A discourse of natural bathes, and mineral waters wherein, the original of fountains in general is declared, the nature and difference of minerals with examples of particular bathes, the generation of minerals in the earth, from whence both the actual heat of bathes, and their virtues proceed, by what means mineral waters are to be discover'd, and lastly, of the nature and uses of bathes, but especially of our bathes at Bathe, in Someerset-shire / by Edw. Jorden, Doctor in Physick.

CHAP. XI.

Of the generation of Metals in the Earth; Their seminary spirit, That it is not from the Ele∣ments.

NOw I must shew the generation of these minerals in the bowels of the earth, which of necessity we must understand, before we can shew the reasons how mineral waters receive either their actual heat, or their virtues.

Some have imagined that metals and minerals were created perfect at the first, seeing there ap∣pears not any seed of them manifestly, as doth of Animals and Vegetables; and seeing their sub∣stances are not so fluxible, but more firm and per∣manent. But as they are subject to corruption in time, by reason of many impurities, and differing parts in them, so they had need to be repaired by generation.

It appears in Genesis, that Plants were not created perfect at first, but only in their Semi∣naries: for Moses Cap. 2. gives a reason why Plants were not come forth of the earth, scil. be∣cause (as Tremelius translates it) there had as yet neither any rain fallen, nor any dew ascen∣ded from the earth, whereby they might be pro∣duced and nourished: The like we may judge of minerals, that they were not at first created perfect, but disposed of in such sort, as they should perpetuate themselves in their several kinds. Wherefore it hath ever been a received Axiome among the best Philosophers, that mine∣rals are generated, and experience hath confirmed it in all kinds. Our Salt-peeter men find that when they have extracted Salt-peeter out of a floor of earth one year, within three or four years after, they find more Salt-peeter generated there, and do work it over again. The like is observed in Allum and Copperass.

As for metals, our Tinners in Cornewall have experience of Pits which have been filled up with earth after they have wrought out all the Tin they could find in them; and within thirty years they have opened them again, and found more Tin generated. The like hath been observed in Iron, as Gaudentius Merula reports of Ilva, an Island in the Adriatick Sea, under the Veneti∣ans, where the Iron breeds continually as fast as they can work it, which is confirmed also by A∣gricola and Baccius; and by Virgil who saith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it,

Insula inexhaustis Chalybum generos a matallis;

Brave Ilva Isle, whose teeming womb, Breeds Iron till the day of Doom.

The like we read of at Saga in Lygiis, where they dig over their Iron-mines every tenth year. John Mathesius gives us examples almost of all sorts of minerals and metals which he hath ob∣served to grow and regenerate. The like exam∣ples you may find in Leonardus Thurneiserus. Erastus affirms that he did see in S. Joachims dale, silver grown upon a beam of wood, which was placed in the pit to support the works: and when it was rotten, the workmen coming to set new timber in the place, sound the silver sticking to the old beam. Also he reports that in Germa∣ny, there hath been unripe and unconcocted sil∣ver found in Mines, which the best workmen af∣firmed, would become perfect silver in thirty years. The like Modestinus Fachius, and Ma∣thesius affirm of unripe and liquid silver; which when the workmen find, they use to say, We are come too soon. But I need not produce any more proofs for this purpose, as I could out of Agri∣cola and Libavins, and others, seeing our best Philosophers, both antient and modern, do ac∣knowledge that all minerals are generated. The manner of generation of minerals and metals, is the same in all, as is agreed upon both by Plato and Aristotle, and ••heophrastus.

And as the manner of generation of minerals is alike in all, so it differs from the generation of

animate bodies, whether animals or vegetables, in this, that having no seed, they have no power or instinct of producing other individuals, but have their species perpetuated per virtutem seu spiritum semini analogum, by a spiritual substance proportionable to seed, which is not resident in every individual, as it is in aimals and plants, which Moses saith have their seeds in themselves, but in their proper wombs. This is the judge∣ment of Petrus Severinus, howsoever he doth ob∣scure it by his Platonical grandiloquence. And as there is not Vacuum in Corporibus, so much less in Speciebus: For that the Species are perpetua∣ted by new generations, is most certain, and pro∣ved bofore: that it is not out of the seeds of in∣dividuals, is evident by this, that if minerals do not assimulate nourishment by attraction, reten∣tion, concoction, expulsion, &c. for the main∣tenance of their own individual bodies, much less are they able to breed a superfluity of nou∣rishment for seed. And how can they attract and concoct nourishment, and expel excrements, which have no veins nor fibres, nor any distinct parts to perform these Offices withal? Moreover they are not increased as Plants are, by nourish∣ment, whereas the parts already generated, are extended in all proportions by the ingression of nutriment, which sills and enlarges them: but only are augmented externally upon the super∣ficies, by super-addition of new matter concocted by the same virtue and spirit, into the same Spe∣cies.

