An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. II. Of Quicksilver and Brimstone.

I. Why Quick∣silver is more hea∣vy than any other Metals, besides Gold. QUicksilver, to which Chymists give the Name of Mercury, is the heaviest of all Metals, excepting Gold: And therefore all other Bodies swim on the top of it, without sinking to the bottom.

The Reason of this Ponderosity is, because there are fewer pores in Quicksilver for the subtil matter to pass through, than in other Metals: For the multitude or deficiency of Pores is the only Cause of the Heaviness or Lightness of Bodies. For tho it might be granted, that the Parts of other Metals are of the same bulk and figure, and alike moved; yet forasmuch as they have many more Pores, they must needs be lighter than it▪ And this is the only Reason why Gold is heavier than Quicksilver, and sinks down in it, even because it

hath fewer Pores, and doth not admit so much of the matter of the 1st Element; tho' indeed in this respect it doth not much exceed Quicksilver, seeing that the proportion between them, is as 44 to 43.

Which makes me the more admire, what ground PLINY could have to assert, lib. 33. cap. 3. that Gold is not so heavy as Lead, when experi∣ence assures us, that Gold is as heavy again, and compared with Blacklead, is as 10 to 6, and to common Lead, as 10 to 5 ¼.

II. What is the cause of the Flu∣idity of Quicksil∣ver. Quicksilver is liquid, and except it be contain∣ed in some Vessel, it runs away like water.

The Reason is, because Quicksilver is divided into many little Particles, which are agitated by peculiar motions differing from one another, and continually shift their places. And tho' it doth not wet or moisten the Hand that handles it, yet cannot this hinder its fluidity: Because Moistness and Liquidity are not one and the same Quality, nor are they of the same Nature. For Fire is liquid, and Molten Metals flow, and yet neither of them can be said to wet or moisten. Foras∣much as nothing else is required to constitute the nature of Fluidity, but the motion of the insen∣sible parts of any Body, or their being so loose, as to be easily put into motion by the subtil mater. The cause therefore of the Fluidity in Quicksilver is, because the Particles whereof it consists, are so smooth and slippery, that they cannot be closely compacted together, and because being thicker than the parts of the water, they scarcely afford any entrance to the Globuli of the 2d Element, but only to that most subtil matter, which we call the 1st Element.

III. Quicksil∣ver loseth nothing of its weight. Hence it is said, that Quicksilver when put on the Fire, doth not become dissipated into Fumes; but being received into a Vessel, it soon after re∣turns to the same form it had before, without the loss of any part of its weight.

IV. How Mer∣cury may be fixed, and after∣wards re∣duced to its liquid state again. Quicksilver that hath been fixed with Quick∣lime, being put into a coated Retort, passeth into the Recipient, and there appears in its former shape.

Quicksilver is fixed when the Particles of Brim∣stone, and of many other ingredients unite them∣selves with those of the Quicksilver, fixing the Points or extremities of their little Branches, in their Pores; and if it chance that the Particles of the Quick-lime, being put in motion by the Fire, carry away with them the Particles of the Brim∣stone, or of any of the other ingredients, that united themselves with those of the Quicksilver, and hindred them from being moved, whether by stopping the passage of the subtil matter, or by rendring their figures too irregular, the Quicksil∣ver returns again to its former state.

V. Why the drops of Quicksil∣ver are round. Quicksilver always forms it self into round drops.

Because the Intervals, which the Particles of the Quicksilver leave between themselves, are so little, that neither the more gross, nor the more subtil Air can enter them, and therefore can only act upon the surface of it, that is, by continually pushing back the parts of the Quicksilver towards the Center, until the said parts resist them equally on all sides; which they never do, till they form themselves into a spherical figure. Whence it fol∣lows, that the Air must of necessity make the drops of Quicksilver more exactly round, than those of any other Liquors whatsoever.

VI. How Quick∣silver may be fixed. But notwithstanding the parts of Quicksilver be thus Round, Polisht and Slippery, yet doth not this hinder, but that by means of Quick-lime, Brimstone and other Ingredients, it may be fixed, by darting the extremities of their little Branches into the Pores of it, which makes the surface of them so irregular, that the subtil matter which moved them before, being no longer able to agi∣tate them, the Quicksilver becomes changed into a hard Body.

