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.

Of Ferment and its Action, and how the Fermentation of Corn is to be performed; as also of Rye and Barly, to extract the burning Spirit thereof.

ALthough the art of baking Bread, and brewing Beer, seems for the present vile and abject; yet nevertheless, there be ma∣ny learned persons, and even of those which will be accounted searchers of Nature, and vers't in her mysteries, that feed upon both, without ever having made a judicious reflection, why these aliments do nourish and sustain them, much less, what portion of them is converted into their substance for the preserving of their life. Though such a study should be the chief imployment of those that undertake to treat of Nature and its Products: and, as we have so often said, that Chymistry only can introduce Man into Natures Closet and Sanctuary, there to discover her naked and hidden beauty; so will we endeavour to clear this truth, and explain it more essentially here than any where else. By the description we intend to make of the Introduction of the Leven and Ferment in those substances by which we are nourished, which doth evidence and manifest unto us by its action, what portion of vital spirituous and celestial substance there is in the

matters which are imployed dayly by us for the preservation of our life. Now we must of necessity have recourse to the inven∣tor of Leven, if we pretend to find its original any where else, than in the hand of God himself, and the nature of Light and Spi∣rits: since the action of ferment is all divine; it is properly that fire of Heaven which ancient Poets have adumbrated in the theft of Prometheus, and which fince hath been instrumental in the propagation of all Arts, since it is the only sharpener of Spirits, which illuminates and guides them to the noblest knowledge. For if any do attribute the knowledge of Leven to Tradition, we must return to the first Inventor which can be no body else, but our first Parent, who had his knowledge by infusion; and if we attribute it to Chance, it must of necessity follow, that the first discoverer should have found by accident some fermented matter which should have made him conceive, that the substance acting in this fermented body, did open and dilatate it, and introduce in it se∣veral qualities by the alteration caused by the ferment, which oc∣casioned him to take notice of some new productions, and as a kind of new generation in the fermented subject. Now it is not possible for any man to have all these considerations, and make these reflexions, without a previous tincture, or acquired and adop∣ted knowledge of natural Philosophy. And so by the help of either of these two guides, he must have extricated by the help of the External Senses, that which his Internal had preconceived, or, what is yet truer, his smell and taste must have invited him to meditate thereupon, since there is no fermentation, without some spirituous subtile and penetrative odour, which suggests im∣mediately to our reason this conclusion, that such an effect can∣not be produced, but by a celestial agent, and of an igneous na∣ture; moreover, the taste doth meet with a certain biting acidi∣ty, which is neither harsh nor corrosive: but, to the contrary, pleasant and evincing clearly that there is some very subtile Spi∣rit hidden therein: which must of necessity have obliged him who found out the first use of Leven, to make his Experiment of this fer∣mented matter, with the mixture of some other that should na∣turally incline to fermentation, and so came to discover the ef∣fect thereof, which since hath spread and communicated it self to Posterity. Nevertheless, which way soever men came first

to the knowledge of ferment and its action; we must refer the praise and glory of the invention to the Author of Nature, and the Creator of all natural productions; since those that have ap∣plyed themselves to seek its original, and the way of its operation have manifestly been convinced, that it had a source and origi∣nal above Nature it self, since all what the sublimest wits have ever been capable to say of it, hath never been sufficient to ex∣press its Essence; they contenting themselves only to say, That as God and his Attributes are the same thing, of which the hu∣mane mind can only conceive the existency, and whereof also we can affirm nothing but by Negatives: so likewise, the deepest Philosophers acknowledge Ferment and its action: but, they could never come to give an exact definition of what it is, and the manner of its action. For we find in holy Writ, that Moses hath imployed no other term but Gods fiat, let the thing be, to express the mind and will of God, which made, as it were, created things issue from Himself, as very well hath noted one of the most learned Physitians of our age, when he he saith, That God in the work of Creation, did in a manner open and explicate Him∣self, as in a Book, in which he hath left his Picture drawn in most beautiful and visible Characters; as if God had lodg'd and placed himself amongst the Beeings or created Substances; that they may the better partake of his goodness. Now as the intention of the Creation was to cause a duration and perpetuity of created substances, by a long sequel of generations; God placed the ferment or leven in the confused mass of the Chaos, to introduce in it by his Om∣nipotency the Seeds of all sublunary things, whereof he had the Idea's in himself from all Eternity. By which we know Ferment to be nothing else, but a spark of celestial and divine light, harbour∣ing in all individual Substances, which nevertheless doth not ap∣pear to the Internal Senses, much less to the External, and yet notwithstanding doth work perpetually, and reduce all things from power into act, to convey them to the end of their natu∣ral predestination. We have no more at present to say upon this matter, but, that our ignorance causes here admiration; and, that we are forced to depart from contemplation, and stoop to action, according to the measure of knowledge which God hath permitted us, that is, to imitate, though a far off, and at a