Thus much for the manner of all mineral ge∣nerations, which is not much controverted: the

chief difference is about the efficient and the matter. About the efficient cause of generations (for we must handle them all together) there are divers opinions, as there are divers causes which concur to all generations of animals, vegetables or minerals. But there must be one principal ef∣ficient cause, to give the form to all Species, as thee are other adjuvant and attending causes: The principal cause and agent in this work, is by most attributed to the influence of the Planets, especially to the Sun, who either by his light, or by his heat, doth frame the species of all things, and so of minerals, but chiefly in regard of his heat. This heat working upon apt matter, is thought to produce the several species which we see. As for the motion of the Planets, it is cer∣tain that they move continually in a constant or∣der, and the World could not subsist as it doth without it so as it may be cans a sine qua non; a very remote cause, as there may be a hundred more causes of that nature. So likewise the light, which the Peripateticks make the instrument of coelestial effects, can do as little to the further∣ance of generations, seeing they proceed as well by night as by day: and for minerals, it is per∣petual night with them, the density of the earth and rocks not suffering the light to pass. Where∣fore they insist chiefly upon the heat of the Sun: but Moses tells us that Plants were created with their seeds in themselves upon the third day, be∣fore the Planets, which were not created till the fourth day; the shew us that Plants and terrestrial substances depend not upon Planets for their ge∣nerations, nor for their virtues, but have the prin|

cipal causes of them in themselves. The same we may judge of minerals, being terrestrial sub∣stances, and propagated by seeds, as Plants are, and likely to be created upon the same day with Plants, seeing there is no other mention of their creation in Moses.

Now for the heat of the Sun, no doubt it is an universal fosterer of all inferior substances: but that it should beget particular Species, is very improbable. The heat of the Sun is no more apt to breed a Nettle than a Dock, Brimstone than Salt, &c. For it cannot give the essence to any thing: heat being only a quality which can breed no substance, and such a quality as can only segre∣gate heterogeneral substances; and thereby con∣gregate homogeneal. Whereas in all generati∣ons there must be a further power and virtue, to proportion the Elements fit for every Species (if they will have all things made of the Elements) and to bring the Species form a potential being to an actual, giving to every thing his proper shape, quantity, colour, smell, taste, &c. and to unite them, which before were of different na∣tures: It must be an internal and domestical agent, and efficient cause which must perform this: and such a one as is not common to all Species alike, but proper to that which it produ∣ceth: otherwise there would be no distinction, of Species. And therefore Moses saith of Plants, that they have their seeds in themselves, accor∣ding to their seyeral kinds. Neither can any ex∣ternal cause give an essential form to any thing, which form must be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, inbred in the thing it self, and not adventitious. And therefore Sca∣liger

saith, Formae, non Solis est quantitatem ter∣minare, and Aristotle, Calore natura utitur tanquam ministro aut instrumento, non tanquam opifice aut legislatore. Wherefore we will grant the Sun to be an adjuvant cause, and by his heat to foster and cherish inferiour generations: but not to be a principal and begetting cause. And so Zabarella doth mollisie the harshness of the former opinion: and doth acknowledge that the Sun doth further generations only as an in∣strument of another superiour power, whereby in minerals it may make the matter more apt to receive the form, but it makes no minerals, no more then it makes blood in our bodies.

Others make the Elements to be the princi∣pal causes of all species by their qualities. For the matter of the Elements, being a passive matter, cannot be an efficient cause of genera∣tions. These qualities must be heat or cold: for the other two are passive, and attend rather upon the matter of generations, then upon the efficient. Fire therefore by his heat is thought of all the Elements to have the greatest hand in all generations, being most active and superiour to all the rest of the Elements together, for the generation of every Species, and rank them in due order, proportion, weight, measure, &c. This is he than must reconcile the differences which are in their natures, and bring them to union. This must attract nourishment, and pre∣scribe the quantities, dimensions, parts, figures, colours, tastes, savours, &c. of every thing. A large Province he hath to govern, with one na∣ked and simple quality, which can have but one

simple motion. Simplicibus corporibus simplices tantum motus congruunt. Heat can but heat, and the effects of this heat are by separation of different substances, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to congre∣gate those that are alike, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: But in this work we make heat to unite differing sub∣stances: for all generation is of differing substan∣ces united into one. Again, fire having but one quality to work withall, whereby he must unite the other three Elements, what shall bring and unite fire unto them? This must be another power superiour to them all, for we must not ima∣gine that they meet by chance as travellers do. And therefore Aristotle explodes this efficient of fire, and attributes it to the forms of natural things.

