For firſt, ſince in the Mixture of the two mention'd Powders I could by the help of a very excellent Microſcope (for ordinary ones will ſcarce ſerve the turn) diſcover that which ſeem'd to the naked Eye a Green Body, to be but a heap of Diſtinct, though very ſmall Grains of Yellow Orpiment and Blew Biſe confuſedly enough Blended together, it appears that the Colour'd Corpuſcles of either kind did each retain its own Nature and Colour; By which it may be gueſs'd, what meer Tranſpoſition and Juxtapoſition of Minute and Singly unchang'd Particles of Matter can do to produce a new Colour; For that this Local Motion and new Diſpoſition of the ſmall parts of the Orpiment did Intervene is much more manifeſt than it is eaſie to Explicate how they ſhould produce this new Green otherwiſe than by the new Manner of their being put together, and conſequently by their new Diſpoſition to Modifie the Incident Light by Reflecting it otherwiſe than they did before they were Mingl'd together.
Secondly, The Green thus made being (if I may ſo ſpeak) Mechanically produc'd, there is no pretence to derive it from I know not what incomprehenſible Subſtantial Form, from which yet many would have us believe that Colours muſt flow; Nor does this Green, though a Real and Permanent, not a Phantaſtical and Vanid Colour, ſeem to be ſuch an Inherent Quality as they would have it, ſince not only each part of the Mixture remains unalter'd in Colour, and conſequently of a differing Colour from the Heap they Compoſe, but if the Eye be aſſiſted by a Microſcope to diſcern things better and more diſtinctly than before it could, it ſees not a Green Body, but a Heap of Blew and Yellow Corpuſcles.
And in the third place, I demand what either Sulphur, or Salt, or Mercury has to do in the Production of this Green; For neither the Biſe nor the Orpiment were indu'd with that Colour before, and the bare Juxtapoſition of the Corpuſcles of the two Powders that work not upon each other, but might if we had convenient Inſtruments be ſeparated, unalter'd, cannot with any probability be imagin'd either to Increaſe or Diminiſh any of the three Hypoſtatical Principles, (to which of them ſoever the Chymiſts are pleas'd to aſcribe Colours) nor does there here Intervene ſo much as Heat to afford them any colour to pretend, that at leaſt there is made an Extraverſion (as the Helmontians ſpeak) of the Sulphur or of any of the two other ſuppoſed Principles; But upon this Experiment we have already Reflected enough, if not more than enough for once.
EXPERIMENT XVIII.
But here, Pyrophilus, I muſt advertiſe you, that 'tis not every Yellow and every Blew that being mingl'd will afford a Green; For in caſe one of the Ingredients do not Act only as endow'd with ſuch a Colour, but as having a power to alter the Texture of the Corpuſcles of the other, ſo as to Indiſpoſe them to Reflect the Light, as Corpuſcles that exhibit a Blew or a Yellow are wont to Reflect it, the emergent Colour may be not Green, but ſuch as the change of Texture in the Corpuſcles of one or both of the Ingredients qualifies them to ſhew forth; as for inſtance, if you let fall a few Drops of Syrrup of Violets upon a piece of White Paper, though the Syrrup being ſpread will appear Blew, yet mingling with it two or three Drops of the lately mention'd Solution of Gold, I obtain'd not a Green but a Reddiſh mixture, which I expected from the remaining Power of the Acid Salts abounding in the Solution, ſuch Salts or Saline Spirits being wont, as we ſhall ſee anon, though weakn'd, ſo to work upon that Syrrup as to change it into a Red or Reddiſh Colour. And to confirm that for which I allege the former Experiment, I ſhall add this other, that having made a very ſtrong and high-colour'd Solution of Filings of Copper with Spirit of Urine, though the Menſtruum ſeem'd Glutted with the Metall, becauſe I put in ſo much Filings that many of them remain'd for divers days Undiſſolv'd at the Bottom, yet having put three or four Drops of Syrrup of Violets upon White Paper, I found that the deep Blew Solution proportionably mingl'd with this other Blew Liquor did not make a Blew mixture, but, as I expected, a fair Green, upon the account of the Urinous Salt that was in the Menſtruum.
EXPERIMENT XIX.
To ſhew the Chymiſts, that Colours may be made to Appear or Vaniſh, where there intervenes no Acceſſion or Change either of the Sulphureous, or the Saline, or the Mercurial principle (as they ſpeak) of Bodies: I ſhall not make uſe of the Iris afforded by the Glaſs-priſm, nor of the Colours to be ſeen in a fair Morning in thoſe drops of Dew that do in a convenient manner Reflect and Refract the Beams of Light to the Eye; But I will rather mind them of what they may obſerve in their own Laboratories, namely, that divers, if not all, Chymical Eſſential Oyls, as alſo good Spirit of Wine, being ſhaken till they have good ſtore of Bubbles, thoſe Bubbles will (if attentively conſider'd) appear adorn'd with various and lovely Colours, which all immediately Vaniſh, upon the relapſing of the Liquor that affords thoſe Bubbles their Skins, into the reſt of the Oyl, or Spirit of Wine, ſo that a Colourleſs Liquor may be made in a trice to exhibit variety of Colours, and may loſe them in a moment without the Acceſſion or Diminution of any of its Hypoſtatical Principles. And, by the way, 'tis not unworthy our notice, that ſome Bodies, as well Colourleſs, as Colour'd, by being brought to a great Thinneſs of parts, acquire Colours though they had none before, or Colours differing from them they were before endued with: For, not to inſiſt on the Variety of Colours, that Water, made ſomewhat Glutinous by Sope, acquires, when 'tis blown into ſuch Sphærical Bubbles as Boys are wont to make and play with; Turpentine (though it have a Colour deep enough of its own) may (by being blown into after a certain manner) be brought to afford Bubbles adorn'd with variety of Orient Colours, which though they Vaniſh after ſome while upon the breaking of the Bubbles, yet they would in likelihood always exhibit Colours upon their Superfices, (though not always the ſame in the ſame Parts of them, but Vary'd according to the Incidence of the Sight, and the Poſition of the Eye) if their Texture were durable enough: For I have ſeen one that was Skill'd at faſhioning Glaſſes by the help of a Lamp, blowing ſome of them ſo ſtrongly as to burſt them, whereupon it was found, that the Tenacity of the Metall was ſuch, that before it broke it ſuffer'd it ſelf to be reduc'd into Films ſo extremely thin, that being kept clean they conſtantly ſhew'd on their Surfaces (but after the manner newly mention'd) the varying Colours of the Rain-bow, which were exceedingly Vivid, as I had often opportunity to obſerve in ſome, that I caus'd purpoſely to be made, to keep by me.
But leſt it ſhould be objected, that the above mentioned Inſtances are drawn from Tranſparent Liquors, it may poſſibly appear, not impertinent to add, what I have ſometimes thought upon, and ſeveral times tried, when I was conſidering the Opinions of the Chymiſts about Colours, I took then a Feather of a convenient Bigneſs and Shape, and holding it at a fit diſtance betwixt my Eye and the Sun when he was near the Horizon, me thought there appear'd to me a Variety of little Rain-bows, with differing and very vivid Colours, of which none was conſtantly to be ſeen in the Feather; the like Phænomenon I have at other times (though not with altogether ſo good ſucceſs) produc'd, by interpoſing at a due diſtance a piece of Black Ribband betwixt the almoſt ſetting Sun and my Eye, not to mention the Trials I have made to the ſame purpoſe, with other Bodies.
