THE PREFACE.

THE same thing happens to me, about to speak of Fermentation, that once did to a Famous Historian, when he wrote his Commentary of the Roman Empire, to wit, whilst he endeavoured to draw forth, as it were in a little Table, the af∣fairs only of that Nation, he was neces∣sitated not only to recount the Actions of one people, but of all man-kind: in like manner, whilst I did meditate on a few things only concerning the energy, and the means of the working of Ferments, I have brought into this Tract, as it were swelled up with a certain Ferment, the whole Provision, and Dowry of all Nature. Entring upon this Disquisition, I thought I had been tyed only to the Bakers Oven, and Brewers Furnace, being condemned to the Mill, not to have proceeded beyond their limits, unless by chance, or with leave; but after that I had begun to look more deeply into the matter, I perceived I had gotten a far more large Province: Because it plainly appeared, besides these of Art, very many Works of Nature, to be not only like, but themselves the effects of Fermentation: For when, for the solving of the Phoenomenas, which are met with about the swelling up of the mealy Mass, and the working of Wine, and of other Liquors, I had Composed divers Arguments, Reasons, and Hypotheses, I found at length, those first be∣gotten Particles, by whose Orgasm or Heat, those vulgar preparations do Ferment, to beget the Causes of motions, and alterations, in whatever things they are mix'd with besides; wherefore, I may be pardoned, if I have strayed far from our proposition, and have seemed to any one, to have heaped together here, too plentiful an Harvest of Matter, because I was wholly led by the same thrid of Ratiocination, and the most conjunct Affinity of things, to these various and diverse Concretes. If any one shall ob∣ject, Page  [unnumbered] that I prostitute the unusual Notions, and almost only heard of, in the Shops of the Chymists, unhandsomly among the works of ordinary people, I say, these Principles, which being brought indeed to perform the self moving motions of Natural things, also more easily to represent them to the vulgar capacity, and lay them not only before their Eyes, but even into their very Hands; what of these kind of substances, I call Particles, men tho rude and unskilful, may perceive even by the help of their senses to be in the things: besides the names of Sulphur, Salt, and Spirit, and the rest, are more familiarly known, than Matter, and Form, or the four Principles of the Peripateticks. As to our method, and man∣ner of Philosophizing, no man can blame me, if I should not here describe all things according to Rule, and Analytick Patterns; because in this Work, it chances for me to wander, without a Guide, or Companion, in solitary places, and as it were in a solitude trodden by no footsteps, where I not on∣ly make a Journey, but my way also: therefore, when ever I deviate, I cannot be said to err, among right Judges of our endeavours, who have no Path in which I should Walk, nor could find a Track, which I might fear to miss.