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 sublimate Cinnabar, or Vermilion.

WEE have deferred above to speak of mineral Cinnabar, with a purpose to mention it in this place: and to satis∣fie the Artificers mind upon this subject, he must know that mi∣neral Cinnabar is nothing else then Mercury or Quick-silver, rais∣ed and sublimated by internal heat of the Earth in mines, which made a portion of mineral and embryonated Sulphur, predomi∣nant in the same mine to ascend with it: and according to the purity of the earth, stone, sand or place where this mercury and sulphur are sublimated and coagulated into Cinnabar; this mixt is also more or lesse pure, as it appears by the mineral Cinnabar of Corinthia, which is much purer, and abounds much more in Quick-silver then that of Hungary, which is much earthlier, and hath more of stones and sands then of mercury and sulphur, and the mercury which may be extracted out of this Cinnabar, is not much purer then that which may be extracted from artificial Cin∣nabar, unless out of this respect, that it proceeds from places which abound with golden Mines: but if our Artist can recover none, let him not be put to a stand therefore, provided he takes care to purifie it well; and the first purification is made by

sublimation with common sulphur or Brimstone, in this man∣ner.

℞ lb ss. of sulphur or Brimstone, and with a moderate fire melt it in a well glazed earthen pan, and when it is all well melted, squeeze ℥ x. of ordinary Quick-silver through a Chamoy Leather to separate the parts of it, and make as it were a very subtile Raine thereof, which immediately and suddenly mingle with a wooden pestle and incorporate to the melted Brimstone, and thus continue squeezing the mercury and agitating, until it be all swallowed by the Brimstone; which being grown cold will turn to a black masse, which bray and reduce to powder between two earthen pots, exactly luted together mouth to mouth, the uppermost having a hole in the middle of the bignesse of a Quill, place this pot upon two bars of Iron, and give it a circular fire, be∣ginning under the bats by degrees, and stop the upper hole of the pot with a little piece of paper, and when you perceive the ex∣haling vapour to begin to turn from yellow to red sticking to the paper, then stop it more exactly, and give it a good strong fire for the space of three or four hours, then cease and let the Ves∣sels cool, and you shall finde in your pot the Mercury sublima∣ted into a red and shining lump or masse, which is that we call artificial Cinnabar; which may be used for a Perfume to pro∣voke the fluxing of the mouth, for it is not fit to be used internal∣ly; but we have described it, that the Artist may better conceive the manner and action of the sublimation made naturally in the earth, and to teach him how to work and prepare it with Sulphur, as well as with Salts.