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.

SECT. III. Of the Principles of Death.

I Must, before I do proceed further, repeat once more here, that when we call these, Principles against Nature, we under∣stand not Nature in a general term; but only humane Nature: because it happens often, that what is Poyson to one species, shall be nourishment to the other: so doth Hen-bane please to Sterns, which feed upon it; and killeth Man.

This ground being layd, I say, that all heat, or rather all hot, corrosive, biting, sharp substance, which destroyes and consumes, is such, because it contains in it self a Sulphur against Nature; and that from this Sulphur it is, that as from their Spring, do flow all the vertues and proprietyes of the Mixt, where that im∣pure Sulphur is predominant: for if Life doth flow from a sweet, natural and vital Sulphur, and that it receives a long preservation by the essential proprietyes of this Sulphur, it must necessarily be concluded, that death and destruction must follow that Sulphur which is of an opposite nature unto it; and all Arsenicks, Realgar, Auripigment, or Lead-oar, Sandarack, and all other venoms of a hot, fiery nature, whether celestial, aerial, watery, terrestrial, all these Poysons, I say, are such by their very actions, and sole propriety of this Sulphur against Nature.

It is not our design to speak here of those Principles which are enemies and contrary to humane nature when they are already in∣corporated, and do compose some of the venemous Mixts, because we referre our selves to treat of it in the Book following; we shall only speak of these Principles here, as they are yet spiritual, & flow∣ing from the Stars; by the mediation of the Universal Spirit, and as this Principle is single in this respect, so hath it received these seve∣ral and different denominations: for as we have already said, that the Sulphur, which is heat, cannot be without Mercury, that is to say, moysture; neither without Salt, by reason of their mutual union, it followeth from thence, that a biting Mercury, and corrosive and caustick Salt is required to the subsistance of a sharp Sulphur; as likewise a temperate Mercury and sweet Salt is required for the preservation of a moderate Sulphur. For these three Principles are ever united and joyned very strictly together, whether con∣sidered as P••inciples of life, or P••inciples of death; and if some∣times we treat of them separately, it is to the end only that their operations and nature may be better understood; because there is still one of these Principles predominant above the others in the Compound, and whose actions are made manifest, concealing and blunting the efficacy and vertues of the two other, though not∣withstanding they act by way of Concomitancy, with that which predominates; as for Example: When the Mercury of Death ope∣rates the Sulphur against Nature, and corrosive Salt does not cease

from their action, though it appears but little, by reason of the pre∣dominant Principle, for à potiori sumitur denominatio.

Now as the Sulphur of Death, or Mortal Sulphur, doth manifest it self in the Arsenical substances, Realgar, Auripigment, &c. the Mercury of Death doth also the same in all Narcoticks, and we have not without reason affirmed these poysons to be, not only terre∣strial, but aerial also; for in all the Elements there is much of this malignant Mercury, not yet specified in any individual Body, but flying up and down, and remaining of a volatile nature; and whensoever it exceeds proportion, doth cause an infinite number of Epidemical, Pestilential, and Contagious Diseases; and if the individual venoms already immersed in Bodies did not attract it for their nourishment, it would infallibly, cause a great spoyl and dis∣order in the World.

And as Salt is the Principle which causes the coalescency of substances in Bodies, or corporification (if we may use the word) and that by it Sulphur and Mercury are made visible and palpable, by reason of the coalition of the same which it causes; so the cor∣roding Salt, doth also corporifie the two other Principles of Death, and renders them visible by giving them a Body; for these sub∣stances otherwise should remain invisible in the Universal Spirit, were they not brought to light, and made corporeal by the opera∣tion and help of the Salt, and by this means it is, we finde true, that so important Axiom of the great Trismegist, when he saith, that Quod est occultum fit manifestum, et vice versâ. The violence and hurtfull nature of this Salt of Death, appears very little in natu∣ral things; but when Art hath bestowed its skill, upon one or several Mixts, then appears its activity, and not before, as is ob∣vious in all sublimated Corrosives, Aqua Fortis, Butter of Anti∣mony, and several other Preparations, of this nature, known to the Sons of Art, it is from such a kinde of Salt, that Cancers, Gan∣grenes, Kings-evil, and all other corroding Ulcers are generated in mans body; which is against the sense of those, who do im∣pute to sharp and biting humours, the cause of these Diseases, ha∣ving but Chymical notions of knowledge in natural things, as we shall shew in the next Book, where we shall declare which way the Principles of Death do incorporate themselves in Man.