EXPERIMENT XXXVIII.
It would much contribute to the Hiſtory of Colours, if Chymiſts would in their Laboratories take a heedfull notice, and give us a faithfull account of the Colours obſerv'd in the Steams of Bodies either Sublim'd or Diſtill'd, and of the Colours of thoſe Productions of the Fire, that are made up by the Coalition of thoſe Steams. As (for Inſtance) we obſerve in the Diſtilling of pure Salt peter, that at a certain ſeaſon of the Operation, the Body, though it ſeem either Cryſtalline, or White, affords very Red Fumes: whereas though Vitriol be Green or Blew, the Spirit of it is obſerv'd to come over in Whitiſh Fumes. The like Colour I have taken notice of in the Fumes of ſeveral other Concretes of differing Colours, and Natures, eſpecially when Diſtill'd with ſtrong Fires. And we elſewhere note, that ev'n Soot, as Black as it is, has fill'd our Receivers with ſuch copious White Fumes, that they ſeem'd to have had their In-ſides waſh'd with Milk. And no leſs obſervable may be, the Diſtill'd Liqours, into which ſuch Fumes convene, (for though we will not deny, that by skill and care a Reddiſh Liqour may be obtain'd from Nitre) yet the common Spirit of it, in the making ev'n of which ſtore of theſe Red Fumes are wont to paſs over into the Receiver, appears not to be at all Red. And beſides, that neither the Spirit of Vitriol, nor that of Soot is any thing White; And, beſides alſo, that as far as I have obſerv'd, moſt (for I ſay not all) of the Empyreumatical Oyls of Woods, and other Concretes, are either of a deep Red, or of a Colour between Red and Black; beſides this, I ſay, 'tis very remarkable that notwithſtanding that great Variety of Colours to be met with in the Herbs, Flowers, and other Bodies wont to be Diſtill'd in Balneo: yet (as far at leaſt as our common Diſtillers Experience reacheth) all the Waters and Spirits that firſt come over by that way of Diſtillation, leave the Colours of their Concretes behind them, though indeed there be one or two Vegetables not commonly taken notice of, whoſe Diſtill'd Liqours I elſewhere obſerve to carry over the Tincture of the Concrete with them. And as in Diſtillations, ſo in Sublimations, it were worth while to take notice of what comes up, in reference to our preſent ſcope, by purpoſely performing them (as I have in ſome cafes done) in conveniently ſhap'd Glaſſes, that the Colour of the aſcending Fumes may be diſcern'd; For it may afford a Naturaliſt good Information to obſerve the Congruities or the Differences betwixt the Colours of the aſcending Fumes, and thoſe of the Flowers, they compoſe by their Convention. For it is evident, that theſe Flowers, do many of them in point of Colour, much differ, not only from one another, but oft times from the Concretes that afforded them. Thus, (not here to repeat what I formerly noted of the Black Soots of very differingly Colour'd Bodies) though Camphire and Brimſtone afford Flowers much of their own Colour, ſave that thoſe of Brimſtone are wont to be a little Paler, than the Lumps that yielded them; yet ev'n of Red Benzoin, that ſublim'd Subſtance, which Chymiſts call its Flowers, is wont to be White or Whitiſh. And to omit other Inſtances, ev'n one and the ſame Black Mineral, Antimony, may be made to afford Flowers, ſome of them Red, and ſome Grey, and, which is more ſtrange, ſome of them purely White. And 'tis the Preſcription of ſome Glaſs-men by exquiſitely mingling a convenient proportion of Brimſtone, Sal-Armoniack, and Quickſilver, and Subliming them, together, to make a Sublimate of an excellent Blew; and though having caus'd the Experiment to be made, we found the produc'd Sublimate to be far from being of a lovely Colour, (as was promis'd) that there and there, it ſeem'd Blewiſh, and at leaſt was of a Colour differing enough from either of the Ingredients, which is ſufficient for our preſent purpoſe. But a much finer Colour is promis'd by ſome of the Empiricks, that pretend to Secrets, who tell us, that Orpiment, being Sublim'd, will afford among the Parts of it that fly Upward, ſome little Maſſes, which, though the Mineral it ſelf be of a good Yellow, will be Red enough to emulate Rubies, both in Colour and Tranſlucency. And this Experiment may, for ought I know, ſometimes ſucceed; for I remember, that having in a ſmall Bolt-head purpoſely ſublim'd ſome powder'd Orpiment, we could in the Lower part of the Sublimate diſcern here and there ſome Reddiſh Lines, though much of the Upper part of the Sublimate conſiſted of a matter, which was not alone purely Yellow, but tranſparent almoſt like a Powder. And we have alſo this way obtain'd a Sublimate, the Lower part whereof though it conſiſted not of Rubies, yet the ſmall pieces of it, which were Numerous enough, were of a pleaſant Reddiſh Colour, and Glitter'd very prettily. But to inſiſt on ſuch kind of Trials and Obſervations (where the aſcending Fumes of Bodies differ in Colour from the Bodies themſelves) though it might indeed Inrich the Hiſtory of Colours, would Robb me of too much of the little time I have to diſpatch what I have further to tell you concerning them.
EXPERIMENT XXXIX
Take the dry'd Buds (or Bloſſoms) of the Pomegranate Tree, (which are commonly call'd in the Shops Balauſtiums) pull off the Reddiſh Leaves, and by a gentle Ebullition of them in fair Water, or by a competent Infuſion of them in like Water well heated, extract a faint Reddiſh Tincture, which if the Liquor be turbid, you may Clarifie it by Filtrating it Into this, if you pour a little good Spirit of Urine, or ſome other Spirit abounding in the like ſort of Volatile Salts, the Mixture will preſently turn of a dark Greeniſh Colour, but if inſtead of the fore-mention'd Liquor, you drop into the ſimple Infuſion a little rectify'd Spirit of Sea-Salt, the Pale and almoſt Colourleſs Liquor will immediately not only grow more Tranſparent, but acquire a high Redneſs, like that of Rich Claret Wine, which ſo ſuddenly acquir'd Colour, may as quickly be Deſtroy'd and turn'd into a dirty Blewiſh Green, by the affuſion of a competent quantity of the above-mention'd Spirit of Urine.
Annotation.