great distance the mysteries of natural fermentations by artificial ones.

To attain then to the perfect way of this noble operation, you must prepare a portion of the Seed which you are to ferment, that it may entirely be disposed to receive the ferment; and, be capable besides, to introduce it in a great quantity of the like un∣prepared Seed, which is thus performed. Chuse the time of the Vernal Equinox for this preparation; because, then Nature is in a kind of motion, to make all things bud and germinate in the renewing of the year: wherefore she makes use to this end of all the astrations or influences of the Stars; which by means of the ver∣nal Rain, impregnated with a very subtile and efficacious. Spirit and Salt, which renders it penetrative and permeable, more than at any other time of the year, doth soecundate the Earth. Take then lb L. of Wheat, Rye, or Barley, and put it to soak in a wood∣den Tub in Rain-water gathered in the Vernal Equinox; or, if the season will not afford it, in good River-water; let there be no more water then what is sufficient to soak well your Grain, and leave it so during 24 hours, then let the water run away, by a hole which is to be under the Tub; after which, take away your Grain from the Tub, and put it in an aired place, but not exposed to winds; make an heap thereof of the height of one foot and an half; cover it with a Linnen cloth first, and a Woollen one thereupon, and so let it lye together and softly contract a heat▪ until you find that the Grain hath begun to germinate, or bud and shoot out a small filament white and very thin, as if it were white Silk; then uncover your grain, because, that filament witnesses that the heat hath already sufficiently excited the internal and fermentative Spirit of the Grain, to reduce it from power into act, by the means of that spirituous substance which it had drawn from the water, that had rowsed and excited this Internal Spirit, which before did lye Dormant, and concentrated in it self: for, if you did let it lye longer covered, it would absolutely fer∣ment, and turn to putrefaction, which would spoil all the inmost part of the heap, and convert it into a confuse and shapeless mass, which would degenerate into Earth, and become as a ground and place of nourishment to the other part of the Grain in the Superficies; and in a short time would grow and be conver∣ted

into grass, by reason of the excess and abundance of water, and the precipitation of the heat. Now to prevent all these ac∣cidents, you must spread your Malt or germinated Corn in a well aired place, and permeable to the wind, it must not be higher than half a fingers bredth, that it should the sooner be dryed; so shall the air and wind dissipate the superfluous humidity, and con∣centrate this vital and spermatick power, which otherwayes would have vanisht away, and been lost and dissipated by the excess of heat and moisture. When you begin to perceive the grain to grow dry in the superficies, stir it often, to hasten the exsiccation of it; and, that the Spirit that was already in action, may recoil and concentrate it self again in its own body; which doth not cease, nevertheless, to retain a disposition more inclinable to the production of its own Spirit, than all other Grain which hath not been so prepared. And as I have said, that the Grain had suckt the spiritual and subtile part of the water, which was as its own preservative Salt; we must insist a little more in explicating this mystery for the instruction, and in the behalf, of such as are not yet acquainted with the noble actions of Nature, and the wayes she uses in her operations: Besides, that it will bring some light to what we have already said above, of Ferment and its action. To conceive this the better, it must be observed, that Nature hath placed in every Individual Substance a kind of mag∣netism, which causes it with a quick and sudden earnestness, to attract whatsoever is analogous to its Internal Spirit, from the things with which it is joyned. Now this Internal Spirit is shut up, as invisible, in the visible body of the sulphureous volatile Salt contained in the kernel or gross body of the Seed, which, to speak properly, is the soul and life of the thing: so that, when this Grain soaks in the Vernal Rain-water impregnated with the invi∣sible Seeds of all things, it attracts potently and greedily, what is most fitting and analogous to advance it self to that perfection to which it was destinated by Nature. And, when it is filled with it, it begins to conceive a heat in it self, and to ferment, whereby to produce the bud or germen, which is the principal of all vegetation: which would act and extend its power further, if the Artist did not check and draw back this stirred power, which, unless hindred, would pass into action. But the clearest