EXPERIMENT XX.
Take good Syrrup of Violets, Imprægnated with the Tincture of the flowers, drop a little of it upon a White Paper (for by that means the Change of Colour will be more conſpicuous, and the Experiment may be practis'd in ſmaller Quantities) and on this Liquor let fall two or three drops of Spirit either of Salt or Vinegar, or almoſt any other eminently Acid Liquor, and upon the Mixture of theſe you ſhall find the Syrrup immediatly turn'd Red, and the way of Effecting ſuch a Change has not been unknown to divers Perſons who have produc'd the like, by Spirit of Vitriol, or juice of Limmons, but have Groundleſsly aſcrib'd the Effect to ſome Peculiar Quality of thoſe two Liquors, whereas, (as we have already intimated) almoſt any Acid Salt will turn Syrrup of Violets Red. But to improve the Experiment, let me add what has not (that I know of) been hitherto obſerv'd, and has, when we firſt ſhew'd it them, appear'd ſomething ſtrange, even to thoſe that have been inquiſitive into the Nature of Colours; namely, that if inſtead of Spirit of Salt, or that of Vinegar, you drop upon the Syrrup of Violets a little Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium, or the like quantity of Solution of Potaſhes, and rubb them together with your finger, you ſhall find the Blew Colour of the Syrrup turn'd in a moment into a perfect Green, and the like may be perform'd by divers other Liquors, as we may have occaſion elſewhere to Inform you.
Annotation upon the twentieth Experiment.
The uſe of what we lately deliver'd concerning the way of turning Syrrup of Violets, Red or Green, may be this; That, though it be a far more common and procurable Liquor than the Infuſion of Lignum Nephriticum, it may yet be eaſily ſubſtituted in its Room, when we have a mind to examine, whether or no the Salt predominant in a Liquor or other Body, wherein 'tis Looſe and Abundant, belong to the Tribe of Acid Salts or not. For if ſuch a Body turn the Syrrup of a Red or Reddiſh Purple Colour, it does for the moſt part argue the Body (eſpecially if it be a diſtill'd Liquor) to abound with Acid Salt. But if the Syrrup be made Green, that argues the Predominant Salt to be of a Nature repugnant to that of the Tribe of Acids. For, as I find that either Spirit of Salt, or Oyl of Vitriol, or Aqua-fortis, or Spirit of Vinegar, or Juice of Lemmons, or any of the Acid Liquors I have yet had occaſion to try, will turn Syrrup of Violets, of a Red, (or at leaſt, of a Reddiſh Colour, ſo I have found, that not only the Volatile Salts of all Animal Subſtances I have us'd, as Spirit of Harts-horn, of Urine, of Sal-Armoniack, of Blood, &c. but alſo all the Alcalizate Salts I have imploy'd, as the Solution of Salt of Tartar, of Pot-aſhes, of common Wood-aſhes, Lime-water, &c. will immediately change the Blew Syrrup, into a perfect Green. And by the ſame way (to hint that upon the by) I elſewhere ſhow you, both the changes that Nature and Time produce, in the more Saline parts of ſome Bodies, may be diſcover'd, and alſo how ev'n ſuch Chymically prepar'd Bodies, as belong not either to the Animal Kingdome, or to the Tribe of Alcali's, may have their new and ſuperinduc'd Nature ſucceſsfully Examin'd. In this place I ſhall only add, that not alone the Changing the Colour of the Syrrup, requires, that the Changing Body be more ſtrong, of the Acid, or other ſort of Salt that is Predominant in it, than is requiſite for the working upon the Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum; but that in this is alſo, the Operation of the formerly mention'd Salts upon our Syrrup, differs from their Operation upon our Tinctures, that in this Liquor, if the Cæruleous Colour be Deſtroy'd by an Acid Salt, it may be Restor'd by one that is either Volatile, or Lixiviate; whereas in Syrrup of Violets, though one of theſe contrary Salts will destroy the Action of the other, yet neither of them will reſtore the Syrrup to its native Blew; but each of them will Change it into the Colour which it ſelf doth (if I may ſo ſpeak) affect, as we ſhall have Occaſion to ſhow in the Notes on the twenty fifth Experiment.
EXPERIMENT XXI.
There is a Weed, more known to Plowmen than belov'd by them, whoſe Flowers from their Colour are commonly call'd Blew-bottles, and Corn-weed from their Growing among Corn18. Theſe Flowers ſome Ladies do, upon the account of their Lovely Colour, think worth the being Candied, which when they are, they will long retain ſo fair a Colour, as makes them a very fine Sallad in the Winter. But I have try'd, that when they are freſhly gather'd, they will afford a Juice, which when newly expreſs'd, (for in ſome caſes 'twill ſoon enough degenerate) affords a very deep and pleaſant Blew. Now, (to draw this to our preſent Scope) by dropping on this freſh Juice, a little Spirit of Salt, (that being the Acid Spirit I had then at hand) it immediately turn'd (as I predicted) into a Red. And if inſtead of the Sowr Spirit I mingled with it a little ſtrong Solution of an Alcalizate Salt, it did preſently diſcloſe a lovely Green; the ſame Changes being by thoſe differing ſorts of Saline Liquors, producible in this Natural juice, that we lately mention'd to have happen'd to that factitious Mixture, the Syrrup of Violets. And I remember, that finding this Blew Liquor, when freſhly made, to be capable of ſerving in a Pen for an Ink of that Colour, I attempted by moiſtning one part of a piece of White Paper with the Spirit of Salt I have been mentioning, and another with ſome Alcalizate or Volatile Liquor, to draw a Line on the leiſurely dry'd Paper, that ſhould, e'vn before the Ink was dry, appear partly Blew, partly Red, and partly Green: But though the latter part of the Experiment ſucceeded not well, (whether becauſe Volatile Salts are too Fugitive to be retain'd in the Paper, and Alcalizate ones are too Unctuous, or ſo apt to draw Moiſture from the Air, that they keep the Paper from drying well) yet the former Part ſucceeded well enough; the Blew and Red being Conſpicuous enough to afford a ſurprizing Spectacle to thoſe, I acquaint not with (what I willingly allow you to call) the Trick.
Annotation upon the one and twentieth Experiment.
But leſt you ſhould be tempted to think (Pyrophilus) that Volatile or Alcalizate Salts change Blews into Green, rather upon the ſcore of the eaſie Tranſition of the former Colour into the latter, than upon the account of the Texture, wherein moſt Vegetables, that afford a Blew, ſeem, though otherwiſe differing, to be Allied, I will add, that when I purpoſely diſſolv'd Blew Vitriol in fair Water, and thereby imbu'd ſufficiently that Liquor with that Colour, a Lixiviate Liquor, and a Urinous Salt being Copiouſly pour'd upon diſtinct Parcels of it, did each of them, though perhaps with ſome Difference, turn the Liquor not Green, but of a deep Yellowiſh Colour, almoſt like that of Yellow Oker, which Colour the Precipitated Corpuſcles retain'd, when they had Leiſurely ſubſided to the Bottom. What this Precipitated Subſtance is, it is not needfull now to Enquire in this place, and in another, I have ſhown you, that notwithſtanding its Colour, and its being Obtainable from an Acid Menſtruum by the help of Salt of Tartar, it is yet far enough from being the true Sulphur of Vitriol.