As for cold in the other Elements, it is far more unlikely then heat, to perform these offices, being rather a distructive, then a generative quality, and is not called in by any Author to this work, before the species have received his form by heat: and then it is admitted only for consolidation, but how justly, it is doubtfull: for heat doth consolidate as well as cold, by drying up moisture. But we will not grant this to either of them, as principal Agents, but as they are in∣struments attending the forms of natural things.

The Alchymists make Sulphur to be the prin∣cipal efficient of all minerals, especially of me∣tals, and Mercury the matter. If they mean common Sulphur and Mercury, which are perfect Species in their kinds, they are much deceived, and this opinion is sufficiently con∣futed by all that oppugne them. But it seems

they understand some parts in the seminary of metals which have some analogy with these: and so their opinion may be allowed. For the spirit, which is the efficient in these generations, doth reside in a material substance, which may be resembled to Sulphur or Oyle, as some other part may be resembled to Mercury. For all ge∣nerations are framed of different parts united by this Spirit. Thus much of the different opinions concerning the efficient of all generations, and in particular of minerals. The matter whereof minerals are bred, is attributed chiefly to the Elements, as the general matter of all animate and inanimate bodies: insomuch as both the heavens, and the very souls of men are made to proceed from the Elements.

Concerning the Heavens, it hath been the ancient opinion of the Platonicks, Pythagoreans, and Epicureans, that not only these inferiour bodies, but also the coelestial, have been framed out of the Elements. Plato speaking of the hea∣vens, saith, Divini decoris ratio postulabat talem fieri mundum, qui & visum pateretur & tactum. Sine igne videri nil potest, fine sulido nil tangi: solidum sine terra nibil. Wherefore holding the heavees to be visible and solid, they must be made of the Elements. The Pythagoreans, and the Brachmanni of India held the same opi∣nion of the Heavens: where Apollonius Tyanaeus was instructed in all the Pythagorean Doctrine, as Philostratus reports. The Epicureans also were of the same opinion, as appears in Virgil, where he brings in Sil••nus, one of the sect, and one of Bacchus his crew, singing in this manner,

Namque canebat, uti magnum perinane coacta Semina, terrarumque, animae{que} maris{que} fuissent, Et liquidi simul ignis: ut his exordia primis Omnia, & ipse tener mundi concreverit orbis.

Silenus sung, how through the Chaos vast, The seeds were set of Earth, of Air, of Seas, Of purest fire: how out of these at last, All things have sprung, and also out of these The infant world was moulded.

Of this opinion also was Lucretius, Philo Ji∣doens, Valesius, &c. although Valesius doth make more pure Elements for the Heavens then ours. Aristotle forsook his Master Plato in this point, and frames the Heavens of a quintessen∣tial substance.

But howsoever the Heavens may participate with elementary qualities, and be subject to ge∣neration and corruption in their parts; yet me thinks they should exempt our soals from this original, and not make them out of the fragment of the Elements.

Scaliger inveys against Alexander Aphr••∣disiensis, for this opinion, and saith that he had poysoned our Philosophy herein: Venenav••••∣hanc Philosophiae partem. So both he and others derive the sense, motion, understanding, growth, and the natural faculties of our souls, and the pe∣culiar properties of every thing, from this origi∣nal, turpissimo errore, as Severinus saith. And Scaliger in another place concerning this: D•• intelleclu & ratione ipsaque anima quae ••ontami∣narunt

istoe nebuloe Aphrodisienses, & pudet dicere & piget meminisse. I am ashamed to speak, and grieved to think how this Aphrodisiensis hath pol∣luted our reason and understanding, and our very souls with his foggy doctrine, in ascribing all these unto the Elements. By the same reason they may ascribe the barking of Doggs, the sing∣ing of Birds, the laughing and speech of men, to the Elements. Their opinion is more probable, which hold, animam ex traduce, and to be com∣municated as one light to another: as Timoth. Bright proves in Physicam Scribonii, and not to ascribe it to the Elements. nor to miracles, or new creations. But there is far more reason to derive from the Elements, the tastes, colours, smells, sigures, numbers, quantities, orders, di∣mensions, &c. which appear more in corporal substances, and yet these are not from the Ele∣ments. For how can they give these affections to other things, when they have them not them∣selves? Si non est ab elementis gustare, quare sit gustari? What taste have any of these Ele∣ments? Fire or heat which is the most active Element, hath none. And whereas it is thought, that bittterness proceeds from heat, we find that many sharp and tar••fruits, being also very bitter before they are ripe, (as Olives for ex∣ample) yet let them hang upon the tree till they be ripe, and they lose their bitterness, and also their sharpness, by reason of their better con∣coction by heat. The like difference wefind between our oleum omphacinum, and therpe oyle. So likewise opium, which is held to be very cold, yet it is extream bitter, so as the cold

