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 Description of the said Syrup.

℞ M. ij. Mugwort, after it is over-grown and yet in flower; Pe∣nyroyal, Calamint, Origan, Balm-Mint, Dittany of Creet, Persi∣cary,

Savin, Marjerom, Chamaedry, St. Johns-wort, Chamaepytis or Ground-Pine, Feverfew with its flower, small Centaury, Rhue, Betony, Bugloss, ana M. i. Fennel roots, Knee-holm, Parsley, as Asparagus, Smallage, Pimpernel, Woodbind, Cyperus aromaticus, Madder, Iris, and Paeony ana ℥ i. Juniper-berries, seeds of Lovage-Parsley, Smallage, Anis, Hi••h, wild Spikenard, Sneesing-wort, or Pepper-wort, Valerian, Costus amarus, Carpo Balsamum, C••∣bebs or Cardamom, aromatical Cassia Lignea, and Calamus, of all ana ℥ ss shred the Herbs and recent Roots, and reduce to gross Powder all the dry substances, and infuse and macerate 24 hours in pure water; then boyl and evaporate to the consumption of the whole half, and removing the Vessel from the fire, when the decoction is grown luke-warm, rub and handle the sub∣stances with your hands; and having made an exact straining of all, boyl it to a consistency of Syrup with lb iiij. Sugar. Nota, That the prescription runs, iteratively, that before the decocti∣on be boyled with Sugar, it may very exactly and cleanly be strained and strained again, or that otherwise the Syrup will ga∣ther a Mother, and easily lose its clearness and colour; because they pretend not to clarifie it, lest the white of Eggs should attract all the vertue of the decoction to themselves: and more∣over, do ordain to put in the aromatical substances only towards the end of the ebullition, that the vertue of these volatile sub∣stances should not deperish by too long a coction. By which it appears, that these men only fail in their operations, for want of having been initiated in the Mysteries of Chymistry, whereby they should have been taught to reason with more judgement, and work with more circumspection. But let us come to the examination of this Preparation, and necessary notes for the in∣struction of the Chymical Apothecary; and only with three we shall sufficiently give to understand the impertinency of their pro∣ceeding: And first of all, To what conduces, I beseech you, that friction, and handling of the species, since they must be pressed, to extract by this violence all the liquor whereof they are imbibed and impregnated? To what purpose again this duplicated and tri∣plicated colature? Since it shall never be able to purifie the deco∣ction, and that it is absolutely necessary to clarifie it with whites of Eggs, to prepare therewith a Syrup, which may be pleasant

to the sight and taste. The second ever is, that they will have the aromatical substances to be put in only towards the latter end of the decoction; lest, say they, their vertue which doth consist in very subtile parts should vapour away; not considering, that al∣though the decoction might have received some vertue from the aromatical substances, no ebullition of them being pre∣vious, yet this vertue must vanish away, when this same de∣coction shall be boyled with Sugar, and so their precaution is both unjudicious and ignorant: But as for the third, is it, that no∣thing else but the aromatical substances are to be heeded ••n the preparation of this Syrup? Since all the Plants, all the Fruits, all the Roots and all the Seeds which enter into its composition are aromatical and odoriferous, and consequently filled with a Salt Spirit, and Sulphur very subtile; which is no less to be preserved then the vertue of the said aromatical substances, since these prin∣ciples only give efficacy and power to the Syrup, to appease, as they pretend, all the irritations and exorbitancies of the Mother. It is not necessary, we should deliver a particular method o•• pre∣paring this Syrup according to Chymical directions, since we have enough taught and repeated the manner of doing it, in the others which we have before described, and chiefly, where we spoke of the compounded acetous Syrup: Those that shall prepare this Sy∣rup, with those precautions and Chymical method which we have before insinuated, may boast they have made a Master-piece of Pharmacy: Since it doth not suffice to know the Ingredients, and make thereof a pompous show; to neglect afterwards the pre∣serving of the vertue of those things which enter into its compo∣sition, whereof for the most part, a great show is made before the Master Apothecaries.