EXPERIMENT XXII.
Our next Experiment (Pyrophilus) will perhaps ſeem to be of a contrary Nature to the two former, made upon Syrrup of Violets, and Juice of Blew-bottles. For as in them by the Affuſion of Oyl of Tartar, a Blewiſh Liquor is made Green, ſo in this, by the ſole Mixture of the ſame Oyl, a Greeniſh Liquor becomes Blew. The hint of this Experiment was given us by the practice of ſome Italian Painters, who being wont to Counterfeit Ultra-marine Azure (as they call it) by Grinding Verdigreaſe with Sal-Armoniack, and ſome other Saline Ingredients, and letting them Rot (as they imagine) for a good while together in a Dunghill, we ſuppos'd, that the change of Colour wrought in the Verdigreaſe by this way of Preparation, muſt proceed from the Action of certain Volatile and Alcalizate Salts, abounding in ſome of the mingled Concretes, and brought to make a further Diſſolution of the Copper abounding in the Verdigreaſe, and therefore we Conjectur'd, that if both the Verdigreaſe, and ſuch Salts were diſſolv'd in fair Water, the ſmall Parts of both being therein more ſubdivided, and ſet at liberty, would have better acceſs to each other, and thereby Incorporate much the more ſuddenly; And accordingly we found, that if upon a ſtrong Solution of good French Verdigreaſe (for 'tis that we are wont to imploy, as the beſt) you pour a juſt quantity of Oyl of Tartar, and ſhake them well together, you ſhall immediately ſee a notable Change of Colour, and the Mixture will grow thick, and not tranſparent, but if you ſtay a while, till the Groſſer part be Precipitated to, and ſetled in the Bottom, you may obtain a clear Liquor of a very lovely Colour, and exceeding delightfull to the Eye. But, you muſt have a care to drop in a competent Quantity of Oyl of Tartar, for elſe the Colour will not be ſo Deep, and Rich; and if inſtead of this Oyl you imploy a clear Lixivium of Pot-aſhes, you may have an Azure ſomewhat Lighter or Paler than, and therefore differing from, the former. And if inſtead of either of theſe Liquors, you make uſe of Spirit of Urine, or of Harts-horn, you may according to the Quantity and Quality of the Spirit you pour in, obtain ſome further Variety (though ſcarce conſiderable) of Cæruleous Liquors. And yet lately by the help of this Urinous Spirit we made a Blew Liquor, which not a few Ingenious Perſons, and among them, ſome, whoſe Profeſſion makes them very Converſant with Colours, have looked upon with ſome wonder. But theſe Azure Colour'd Liquors ſhould be freed from the Subſiding matter, which the Salts of Tartar or Urine precipitate out of them, rather by being Decanted, than by Filtration. For by the latter of theſe ways we have ſometimes found, the Colour of them very much Impair'd, and little Superiour to that of the groſſer Subſtance, that it left in the Filtre.
EXPERIMENT XXIII.
That Roſes held over the Fume of Sulphur, may quickly by it be depriv'd of their Colour, and have as much of their Leaves, as the Fume works upon, burn'd pale, is an Experiment, that divers others have tried, as well as I. But (Pyrophilus) it may ſeem ſomewhat ſtrange to one that has never conſider'd the Compounded nature of Brimſtone, That, whereas the Fume of Sulphur will, as we have ſaid, Whiten the Leaves of Roſes; That Liquor, which is commonly call'd Oyl of Sulphur per Campanam, becauſe it is ſuppos'd to be made by the Condenſation of theſe Fumes in Glaſſes ſhap't like Bells, into a Liquor, does powerfully heighten the Tincture of Red Roſes, and make it more Red and Vivid, as we have eaſily tried by putting ſome Red-Roſe Leaves, that had been long dried, (and ſo had loſt much of their Colour) into a Vial of fair Water. For a while after the Affuſion of a convenient Quantity of the Liquor we are ſpeaking of, both the Leaves themſelves, and the Water they were Steep'd in, diſcover'd a very freſh and lovely Colour.
EXPERIMENT XXIV.
It may (Pyrophilus) ſomewhat ſerve to Illuſtrate, not only the Doctrine of Pigments, and of Colours, but divers other Parts of the Corpuſcular Philoſophy; as that explicates Odours, and many other things, not as the Schools by Aery Qualities, but by Real, though extremely Minute Bodies; to examine, how much of a Colourleſs Liquor, a very ſmall Parcel of a Pigment may Imbue with a diſcernable Colour. And though there be ſcarce any thing of Preciſeneſs to be expected from ſuch Trials, yet I preſum'd, that (at leaſt) I ſhould be able to ſhow a much further Subdiviſion of the Parts of Matter into Viſible Particles, than I have hitherto found taken notice of, and than moſt men would imagine; no Body, that I know of, having yet attempted to reduce this Matter to any Meaſure.
The Bodies, the moſt promiſing for ſuch a purpoſe, might ſeem to be the Metalls, eſpecially Gold, becauſe of the Multitude, and Minuteneſs of its Parts, which might be argu'd from the incomparable Cloſeneſs of its Texture: But though we tried a Solution of Gold made in Aqua Regia firſt, and then in fair Water; yet in regard we were to determine the Pigment we imploy'd, not by Bulk but Weight, and becauſe alſo, that the Yellow Colour of Gold is but a faint one in Compariſon of the deep Colour of Cochineel, we rather choſe this to make our Trials with. But among divers of theſe it will ſuffice to ſet down one, which was carefully made in Veſſels conveniently Shap'd; (and that in the preſence of a Witneſs, and an Aſſiſtant) the Sum whereof I find among my Adverſaria, Regiſtred in the following Words. To which I ſhall only premiſe, (to leſſen the wonder of ſo ſtrange a diffuſion of the Pigment) That Cochineel will be better Diſſolv'd, and have its Colour far more heightn'd by Spirit of Urine, than (I ſay not by common Water, but) by Rectify'd Spirit of Wine it ſelf.
The Note I ſpoke off is this. [One Grain of Cochineel diſſolv'd in a pretty Quantity of Spirit of Urine, and then diſſolv'd further by degrees in fair Water, imparted a diſcernable, though but a very faint Colour, to about ſix Glaſs-fulls of Water, each of them containing about forty three Ounces and an half, which amounts to above a hundred twenty five thouſand times its own Weight.]
EXPERIMENT XXV.