parts in it are not able to master the bitterness, but this is still predominant: wherefore heat can be no cause of bitterness, unless it be in excess or defect, as Scaliger confesseth. Wormwood is very bitter, being hot and dry in the second or third degree: if heat were the cause of it, then all other simples which are hot and dry in the same degree, should be also bitter. As I have said of tastes, so I may say of all the other affections of natural things, that they proceed not form the Elements, but from the seeds and forms of every thing. So for fat and unctuous substances, as Sulphur, Bitumen, Oyle, Grease, &c. unto what Element shall we ascribe them? Not unto fire, because this is extream hot and dry, that is temperate in heat, and very moist. Moreover, fire would rather consume it, then generate it: and Physitians judge the generation of fat in our bodies to proceed rather from cold, then from heat. Air, if it have any ingenerate quality, as some do make doubt out of Aristotle it is cold and moist, as I have shewed before, cap. 2 & 5. and therefore as it cannot agree with fire, nor be a fuel to it, so it cannot be any material cause of fat, or oylie substance: being more agreeable to water, from whence it is thought to be made by rarifaction, and in∣to which it is thought to be reduced by conden∣sation. Wherefore being of a watry nature, it cannot agree with oyle or fatness, nor be the mat∣ter of it. The like we may judge of water, which doth terminate both water and air, and therefore must be opposite to them both. As for earth, being cold and dry, and solid, it cannot be the

matter of this which is temperate, and moist, and liquid; Neither can all the Elements toge∣ther make this substance, seeing there is no un∣ctuousness in any of them, and they can give no more then they have. So as I cannot see how this oylie substance, which is very common in all natural things, and wherein the chief facul∣ties of every thing doth reside, as their humi∣dum radicale, should be from the Elements.

So likewise for the substance wherewith every thing is nourished and increased, and into which every thing is resolved, it appears not how it should be from the Elements. Hypocrates, of whom Macrobius saith, Nec fallere nec falli p••tuit, hath two notable axioms for the clearing of this point. The one is Vnumquong; in id dis∣solvitur unde compactum est. Every thing is dissolved into that whereof it was made. The other. Iisdem untrimur ex quibus constamus, we are nourished by such things as we consist of. Aristotle also hath the same. If this axiom be true, as I hold it to be, and I know none that contradict it, then we must consist of such things as we are nourished withall. But we are not nourished by the Elements, and therefore we consist not of them. Fire nourisheth nothing, water nourisheth not, as Physicians conse••s: Air is too thin a substance, and Earth to thick. And as they do not nourish them when they are single, so being compounded, they can do as little. Aristotle saith that some Plants are nou∣rished with water alone, some with earth alone, and some with both together. But if earth and water be mixed for our nourishment, they making

but mud, would make us have muddy brains. We will grant the Elements to be matrices rerum naturalium, the wombs and nurses of natural things, but we will not grant them to be material causes. Neither can we attribute more dignity unto them, then we do to our Mothers, who de∣part from their substance whereof they consist, as flesh, bones, sinews, veins, arteries, &c. to the nourishment of their Infants, but only pre∣pare blood for them, from the nutriments which they receive. And all the Elements in the world cannot make this blood, neither as the matter nor as the efficient. But as the Mother is furnished with blood to nourish the Infant, and with conve∣nient heat to foster it withall, so are the Elements stored with all manner of matter sit for all gene∣rations: so as the seeds or forms of natural things, will never want matter to nourish them, nor will ever want forms. So that it is manifest that if natural bodies be not nourished by the Elements, they are not compounded of them: but being nourished by other substances then the Elements, they must be compounded of the like; Simile simili nutritur: composit a compos•••• constant & nutriuntur.

