The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

458 PHYSIOLOGICAL REMAINS.
To inquire of the materials of every of the kind of ordinary glass-metal, and see whether they
of glasses, coarser and finer, and of the proportions. will incorporate, and bring a pattern.
Take an equal quantity of glass-metal, of stone Bring examples of all coloured glasses. and
calcined, and bring a pattern. learn the ingredients whereby they are coloured.
Take an ounce of vitrified metal, and a pound Inquire of the substance of galletyle.
ARTICLES OF QUESTIONS
TOUCHING
MINERALS.
THE LORD BACON'S QUESTIONS, WITH DR. MEVEREL9S SOLUTIONS.'oncerning the compl]oundingI incorporating, or brass and the calaminar stone; as all the metals
union of metals or minerals. Which subject is incorporate with vitriol; all with iron powdered;
the first letter of his Lordship's Alphabet. all with flint, etc.
Some few of these would be inquired of, to disWIT;H what metals gold will incorporate by sim- close the nature of the rest.
ple colliquefaction, and with what not! And in Whether metals or other fossils will incorpowhat quantity it will incorporate; and what kind rate with molten glass, and what body it makes.
of body the compound makes 3 The quantity in the mixture would be well
Gold with silver, which was the ancient'" elec- considered; for some small quantity perhaps will
tram:" gold with quicksilver: gold with lead: incorporate, as in the allays of gold and silvegold with copper: gold with brass: gold with coin.
iron: gold with tin. Upon the compound body, three things are
So likewise of silver: silver with quicksilver: chiefly to be observed: the colour; the fragility,ilver with lead: silver with copper: silver with or pliantness; the volatility or fixation, comparet
brass: silver with iron: "Plinius secund. lib. with the simple bodies.
xxxiii. 9. Miscuit denario triumvir Antonius fer- For present use or profit, this is the rule: conrum," silver with tin. sider the price of the two simple bodies; consider
So likewise of quicksilver: quicksilver with again the dignity of the one above the other in
lead: quicksilver with copper: quicksilver with use; then see if you can make a compound, that
brass: quicksilver with iron: quicksilver with tin. will save more in price, than it will lose in digSo of lead: lead with copper: lead with brass: nity of the use.
lead with iron: lead with tin. "Plin. xxxiv. 9." As for example; consider the price of brass
So of copper: copper with brass: copper with ordnance; consider again the price of iron ordiron: copper with tin. nance, and then consider whether the brass ordSo of brass: brass with iron: brass with tin. nance doth excel the iron ordnance in use; then
So of iron: iron with tin. if you can make a compound of brass and iron
What be the compound metals that are common that will be near as good in use, and much cheaper
and known. And what are the proportions of in price, then there is profit both to the private,
their mixtures. As, and the commonwealth. So of gold and silver,
Latten of brass, and the calaminar stone. the price is double of twelve: the dignity of gold
Pewter of tin and lead. above silver is not much, the splendour is alike,
Bell-metal of etc. and the counterfeit plate, and more pleasing to some eyes, as in cloth of
which they call alchemy. silver, silver rapiers, etc. The main dignity is,
The decomposites of three metals or more, are that gold bears the fire, which silver doth not.
too long to inquire of, except there be some com- but that is an excellency in nature, but it is nopositions of them already observed. thing at all in use; for any dignity in use I know
It is also to be observed, whether any two none, but that silvering will sully and canker
netals, which will not mingle of themselves, will more than gilding; which, if it might be corrected
mingle with the help of another; and what. with a little mixture of gold, there is profit: and
What compounds will be made of metal with I do somewhat marvel that the latter ages have
stone and other fossils; as latten is made with lost the ancient ", electrum." which was a mixture