It may afford a conſiderable Hint (Pyrophilus) to him, that would improve the Art of Dying, to know what change of Colours may be produc'd by the three ſeveral ſorts of Salts already often mention'd, (ſome or other of which may be procur'd in Quantity at reaſonable Rates) in the Juices, Decoctions, Infuſions, and (in a word) the more ſoluble parts of Vegetables. And, though the deſign of this Diſcourſe be the Improvement of Knowledge, not of Trades: yet thus much I ſhall not ſcruple to intimate here, That the Blew Liquors, mention'd in the twentieth and one and twentieth Experiments, are far from being the only Vegetable Subſtances, upon which Acid, Urinous, and Alcalizate Salts have the like Operations to thoſe recited in thoſe two Experiments. For Ripe Privet Berries (for inſtance) being cruſh'd upon White Paper, though they ſtain it with a Purpliſh Colour, yet if we let fall on ſome part of it two or three drops of Spirit of Salt, and on the other part a little more of the Strong Solution of Pot-aſhes, the former Liquor immediately turn'd that part of the Thick juice or Pulp, on which it fell, into a lovely Red, and the latter turn'd the other part of it into a delightfull Green. Though I will not undertake, that thoſe Colours in that Subſtance ſhall not be much more Orient, than Laſting; and though (Pyrophilus) this Experiment may ſeem to be almoſt the ſame with thoſe already deliver'd concerning Syrrup of Violets, and the Juice of Blew-bottles, yet I think it not amiſs to take this Occaſion to inform you, that this Experiment reaches much farther, than perhaps you yet imagine, and may be of good Uſe to thoſe, whom it concerns to know, how Dying Stuffs may be wrought upon by Saline Liquors. For, I have found this Experiment to ſucceed in ſo many Various Berries, Flowers, Bloſſoms, and other finer Parts of Vegetables, that neither my Memory, nor my Leiſure ſerves me to enumerate them. And it is ſomewhat ſurprizing to ſee, by how Differingly-colour'd Flowers, or Bloſſoms, (for example) the Paper being ſtain'd, will by an Acid Spirit be immediately turn'd Red, and by any Alcaly or any Urinous Spirit turn'd Green; inſomuch that ev'n the cruſh'd Bloſſoms of Meſerion, (which I gather'd in Winter and froſty Weather) and thoſe of Peaſe, cruſh'd upon White Paper, how remote ſoever their Colours be from Green, would in a moment paſs into a deep Degree of that Colour, upon the Touch of an Alcalizate Liquor. To which let us add, That either of thoſe new Pigments (if I may ſo call them) may by the Affuſion of enough of a contrary Liquor, be preſently chang'd from Red into Green, and from Green into Red, which Obſervation will hold alſo in Syrrup of Violets, Juices of Blew-bottles, &c.
Annotation.
After what I have formerly deliver'd to evince, That there are many Inſtances, wherein new Colours are produc'd or acquir'd by Bodies, which Chymiſts are wont to think deſtitute of Salt, or to whoſe change of Colours no new Acceſſion of Saline Particles does appear to contribute, I think we may ſafely enough acknowledge, that we have taken notice of ſo many Changes made by the Intervention of Salts in the Colours of Mix'd Bodies, that it has leſſen'd our Wonder, That though many Chymiſts are wont to aſcribe the Colours of Such Bodies to their Sulphureous, and the reſt to their Mercurial Principle; yet Paracelſus himſelf directs us in the Indagation of Colours, to have an Eye principally upon Salts, as we find in that paſſage of his, wherein he takes upon him to Oblige his Readers much by Inſtructing them, of what things they are to expect the Knowledge from each of the three diſtinct Principles of Bodies. Alias (ſays he) Colorum ſimilis ratio eſt: De quibus brevem inſtitutionem hanc attendite, quod ſcilicet colores omnes ex Sale prodeant. Sal enim dat colorem, dat Balſamum.19 And a little beneath. Iam natura Ipſa colores protrathit ex ſale, cuique ſpeciei dans illum, qui ipſi competit, &c. After which he concludes; Itaque qui rerum omnium corpora cognoſcere vult, huic opus eſt, ut ante omnia cognoſcat Sulphur, Ab hoc, qui deſiderat noviſſe Colores is ſcientiam iſtorum petat à Sale, Qui ſcire vult Virtutes, is ſcrutetur arcana Mercurii. Sic nimirum fundamentum hauſerit Myſteriorum, in quolibet creſcenti indagandorum, prout natura cuilibet ſpeciei ea ingeſſit. But though Paracelſus aſcribes to each of his belov'd Hypoſtatical Principles, much more than I fear will be found to belong to it; yet if we pleaſe to conſider Colours, not as Philoſophers, but as Dyers, the concurrence of Salts to the ſtriking and change of Colours, and their Efficacy, will, I ſuppoſe, appear ſo conſiderable, that we ſhall not need to quarrel much with Paracelſus, for aſcribing in this place (for I dare not affirm that he uſes to be ſtill of one Mind) the Colours of Bodies to their Salts, if by Salts he here underſtood, not only Elementary Salts, but ſuch alſo as are commonly taken for Salts, as Allom, Cryſtals of Tartar, Vitriol, &c. becauſe the Saline principle does chiefly abound in them, though indeed they be, as we elſewhere declare, mix'd Bodies, and have moſt of them, beſides what is Saline, both Sulphureous, Aqueous, and Groſs or Earthy parts.
But though (Pyrophilus) I have obſerv'd a Red and Green to be produc'd, the former, by Acid Salts, the later by Salts not Acid, in the expreſs Juices of ſo many differing Vegetable Subſtances, that the Obſervation, if perſued, may prove (as I ſaid) of good Uſe: yet to ſhow you how much e'vn theſe Effects depend upon the particular Texture of Bodies, I muſt ſubjoyn ſome caſes wherein I (who am ſomewhat backwards to admit Obſervations for Univerſal) had the Curioſity to diſcover, that the Experiments would not Uniformly ſucceed, and of theſe Exceptions, the chief that I now remember, are reducible to the following three.
EXPERIMENT XXVI.
And, (firſt) I thought fit to try the Operation of Acid Salts upon Vegetable Subſtances, that are already and by their own Nature Red. And accordingly I made Trial upon Syrrup of Clove-july-flowers, the clear expreſs'd Juice of the ſucculent Berries of Spina Cervina, or Buckthorn (which I had long kept by me for the ſake of its deep Colour) upon Red Roſes, Infuſion of Brazil, and divers other Vegetable Subſtances, on ſome of which cruſh'd (as is often mention'd) upon White Paper, (which is alſo to be underſtood in moſt of theſe Experiments, if no Circumſtance of them argue otherwiſe) Spirit of Salt either made no conſiderable Change, or alter'd the Colour but from a Darker to a Lighter Red. How it will ſucceed in many other Vegetable Juices, and Infuſions of the ſame Colour, I have at preſent ſo few at hand, that I muſt leave you to find it out your ſelf. But as for the Operation of the other ſorts of Salts upon theſe Red Subſtances, I found it not very Uniform, ſome Red, or Reddiſh Infuſions, as of Roſes, being turn'd thereby into a dirty Colour, but yet inclining to Green. Nor was the Syrrup of Clove-july-flowers turn'd by the ſolution of Pot-aſhes to a much better, though ſomewhat a Greener, Colour. Another ſort of Red Infuſions was by an Alcaly not turn'd into a Green, but advanc'd into a Crimſon, as I ſhall have occaſion to note ere long. But there were other ſorts, as particularly the lovely Colour'd juice of Buckthorn Berries, that readily paſs'd into a lovely Green.
EXPERIMENT XXVII.
Among other Vegetables, which we thought likely to afford Exceptions to the General Obſervation about the differing Changes of Colours produc'd by Acid and Sulphureous Salts, we thought fit to make Trial upon the Flowers of Jaſmin, they being both White as to Colour, and eſteem'd to be of a more Oyly nature than other Flowers. Whereupon having taken the White parts only of the Flowers, and rubb'd them ſomewhat hard with my Finger upon a piece of clean Paper, it appear'd very little Diſcolour'd. Nor had Spirit of Salt, wherewith I moiſten'd one part of it, any conſiderable Operation upon it. But Spirit of Urine, and ſomewhat more effectually a ſtrong Alcalizate Solution, did immediately turn the almoſt Colourleſs Paper moiſten'd by the Juice of the Jaſmin, not as thoſe Liquors are wont to do, when put upon the Juices of other Flowers, of a good Green, but of a Deep, though ſomewhat Greeniſh Yellow, which Experiment I did afterwards at ſeveral times repeat with the like ſucceſs. But it ſeems not that a great degree of Unctuouſneſs is neceſſary to the Production of the like Effects, for when we try'd the Experiment with the Leaves of thoſe purely White Flowers that appear about the end of Winter, and are commonly call'd Snow drops, the event, was not much unlike that, which, we have been newly mentioning.