Thus much for the Genesis or generation and naration of natural things, that thereby we can∣not gather that they are either mad or nourish∣ed by the Elements. Now let us examine whe∣ther by the Analysis or dissolution of them, we may find the four Elements, according to the for∣mer axiome, that every thing is dissolved into that whereof it was made, and is made of than whereinto it is dissolved, as Aristotle, Hypo∣crates,

and Galen do affirm. So that if the Ele∣ments enter into the composition of natural things, especially as the principal materials whereof they consist, they must needs appear in the dissolution of them. This dissolution is either natural or artificial. In the natural disso∣lution of all things, Hypocrates observes three distinct substances, calidum, humidum sive flui∣dum, & siccum five solidum, according to the three Elements or principles where of they are framed. His instance is principally man, but he ••ffirms it to hold in other animate and inanimate bodies. These Elements he termeth continen∣••••a, contenta & impetum facientia, as Galen ex∣bounds it. Those which he calls continentia, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bones, nerves, veins, arteries, and from ••hence, muscles, &c. Contenta are humida, or humores, blood; flegme, choller, melancholy, which after death, are cold, and congeal, being beated as Galen saith, from the heart, in living bodies: Impetum facientia, are spirits animal, vital and natural.

These three Elements, Galen acknowledgeth to be the nearest, but the other which are more remote, to be most universal. Bat Hypocrates ••aith that heat and cold, &c. are very powerless Elements, and that sharp, bitter, sweet, &c. are more powerfull, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. So that these are the three Elements whereof ••ll things do consist, and into which they are ••aturally resolved: and these do seem to re∣••emble the four Elements, but are not the same. For heat may resemble fire, although this heat be ••••ocured by motion in every thing whilest it

liveth, and not extrinsecally. Moisture may re∣semble water and air. Driness may resemble earth; cold appears in them all after the heat or spirit is departed.

In the artificial Analysis of natural bodies, the Alchymists tells us that they find three Ele∣ments, and no more, whereof every thing doth consist, and whereinto it is resolved: namely, Vaporosum, inflammabile, fixum: which they call Mercury, Sulphur and Salt, and they seem to agree with Hypocrates. For their Mercury may well resemble Hypocrates his spirits, or impet•••• facientia: Sulphur his humour or flu dum or ••••∣tenta: and Salt, his siccum or densum, or coni∣nentia. These they say are found in every thing, animal, vegetable, or mineral, and no other. And as for the four common Elements, seeing they are distinct in place and scituation, and therefore cannot concurre and meet to the gene∣ration of every animal, Plant and Mineral, &c but by violence, the earth being someti•••• carried upwards, and the fire downwards, co••∣trary to their natural motions: and this, not one for all, but daily and hourly: it is not likely t•••• these substances can be bred of the Elements, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be maintained in a perpetual succession by a vi••∣lent cause. And therefore it is no marvel these Elements be not found in the dissolutions natural bodies. Thus much in general concet∣ing all generations, that hereby we may the ••••∣ter judge of the particular generations of M∣nerals, which differ not from the rest, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in this, that their seeds are not in every indi••••∣dual, as the others are, but are contained ••••

matricibus, in their wombs, and there they are furnished with matter to produce their Species: not out of the Elements, no otherwise than ex matricibus, as the child in the mothers womb, but have their matter and nourishment from the seeds of things which are agreeable to their species: which seeds wanting means to produce their own species, do serve others, and yield matter and substance unto them.

Now let us come more particularly to the ge∣neration of minerals, wherein we will first ex∣amine Aristotles opinion, as most generally re∣ceived, then I will presume to set down mine own.

Notes

• Fallop. de me∣tallis cap. 11. Libav. de nat. metal. cap. 12.
• Agricola de ortu & causis Sub••.lib. 5.c.1.
• Lib. 3.c.19.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉: lib 10.
• In Sarept. co••••••. 3.II. &c.
• In Alchimia magna. De metallis pag. 17. & 19.
• Von probier••ng der crtze. In Sarept••••.
• Sebast. For•••••• l.3.c.6. Scverinus c. 8. P. 125.
• Caesalpinus de metal. lib. 1. C. 2.
• Cap. 2.
• Erast. disput. part. 2. p. 261.
• The principal Efficient Cause of the Genera∣tion of Mine∣rals, not the Sun.
• Dorn. phisica Geresis.
• Gal. de Maraes.
• De catore.
• Neither the Elements.
• 1 De anima Item 2. cap. 4.
• Trismegistus in Asclepio cap. 1. Plato. In Timco in Dialogo de natura.
• In vita Apol∣lo••ci.
• Elcoga 6.
• Desacra Philo∣soph. cap. 51.
• Cap. de mixtie∣••••.
• 1 M••teo••ol. 4. Item de mundo ubi dicit aerens comparatum esse ad aliam & aliam ••••turam inducedam.
• In som. Scipio∣nis cap. 6.
• De nat hominis.
• 2 De gen. cap. 8. Item libde s••••∣su & sensibile.
• 3 De gen. ani∣mal. cap. ultimo.
• Ifagoge cap. 8. 1 de Elementis cap. 15.
• De veteri me∣di••ina.