End of the Sixth BOOK.