and to comprehend them in the three following Chapters, In the first we may contain those operations which pertain to the dissolution and corruption of a thing; In the second we will put in those things which are separated, and the detra∣ction of any thing, In the third, we will explain those which are appointed for the alteration, immutation, perfection, and preserving of a thing.
In the the first rank are breaking, or grinding, shaving, sleeking, filing, melting, or dissolving, drayning, burning, turning into ashes, or incineration, calcination, praecipita∣tions, fumigation, putrifaction and fermentation.
As for breaking or grinding,
the chief end thereof is, that things may reduced into their smallest parts; that afterwards they may the easier, and more exactly be mixt with others, and their vertue may be drawn out.
Sleeking,
or levigation, is nothing else then a most exact breaking or grinding, whereby some Medicine, red marble, or some other polite stone, a convenient liquor being powred in, or else without liquor, tis so long wrought with a little kind of Mil stone, by the turning of the hand, that it is re∣duced into the form of fine flower, and wonderful smal dust, in that manner painters use to prepare their colours.
Next to these are Section, Shaving, and Filing: Leaves, Staulks and rootes of plants,
are cut with Scizzers, or Knives, and by this means they are prepared, for boyling, infusion, or grinding, other things are shaved, or lessened by a turn, as woods, horns, hoofs, or nails, teeth of living creatures, for the same purposes. But those things which can neither be lessened by cutting or breaking, should be filed with an iron File, and reduced into the smallest parts, such like are most met∣tals, as iron, and others, and also woods, horns, and bones of Animales.
Melting is a reduction of harder things,
into a more liquid substance. Dissolving differs not from this, unlesse because that is done alwaies by the benefit of heat, and for the most part without adding of moisture; but this is alwayes done with moisture, and oftentimes without heat, so they melt fat, butter, marrow, wax, Pirch••osin, certain kinds of gummes, as also mettals by a greater strength of fire, but for the most part with powder added that they may the better run; all kinds of salt, are dissolved teares, juices, many kinds of gummes, Rosins.