EXPERIMENT XXVIII.
Another ſort of Inſtances to ſhow, how much changes of Colour effected by Salts, depend upon the particular Texture of the Colour'd Bodies, has been afforded me by ſeveral Yellow Flowers, and other Vegetables, as Mary-gold Leaves, early Prim-roſes, freſh Madder, &c. For being rubb'd upon White Paper, till they imbued it with their Colour, I found not, that by the addition of Alcalizate Liquors, nor yet by that of an Urinous Spirit, they would be turn'd either Green or Red: nor did ſo Acid a Spirit, as that of Salt, conſiderably alter their Colour, ſave that it ſeem'd a little to Dilute it. Only in ſome early Prim-roſes it deſtroy'd the greateſt part of the Colour, and made the Paper almoſt White agen. And Madder alſo afforded ſome thing peculiar, and very differing from what we have newly mention'd: For having gather'd Some Roots of it, and, (whilſt they were recent) expreſs'd upon White Paper the Yellow Juice, an Alcalizate Solution drop'd upon it did not turn it either Green or White, but Red. And the bruis'd Madder it ſelf being drench'd with the like Alcalizate Solution, exchang'd alſo its Yellowiſhneſs for a Redneſs.
An admonition touching the four preceding Experiments.
Having thus (Pyrophilus) given you divers Inſtances, to countenance the General obſervation deliver'd in the twenty fifth Experiment, and divers Exceptions whereby it ought to be Limited; I muſt leave the further Inquiry into theſe Matters to your own Induſtry. For not remembring at preſent many of thoſe other Trials, long ſince made to ſatisfie my ſelf about Particulars, and not having now the Opportunity to repeat them, I muſt content my Self to have given you the Hint, and the ways of proſecuting the ſearch your Self; and only declare to you in general, that, As I have made many Trials, unmention'd in this Treatiſe, whoſe Events were agreeable to thoſe mention'd in the twenty fifth Experiment, ſo (to name now no other Inſtances) what I have try'd with Acid and Sulphureous Salts upon the Pulp of Juniper Berries, rubb'd upon White Paper, inclines me to think, That among that vaſt Multitude, and ſtrange Variety of Plants that adorn the face of the Earth, perhaps many other Vegetables may be found, on which ſuch Menſtruums may not have ſuch Operations, as upon the Juice of Violets, Peaſe-bloſſoms, &c. no nor upon any of thoſe three other ſorts of Vegetables, that I have taken notice of in the three fore-going Experiments. It ſufficiently appearing ev'n by theſe, that the effects of a Salt upon the Juices of particular Vegetables do very much depend upon their particular Textures.
EXPERIMENT XXIX.
It may be of ſome Uſe towards the diſcovery of the nature of theſe Changes, which the Alimental Juice receives in ſome Vegetables, according to the differing degrees of their Maturity, and according to the differing kinds of Plants of the ſame Denomination, to obſerve what Operation Acid, Urinous, and Alcalizate Salts will have upon the Juices of the ſeveral ſorts of the Vegetable ſubſtances I have been mentioning.
To declare my meaning by an Example, I took from the ſame Cluſter, one Blackberry full Ripe, and another that had not yet gone beyond a Redneſs, and rubbing apiece of white Paper, with the former, I obſerv'd, that the Juice adhering to it was of adark Reddiſh Colour, full of little Black Specks; and that this Juice by a drop of a ſtrong Lixivium, was immediately turn'd into a Greeniſh Colour deep enough, by as much Urinous Spirit into a Colour much of Kin to the former, though ſomewhat differing, and fainter; and by a drop of Spirit of Salt into a fine and lightſome Red: where as the Red Berry being in like manner rubb'd upon Paper, left on it a Red Colour, which was very little alter'd by the Acid Spirit newly nam'd, and by the Urinous and Lixiviate Salts receiv'd changes of Colour differing from thoſe that had been juſt before produc'd in the dark Juice of the Ripe Blackberry.
I remember alſo, that though the Infuſion of Damask-Roſes would as well, though not ſo much, as that of Red, be heightned by Acid Spirits to an intenſe degree of Redneſs, and by Lixiviate Salts be brought to a Darkiſh Green; yet having for Trials ſake taken a Roſe, whoſe Leaves, which were large and numerous, like thoſe of a Province Roſe, were perfectly Yellow, though in a Solution of Salt of Tartar, they afforded a Green Blewiſh Tincture, yet I did not by an Acid Liquor obtain a Red one; all that the Saline Spirit I imploy'd, perform'd, being (if I much miſremember not) to Dilute Somewhat the Yellowneſs of the Leaves. I would alſo have tried the Tincture of Yellow Violets, but could procure none. And if I were in thoſe Iſlands of Banda, which are made Famous as well as Rich, by being the almoſt only places, where Cloves will proſper, I ſhould think it worth my Curioſity to try, what Operation the three differing Kinds of Salts, I have ſo often mention'd, would have upon the Juice of this Spice, (expreſs'd at the ſeveral Seaſons of it) as it grows upon the Tree. Since good Authors inform us, (of what is remarkable) that theſe whether Fruits, or Rudiments of Fruits, are at firſt White, afterward Green, and then Reddiſh, before they be beaten off the Tree, after which being Dry'd before they are put up, they grow Blackiſh as we ſee them. And one of the recenteſt Herbariſts informs us, that the Flower grows upon the top of the Clove it ſelf, conſiſting of four ſmall Leaves, like a Cherry Bloſſom, but of an excellent Blew. But (Pyrophilus) to return to our own Obſervations, I ſhall add, that I the rather chooſe, to mention to you an Example drawn from Roſes, becauſe that though I am apt to think, as I elſewhere advertiſe, that ſomething may be gueſs'd at about ſome of the Qualities of the Juices of Vegetables, by the Reſemblance or Diſparity that we meet with in the Changes made of their Colours, by the Operation of the ſame kinds of Salts; yet that thoſe Conjectures ſhould be very warily made, may appear among other things, by the Inſtance I have choſen to give in Roſes. For though, (as I formerly told you) the Dry'd Leaves, both of the Damask, and of Red ones, give a Red Tincture to Water ſharpen'd with Acid Salts, yet the one ſort of Leaves is known to have a Purgative faculty,20 and the other are often, and divers ways, imploy'd for Binding.