This Experiment may bring ſome Light to, and receive ſome from a couple of other Experiments, that I remember I have met with in the ingenious Gaſſendus's Animadverſions upon Epicurus's Philoſophy, whilſt I was turning over the Leaves of thoſe Learned Commentaries; (my Eyes being too weak to let me read ſuch Voluminous Books quite thorough) And I the leſs ſcruple (notwithſtanding my contrary Cuſtom in this Treatiſe) to ſet down theſe Experiments of another, becauſe I ſhall a little improve the latter of them, and becauſe by comparing there with that which I have laſt recited, we may be aſſiſted to Conjecture upon what account it is, that Oyl of Vitriol heightens the Tincture of Red-roſe Leaves, ſince Spirit of Salt, which is a highly Acid Menſtruum, but otherwiſe differing enough from Oyl of Vitriol, does the ſame thing. Our Authors Experiments then, as we made them, are theſe; We took about a Glaſs-full of luke-warm Water, and in it immerg'd a quantity of the Leaves of Senna, and preſently upon the Immerſion there did not appear any Redneſs in the Water, but dropping into it a little Oyl of Tartar, the Liquor ſoon diſcover'd a Redneſs to the watchfull Eye, whereas by a little of that Acid Liquor of Vitriol, which is like the former, undeſervedly called Oyl, ſuch a Colour would not be extracted from the infuſed Senna. On the other ſide we took ſome Red-roſe Leaves dry'd, and having ſhaken them into a Glaſs of fair Water, they imparted to it no Redneſs, but upon the affuſion of a little Oyl of Vitriol the Water was immediately turn'd Red, which it would not have been, if inſtead of Oyl of Vitriol, we had imployed Oyl of Tartar to produce that Colour: That theſe were Gaſſendus his Experiments, I partly remember, and was aſſur'd by a Friend, who lately Tranſcribed them out of Gaſſendus his Book, which I therefore add, becauſe I have not now that Book at hand. And the deſign of Gaſſendus in theſe Experiments our Friend affirms to be, to prove, that of things not Red a Redneſs may be made only by Mixture, and the Varied poſition of parts, wherein the Doctrine of that Subtil Philoſopher doth not a little Authorize, what we have formerly delivered concerning the Emergency and Change of Colours. But the inſtances, that we have out of him ſet down, ſeem not to be the moſt Eminent, that may be produced of this truth: For our next Experiment will ſhew the production of ſeveral Colours out of Liquors, which have not any of them any ſuch Colour, nor indeed any diſcernable one at all; and whereas though our Author tells us, that there was no Redneſs either in the Water, or the Leaves of Senna, or the Oyl of Tartar; And though it be true, that the Predominant Colour of the Leaves of Senna be another than Red, yet we have try'd, that by ſteeping that Plant a Night even in Cold water, it would afford a very deep Yellow or Reddiſh Tincture without the help of the Oyl of Tartar, which ſeems to do little more than aſſiſt the Water to extract more nimbly a plenty of that Red Tincture, wherewith the Leaves of Senna do of themſelves abound, and having taken off the Tincture of Senna, made only with fair Water, before it grew to be Reddiſh, and Decanted it from the Leaves, we could not perceive, that by dropping ſome Oyl of Tartar into it, that Colour was conſiderable, though it were a little heightned into a Redneſs; which might have been expected, if the particles of the Oyl did eminently Co-operate, otherwiſe than we have expreſſed, to the production of this Redneſs.
And as for the Experiment with Red-roſe Leaves, the ſame thing may be alleged, for we found that ſuch Leaves by bare Infuſion for a Night and Day in fair Water, did afford us a Tincture bordering at leaſt upon Redneſs, and that Colour being conſpicuous in the Leaves themſelves, would not by ſome ſeem ſo much to be produc'd as to be extracted by the affuſion of Oyl of Vitriol. And the Experiment try'd with the dry'd Leaves of Damask-roſes ſucceeded but imperfectly, but that is indeed obſervable to our Authors purpoſe, that Oyl of Tartar will not perform in this Experiment what Oyl of Vitriol doth; but becauſe this laſt named Liquor is not ſo eaſily to be had, give me leave to Advertiſe you, that the Experiment will ſucceed, if inſtead of it you imploy Aqua-fortis. And though ſome Trials of our own formerly made, and others eaſily deducible from what we have already deliver'd, about the different Families and Operations of Salt, might enable us to preſent you an Experiment upon Red-roſe Leaves, more accommodated to our Authors purpoſe, than that which he hath given us; yet our Reverence to ſo Candid a Philoſopher, invites us rather to improve his Experiment, than ſubſtitute another in its place. Take therefore of the Tincture of Red-roſe Leaves, (for with Damask-roſe Leaves the Experiment ſucceedeth not well) made as before hath been taught with a little Oyl of Vitriol, and a good quantity of fair Water, pour off this Liquor into a clear Vial, half fill'd with Limpid water; till the Water held againſt the Light have acquir'd a competent Redneſs, without loſing its Tranſparency, into this Tincture drop leiſurely a little good Spirit of Urine, and ſhaking the Vial, which you muſt ſtill hold againſt the Light, you ſhall ſee the Red Liquor immediately turn'd into a fine Greeniſh Blew, which Colour was not to be found in any of the Bodies, upon whoſe Mixture it emerg'd, and this Change is the more obſervable, becauſe in many Bodies the Degenerating of Blew into Red is uſual enough, but the turning of Red into Blew is very unfrequent. If at every drop of Spirit of Urine you ſhake the Vial containing the Red Tincture, you may delightfully obſerve a pretty variety of Colours in the paſſage of that Tincture from a Red to a Blew, and ſometimes we have this way hit upon ſuch a Liquor, as being look't upon againſt and from the Light, did ſeem faintly to emulate the above-mention'd Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum. And if you make the Tincture of Red-roſes very high, and without Diluting it with fair Water, pour on the Spirit of Urine, you may have a Blew ſo deep, as to make the Liquor Opacous, but being dropt upon White Paper the Colour will ſoon diſcloſe it ſelf. Alſo having made the Red, and conſequently the Blew Tincture very Tranſparent, and ſuffer'd it to reſt in a ſmall open Vial for a Day or two, we found according to our Conjecture, that not only the Blew but the Red Colour alſo was Vaniſh'd; the clear Liquor being of a bright Amber Colour, at the bottom of which ſubſided a Light, but Copious feculency of almoſt the ſame Colour, which ſeems to be nothing but the Tincted parts of the Roſe Leaves drawn out by the Acid Spirits of the Oyl of Vitriol, and Precipitated by the Volatile Salt of the Spirit of Urine, which makes it the more probable, that the Redneſs drawn by the Oyl of Vitriol, was at leaſt as well an extraction of the Tinging parts of the Roſes, as a production of Redneſs; and laſtly, if you be deſtitute of Spirit of Urine, you may change the Colour of the Tincture of Roſes with many other Sulphureous Salts, as a ſtrong Solution of Pot-aſhes, Oyl of Tartar, &c. which yet are ſeldome ſo free from Feculency, as the Spirituous parts of Urine becomes by repeated Diſtillation.
