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.

CHAP. V. Of Lutations.

HAving described the variety of Vessels, and their use, as also the diversity of Furnaces, it followeth we should speak of all the kindes of Lutations, both of Lutes be∣longing to the fabrication of Furnaces, as of that which is used for the preservation of Vessels, and to repair their cracks and fractures, as also to joyn them again together.

That Lute which is fittest for the construction of Furnaces, is to be made with red Clay: not too fat, lest it be subject to chinks; nor too lean or sandy, lest it binde not enough. This Clay must be wrought in Water, wherein store of Horse-dung and Chim∣ney-soot hath been steept and well mingled, by which a Salt is communicated to the water, binding the Clay, and making it fit to abide the Fire. But if you will make use of this kinde of Lute or Clay, to arm, or spread about the Glass or Earthen Vessels, which are exposed to the open Fire, you must add com∣mon Salt, or the Caput mortuum of Aqua Fortis, beaten or grinded Glass, and scales of Iron falling from the Anvil in Smiths Forges; and you shall have a Lute so resisting to the action of Fire, that it will be impenetrable to vapours, insomuch as it will serve instead of the Retorts when the length and vio∣lence

of flaming Fire, which is usually given at the end of Mine∣ral Operations, hath melted the Glasten ones.

When we have spoken of Vessels, we have mentioned some that ought to be joyned together for one Operation, and said that it is necessary, when the substances wrought upon are subtile, penetrating and aethereal, that their meeting may be very exactly luted. There are then three kindes of Lute observable, for the joyning of Vessels together, when they are not exposed to open fire. The first is, that Lute which is made with white of Eggs, beaten and reduced to water by a long agitation: therein dip Fillets of Linnen, and spread the powder of unslackt Lime subtily beaten, then add another fillet of dipt Linnen, and spread pow∣der again, and so continue and re-iterate this three times; but note, that the Lime powder must never be mingled with the water of Eggs, because the secret fire of the Lime would burn and harden it, though many Artists do fall into this error; you may also dip in the same Whites of Eggs, Swine or Ox Bladder, without making use of the Lime, principally in the rectification and alkoholisation of fiery Spirits, extracted out of fermented substances. The second kinde of Lute is made with white Starch or baked Flower, and made into Pappe with common water: this kinde of Lute suffices for luting Vessels which contain less subtile and penetrating substances. The third, is nothing else but Paper cut in Fillets, folded and dipt in water, applyed to the top of Cucurbites, both to hinder that the head may not offend it, and prevent the exhaling of vapours. This manner of Lute is only used in evaporating and drawing of some inconside∣rable Menstruum or of small worth, and which may not serve again for another Operation.

There must also be another kinde of strong Lute, made to remedy the cracking of Vessels, and joyn them together, when they are to suffer a violent heat; of this there is two sorts. The first made with Glass reduced to very subtile powder, Karabe or yellow Amber and Borax, allayed with the Mucilage or water wherein Gum Arabick hath been steept, and so applyed to the joynts or meeting of the Vessels or their Cracks: and after it is well dryed, you must run with a red hot Iron gently over it, and it will give it a fast so dering and almost perfect union of the

chinks or cracks of the Vessels together: But if you will spare so much trouble, make your Lute only with soft Cheese, Lime and Rye flower; and you shall finde it no less successefull for this purpose by experience. But if you will close the neck of a Retort, and fit it to its Recipient, for the distilling of Aqua Fortis and Spirits of Salts, use only common Clay, and the Ca∣put Mortuum of Vitriol or Aqua Fortis, and common Salt, dis∣solving the Salt in water, and mixing well your Lute, then ap∣plying to the place, give it time to drye with a slow heat, to avoyd chinks; which if any happen, your care must be to stop them leasurely as they are made, and hinder thereby the exhaling of volatile Spirits.

To all these kinde of Lutations may very well be added the Hermetical Seal, which is nothing else but the melting of the Glass in the neck of the Vessel, to which end the Artist is to give by degrees the heat of Fusion; and when you see the neck begin to yield and encline by the force of fire melting the Glass, with strong Cizzers ready for the purpose, you must cut the neck of the Vessel where it is most melted; and thus the parts compressed, do as it were unite the edges of the Glass inseparably: But if you would rather close or seal the Vessel in a sharp end, twisting by degrees the neck of the Vessel, you must after expose the small end to the flame of a Candle or Lamp, to frame thereby a little knob, wherewith that small hole may be stopt, which most commonly remains at the end of the twisting, and is almost imperceptible.

Now as the Vessels are not still framed according to our desire, and that some parts are often to be taken away, which may hinder the Operations; we must also declare, how this, without endangering the Vessel may be done, viz. by breaking or slitting the Glass equally by a thwart line: This is performed three several wayes; as either by applying a red hot Iron to begin the slit, or twisting about the neck of the Vessel three rowes of thred dipt in Brimstone, if it be strong and thick; or else turning the Vessels part you would slit to the flame of a Lamp or Candle, if it be a thin and small Glass; and when it is well heated by any of these three ways, wipe it off, and throw upon it some drops of cold water, which will cause a Crack; the which begun,

mony, or any other: Aqua Fortis, the Ostridge's stomack: Armo∣niack Salt sublimated, the spread Eagle: The Tincture of Gold, the red Lion: That of Vitriol, the Green Lion: The Mercury subli∣mated, corrosive, and Antimony, are their two Dragons; the But∣ter of Antimony, the poysonous Foam of the two Dragons: The Tincture of Antimony, the Dragons Blood; and when this Tincture is coagulated, they have called it, the Wolfs Jelley. They also name that redness, which in the distillation of Nitre appears in the Receiver, the Blood of Salamander. The Vine is called by them, the Great Vegetable; Tartar, the Excrement of the Juice of Ja∣nus's Plant: And so have they several other names, more or less Enigmatical, which we will not gather up here; partly because it might prove both tedious and needless; as also that by assiduous reading and practice, (which are the two best Clues to lead us out of this labyrinth) they may easily be conceived and understood. Thus shall we with this Chapter put a conclusion to this Book, to enter into the second of our Second Part, wherein we shall give a free and ingenuous description of the manner of working, and preparing remedies, as also of the excellent uses, to which they may be applyed.