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.

The Chymical preparation of Venetian Talk.

TAke of true Venetian Talk, pure, clean, and of a greenish co∣lour and reduce lb φ. in very subtil pouder in an iron Mortar, made almost glowing hot in a good fire, as also the end of the Pestle to be us'd, or which is yet the best way; file it with a soft File into a very subtil and small pouder; mix diligently this lb ss. of Talk in pouder with lb j. of very white Tartar and ve∣ry dry, then put this mixture in a great Crucible in a Wind-fur∣nace, and calcine it with a fire of the last and utmost degree du∣ring the space of xij. or xvj. hours, which time expired, beat the mass to pouder in a hot glowing Mortar, rhen put the pou∣der in a gray or white earthen pan in a Cellar, to convert the salt of Tartar into Liquor, and let it run in a small Dish by the mouth of the pan: all the salt being separated, dry the remaining sub∣stance, and with four times as much weight of very pure Salt-pe∣ter

put the whole in a new strong Crucible able to bear the vio∣lence of the fire; put this Crucible in a wind-Furnace, and give it fire by degrees until you bring it to the highest pitch, and your Talk will melt into a very white and almost transparent Masse. This Masse put in a cool and moist place, and it will dissolve in time into an unctuous and glutinous liquor. Which Liquor is to be used for taking away and blotting out of all spots, roughness and scurf and excrescences of the face and skin, in the shoul∣ders, breast, arms and hands; but this Liquor must be dextrously and discreetly applyed with a Pincel and very superficially; and above all care must be taken that it should not lye long upon the part, which must immediatly be washed with water of white Lil∣lies, Bean-flowers, or Nenuphar flowers water turned white with some few drops of Tincture of Benjuin.

But when you will use this unctuous Liquor without any fear of danger, put some part in a Matrass and pour upon alkoholized spirit of Wine, and digest together in a heat of Horse-dung or vaporous Balneo during the space of three weeks, then draw off the spirit by distillation in the same Bath, and cohobate at least twenty times, adding every time ℥ iiij. of new spirit of Wine; and so shall you kill all the corrosiveness which was remaining in the Liquor, and have a substance fitter then any other what∣soever to clear and whiten the skin, provided that the hands and face or other parts be well and duly cleansed before with some good past, before you make any application of the Li∣quor.