Annotation.
On this, occaſion, I call to mind, that I found, a way of producing, though not the ſame kind of Blew, as I have been mentioning, yet a Colour near of Kin to it, namely, a fair Purple, by imploying a Liquor not made Red by Art, inſtead of the Tincture of Red-roſes, made with an Acid Spirit; And my way was only to take Log-wood, (a Wood very well known to Dyers) having by Infuſion the Powder of it a while in fair Water made that Liquor Red, I dropt into it a Tantillum of an Urinous Spirit, as that of Sal-Armoniack, (and I have done the ſame thing with an Alcali) by which the Colour was in a moment turn'd into a Rich, and lovely Purple. But care muſt be had, that you let not fall into a Spoonfull above two or three Drops, leſt the Colour become ſo deep, as to make the Liquor too Opacous. And (to anſwer the other part of Gaſſendus his Experiment) if inſtead of fair Water, I infus'd the Log-wood in Water made ſomewhat ſowr by the Acid Spirit of Salt, I ſhould obtain neither a Purple Liquor, nor a Red, but only a Yellow one.
EXPERIMENT XL.
The Experiment I am now to mention to you, Pyrophilus, is that which both you, and all the other Virtuoſi that have ſeen it, have been pleas'd to think very ſtrange; and indeed of all the Experiments of Colours, I have yet met with, it ſeems to be the fitteſt to recommend the Doctrine propos'd in this Treatiſe, and to ſhew that we need not ſuppoſe, that all Colours muſt neceſſarily be Inherent Qualities, flowing from the Subſtantial Forms of the Bodies they are ſaid to belong to, ſince by a bare Mechanical change of Texture in the Minute parts of Bodies; two Colours may in a moment be Generated quite De novo, and utterly Deſtroy'd. For there is this difference betwixt the following Experiment, and moſt of the others deliver'd in theſe Papers, that in this, the Colour that a Body already had, is not chang'd into another, but betwixt two Bodies, each of them apart devoid of Colour, there is in a moment generated a very deep Colour, and which if it were let alone, would be permanent; and yet by a very ſmall Parcel of a third Body, that has no Colour of its own, (leſt ſome may pretend I know not what Antipathy betwixt Colours) this otherwiſe permanent Colour will be in another trice ſo quite Deſtroy'd, that there will remain no foot-ſtepts either of it or of any other Colour in the whole Mixture.
The Experiment is very eaſie, and it is thus perform'd: Take good common Sublimate, and fully ſatiate with it what quantity of Water you pleaſe, Filtre the Solution carefully through clean and cloſe Paper, that it may drop down as Clear and Colourleſs as Fountain water. Then when you'l ſhew the Experiment, put of it about a Spoonfull into a ſmall Wine-glaſs, or any other convenient Veſſel made of clear Glaſs, and droping in three or four drops of good Oyl of Tartar, per Deliquium; well Filtred that it may likewiſe be without Colour, theſe two Limpid Liquors will in the twinkling of an Eye turn into an Opacous mixture of a deep Orange Colour, which by keeping the Glaſs continually ſhaking in your hand, you muſt preſerve from ſetling too ſoon to the Bottom; And when the Spectators have a little beheld this firſt Change, then you muſt preſently drop in about four or five drops of Oyl of Vitriol, and continuing to ſhake the Glaſs pretty ſtrongly, that it may the Nimbler diffuſe it ſelf, the whole Colour, if you have gone Skilfully to work, will immediately diſappear, and all the Liquor in the Glaſs will be Clear and Colourleſs as before, without ſo much as a Sediment at the Bottom. But for the more gracefull Trial of this Experiment, 'twill not be amiſs to obſerve, Firſt, That there ſhould not be taken too much of the Solution of Sublimate, nor too much of the Oyl of Tartar drop'd in, to avoid the neceſſity of putting in ſo much Oyl of Vitriol as may make an Ebullition, and perhaps run over the Glaſs. Secondly, That 'tis convenient to keep the Glaſs always a little ſhaking, both for the better mixing of the Liquors, and to keep the Yellow Subſtance from Subſiding, which elſe it would in a ſhort time do, though when 'tis ſubſided it will retain its Colour, and alſo be capable of being depriv'd of it by the Oyl newly mention'd. Thirdly, That if any Yellow matter ſtick at the ſides of the Glaſs, 'tis but inclining the Glaſs, till the clarify'd Liquor can waſh alongſt it, and the Liquor will preſently imbibe it, and deprive it of its Colour.