VII. Why a Gold Ring at∣tracts Quicksil∣ver. Quicksilver seems to bear a great affection to Gold; and therefore they who are anointed with any Mercurial Ointment, if they hold a gold ring in their Mouths, the Quicksilver penetrating through the Body, fixeth it self on the Ring, and maketh it to appear as if it were Silver, but being put into the Fire recovers its former Bright∣ness.

The Reason is, because Quicksilver, which we have said to be a Fluid Body, and to have its parts in continual agitation, by a moderate heat doth exhale, and fly away into Fumes, and therefore being mixt with those Steams, which together with the Breath are thrust forth from the Lungs, it is car∣ried upwards to the Mouth, where meeting with the ring, which is a compact and cold Body, it is stopt there, and by the union of its parts returns to its former state▪ Much after the same manner as water, in an Alembick by heat is turned into Va∣pors, till meeting with a cold Body, it loseth its agitation, and is changed again into the form of water. The Quicksilver therefore doth not at∣tract the Gold, as some suppose, but only cleaves to it, and by thrusting it self into its Pores becomes coagulated again, and recoves its former state. And therefore Phisicians advise those that have been anointed, with such Mercurial Ointments, to keep a ring of Gold in their Mouths, or to take Gold inwardly, that the Fumes of the Quicksilver may stick to it. And therefore those persons, who do frequently handle Quicksilver, as those who Guild Metals, or are employed in Chymical operations, do commonly hold a piece of Gold in their Mouths, to catch the Fumes of Quicksilver, which otherwise might prove dangerous to their Bodies.

VIII. Why Quick∣silver be∣takes it self to Gold. But you'l demand of me, why the evaporating Fumes or Particles of Quicksilver, do rather tend towards the Gold, than any other way.

IX. Gold and Silver are delivered from their dross by▪ the means of Quick∣silver. The Reason is, because the most subtil parts of the Quicksilver, being carried away by the agita∣tion communicated to them, betake themselves that way, where they find it most easy for them to continue their motion; and it is certain that they can pursue the same more readily in the Gold, than in the Air, because there is nothing in the Pores of the Gold that doth oppose them, whereas the Particles of the Air do continually thwart and cross their tendency. And accordingly we find, that when we handle Quicksilver with one Hand, and have Rings on the other, the same presently become discoloured by the Quicksilver.

Whereas formerly the Spaniards at the Mines of Potosi in Peru, did separate the Gold and Silver from the Dross, with incredible charge and labour, Fernandes de Velasco taught them a more compen∣dious way, which they ever since put in practice,

to their great profit and advantage. He took Quicksilver and Salt, which he mixed with the Mine, and so put them together into close cover∣ed Pots, which he placed in convenient Furnaces, and by this means the Gold and Silver uniting themselves with Quicksilver, became separated from their dross, the Amalgama or mixture of the Quicksilver, and Silver being afterwards cleansed, and made bright by reiterated Lotion

X. Litharge mortifies the sour∣ness of Vi∣negar. Litharge when put into Vinegar, doth take a∣way its sharpness, and communicates a kind of sweet tast to it.

The Reason is, because the sharp pointed and unequal Particles of Vinegar, which do consti∣tute its sourness, cleaving to the Particles of the Litharge, are thrust down to the bottom with it, and therefore no wonder, if the Vinegar being freed from those sharp pointed Particles, prick the Gums and Tongue, appear to be of a sweetish tast.

XI. Sublimate loseth all is corrosive acrimony, by being sublimed with Quick∣silver. If to Mercury Sublimate, which is extreamly corrosive, an equal quantity of Quicksilver be added, and exposed to Sublimation, the Sublimate loseth all its venemous corrosiveness, and becomes insipid, and a good Medicin in many cases.

Because the added Particles of Quicksilver, be∣come increased in bulk by the Particles of Salt that are in Sublimate, by why means they be∣come thicker, and their Points are blunted. After the same manner as when Spirit of Vitriol, and Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium, when mingled to∣gether lose all their sharpness: For these Salts be∣ing of different kinds, the one an acid Salt, and the other an Alkali, are no sooner mixed, but they act upon one another, by which means both their Points are blunted, much in like sort as when by rubbing the edge of one Knife against the o∣ther, both thereby become blunted.

XII. Quicksil∣ver taken inwardly, in any con∣siderable quantity causeth Death. If a considerable quantity of Quicksilver be taken inwardly, it endangers the Life and often causeth Death.

