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 Tartarized Spirit of Vitriol.

℞ lb ij. of Vitriol well purified and only dryed, and lb j. of Tartar of Montpellier washed in white Wine and well dryed; beat them to powder each asunder, mix them exactly, and put in a glass Retort well luted, distil the spirit in a close Reverbera∣tory fire with requisite precautions; especially take a care that the

Recipient may be very capacious, or put one with three mouthes, that there may be the more room to keep within bounds the fu∣riousnesse of this Spirit which is very violent; drive the fire from 48 to 60 houres, and then cease. All what is come out rectifie in a Retort in sand three times at least, and keep this Spirit in a well stopt Viol. Then take the Caput mortuum which remains in the Retort, and put it to digest in the dew of Vitriol in the va∣porous Balneo the space of 24 houres; separate the Menstruum by inclination, and begin the digestion with new Menstruums, until it comes off with the same taste as it was put in; filtrate all the extractions, and slowly evaporate them in ashes to a skin, then let it chrystallize: but it will be more expedient for husbanding of time, to dry all the saline matter into a white and pure salt in the vapour of a boyling Balneo in an earthen Pan or white earthen Dish: for you must forbear using metallick Vessels, because this salt doth easily and quickly contract the taste and colour of Me∣tals; and if the salt did not prove white and pure enough, dis∣solve it again in new dew of Vitriol, and let it digest in a very gentle heat of the vaporous Balneo, that if any impurity should remain it should be precipitated to the bottom of the Vessel; the liquor must be filtrated in the cold, then evaporated and dryed slowly and cleanly. Put this salt in a double Vessel or Blind bo∣dy, and pour upon it the rectified spi it thereof, stop and lute the Blindhead, and put it to digest and circulate in B. M. in a slow and moderate heat the space of three weeks, which being ex∣pired, open the Vessel, and pour into a Retort all the matter contained in it, having first noted the weight thereof, and distil it in sand, until it yields nothing more by encreasing of the fire; weigh the liquor which is come forth, and cohobate it upon the salt which did remain in the Retort, reiterate the distillation, and you shall finde the spirit to be encreased in weight, which is a token that the salt ascends into Spirit, cohobate and distil so long that all the said salt may come over the Helm; which done, put this spirit in a Cucurbite, draw off the same gently in ashes, then encrease the fire something more towards the end and the salt will remain in the bottom of the Vessel, which having placed in sand, give it a subliming fire, then will the salt ascend insipid, pure and clean, leaving in the bottom its impurity and more cor∣poreal

parts; put this salt in a Pellican, and having poured its own spirit upon it, lute the mouth of the circulatory Vessel with a glasse stople, whites of Eggs and quick lime; and digest and circu∣late this matter the space of seven natural dayes, and thus shall you have the most excellent and penetrating Spirit which Art can prepare, to which we cannot attribute enough of vertue and ef∣ficacy for preserving and restoring of health; for it is an uni∣versal Aperitive, which never will fail in time of need. They that shall be acquainted with his excellency, both in respect of Physick and of Chymical operation, shall never question the truth of what I say: but I must give advice to the Artist to carry him∣self with circumspection in this Operation, and not to grow weary of the length thereof, since he will receive in the end all the benefit and satisfaction which his hopes could entertain. This work doth not concern such as think themselves very great Ar∣tists, when they have attained to the preparation of Mineral Chry∣stal, Cremor of Tartar, and Crocus Metallorum; but contrati∣wise is worth the labour of those that are most consummated in the study, and most versed in all the passages of a Chymical La∣boratory; and it is only for their sakes, that we have related here this excellent, but laborious Preparation, because they only know that, Dii laboribus omnia vendunt.