Many have ſomewhat wondred, how I came to light upon this Experiment, but the Notions or Conjectures I have about the differing Natures of the Several Tribes of Salts, having led me to deviſe the Experiment, it will not be difficult for me to give you the Chymical Reaſon, if I may ſo ſpeak, of the Phænomenon. Having then obſerv'd, that Mercury being diſſolv'd in Some Menſtruums, would yield a dark Yellow Precipitate, and ſuppoſing that, as to this, common Water, and the Salts that ſtick to the Mercury would be equivalent to thoſe Acid Menſtruums, which work upon the Quick-ſilver, upon the account of their Saline particles, I ſubſtituted a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water, inſtead of a Solution of Mercury in Aqua-fortis, or Spirit of Nitre, that ſimple Solution being both clearer and free from that very offenſive Smell, which accompanies the Solutions of Mercury made with thoſe other corroſive Liquors; then I conſider'd, that That, which makes the Yellow Colour, is indeed but a Precipitate made by the means of the Oyl of Tartar, which we drop in, and which, as Chymiſts know, does generally precipitate Metalline Bodies corroded by Acid Salts; ſo that the Colour in our caſe reſults from the Coalition of the Mercurial particles with the Saline ones, wherewith they were formerly aſſociated, and with the Alcalizate particles of the Salt of Tartar that ſwim up and down in the Oyl. Wherefore conſidering alſo, that very many of the effects of Lixiviate Liquors, upon the Solutions of other Bodies, may be deſtroy'd by Acid Menstruums, as I elſewhere more particularly declare, I concluded, that if I choſe a very potently Acid Liquor, which by its Inciſive power might undo the work of the Oyl of Tartar, and diſperſe again thoſe Particles, which the other had by Precipitation aſſociated, into ſuch minute Corpuſcles as were before ſingly Inconſpicuous, they would become Inconſpicuous again, and conſequently leave the Liquor as Colourleſs as before the Precipitation was made.
This, as I ſaid, Pyrophilus, ſeems to be the Chymical reaſon of this Experiment, that is ſuch a reaſon, as, ſuppoſing the truth of thoſe Chymical Notions I have elſewhere I hope evinc'd, may give ſuch an account of the Phænomena as Chymical Notions can ſupply us with; but I both here and elſewhere make uſe of this way of ſpeaking, to intimate that I am ſufficiently aware of the difference betwixt a Chymical Explication of a Phænomenon, and one that is truly Philoſophical or Mechanical; as in our preſent caſe, I tell you ſomething, when I tell you that the Yellowneſs of the Mercurial Solution and the Oyl of Tartar is produc'd by the Precipitation occaſion'd by the affuſion of the latter of thoſe Liquors, and that the deſtruction of the Colour proceeds from the Diſſipation of that Curdl'd matter, whoſe Texture is deſtroy'd, and which is diſſolv'd into Minute and Inviſible particles by the potently Acid Menſtruum, which is the reaſon, why there remains no Sediment in the Bottom, becauſe the infuſed Oyl takes it up, and reſolves it into hidden or inviſible Parts, as Water does Salt or Sugar. But when I have told you all this, I am far from thinking I have told all that ſuch an Inquiſitive Perſon as your ſelf would know, for I preſume you would deſire as well as I to learn (at leaſt) why the Particles of the Mercury, of the Tartar, and of the Acid Salts convening together, ſhould make rather an Orange Colour than a Red, or a Blew, or a Green, for 'tis not enough to ſay what I related a little before, that divers Mercurial Solutions, though otherwiſe made, would yield a Yellow precipitate, becauſe the Queſtion will recurr concerning them; and to give it a ſatisfactory anſwer, is, I freely acknowledge, more than I dare as yet pretend to.
But to confirm my conjecture about the Chymical reaſon of our Experiment, I may add, that as I have (viz. pag. 34th. of this Treatiſe) elſewhere (on another occaſion) told you, with Saline Liquors of another kind and nature than Salt of Tartar, (namely, with Spirit of Urine, and Liquors of kin to that) I can make the Mercury precipitate out of the firſt ſimple Solution quite of another Colour than that hitherto mention'd; Nay, if inſtead of altering the Precipitating liquor, I alter'd the Texture of the Sublimate in ſuch a way as my Notions about Salt requir'd, I could produce the ſame Phænomenon. For having purpoſely Sublim'd together Equal parts (or thereabout) of Sal-Armoniack and Sublimate, firſt diligently Mix'd, the aſcending Flowers being diffolv'd in fair Water, and Filtred, gave a Solution Limpid and Colourleſs, like that of the other Sublimates, and yet an Akaly drop'd into this Liquor did not turn it Yellow but White. And upon the ſame Grounds we may with Quick-ſilver, without the help of common Sublimate, prepare another ſort of Flowers diſſoluble in Water without Diſcolouring it, with which I could likewiſe do what I newly mention'd; to which I ſhall add, (what poſſibly you'l ſomewhat wonder at) That ſo much does the Colour depend upon the Texture reſulting from the Convention of the ſeveral ſorts of Corpuſcles, that though in out Experiment, Oyl of Vitriol deſtroys the Yellow Colour, yet with Quick-ſilver and fair Water, by the help of Oyl of Vitriol alone, we may eaſily make a kind of Precipitate of a fair and permanent Yellow, as you will e're long (in the forty ſecond Expement of this third Part) be taught. And I may further add, that I choſe Oyl of Vitriol, not ſo much for any other or peculiar Quality, as for its being, when 'tis well rectify'd, (which 'tis ſomewhat hazardous to bring it to be) not only devoid of Colour and in Smells, but extremely Strong and Inciſive; For though common and undephlegmated Aqua-fortis will not perform the ſame thing well, yet that which is made exceeding Strong by being carefully Dephlegm'd, will do it pretty well, though not ſo well as Oyl of Vitriol which is ſo Strong, that even without Rectification it may for a need be made uſe of. I will not here tell you what I have try'd, that I may be able to deprive at pleaſure the Precipitate that one of the Sulphureous Liquors had made, by the copious Affuſion of the other: Becauſe I found, though this Experiment is too tickliſh to let me give a full account of it in few words, I ſhall therefore tell you, that it is not only for once, that the other above-mention'd Experiment may be made, the ſame Numerical parcels of Liquor being ſtill imploy'd in it; for after I have Clarify'd the Orange Colour'd Liquor, by the addition of as little of the Oyl of Viriol as will ſuffice to perform the effect, I can again at pleaſure re-produce the Opacous Colour, by the dropping in of freſh Oyl of Tartar, and deſtroy it again by the Re-affuſion of more of the Acid Menſtruum; and yet oftner if I pleaſe, can I with theſe two contrariant Liquors recall and diſperſe the Colour, though by reaſon of the addition of ſo much new Liquor, in reference to the Mercurial particles, the Colour will at length appear more dilute and faint.
An improvement of the fortieth Experiment.