and most natural proof we can bring, that the Grain hath at∣tracted the saline and spirituous portion of the water, is, that this water in a very short time will turn to corruption, and doth contract a putrescency and ill smell above all others, which doth so offend and irritate the Brain and the Organs of Respiration, that it will almost choak those that come neer unto it. They that in March and September use to go by the doors of Brewing-houses, may best give testimony to this truth: for, those two seasons be∣ing the time they prepare greater store of Malt for brewing of their Beer, and the waters lying still in their houses and the street, they produce a most abominable and nauseous smell. And they that have wrought with Equinoxial water, and preserved full Casks thereof, know that it never corrupts, and can keep with∣out corruption whole years, which is not so with the Rain-wa∣ter of other seasons of the year. By which it evidently appears, that this long preservation cannot proceed, but from the saline Spi∣rit, which the Stars had as it were darted with their influences into this water; and that, as the Corn hath attracted it by its mag∣netism to help germination; so the water being deprived there∣of, could not preserve it self without alteration, corruption, and putrefaction.

Take lb xij. ss. of this Grain so germinated, or Malt, being dryed, and put it to lb xxx vij. ss. of Wheat, Rye, or Barley, severally, or all the three kinds together; and let it be grosly grounded, as Brewers do their Malt for Beer: Having thus your Meal prepared, put half of it in a Cask, newly emptied from Wine, and as much in another; pour upon it half boyling water with Buckets, and stir incessantly your Meal with a woodden Shovel, or any like Instru∣ment, and a four-pinned woodden Fork, to moisten throughly your Meal, and make as it were a dissolution of the internal sub∣stance of the Grain; and, when you have put 8 or 10 Buckets of scalding water in the degree afore-mentioned, and that the Meal is well mixt and allay'd, add some cold water, until all be re∣duced to so moderate a heat, that the hand may be suffered there∣in without hurt or inconveniency: that done, proportion to eve∣ry Tun of Liquor half a Bucket full of Yest of Beer, which shall be unto it instead of a Leven or Ferment; because this Yest is nothing else but fermented Flower, which the action of fermentative

Spirit expels out of the Cask as unnecessary, superfluous and full of feculency, having preserved yet in it self the fermenting pow∣er, which it is capable to introduce in the matter which is to be fermented. Having diligently and exactly agitated and mixt the Leven with the matter, you must cover the Tuns with woodden covers, & put on the top a Linnen four-folded cloth, and thereupon a Rugg, and look from time to time if the fermentation begins, which shall be noted by the rising of the grossest part of the Corn above the Liquor, and a swelling round about in the figure of an Hemisphery: Things being thus prepared, take care the matter should not run over, and make too quick an ebullition, which is a token of too much heat or too much leven; and, in such case, take away two Buckets full of it, or pour upon it a Bucket of cold water, and then let it work of it self. That which is most worthy of a Physical Philosophers consideration, and more to be admired in the working of this fermentation, is, that when that round swelling in the shape of an hemisphery is formed; and, that the Ferment hath raised the gross body of the Grain to the superficies, then appears the wise Providence of the Great Ma∣ster of Fermentations; for it serves as a Bulwark and defence against the eruption of Spirits, which act upon the matter from the center to the circumference, and play under this incrustation, until they have dissolved and volatilized all the parts of the body, upon which they act, except the uppermost skin, which is about this incrustation, which cleaves by intervals, and discovers under it a Cream as white as Snow, that dilatates it self and frames bubbles: which breaking, affects the Nostrils with a spirituous penetrating vapour, subtile and biting, that tickles the Nose, and would in a short time stupifie and inebriate; if you held your Nose over the Vessel, just as the volatile and narcotick vapour of Wine would do, when it begins to ferment in the Vessel. Now as we have engaged by the Fermentation we would describe, to show the nature of that which is performed in mans stomack; for a greater evidence of this truth, we will make a parallel be∣twixt both: for, as it is evident, that purity is separated from im∣purity; and that the substances which did seem to be heteroge∣neous become homogeneous by the action of the Ferment, which dissolves the substance of the Grain, and mixes it with the water,