And I alſo chooſe (Pyrophilus) to ſubjoyn this twenty ninth Experiment to thoſe that precede it, about the change of the Colours of Vegetables by Salts, for theſe two reaſons: The firſt, that you may not eaſily entertain Suſpitions, if in the Trials of an Experiment of ſome of the Kinds formerly mention'd, you ſhould meet with an Event ſomewhat differing from what my Relations may have made you expect. And the ſecond, That you may hereby be invited to diſcern, that it may not be amiſs to take notice of the particular Seaſons wherein you gather the Vegetables which in Nicer Experiments you make uſe of. For, it I were not hindred both by haſte and ſome juſtifiable Conſiderations, I could perhaps add conſiderable Inſtances, to thoſe lately deliver'd, for the making out of this Obſervation; but for certain reaſons I ſhall at preſent ſubſtitute a remarkable paſſage to be met with in that Laborious Herbariſt Mr. Parkinſon, where treating of the Virtues of the (already divers times mention'd) Buckthorn Berries, he ſubjoyns the following account of ſeveral Pigments that are made of them, not only according to the ſeveral ways of Handling them, but according to the differing Seaſons of Maturity, at which they are Gather'd; Of theſe Berries, (ſays he) are made three ſeveral ſorts of Colours as they ſhall be gather'd, that is, being gather'd while they are Green, and kept Dry, are call'd Sapberries, which being ſteep'd into ſome Allom-water, or freſh bruis'd into Allom-water, they give a reaſonable fair Yellow Colour which Painters uſe for their Work, and Book-binders to Colour the edges of Books, and Leather-dreſſers to Colour Leather, as they uſe alſo to make a Green Colour, call'd Sap-green, taken from the Berries when they are Black, being bruis'd and put into a Braſs or Copper Kettle or Pan, and there ſuffer'd to abide three or four Days, or a little heated upon the Fire, and ſome beaten Allom put unto them, and afterwards preſs'd forth, the Juice or Liquor is uſually put in great Bladders tied with ſtrong thred at the Head and hung up untill it be Dry, which is diſſolv'd in Water or Wine, but Sack (he affirms) is the beſt to preſerve the Colour from Starving, (as they call it) that is, from Decaying, and make it hold freſh the longer. The third Colour (where of none (ſays he) that I can find have made mention but only Tragus) is a Purpliſh Colour, which is made of the Berries ſuffer'd to grow upon the Buſhes untill the middle or end of November, that they are ready to drop from the Trees.
And, I remember (Pyrophilus) that I try'd, with a ſucceſs that pleas'd me well enough, to make ſuch a kind of Pigment, as Painters call Sap-green, by a way not unlike that, deliver'd here by our Author, but I cannot now find any thing relating to that matter among my looſe Papers. And my Trials were made ſo many years ago, that I dare not truſt my Memory for Circumſtances, but will rather tell you, that in a noted Colour-ſhop, I brought them by Queſtions to confeſs to me, that they made their Sap-green much after the ways by our Botaniſt here mention'd. And on this occaſion I ſhall add an Obſervation, which though it does not ſtrictly belong to this place, may well enough be mention'd here, namely, that I find by an account given us by the Learned Cluſius, of Alaternus, that ev'n the Groſſer Parts of the ſame Plant, are ſome of them one Colour, and ſome another; For ſpeaking of that Plant, he tells us, that the Portugalls uſe the Bark to Dye their Nets into a Red Colour, and with the Chips of the Wood, which are Whitiſh, they Dye a Blackiſh Blew.
EXPERIMENT XXX.
Among the Experiments that tend to ſhew that the change of Colours in Bodies may proceed from the Vary'd Texture of their Parts, and the conſequent change of their Diſpoſition to Reflect or Refract the Light, that ſort of Experiments muſt not be left unmention'd, which is afforded us by Chymical Digeſtions. For, if Chymiſts will believe ſeveral famous Writers about what they call the Philoſophers Stone, they muſt acknowledge that the ſame Matter, ſeald up Hermetically in a Philoſophical Egg, will by the continuance of Digeſtion, or if they will have it ſo (for it is not Material in our caſe which of the two it be) of Decoction, run through a great Variety of differing Colours, before it come to that of the Nobleſt Elixir; whether that be Scarlet, or Purple, or what ever other Kind of Red. But without building any thing on ſo Obtruſe and Queſtionable an Operation, (which yet may be pertinently repreſented to thoſe that believe the thing) we may obſerve, that divers Bodies digeſted in carefully-clos'd Veſſels, will in tract of time, change their Colour: As I have elſewhere mention'd my having obſerv'd ev'n in Rectify'd Spirit of Harts-horn, and as is evident in the Precipitations of Amalgams of Gold, and Mercury, without Addition, where by the continuance of a due Heat the Silver-Colour'd Amalgam is reduc'd into a ſhining Red Powder. Further Inſtances of this Kind you may find here and there in divers places of my other Eſſays. And indeed it has been a thing, that has much contributed to deceive many Chymiſts, that there are more Bodies than one, which by Digeſtion will be brought to exhibit that Variety and Succeſſion of Colours, which they imagine to be Peculiar to what they call the True matter of the Philoſophers. But concerning this, I ſhall referr you to what you may elſewhere find in the Diſcourſe written touching the paſſive Deceptions of Chymiſts, and more about the Production of Colours by Digeſtion you will meet with preſently. Wherefore I ſhall now make only this Obſervation from what has been deliver'd, That in theſe Operations there appears not any cauſe to attribute the new Colours emergent to the Action of a new Subſtantial form, nor to any Increaſe or Decrement of either the Salt, Sulphur, or Mercury of the Matter that acquires new Colours: For the Veſſels are clos'd, and theſe Principles according to the Chymiſts are Ingenerable and Incorruptible; ſo that the Effect ſeems to proceed from hence, that the Heat agitating and ſhuffling the Corpuſcles of the Body expos'd to it, does in proceſs of time ſo change its Texture, as that the Tranſpoſed parts do Modifie the incident Light otherwiſe, than they did when the Matter appear'd of another Colour.
EXPERIMENT XXXI.
Among the ſeveral changes of Colour, which Bodies acquire or diſcloſe by Digeſtion, it it very remarkable, that Chymiſts find a Redneſs rather than any other Colour in moſt of the Tinctures they Draw, and ev'n in the more Groſs Solutions they make of almoſt all Concretes, that abound either with Mineral or Vegetable Sulphur, though the Menſtruum imploy'd about theſe Solutions or Tinctures be never ſo Limpid or Colourleſs.
This we have obſerv'd in I know not how many Tinctures drawn with Spirit of Wine from Jalap, Guaicum, and ſeveral other Vegetables; and not only in the Solutions of Amber, Benzoin, and divers other Concretes made with the ſame Menſtruum, but alſo in divers Mineral Tinctures. And, not to urge that familiar Inſtance of the Ruby of Sulphur, as Chymiſts upon the ſcore of its Colour, call the Solution of Flowers of Brimſtone, made with the Spirit of Turpentine, nor to take notice of other more known Examples of the aptneſs of Chymical Oyls, to produce a Red Colour with the Sulphur they extract, or diſſolve; not to inſiſt (I ſay) upon Inſtances of this nature, I ſhall further repreſent to you, as a thing remarkable, that, both Acid and Alcalizate Salts, though in moſt other caſes of ſuch contrary Operations, in reference to Colours, will with many Bodies that abound with Sulphureous, or with Oyly parts, produce a Red; as is manifeſt partly in the more Vulgar Inſtances of the Tinctures, or Solutions of Sulphur made with Lixiviums, either of Calcin'd Tartar or Pot-aſhes, and other Obvious examples, partly by this, that the true Glaſs of Antimony extracted with ſome Acid Spirits, with or without Wine, will yield a Red Tincture, and that I know an Acid Liquor, which in a moment will turn Oyl of Turpentine into a deep Red. But among the many Inſtances I could give you of the eaſie Production of Redneſs by the Operation of Saline Spirit, as well as of Spirit of Wine; I remember two or three of thoſe I have tried, which ſeem remarkable enough to deſerve to be mention'd to you apart.