And, Pyrophilus, to confirm yet further the Notions that led me to think on the propos'd Experiment, I ſhall acquaint you with another, which when I had conveniency I have ſometimes added to it, and which has to the Spectators appear'd little leſs Odd than the firſt; And though becauſe the Liquor, requiſite to make the Trial ſucceed well, muſt be on purpoſe prepar'd anew a while before, becauſe it will not long retain its fitneſs for this work, I do but ſeldome annex this Experiment to the other, yet I ſhall tell you how I devis'd it, and how I make it. If you boyl Crude Antimony in a ſtrong and clear Lixivium, you ſhall ſeparate a Subſtance from it, which ſome Modern Chymiſts are pleas'd to call its Sulphur, but how deſervedly I ſhall not here examine, having elſewhere done it in an Opportune place; wherefore I ſhall now but need to take notice, that when this ſuppos'd Sulphur (not now to call it rather a kind of Crocus) is let fall by the Liquor upon its Refrigeration, it often ſettles in Flakes, or ſuch like parcels of a Yellow Subſtance, (which being by the precedent diſſolution reduc'd into Minute parts, may peradventure be made to take Fire much more eaſily than the Groſſer Powder of unprepar'd Antimony would have done.) Conſidering therefore, that common Sulphur boyl'd in a Lixivium may be Precipitated out of it by Rheniſh-wine or White-wine, which are Sowriſh Liquors, and have in them, as I elſewhere ſhew, an Acid Salt; and having found alſo by Trial, that with other Acid Liquors I could Precipitate out of Lixiviate Solvents ſome other Mineral concretions abounding with Sulphureous parts, of which ſort is crude Antimony, I concluded it to be eaſie to Precipitate the Antimony diſſolv'd, as was lately mention'd, with the Acid Oyl of Vitriol; and though common Sulphur yields a White Precipitate, which the Chymiſts call Lac Sulphuris, yet I ſuppos'd the Precipitated Antimony would be of a deep Yellow Colour, as well, if made with Oyl of Vitriol, as if made only by Refrigeration and length of Time. From this 'twas eaſie to deduce this Experiment, that if you put into one Glaſs ſome of the freſhly Impregnated and Filtrated Solution of Antimony, and into another ſome of the Orange-Colour'd Mixture, (which I formerly ſhew'd you how to make with a Mercurial Solution and Oyl of Tartar) a few drops of Oyl of Vitriol dropp'd into the laſt mention'd Glaſs, would, as I told you before, turn the Deep Yellow mixture into a Cleer Liquor; whereas a little of the ſame Oyl dropp'd out of the ſame Viol into the other Glaſs would preſently (but not without ſome ill ſent) turn the moderately cleer Solution into a Deep Yellow Subſtance, But this, as I Said, ſucceeds not well, unleſs you employ a Lixivium that has but newly diſſolv'd Antimony, and has not yet let it fall. But yet in Summer time, if your Lixivium have been duly Impregnated and well Filtred after it is quite cold, it will for ſome dayes (perhaps much longer than I had occaſion to try) retain Antimony enough to exhibit, upon the Affuſion of the Corroſive Oyl, as much of a good Yellow Subſtance as is neceſſary to ſatisfie the Beholders of the Poſſibility of the Experiment.
Reflections upon the XL. Experiment Compared with the X. and XX.
The Knowledge of the Diſtinction of Salts which we have propos'd, whereby they are diſcriminated into Acid, Volatile, or Salfuginous (if I may for Diſtinction ſake ſo call the Fugitive Salts of Animal Subſtances) and fix'd or Alcalizate, may poſſibly (by that little part which we have already deliver'd, of what we could ſay of its Applicableneſs) appear of ſo much Uſe in Natural Philoſophy (eſpecially in the Practick part of it) that I doubt not but it will be no Unwelcome Corollary of the Preceding Experiment, if by the help of it I teach you to diſtinguiſh, which of thoſe Salts is Predominant in Chymical Liquors, as well as whether any of them be ſo or not. For though in our Notes upon the X. and XX. Experiments I have ſhown you a way by means of the Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum, or of Syrrup of Violets, to diſcover whether a propounded Salt be Acid or not, yet you can thereby only find in general that ſuch and ſuch Salts belong not to the Tribe of Acids, but cannot determine whether they belong to the Tribe of Urinous Salts (under which for diſtinction ſake I comprehend all thoſe Volatile Salts of Animal or other Subſtances that are contrary to Acids) or to that of Alcalies. For as well the one as the other of theſe Salino-Sulphurous Salts will reſtore the Cæruleous Colour to the Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum, and turn that of Syrrup of Violets into Green. Wherefore this XL. Experiment does opportunely ſupply the deficiency of thoſe. For being ſollicitous to find out ſome ready wayes of diſcriminating the Tribes of Chymical Salts, I found that all thoſe I thought fit to make Tryal of, would, if they were of a Lixiviate Nature, make with Sublimate diſſolv'd in Fair Water an Orange Tawny Precipitate; whereas if they were of an Urinous Nature the Precipitate would be White and Milky. So that having alwayes by me ſome Syrrup of Violets and ſome Solution of Sublimate, I can by the help of the firſt of thoſe Liquors diſcover in a trice, whether the propounded Salt or Saline Body be of an Acid Nature or no, if it be I need (you know) inquire no further; but if it be not, I can very eaſily, and as readily diſtinguiſh between the other two kinds of Salts, by the White or Orange-Colour that is immediately produc'd, by letting fall a few Drops or Grains of the Salt to be examin'd, into a ſpoonfull of the cleer Solution of Sublimate. For Example, it has been ſuppos'd by ſome eminently Learned, That when Sal Armoniack being mingled with an Alcaly is forc'd from it by the Fire in cloſe Veſſels, the Volatile Salt that will thereby be obtain'd (if the Operation be skilfully perform'd,) is but a more fine and ſubtile ſort of Sal Armoniack, which, 'tis preſum'd, this Operation do's but more exquiſitely purifie, than common Solutions, Filtrations, and Coagulations. But this Opinion may be eaſily ſhown to be Erroneous, as by other Arguments, ſo particularly by the lately deliver'd Method of diſtinguiſhing the Tribes of Salts. For the Saline Spirit of Sal Armoniack, as it is in many other manifeſt Qualities very like the Spirit of Urine, ſo like, that it will in a trice make Syrrup of Violets of a Lovely Green, turn a Solution of good Verdigreaſe into an Excellent Azure, and make the Solution of a Sublimate yield a White Precipitate, inſomuch that in moſt (for I ſay not all of the Experiments) where I Aim onely at producing a ſudden change of Colour, I ſcruple not to uſe Spirit of Sal Armoniack when it is at hand, inſtead of