The Reason is, because Quicksilver being a very Heavy and fluid Body, doth easily enter the Veins, and mingling with the Blood, doth interrupt or quite stop its motion. Forasmuch as by the weight of this Metal, the Blood becomes so condensed, and its motion so much retarded, that it cannot furnish Spirits enough to the Brain, for the sup∣ply of the Nerves. For the Particles of the Quicksilver, lying upon one another because of their weight, do condense the Blood, and stop its agitation; and by this means, so small a quantity of Spirits are conveighed from the Brain to the Nerves, that they can only interruptedly, and by intervals fill and distend the Muscles. And this is the true cause, why those who get Quicksilver out of the Miner have their Gums flaggy, and their Teeth loose, because the Mercury entring in∣to the inmost parts of the Body, doth destroy and weaken their connexion.

XIII. Quicksil∣ver is very hurtful to the Body of Man by reason of its Acidity. The Miners that labour in the Quicksilver M••nes of Carinthia, and others who are much con∣versant about Quicksilver, are generally subject to those Diseases, which are caused by the excessive use of Acid things, as with the Palsy, shaking of the Limbs, and other such like Diseases which af∣fect▪ the Nerves. For Sourness and Harshness, seems to be predominant qualities in Quicksilver. For by its Acidity, it doth corrode most Metals; and being mixed with Vitriol and Salt, doth pro∣voke copious Salivation; but when Alkalious or Lixivous Salts are mixed with it, it Salivates less, because these do mortifie the force of Acids. And tho' these Miners fasten Bladders to their Mouths, to keep off the poisonous fumes of this Metal, yet they commonly dye of the Consumption or Palsy; because Mercury by the tenuity of its parts, doth attack the original of the Nerves, and relaxes the Veins, and above all the Lymphatick Vessels.

XIV. How Mer∣cury ope∣rates upon the Body of Man. Whence we may take notice that Quicksilver then chiefly exerts its Virtue, when it is divided into the smallest Particles. For seeing that its parts are very Penetrative, they disturb the Mass of the Blood, excite Fermentations, and frequently hurt the Members of the Stomack, whence Bloody Fluxs, Vomiting of Blood, and terrible Gripes do proceed. Because the Blood, which by a conti∣nual Circulation runs through the Body, not be∣ing able to endure this troublesome guest, and finding it self unable to discharge him by Sweat or Urin, because the Pores of the Skin and Kidnies are too small for that purpose, sends all away by the Caeliacal Arteries, and so causeth a Bloody Flux or violent Loosness.

XV. Why Brim∣stone doth abound in the Coun∣try about Sienna in Italy, in some Is∣slands in Sicily, and in Naples. Brimstone is found in great quantity, in the Country about Sienna, and in several Islands in Sicily, and in Naples, which abound with Subter∣raneous Fires.

The Reason is, because the Branchy Particles of the Exhalations, which in conjunctions with those of sharp and Metallick pieces do constitute Brim∣stone, are put into motion by the force of the Sub∣terraneous ••eat, and carried upwards to the sur∣face of the Ground, where they are coagulated into a fat and oily concretion, which we call Brimstone. And for the same reason it is, that Grease and Fat, which likewise consist of soft and thin Particles, do affect hot places, as abounding most in those parts, where the heat is strongest, as a∣bout the Heart and Reins, and other such like where the heat abounds most. And as the Fat or Grease is generated in the Bodies of Animals, so is Brimstone formed in the Earth, when the most Oily parts, by heat are carried up, and become condensed about the surface of the Earth.

XVI. Why Brim∣stone is so inflam∣able. Brimstone is very apt to be kindled, and in a moment, as soon as it toucheth the Fire, breaks forth into a Flame.

The Reason is, because it consists of the Parti∣cles of sharp Juices, which are so intangled with the thin, and close Branches of an Oily matter, that many of the Pares between the said Branches, can only transmit the Particles of the first Element. Now it is evident, that the most thin parts are first put into motion, and seized by the intercur∣rent matter. And therefore Brimstone is judged by Physicians to be hot in a high degree.

But yet we are told, that a kind of Red Brim∣stone is dug up in Carniola, which neither burns like other sorts of Brimstone, nor hath a stink∣ing smell, but when it is put to the Fire it melts like Wax. And therefore the Romans and Grecians made use of this in the Expiation and Lustration, of their Houses and other Places.