EXPERIMENT XXXII.
But before we ſet them down, it will not perhaps appear impertinent to premiſe;
That there ſeems to be a manifeſt Diſparity betwixt Red Liquors, ſo that ſome of them may be ſaid to have a Genuine Redneſs in compariſon of others, that have a Yellowiſh Redneſs: For if you take (for example) a good Tincture of Chochineel, dilute it never ſo much with fair Water, you will not (as far as I can judge by what I have tried) be able to make it a Yellow Liquor. Inſomuch that a Single drop of a rich Solution of Cochineel in Spirit of Urine, being Diluted with above an Ounce of fair Water, exhibited no Yellowiſhneſs at all, but a fair (though ſomewhat faint) Pinck or Carnation; and even when Cochineel was by degrees Diluted much beyond the newly mention'd Colour, by the way formerly related to you in the twenty fourth Experiment, I remember not, that there appear'd in the whole Trial any Yellow. But if you take Balſom of Sulphur (for Inſtance) though it may appear in a Glaſs, where it has a good Thickneſs, to be of a deep Red, yet if you ſhake the Glaſs, or pour a few drops on a ſheet of White Paper, ſpreading them on it with your Finger, the Balſom that falls back along the ſides of the Glaſs, and that which ſtains the Paper, will appear Yellow, not Red. And there are divers Tinctures, ſuch as that of Amber made with Spirit of Wine, (to name now no more) that will appear either Yellow or Red, according as the Veſſels that they fill, are Slender or Broad.
EXPERIMENT XXXIII.
But to proceed to the Experiments I was about to deliver; Firſt; Oyl or Spirit of Turpentine, though clear as fair Water, being Digeſted upon the purely White Sugar of Lead, has, in a ſhort time, afforded us a high Red Tincture, that ſome Artiſts are pleas'd to call the Balſom of Saturn, which they very much (and probably not altogether without cauſe) extoll as an excellent Medicine in divers Outward affections.
EXPERIMENT XXXIV.
Next, take of common Brimſtone finely powdred five Ounces, of Sal-Armoniack likewiſe pulveriz'd an equal weight, of beaten Quick-lime ſix Ounces, mix theſe Powders exquiſitely, and Diſtill them through a Retort plac'd in Sand by degrees of Fire, giving at length as intenſe a Heat as you well can in Sand, there will come over (if you have wrought well) a Volatile Tincture of Sulphur, which may probably prove an excellent Medicine, and ſhould have been mention'd among the other Preparations of Sulphur, which we have elſewhere imparted to you, but that it is very pertinent to our preſent Subject, The change of Colours. For though none of the Ingredients be Red, the Diſtill'd Liquor will be ſo: and this Liquor if it be well Drawn, will upon a little Agitation of the Vial firſt unſtop'd (eſpecially if it be held in a Warmer hand) lend forth a copious Fume, not Red, like that of Nitre, but White; And ſometimes this Liquor may be ſo Drawn, that I remember, not long ſince, I took pleaſure to obſerve in a parcel of it, that Ingredients not Red, did not only yield by Diſtillation a Volatile Spirit that was Red, but though that Liquor did upon the bare opening of the Bottle it was kept in, drive us away with the plenty and ſulphureous ſent of a White ſteam which it ſent forth, yet the Liquor it ſelf being touch'd by our Fingers, did immediately Dye them Black.
EXPERIMENT XXXV.
The third and laſt Experiment I ſhall now mention to ſhew, how prone Bodies abounding in Sulphureous parts are to afford a Red Colour, is one, wherein by the Operation of a Saline Spirit upon a White or Whitiſh Body, which according to the Chymiſts ſhould be altogether Sulphureous, a Redneſs may be produc'd, not (as in the former Experiments) ſlowly, but in the twinkling of an Eye. We took then of the Eſſential Oyl of Anniſeeds, which has this Peculiarity, that in Cold weather it loſes its Fluidity and the greateſt part of its Tranſparency, and looks like a White or Whitiſh Oyntment, and near at hand ſeems to conſiſt of a Multitude of little ſoft Scales: Of this Coagulated Stuff we ſpread a little with a Knife upon a piece of White Paper, and letting fall on it, and mixing with it a drop or two of Oyl of Vitriol, immediately (as we fore-ſaw) there emerg'd together with ſome Heat and Smoak, a Blood-Red Colour, which therefore was in a trice produc'd by two Bodies, whereof the one had but a Whitiſh Colour, and the other (if carefully rectify'd) had no Colour at all.
EXPERIMENT XXXVI.
But on this Occaſion (Pyrophilus) we muſt add once for all, that in many of the above-recited Experiments, though the changes of Colour happen'd as we have mention'd them: yet the emergent or produc'd Colour is oft times very ſubject to Degenerate, both quickly and much. Notwithſtanding which, ſince the Changes, we have ſet down, do happen preſently upon the Operation of the Bodies upon each other, or at the times by us ſpecify'd; that is ſufficient both to juſtifie our Veracity, and to ſhew what we Intend; it not being Eſſential to the Genuineneſs of a Colour to be Durable. For a fading Leaf, that is ready to Rot, and moulder into Duſt, may have as true a Yellow, as a Wedge of Gold, which ſo obſtinately reſiſts both Time and Fire. And the reaſon, why I take occaſion from the former Experiment to ſubjoyn this general Advertiſement, is, that I have ſeveral times obſerv'd, that the Mixture reſulting from the Oyls of Vitriol, and of Anniſeeds, though it acquire a thicker conſiſtence than either of the Ingredients had, has quickly loſt its Colour, turning in a very ſhort time into a dirty Gray, at leaſt in the Superficial parts, where 'tis expos'd to the Air; which laſt Circumſtance I therefore mention, becauſe that, though it ſeem probable, that this Degeneration of Colours may oft times and in divers caſes proceed from the further Action of the Saline Corpuſcles, and the other Ingredients upon one another, yet in many caſes much of the Quick change of Colours ſeems aſcribeable to the Air, as may be made probable by ſeveral reaſons: The firſt whereof may be fetcht from the newly recited Example of the two Oyls; The next may be, that we have ſometimes obſerv'd long Window-Curtains of light Colours, to have that part of them, which was expos'd to the Air, when the Window was open, of one Colour, and the lower part, that was ſheltred from the Air by the Wall, of another Colour: And the third Argument may be fetch'd from divers Obſervations, both of others, and our own; For of that Pigment ſo well known in Painters Shops, by the name of Turnſol, our Induſtrious Parkinſon, in the particular account he gives of the Plant that bears it, tells us alſo, That the Berries when they are at their full Maturity, have within them between the outer Skin and the inward Kirnel or Seed, a certain Juice or Moiſture, which being rubb'd upon Paper or Cloath, at the first appears of a freſh and lovely Green Colour, but preſently changeth into a kind of Blewiſh Purple, upon the Cloath or Paper, and the ſame Cloath afterwards wet in Water, and wrung forth, will Colour the Water into a Claret Wine Colour, and theſe (concludes he) are thoſe Raggs of Cloath, which are uſually call'd Turnſol in the Druggiſts or Grocers Shops21. And to this Obſervation of our Botanist we will add an Experiment of our own, (made before we met with That) which, though in many Circumſtances, very differing, ſerves to prove the ſame thing; for having taken of the deeply Red Juice of Buckthorn