Spirit of Urine, as indeed it ſeems chiefly to conſiſt (beſides the flegm that helps to make it fluid) of the Volatile Urinous Salt (yet not excluding that of Soot) that abounds in the Sal Armoniack and is ſet at liberty from the Sea Salt wherewith it was formerly aſſociated, and clogg'd, by the Operation of the Alcaly, that divides the Ingredients of Sal Armoniack, and retains that Sea Salt with it ſelf. What uſe may be made of the like way of exploration in that inquiry which puzzles ſo many Modern Naturaliſts, whether the Rich Pigment (which we have often had occaſion to mention) belongs to the Vegetable or Animal Kingdome, you may find in another place where I give you ſome account of what I try'd about Cocheneel. But I think it needleſs to exemplifie here our Method by any other Inſtances, many ſuch being to be met with in divers parts of this Treatiſe; but I will rather advertiſe you, that, by this way of examining Chymical Liquors, you may not onely in moſt Caſes conclude Affirmatively, but in ſome Caſes Negatively. As ſince Spirit of Wine, and as far as I have try'd, thoſe Chymical Oyles which Artiſts call Eſſential, did not (when I us'd them as I had us'd the ſeveral Families of Salts upon that Syrrup) turn Syrrup of Violets Red or Green, nor the Solution of Sublimate White or Yellow, I inferr'd it may thence be probably argued, that either they are deſtitute of Salt, or have ſuch as belongs not to either of the three Grand families already often mention'd. When I went to examine the Spirit of Oak or of ſuch like Concretes forced over through a Retort, I found by this means amongſt others, that (as I elſewhere ſhow) theſe Chymiſts are much miſtaken in it, that account it a ſimple Liquor, and one of their Hypoſtatical Principles: for not to mention what flegm it may have, I found that with a few drops of one of this ſort of Spirits mix'd with a good proportion of Syrrup of Violets, I could change the Colour and make it Purpliſh, by the affinity of which Colour to Redneſs, I conjectur'd that this Spirit had ſome Acid Corpuſcles in it, and accordingly I found that as it would deſtroy the Blewneſs of a Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum, ſo being put upon Corals it would Corrode them, as common Spirit of Vinegar, and other Acid Liquors are wont to do. And farther to examine whether there were not a great part of the Liquor that was not of an Acid nature, having ſeparated the Sour or Vinegar-like part from the reſt, which (if I miſtake not) is far the more Copious, we concluded as we had conjectured, the other or remaining part, though it had a ſtrong taſte as well as ſmell, to be of a nature differing from that of either of the three ſorts of Salts above mention'd, ſince it did as little as Spirit of Wine, and Chymical Oyls, alter the Colour either of Syrrup of Violets or Solution of Sublimate, whence we alſo inferr'd that the change that had been made of that Syrrup into a Purple Colour, was effected by the Vinegar, that was one of the two Ingredients of the Liquor, which was wont to paſs for a Simple or Uncompounded Spirit. And, upon this account, 'twas of the Spirit of Oak (and the like Concretes) freed from it's Vinegar that I elſewhere told you, that I had not then obſerv'd it, (and I have repeated the Tryal but very lately) to deſtroy the Cæruleous Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum. But this onely, en paſsant; for the Chief thing I had to add was this, That by the ſame way may be examin'd and diſcover'd, divers changes that are produc'd in Bodies either by Nature only, or by Art; either of them being able by changing the Texture of ſome Concretes I could name, to qualifie them to Operate after a New manner upon the above mention'd Syrrup, or Solution, or both. And by this means, to tell you that upon the by, I have been able to diſcover, that there may be made Bodies, which though they run per Deliquium, as readily as Salt of Tartar, belong in other reſpects, not to the family of Alcaliz, much leſs to that of Salfuginous, or that of Acid Salts. Perhaps too, I may know a way of making a highly operative Saline Body that ſhall neither change the Colour of Syrrup of Violets, nor Precipitate the Solution of Sublimate; And, I can likewiſe if I pleaſe conceal by what Liquors I perform ſuch changes of Colour, as I have been mentioning to you, by quite altering the Texture of ſome ordinary Chymical productions, the Exploration of which is the main uſe of the fortieth Experiment, which I think teaches not a little, if it teach us to diſcover the nature of thoſe things (in reference to Salt) that are obtain'd by the ordinary Chymical Analyſis of mix'd Bodyes, though perhaps there may be other Bodyes prepar'd by Chymiſtry which may have the ſame Effects in the change of Colours; and yet be produc'd not from what Chymiſts call the Reſolution of Bodies, but from their Compoſition. But the diſcourſing of things of this nature is more proper for another place. I ſhall now onely add, what might perhaps have been more ſeaſonably told you before; That the Reaſon why the way of Exploration of Salts hitherto deliver'd, ſucceeds in the Solution of Sublimate, depends upon the particular Texture of that Solution, as well as upon the differing Natures of the Saline Liquors imploy'd to Precipitate it. For Gold diſſolv'd in Aqua Regia, whether you Precipitate it with Oyl of Tartar which is an Alcaly, or with Spirit of Urine , or Sal Armoniack which belongs to the family of Volatile Salts, will either way afford a Yellow ſubſtance: though with ſuch an Acid Liquor, as, I ſay not Spirit of Salt, the Body that yields it, being upon the matter an Ingredient of Aqua Regis, but Oyl of Vitriol it ſelf, I did not find that I could Precipitate the Metall out of the Solution, or deſtroy the Colour of it, though the ſame Oyl of Vitriol would readily Precipitate Silver diſſolv'd in Aqua-fortis. And if you diſſolve pure Silver in Aqua-fortis, and ſuffer it to ſhoot into Cryſtals, the cleer Solution of theſe made in fair Water, will afford a very White Precipitate, whether it be made with an Alcaly, or an Acid Spirit, as that of Salt, whereas, which may ſeem ſomewhat ſtrange, with Spirit of Sal Armoniack (that I us'd was made of Quicklime) I could obtain no ſuch White Precipitate; that Volatile Spirit, nor (as I remember) that of Urine, ſcarce doing any more than ſtriking down a very ſmall quantity of Matter, which was neither White nor Whitiſh, ſo that the remaining Liquor being ſuffer'd to evaporate till the ſuperfluous Moiſture was gone, the greateſt part of the Metalline Corpuſcles with the Saline ones that had imbib'd them, concoagulated into Salt, as is uſual in ſuch Solutions, wherein the Metall has not been Precipitated.