to alter its taste and odour by communicating the Spirit unto it; the same is performed in the Ventricle, where all whatsoever we swallow of a liquid and solid substance, doth mix and coalesce together to become one mass of the same nature, though it should seem that what we have taken in, should be of very different kinds and qualities, as hard and soft, salt and sweet, harsh and and spiced, fat and Oyly, the acidity of the Stomack, and what∣soever else of several substances meet there: all that, I say, makes an uniform chyle, by the help of the volatile Spirit, lurking in the bottom of the Stomack, and of an acid nature, as is also ali∣ment of Leven. But, that which doth yet more illustrate this con∣formity and likeness of fermentation, is, the smell, which by eructations or belchings is brought some few hours after meals to the mouth and nostrils, which do represent the taste and smell of what hath been eaten and drunk; and chiefly, after drinking new Wine or new Beer, the belchings in their smell yield by their exhalation, a fermentative and tickling Spirit, like unto that we have mentioned above, which cannot better be apprehended, then by comparing those bubbles, which are formed in the purest part of the chyle of our fermentation of Grain, which send forth this subtile and tickling Spirit that doth invade the Nostrils; for the same happens in the Stomack, and when the eruption of these bubbles is made, it forces the action of belching, and then ap∣pears to the sense the taste and smell of what predominates in the chyle. All what we have now said, doth show how much it doth import, that as a Physitian should be well skilled in the good fermentation and its effects, since from her doth depend the pre∣servation of our health: so must he also be well verst in the con∣trary disposition of it, which is for the most part the occasional internal cause of all diseases; a truth confirmed by Hippocrates himself, when in his Aphorisms he saith, That the sowre or acid belchings of sick persons recovering, are of a good presage; which sig∣nifies no more in substance, but, that the Stomack begins to re∣cover its strength, and the digestion to be well performed, because the fermentative natural acid hath recovered the upper hand; whereby it may safely be concluded, and with great reason, that all things will go better and better.

But we return to our Fermentation, which, during this digres∣sion, we left in its progress; the knowledge whereof is of no small importance. We say then, that when the Artist sees, that what was lifted up by the action of the Spirit, is fallen again to the bottom of the Vessel; and knows by the taste, that the swiming liquor on the top hath acquired a taste between sweet, acid, and pricking; and moreover, that its smell evidences the light to have contracted a vinous and spirituous odour, which doth recre∣ate the Senses, is of a subtile nature, and happens for the most part towards the fourth or fifth day; then must you anoint the bottom of the Vessel to be used in the distillation of hot Spirits, with a piece of Bacon, to hinder the matter in the bottom to cleave unto it, and contract an adust taste or empyreumatical smell noxious to the Spirit; after this, agitate your fermentati∣on with a woodden Spatula, to cause the substance in the bot∣tom equally to mix with the liquor, whereof your Vessel must be filled, till it reach half foot neer to the top; and continually stir it, until it be sufficiently heated by the fire, to raise up all the body; then without danger may you close up the Vessel with its Moors-head or Still, luting the Joynts and quickning the fire, until you can no longer endure your hand to put upon the Still-head without burning; then you must exactly close the door of the Furnace and its Registers with great care and precaution, and so patiently expect until the Spirits begin to ascend in a va∣pour into the Worm or Pipe, where they are condensated in a spirituous burning liquor, which falls by drops into the Recipi∣ent. You must entertain the fire in that degree, until the liquor coming forth be totally insipid; then open the Vessel, and draw out the matter to fill it with new; and so continue till you have distilled all what was fermented. That done, put into the Vessel again all the distilled liquor, and throw into it two pound of new and warm white loaf of Bread, or toast it in want of new; because the Bread attracts to it self all what may be of ill favour in the first distillation; then cover the Vessel, and give it a re∣gular fire, according to the best judgement, until the Spirit be∣gins to distil, as we have already taught; and so continue until the phlegm ascends, which may easily be perceived by the taste. So shall you find after this rectification an Aqua vitae or hot

