Four books of Johannes Segerus Weidenfeld concerning the secrets of the adepts, or, of the use of Lully's spirit of wine : a practical work, with very great study collected out of the ancient as well as modern fathers of adept philosophy : reconciled together by comparing them one with another, otherwise disagreeing, and in the newest method so aptly digested, that even young practitioners may be able to discern the counterfeit or sophistical preparations of animals, vegetables and minerals, whether for medicines or metals, from true, and so avoid vagabound imposters, and imaginary processes, together with the ruine of estates.

From the Receipts we observe these remarkable Things:

1. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine dissolved in an acid Spirit, is a mineral Menstruum. Our Aqua fortis, our Vinegar, distilled Vinegar, Vinegar mixed with the Spirit of Wine, our Spirit of Salt, Sulphur, &c.

2. That the Spirit of the same Wine, is with very great ebulliti∣on dissolved in an Acid, and therefore you ought to be exceeding care∣ful lest you pour too much of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine upon the Aqua fortis, and vice versa: For it would be more safe to di∣stil the Aqua fortis upon the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as Pa∣racelsus adviseth.

3. That Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine, may be ta∣ken instead of Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Wine, or Spirit of Salt mix'd with the Spirit of Wine. &c. in Chymical Works espe∣cially.

4. That the more these Menstruums are abstracted from the Acid debilitated in dissolution, the stronger they are made.

5. That the Adepts used also corrosive Menstruums or Aqua fortis. There are some, not only common ignorant Operators, but Adepts also, who not knowing the Preparation and Ʋse of these Menstruums, have written against these corrosive Menstruums. Fools, saith Bernhard, do out of the less Minerals make and ex∣tract corrosive waters, into which they cast the Species of Me∣tals, and corrode them; for they think them to be dissolved by a natural solution; which solution doth indeed require per∣manence together, that is, of the dissolvent and the dissolved; that from both, as the Masculine and Feminine Seed a new Species may result. Verily I tell you no water dissolves a Metallick Species by a natural reduction, but that which con∣tinues in matter and form, and which the Metals themselves, being dissolved, are able to re-congeal. Which Quality is not in Aqua fortisses, but is rather injurious to the Composition, that is, of the Body dissolved, &c. Yet thus they think they dissolve, mistaking Nature; but they dissolve not, because the Aqua for∣tisses being abstracted, the Body melts, as before; nor will that water be permanent to it, nor is it to that Body as radical Moi∣sture: The Bodies are indeed corroded, but not dissolved, and

so much the more alienated from a Metallick Species. Where∣fore such solutions as these are not the foundation of the trans∣mutative Art, but rather Impostures of Sophistical Alchymists, who think this sacred Art lies in these things, &c. Epist. ad Thom. de Bononia, pag. 60. Artis Aurifer. So in the Regeneration of Metals, saith Sendivogius, Vulgar Chymists proceed amiss, they dissolve Metallick Bodies, either Mercury, or Gold, or Saturn, or Luna, and corrode them with Aqua fortisses, and other heterogeneous things not requisite to true Art, then they joyn and force them together, not knowing that man is not genera∣ted from the Body of a man dissected, &c. Tract. 6. pag. 488. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.

Some do by Art corroding Waters make, In which Metalline Species they calcine; But then the Liquor doth the Earth forsake, Nor by mans Skill together they will combine: This way to Fools we leave, for nothing fit, But for to wast ones Thrist, beware of it.

Page 41. of the second Part of the Marrow of Alchymy.

These and the like Expressions they reflect against our Mineral or Acid Menstruums, whereas they were written by the Philosophers against Common not Philosophical Aqua fortisses. In that Point, saith Lully, they ignorantly err, imagining the Bodies of Me∣tals to be dissolved, and as I said before, reduced to their first Matter or Nature with Common Aqua fortisses; but if they had read our Books, they would certainly know that these Liquors are repugnant to the intention of the Philosophers, &c. Comp. Anim. Transm. pag. 19••. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Parisinus, a faithful Disciple of Lully, explains his Meaning thus: Those things that are objected by us against Aqua fortisses, namely, that they are of no efficacy in the Art, and nevertheless are taught by Lully, are to be otherwise understood: For he this way puts a difference between the Vulgar and Philosophical Aqua fortisses, &c. And therefore Raymund rejecting sharp Waters, means the Aqua for∣tisses of separation, but not those of the Philosophers, Cap. 6. Lib. ••. Elucid. pag. 206. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. But it would be meerly superfluous for us, either by Authorities or Arguments to illustrate that which the Menstruums themselves will demonstrate.