Berries, which I bought of the Man that uſes to ſell it to the Apothecaries, to make their Syrrup de Spina Cervina, I let ſome of it drop upon a piece of White Paper, and having left it there for many hours, till the Paper was grown dry again, I found what I was inclin'd to ſuſpect, namely, That this Juice was degenerated from a deep Red to a dirty kind of Greyiſh Colour, which, in a great part of the ſtain'd Paper ſeem'd not to have ſo much as an Eye of Red: Though a little Spirit of Salt or diſſolv'd Alcaly would turn this unpleaſant Colour (as formerly I told you it would change the not yet alter'd Juice) into a Red or Green. And to ſatisfie my ſelf, that this Degeneration of Colour did not proceed from the Paper, I drop'd ſome of the deep Red or Crimſon Juice upon a White glaz'd Tile, and ſuffering it to dry on there, I found that ev'n in that Body, on which it could not Soak, and by which it could not be Wrought, it nevertheleſs loſt its Colour. And theſe Inſtances (Pyrophilus) I am the more carefull to mention to you, that you may not be much Surpris'd or Diſcourag'd, if you ſhould ſometimes miſs of performing punctually what I affirm my ſelf to have done in point of changing Colours; ſince in theſe Experiments the over-ſight or neglect of ſuch little Circumſtances, as in many others would not be perhaps conſiderable, may occaſion the mis-carrying of a Trial. And I was willing alſo to take this occaſion of Advertiſing you in the repeating of the Experiments mention'd in this Treatiſe, to make uſe of the Juices of Vegetables, and other things prepar'd for your Trials, as ſoon as ever they are ready, leſt one or other of them grow leſs fit, if not quite unfit by delay; and to eſtimate the Event of the Trials by the Change, that is produc'd preſently upon the due and ſufficient Application of Actives to Paſſives, (as they ſpeak) becauſe in many caſes the effects of ſuch Mixtures may not be laſting, and the newly produc'd Colour may in a little time degenerate. But, (Pyrophilus) I forgot to add to the two former Obſervations lately made about Vegetables, a third of the ſame Import, made in Mineral ſubſtances, by telling you, That the better to ſatisfie a Friend or two in this particular, I ſometimes made, according to ſome Conjectures of mine, this Experiment; That having diſſolv'd good Silver in Aqua-fortis, and Precipitated it with Spirit of Salt, upon the firſt Decanting of the Liquor, the remaining Matter would be purely White; but after it had lain a while uncover'd, that part of it, that was Contiguous to the Air, would not only loſe its Whiteneſs, but appear of a very Dark and almoſt Blackiſh Colour, I ſay that part that was Contiguous to the Air, becauſe if that were gently taken off, the Subjacent part of the ſame Maſs would appear very White, till that alſo, having continu'd a while expos'd to the Air, would likewiſe Degenerate. Now whether the Air perform theſe things by the means of a Subtile Salt, which we elſewhere ſhow it not to be deſtitute of, or by a peircing Moiſture, that is apt eaſily to inſinuate it ſelf into the Pores of ſome Bodies, and thereby change their Texture, and ſo their Colour; Or by ſolliciting the Avolation of certain parts of the Bodies, to which 'tis Contiguous; or by ſome other way, (which poſſibly I may elſewhere propoſe and conſider) I have not now the leiſure to diſcourſe. And for the ſame reaſon, though I could add many other Inſtances, of what I formerly noted touching the emergency of Redneſs upon the Digeſtion of many Bodies, inſomuch that I have often ſeen upon the Borders of France (and probably we may have the like in England) a ſort of Pears, which digeſted for ſome time with a little Wine, in a Veſſel exactly clos'd, will in not many hours appear throughout of a deep Red Colour, (as alſo that of the Juice, wherein they are Stew'd, becomes) but ev'n on pure and white Salt of Tartar, pure Spirit of Wine, as clear as Rock-water, will (as we elſewhere declare) by long Digeſtion acquire a Redneſs; Though I ſay ſuch Inſtances might be Multiply'd, and though there be ſome other Obvious changes of Colours, which happen ſo frequently, that they cannot but be as well Conſiderable as Notorious; ſuch as is the Blackneſs of almoſt all Bodies burn'd in the open Air: yet our haſte invites us to reſign you the Exerciſe of enquiring into the Cauſes of theſe Changes. And certainly, the reaſon both why the Soots of ſuch differing Bodies are almoſt all of them all Black, why ſo much the greater part of Vegetables ſhould be rather Green than of any other Colour, and particularly (which more directly concerns this place) why gentle Heats do ſo frequently in Chymical Operations produce rather a Redneſs than another Colour in digeſted Menſtruums, not only Sulphureous, as Spirit of Wine, but Saline, as Spirit of Vinegar, may be very well worth a ſerious Inquiry; which I ſhall therefore recommend to Pyrophilus and his Ingenious Friends.
EXPERIMENT XXXVII.
It may ſeem ſomewhat ſtrange, that if you take the Crimſon Solution of Cochineel, or the Juice of Black Cherries, and of ſome other Vegetables that afford the like Colour, (which becauſe many take but for a deep Red, we do with them ſometimes call it ſo) and let ſome of it fall upon a piece of Paper, a drop or two of an Acid Spirit, ſuch as Spirit of Salt, or Aqua-fortis, will immediately turn it into a fair Red. Whereas if you make an Infuſion of Brazil in fair Water, and drop a little Spirit of Salt or Aqua-fortis into it, that will deſtroy its Redneſs, and leave the Liquor of a Yellow, (ſometimes Pale) I might perhaps plauſibly enough ſay on this occaſion, that if we conſider the caſe a little more attentively, we may take notice, that the action of the Acid Spirit ſeems in both caſes, but to weaken the Colour of the Liquor on which it falls. And ſo though it deſtroy Redneſs in the Tincture of Brazil, as well as produce Red in the Tincture of Chochineel, its Operations may be Uniform enough, ſince as Crimſon ſeems to be little elſe than a very deep Red, with (perhaps) an Eye of Blew, ſo ſome kinds of Red ſeem (as I have lately noted) to be little elſe than heightned Yellow. And conſequently in ſuch Bodies, the Yellow ſeems to be but a diluted Red. And accordingly Alcalizate Solutions and Urinous Spirits, which ſeem diſpos'd to Deepen the Colours of the Juices and Liquors of moſt Vegetables, will not only reſtore the Solution of Cochineel and the Infuſion of Brazil to the Crimſon, whence the Spirit of Salt had chang'd them into a truer Red; but will alſo (as I lately told you) not only heighthen the Yellow Juice of Madder into Red, but advance the Red Infuſion of Brazil to a Crimſon. But I know not whether it will not be much ſafer to derive theſe Changes from vary'd Textures, than certain kinds of Bodies; and you will perhaps think it worth while, that I ſhould add on this occaſion, That it may deſerve ſome Speculation, why, notwithſtanding what we have been obſerving, though Blew and Purple ſeem to be deeper Colours than Red, and therefore the Juices of Plants of either of the two former Colours may (congruouſly enough to what has been juſt now noted) be turn'd Red by Spirit of Salt or Aqua-fortis, yet Blew Syrrup of Violets and ſome Purples ſhould both by Oyl of Tartar and Spirit of Urine be chang'd into Green, which ſeems to be not a deeper but a more diluted Colour than Blew, if not alſo than Purple.