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 particular preparations of Antimony, and how the Glass of Antimony is to be made by plain distillation.

THere are so many descriptions of the manner of preparing the Glass of Antimony, that Artists are confounded in this particular, and hardly know how to chuse the best: but as we are sufficiently instructed, both by Theory and practice, that the best is that which is made without addition or mixture, we will exem∣plifie and propound for a pattern the preparation of this, because whosoever can perform it exactly, shall never be put to seek in exe∣cuting the others, the melting, clarification, and diaphaneity whereof is much easier, by reason of the union of several salts, by which the fluxion is sacilitated and becomes both quicker and cleanlier; this Glass without addition is thus made.

Take well chosen Antimony, and being made into very small powder, calcine it in a very large and capacious earthen Dish, not glazed or varnished, upon a slow fire, stirring continually with an Iron Spatula or Slice; this Calcination is to be made in a place where the ayr may freely passe thorow, and the Artist must stand

above the wind, that he may receive no inconveniency by the vapours exhaling from the pure sulphur of Antimony, nor op∣presse or suffocate his breast; above all things great care must be had not to make too big a fire, otherwise the excrementitious moisture being too suddenly driven away, the melting and vitri∣fication thereof would be hindered; after you have kept this Antimony three or four houres upon the fire, and that you shall see it begin to crumble it self and gather up together, draw the Vessel off from the fire, and pour the matter upon a Porphyry stone, whereafter it is grown cold you may reduce it into alkohol; then begin anew to calcine with a little more fire then at the first time, and thus proceed three or four times, encreasing still the fire at every time that you bray your Antimony, and you will have an antimonial Calx of a whitish gray, which you may use to make your Glass therewith; as also to prepare an excellent Diaphoretick against the Plague and malignant Feavers: to attain to this, Reverberate part of this calx in a Crucible in open fire, until from white it turns to yellow; and if the calx do happen to crumble during the Reverberation, take it immediately off from the fire, and bray it again, and thus go on until all the external sul∣phur be evaporated, and the internal begins to appear and mani∣fest its self by its yellow colour, which it yields when it is come to this pass; put it in a Matrass, and pour upon it very good spirit of Wine, and digest them together the space of fifteen dayes, which being over, kindle of this spirit seven time upon your Dia∣phoretick to fix it the better. The Dosis must be from iiij. gr. to xij. in some Conserve of Marigold flowers.

But to perform the Vitrification, take lb ss. of the prepared calx, and add to it ℥ s, of crude Antimony in powder, to faci∣litate and advance the fusion, which you must make in a wind Furnace in a Crucible of very strong matter, capable to resist the fire, and last in it, and when you shall perceive your matter in the Crucible to flow clear and bright, try with a small sharp Iron which may be clean, and expose it between your sight and the light, and if it be red or transparent as a Granate or Ruby, pour it into a brass Bason, or a Copper, or brass dressing plate well scoured, and made warm before the Glass be thrown upon it, and thus shall you have a pure Glass, red and transparent, which may

be used for many noble and useful preparations, which we will place in their Rank and Order, according to the Rank and Clas∣sis of their general preparation, wherefore an Artist must never be unprovided of it.