A compendious body of chymistry, which will serve as a guide and introduction both for understanding the authors which have treated of the theory of this science in general: and for making the way plain and easie to perform, according to art and method, all operations, which teach the practise of this art, upon animals, vegetables, and minerals, without losing any of the essential vertues contained in them. By N. le Fèbure apothecary in ordinary, and chymical distiller to the King of France, and at present to his Majesty of Great-Britain.

To prepare the Radical or alkalized Vinegar.

℞ lb v. or vj. lb. OF very strong distilled Vinegar well dephlegmated, wherein you shall dissolve lb j. of Chrystals of Vinegar, which are nothing else but its own Tartar well purified, which by some is called its essential salt, and by others its vola∣tile salt, but improperly enough: digest them together for the space of fifteen dayes in a double (or circulatory) Vessel in the heat of a vapory Bath, in Saw-dust or minced straw, which done, put all in a Retort, and distil upon sand till it be dry, augmenting the fire towards the end, that the spirits of this subtil and acid Tartar may be joyned to the distilled Vinegar; calcine to white∣nesse the remaining matter in the Retort, and add to it lb ij. more of ☿ very well depurated; put all these calcined salts in a Retort, and distil your Vinegar thereupon so often by reiterated cohobations in sand-fire, that the spirit of Vinegar may incor∣porate

and carry along with him the greatest part of the fixed salt, which for the most part is not performed until the eleventh or twelfth cohobation, so shall you have a true alkalized Vinegar, fit to dissolve in a very short time all manner of stones and shels: as likewise to extract and penetrate the bodies of all Minerals and Metals; they that will be at the trouble to prepare it so, and use it dexterously, will find out more and more to how many rare effects this Spirit is conducing.