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 way of preparing the true Essence of Roses.

THe example we are now to give, is not one of the least my∣steries of Chymistry, wherefore we will deliver it with all possible exactness, that the Artist may make use of it with de∣light and advantage. To this end, take ℥ iiij. of Salt of Roses, and put them in a small Cucurbite, and pour upon lb ss. of the best Spirit of Roses: then apply a Head to your Cucurbite, and lute exactly the Joynts thereof, and draw off the Spirit in the slow heat of B. M. that it may become alkoholisated, that is to say, well dephlegmed; for then nothing but the pure and meer aeth∣rial substance will ascend, and the Salt keep all the Phlegmatick part. But this subtiliating of the Spirit is not yet sufficient; for, it is required besides, that this Spirit be impregnated with the purest and subtilest portion of the fixed Salt upon which it was distilled, and this is that Spirit which Chymists do call alkalizated, as if they should say, a Spirit participating of the Salt Alkali of its Plant; a name given by the Arabians, to all kinds of Salts ex∣tracted from Vegetables or their parts, by the help of calcina∣tion and elixiviation. Put then the Salt remaining after the alko∣holized Spirit in a Crucible, and dry it by moderate degrees to the fire, until it grows red; and above all, take great care that it should not melt, and when it is moderately cooled, put it in the Cucurbite, and the spirit being poured upon it, distil as at first; and so continue and re-iterate three times, drying the Salt, and distilling the Spirit, to acuate it, and furnish it with a sufficient portion of its own Salt, which will be an uniting mean to joyn and mix them indivisibly together, and to frame thereof an ad∣mirable Essence, as much for its sweetness and perfume as for its medicinal vertues, which do far transcend all other operations of Vegetables. Now the chief of all this mystery, is, the Al∣kalisation of the Spirit; wherefore the Artist must have a very exact regard, to make it with all requisite punctuality. To make

the mixture of these two bodies with a requisite proportion, you must put one part of the aetherial most pure and most subtile Oyl, and pour upon it three parts of the alkalized Spirit, and you shall see them instantly unite together in a wonderful manner; and so shall you have an Essence fit to be mixed to all kind of liquors, which infinitely recreates the senses by its pleasant smell. And if you joyn to it the Essence of good Ambergrice, and Limon Rind, it will prove a Cordial and Cephalick remedy, not to be par∣allel'd by any other, as much for the excellency of its smell, as for the subtile & efficacious vertues of the ingredients which compose the same, and are very penetrating, capable of raising up again the Spirits dulled and extenuated, by soporiferous and lethargick af∣fections, which most commonly strike to the Brain, and be∣num its affections; as also it is of great vertue in all failings of the Spirits and passions of the Heart; whether this Essence be given in Broth, Wine, or Cordial Water, or even any drops be let down between the teeth if they be closed, and thrusted with a Feather or a little Cotton in the Nostrils: The ordinary dosis of these Essences is from ij. to vi. drops viij. or x. in any of the afore∣mentioned Vehicles.

In this very manner may be prepared all the Essences of such Vegetables, as yield an aetherial Oyl, and may be fermented to extract the Spirit; whether those Plants be odoriferous or no. For those which we do not like for the smell, have notwithstand∣ing their profitable uses, and specifical vertues, for some part or other of the humane body. But, as there are some substances extracted from Vegetables or some other bodies, which do yield notwithstanding Oyls of very great vertue, but would afford much more, were they converted into Essences, as are Gums, Resins, and yellow Amber; we will say here only in few words, that al∣kalized Spirit of Wine may be made use of to essencificate them, or the Spirit of some other Plant which may have a corresponden∣cy with the Disease or affected part. And this shall suffice for the Rose. We come now to the Rosemary, which may be used in the same manner, and according to the same directions, and so have we no more to add here, but only the manner of preparing the Water, called of S. Elizabeth, or Isabelle, Queen of Hungary, which is in truth a worthy noble remedy.