Spirit, of very good taste and odour, and little inferiour to that which is extracted from Wine, though the Grain of it self be flat and without taste, which illustrates so much the better the wonderful effects of Art and Nature, and verifies the saying of that learned Roman Philosopher Morienus, Quod est occultum fi∣at manifestum, &c. è contra: which can never be done but by the help of ferment which penetrates into the most inward parts of Mixts, and discovers unto us there, that which our Intellect or Senses should never have found otherwise.

They that will subtilize this Spirit by a third distillation, may do it, and add upon the whole a Bucket full of Wine-lees: then will it become so subtile, and so delicate, that the most skilful may be de∣ceived in their differencing it from Spirit of Wine, either by the taste or smell. It may then be applied to all such operations, where∣in Aqua vitae, and Spirit of Wine are necessary; which will be very useful to those that apply themselves to Chymical practice, in such places where there are no Vineyards, or Aqua vitae is at a dear rate. I do nevertheless advise, to keep the Spirit of Wine in Chymical operations, because it is ever more pleasant, sub∣tile, and penetrative: but, when you are destitute of it, you may lawfully substitute this Spirit, in the composition of all such re∣medies, where Aqua vitae is necessary. We shall not mention here the vertues of this Spirit; because, besides that it is com∣monly known for a great warmer, restorer; and strengthener; we purpose to speak thereof when we shall treat of the Spirit of Wine. We must nevertheless add something more in the be∣half of curious Artists, which have a mind to make this Spirit, and yet live in such Countreys where they know not what belongs to the making of Beer, and by consequence have no Ferment or Yest, which proceeds from that liquor to raise the fermentation of Meal. Now there is no place in the world where Bread is not made, and consequently, where there is not Leven or Fer∣ment, wherewith the Dow is raised in making of the Bread; where∣fore let them take lb ss. of ordinary Leven, which shall be mixt with lb ij. of Meal in xv. or xx lb. of luke-warm water; then let the Vessel containing all this be covered, and the fermentation of this Liquor be patiently expected, and when you see it begin, and the Meal to rise up on the top, and the Liquor to swell,

then introduce this Liquor in any matter which is to be fer∣mented, and you shall perceive the effects as we have already spoken of to follow, but not so quickly as if Beer-yest had been made use of.

We have but one thing more to add, which is, that to stir up the fermentation of Meal or Grains, you must put some of that which hath already been prepared: but you must know, that the Artist shall not extract so much Spirit, that it shall not be so subtile nor so delicate, nor have so kind a taste: and more∣over, that which is more important, is, that fermentations shall not succeed so well, as when this Grain is joyned to the other, which makes it fitter for fermentation, and that when it hath duly been so performed, all the distillations are much more successful, because this Grain, which hath been opened by its preparation rises up easily, and draws up to, and with it self, that which hath not been prepared. And if I am asked, why I have not p••e∣scribed prepared pure Grain to be made use of; I shall answer, that it would be unfit, because the Ferment would too soon vo∣latilize the same, and so the most subtile part of the Spirit should vanish and lose it self before it could be distilled: and moreover, that the matter would too soon ascend the Still-head, by its quick ebullition, and come forth in body and not in spirituous vapour, as it often happens with such as are not yet well verst and experimented in the distillation of fermented matters.