Averroeana being a transcript of several letters from Averroes an Arabian philosopher at Corduba in Spain, to Metrodorus a young Grecian nobleman, student at Athens in the years 1149 and 1150 : also several letters from Pythagoras to the King of India, together with his reception at the Indian court, and an account of his discourse with the King, and his gymnosophists, and his rules and precepts : his account of the power and efficacy of numbers, and magical uses thereof : to which is prefixt, a Latin letter by Monsieur Grinau, one of the Messieurs du Port Royal in France, to the ingenious Monsieur Gramont, merchant at Amsterdam, concerning the subject of these papers, and how they came to his hands : the whole containing matters highly philosophical, physiological, Pythagorical and medicinal, the work having been long conceal'd is now put into English for the benefit of mankind, and the rectification of learned mistakes.

Metrodorus,

IT is not the least Delight I take, to see a Person of your Eminence and Quality so vehemently to aspire and thirst after Truth, besides the Com∣placency I have to be able to contribute any thing towards your Noble Endea∣vours. I greatly commend your Emu∣lation, which can never be unjust, while you have so inestimable and de∣sirable a Prize in Chace, the Attain∣ment whereof will more illustrate your Name, than all the Trophies and Dig∣nities of your Ancestors. In answer then to the Question you sent me, I deny that the Sal-nitral Vertues of things can be fixed; for then there would be no waste or decay: for you must know, that so soon as any Ani∣mal, or other thing, arrives to its highest degree of Perfection, those Sal∣nitral

Vertues or Balsamick Spirits be∣come more or less Volatile, according to the Nature and Strength of that thing. Could you by any Art continue and maintain the Oily Vertue, or Sun's quality, in any Animal or Vegetable, so long would that thing remain in full strength and vigour. All Death and Decay arising from the Evaporation of the fine Spirits and Volatile Salts. Take any Herb when 'tis in full force and vertue, dry it a little in the Sun, but not too much, then burn it into Ashes, and from these Ashes you may gather a great quantity of that Matter which the Physicians call fixed Salt. (A∣mongst Herbs, Wormwood affords the most by reason of its bitterness and heat.) But if you take the same Herb, and expose it to the Sun and Elements till it becomes light, dry, or like Chaff, till it hath lost its smell and taste, and then burn it, you shall find very little or none of that fixed Salt. There can be no such thing as fixed Salt in any Ve∣getable, so long as it remains intire;

for if it were there, it were impossible for it to evaporate or fly away; but if you burn this Herb when it is in its full Vertue; the heat and violence of the Fire doth Coagulate or Condense the Volatile Spirits, and Oily Qualities into a fixed Salt, which Effect is to be assign∣ed to the meer accidence of the Fire, and nothing else; even as the Balsa∣mick or sweet qualities in Spirituous Drinks, by a fierce Fermentation are turned and transmuted into a quite con∣trary Nature. By these little Arts Men can change one quality into ano∣ther, but for the most part for the worse, viz. They can transmute the Noble Spirits and Vertues into a keen and soure quality, and thence into a fierce Sulphureous Spirit. And also in Vegetables, by the help of Fire capti∣vate and fix the fine and Volatile Ver∣tues into a sharp standing Salt, and neither the one nor the other can be re∣duced to their former state, but by the powerful Operations of the Heavens and Elements, which by their wonder∣ful

and undiscerned Influence, can change and unfix that that was fixed, so that it becomes Volatile again, so great and admirable is the Power of God in Nature's Works. None of the Chymists Furnaces with their fierce and terrible Fire can unlock the Body of Salt so fixed; if you have any desire to do that, you must hearken to the Voice of Nature, and attend her Mo∣tions and Works in her own way. Take your fixed Salt, either of Herbs, Stones, Wood, &c. sow or mix it with the common Earth (it will a∣bundantly enrich the Soil▪ and enable it to produce a large and plentiful Crop) and by this means the Fixed will become Volatile again, and is the Life, Power and Vertue of all Vegeta∣tion, but in time it will again evapo∣rate. There is no fixed Salt in Na∣ture, nor made by Art, that this Me∣thod will not unlock and unmix, till it becomes a pure, fine, Volatile Spirit, but only the Crude, Unseparate Sea∣water-Salt, that we use with our Food,

which some affirm passes through us undigested.