EXPERIMENT XLI.
Of Kin to the laſt or fortieth Experiment is another which I remember I have ſometimes ſhewn to Virtuoſi that were pleas'd not to diſlike it. I took Spirit of Urine made by Fermentation, and with a due proportion of Copper brought into ſmall parts, I obtain'd a very lovely Azure Solution, and when I ſaw the Colour was ſuch as was requiſite, pouring into a clean Glaſs, about a ſpoonfull of this tincted Liquor, (of which I us'd to keep a Quantity by me,) I could by ſhaking into it ſome drops of Strong Oyl of Vitriol, deprive it in a trice of its Deep Colour, and make it look like Common-water.
Annotation.
This Experiment brings into my mind this other, which oftentimes ſuccceds well enough, though not quite ſo well as the former; Namely, that if into about a ſmall ſpoonfull of a Solution of good French Verdigreaſe made in fair Water, I drop't and ſhak'd ſome ſtrong Spirit of Salt, or rather deflegm'd Aqua Fortis, the Greenneſs of the Solution would be made in a trice almoſt totally to diſappear, & the Liquor held againſt the Light would ſcarce ſeeme other than Cleer or Limpid, to any but an Attentive Eye, which is therefore remarkable; becauſe we know that Aqua-fortis corroding Copper, which is it that gives the Colour to Verdigreaſe, is wont to reduce it to a Green Blew Solution. But if into the other altogether or almoſt Colourleſs Liquor I was ſpeaking of, you drop a juſt quantity either of Oyl of Tartar or Spirit of Urine, you ſhall find that after the Ebullition is ceas'd, the mixture will diſcloſe a lively Colour, though ſomewhat differing from that which the Solution of Verdigreaſe had at firſt.
EXPERIMENT XLII.
That the Colour (Pyrophilus) of a Body may be chang'd by a Liquor which of it ſelf is of no Colour, provided it be Saline, we have already manifeſted by a multitude of inſtances. Nor doth it ſeem ſo ſtrange, becauſe Saline Particles ſwimming up and down in Liquors, have been by many obſerv'd to be very operative in the Production and change of Colours. But divers of our Friends that are not acquainted with Chymical Operations have thought it very ſtrange that a White Body, and a Dry one too, ſhould immediately acquire a rich new Colour upon the bare affuſion of Spring-Water deſtitute as well of adventitious Salt as of Tincture. And yet (Pyrophilus) the way of producing ſuch a change of Colours may be eaſily enough lighted on by thoſe that are converſant in the Solutions of Mercury. For we have try'd, that though by Evaporating a Solution of Quick-Silver in Aqua-fortis, and abſtracting the Liquor till the remaining matter began to be well, but not too ſtrongly dryed, fair Water pour'd on the remaining Calx made it but ſomewhat Yellowiſh; yet when we took good Quick-Silver, and three or four times its weight of Oyl of Vitriol, in caſe we in a Glaſs Retort plac'd in Sand drew off the Saline Menſtruum from the Metalline Liquor, till there remain'd a dry Calx at the bottome, though this Precipitate were a Snow White Body, yet upon pouring on it a large quantity of fair Water, we did almoſt in a moment perceive it to paſs from a Milky Colour to one of the lovelieſt Light Yellows that ever we had beheld. Nor is the Turbith Mineral, that Chymiſts extol for its power to Salivate, and for other vertues, of a Colour much inferiour to this, though it be often made with a differing proportion of the Ingredients, a more troubleſome way. For Beguinus,22 who calls it Mercurius præcipitatus optimus, takes to one part of Quick-Silver, but two of Liquor, and that is Rectifi'd Oyl of Sulphur, which is (in England at leaſt) far more ſcarce and dear than Oyl of Vitriol; he alſo requires a previous Digeſtion, two or three Cohobations, and frequent Ablutions with hot Diſtill'd Water, with other preſcriptions, which though they may conduce to the Goodneſs of the Medicine, which is that he aims at, are troubleſome, and, our Tryals have inform'd you unnecceſſary to the obtaining the Lemmon Colour which he regards not. But though we have very rarely ſeen either in Painters Shops, or elſewhere a finer Yellow than that which we have divers times this way produc'd (which is the more conſiderable, becauſe durable and pleaſant Yellows are very hard to be met with, as may appear by the great uſe which Painters are for its Colours ſake fain to make of that pernicious and heavy Mineral, Orpiment) yet I fear our Yellow is too coſtly, to be like to be imploy'd by Painters, unleſs about Choice pieces of Work, nor do I know how well it will agree with every Pigment, eſpecially, wich Oyl'd Colours. And whether this Experiment, though it have ſeem'd ſomewhat ſtrange to moſt we have ſhown it to, be really of another Nature than thoſe wherein Saline Liquors are imploy'd, may, as we formerly alſo hinted, be ſo plauſibly doubted, that whether the Water pour'd on the Calx, do barely by imbibing ſome of its Saline parts alter its Colour by altering its Texture, or whether by diſſolving the Concoagulated Salts, it does become a Saline Menſtruum, and, as ſuch, work upon the Mercury, I freely leave to you (Pyrophilus) to conſider. And that I may give you ſome Aſſiſtance in your Enquiry, I will not only tell you, that I have ſeveral times with fair Water waſh'd from this Calx, good ſtore of ſtrongly taſted Corpuſcles, which by the abſtraction of the Menſtruum, I could reduce into Salt; but I will alſo ſubjoyn an Experiment, which I devis'd, to ſhew among other things, how much a real and permanent Colour may be as it were drawn forth by a Liquor that has neither Colour, nor ſo much as Saline or other Active parts, provided it can but bring the parts of the Body it imbibes to convene into cluſters diſpos'd after the manner requiſite to the exhibiting of the emergent Colour. The Experiment was this.