The Physical Uses of these fixed Salts are much the same in Operation, as to quality, though they differ in strength and power, according to the Vigour, Heat and Vertue, the Body from whence they are Extracted is endued with. All Salts i•• their o••n Nature are quick, penetrating, and opening, and of ex∣cellent use, ••••ng duly compounded with proper Medicines. Of all sorts of Salts, that of Tartar is the best and most Medicinal; for 'tis more subtle and penetrating than any derived from Herbs, &c. And those Physicians that have this by them, have no occa∣sion to search for other, let the Disease be what it will.

Thus, Metrodorus, I have over and above answered your Question, both by proving that there can be no fixed Salts really in Animals or Vegetables: And have also given you the true na∣ture and use of all fixed Salts Ex∣tracted thence by Art. I had thought that by this time I had fulfilled your

Request. But another Question, sug∣gesting it self, relating to the for∣mer, I shall a little trespass on the Li∣mits of ••••••stolary Confinement, in or∣der to offer somewhat by way of Solu∣tion to That, and so intirely dismiss the present Subject: Having already af∣firmed, that there is very little diffe∣rence betwixt fixed Salts, I shall pro∣ceed a little further to acquaint you with somewhat of the Nature of Spirits drawn from Wine, Sugar, Fruits, &c. in Physical Operations.

All Spirits, be they drawn from what they will, have, as to quality, one and the same Operation, only weaker or stronger, according to the Nature of the Matter from whence they are Extracted. Being taken in∣wardly, they have all, more or less; a hot-penetrating Vertue, and are of good use, if properly administred, viz. now and then as Medicines, but other∣wise they become destructive to the natural Heat, and inimical to the Vital Powers; and after a Series of Paralytick Contractions of the Nerves and Sinews,

induce, as their utmost Malignity, Death it self, which consideration ought to have a peculiar place am••••g those who would make the most •••• a short Life, and not lose the advantage of the most inestimable Blessings the Gods can bestow, even Health it self: When by Burning any Herbs, &c. to Extract its Salt, which by no other Method can be obtained, do not you destroy, or at least change and transmute, all the lively and brisk Volatile Vertues into another quality of a contrary Nature and Effect? The same is to be under∣stood of all Vegetations when fermen∣ted: And hot strong Spirits drawn from them, are much less Medicinal than fixed Salt, if not partaking of some necessary Qualification.

Therefore as to those forced Spirits of Scurvy grass, &c. which make Men look like so many spotted Leopards, which the publick and scandalously Licensed Quacks and Empericks, toge∣ther with their Orvietan, or disguised Mi••hrida••••, Aqua S••iptica, of which

not one knows truly, even the Etymo∣logy of the Word, which destroys more than they pretend to Cure, are only to be regarded as so many Cheats put upon Mankind, and a meer Trick for an Impudent Blockhead to get a Penny at the Expence and Hazard of a Life better worth than his own. For I look upon all those Cattle as the Pest and Plague of a Nation, and ought to have the Libera nos fixed over their Door, if ever they deserve to be Own∣ers of an House.

But, Metrodorus, for fear I should over-lash, I will quit the Discourse at present, and say somewhat more in my next; wherein setting aside the preju∣dices of Education, the common Me∣thod of Physicians in the Country, where I at present live, and the Vulgar Opinion of Philosopers, I shall endea∣vour, by following my Mistress Nature, to contribute what I can to the satis∣factory Curiosity of a Person, I believe so desirous of being acquainted with Truth; Farewel.

Dated Corduba, 1149.