EXPERIMENT XLIII.
We took good common Vitriol, and having beaten it to Powder, and put it into a Crucible, we kept it melted in a gentle heat, till by the Evaporation of ſome parts, and the ſhuffling of the reſt, it had quite loſt its former Colour, what remain'd we took out, and found it to be a friable Calx, of a dirty Gray. On this we pour'd fair Water, which it did not Colour Green or Blew, but only ſeem'd to make a muddy mixture with it, then ſtopping the Vial wherein the Ingredients were put, we let it ſtand in a quiet place for ſome dayes, and after many hours the water having diſſolv'd a good part of the imperfectly calcin'd Body, the Vitriolate Corpuſcles ſwiming to and fro in the Liquor, had time by their opportune Occurſions to conſtitute many little Maſſes of Vitriol, which gave the water they impregnated a fair Vitriolate Colour; and this Liquor being pour'd off, the remaining dirty Powder did in proceſs of time communicate the like Colour, but not ſo deep, to a ſecond parcel of cleer Water that we pour'd on it. But this Experiment Pyrophilus is, (to give you that hint by the way) of too Luciferous a Nature to be fit to be fully proſecuted, now that I am in haſte, and willing to diſpatch what remains. And we have already ſaid of it, as much as is requiſite to our preſent purpoſe.
EXPERIMENT XLIV.
It may (Pyrophilus) ſomewhat contribute towards the ſhewing how much ſome Colours depend upon the leſs or greater mixture, and (as it were,) Contemperation of the Light with ſhades, to obſerve, how that ſometimes the number of Particles, of the ſame Colour, receiv'd into the Pores of a Liquor, or ſwiming up and down in it, do ſeem much to vary the Colour of it. I could here preſent you with particular inſtances to ſhow, how in many (if not moſt) conſiſtent Bodyes, if the Colour be not a Light one, as White, Yellow, or the like, the cloſeneſs of parts in the Pigments makes it look Blackiſh, though when it is diſplay'd and laid on thinly, it will perhaps appear to be either Blew, or Green, or Red. But the Colours of conſiſtent Pigments, not being thoſe which the Preamble of this Experiment has lead you to expect Examples in, I ſhall take the inſtances I am now to give you, rather from Liquors than Dry Bodyes. If then you put a little fair Water into a cleer and ſlender Vial, (or rather into one of thoſe pipes of Glaſs, which we ſhall by and by mention;) and let fall into it a few drops of a ſtrong Decoction or Infuſion of Cochineel, or (for want of that) of Brazil; you may ſee the tincted drops deſcend like little Clouds into the Liquor; through which, if, by ſhaking the Vial, you diffuſe them, they will turn the water either of a Pinck Colour, or like that which is wont to be made by the waſhing of raw fleſh in fair Water; by dropping a little more of the Decoction, you may heighten the Colour into a fine Red, almoſt like that which ennobles Rubies; by continuing the affuſion, you may bring the Liquor to a kind of a Crimſon, and afterwards to a Dark and Opacous Redneſs, ſomewhat like that of Clotted Blood. And in the paſſage of the Liquor from one of theſe Colours to the other, you may obſerve, if you conſider it attentively, divers other leſs noted Colours belonging to Red, to which it is not eaſie to give Names; eſpecially conſidering how much the proportion of the Decoction to the fair Water, and the ſtrength of that Decoction, together with that of the trajected Light and other Circumſtances, may vary the Phænomena of this Experiment. For the convenienter making whereof, we uſe inſtead of a Vial, any ſlender Pipe of Glaſs of about a foot or more in length, and about the thickneſs of a mans little finger; For, if leaving one end of this Pipe open, you Seal up the other Hermetically, (or at leaſt ſtop it exquiſitely with a Cork well fitted to it, and over-laid with hard Sealing Wax melted, and rubb'd upon it;) you ſhall have a Glaſs, wherein may be obſerv'd the Variations of the Colours of Liquors much better than in large Vials, and wherein Experiments of this Nature may be well made with very ſmall quantities of Liquor. And if you pleaſe, you may in this Pipe produce variety of Colours in the various parts of the Liquor, and keep them ſwimming upon one another unmix'd for a good while. And ſome have marveil'd to ſee, what variety of Colours we have ſometimes (but I confeſs rather by chance than skill) produc'd in thoſe Glaſſes, by the bare infuſion of Brazil, variouſly diluted with fair Water, and alter'd by the Infuſion of ſeveral Chymical Spirits and other Saline Liquors devoid themſelves of Colour, and when the whole Liquor is reduc'd to an Uniform degree of Colour, I have taken pleaſure to make that very Liquor ſeem to be of Colours gradually differing, by filling with it Glaſſes of a Conical figure, (whether the Glaſs have its baſis in the ordinary poſition, or turn'd upwards.) And yet you need not Glaſſes of an extraordinary ſhape to ſee an inſtance of what the vari'd mixture of Light and Shadow can do in the diverſifying of the Colour. For if you take but a large round Vial, with a ſomewhat long and ſlender Neck, and filling it with our Red Infuſion of Brazil, hold it againſt the Light, you will diſcern a notable Diſparity betwixt the Colour of that part of the Liquor which is in the Body of the Vial, and that which is more pervious to the Light in the Neck. Nay, I remember, that I once had a Glaſs and a Blew Liquor (conſiſting chiefly (or only, if my memory deceive me not,) of a certain Solution of Verdigreaſe) ſo fitted for my purpoſe, that though in other Glaſſes the Experiment would not ſucceed, yet when that particular Glaſs was fill'd with that Solution, in the Body of the Vial it appear'd of a Lovely Blew, and in the neck, (where the Light did more dilute the Colour,) of a manifeſt Green; and though I ſuſpected there might be ſome latent Yellowneſs in the ſubſtance of the neck of the Glaſs, which might with the Blew compoſe that Green, yet was I not ſatisfi'd my ſelf with my Conjecture, but the thing ſeem'd odd to me, as well as to divers curious perſons to whom it was ſhown. And I lately had a Broad piece of Glaſs, which being look'd on againſt the Light ſeem'd clear enough, and held from the Light appear'd very lightly diſcolour'd, and yet it was a piece knock'd off from a great lump of Glaſs, to which if we rejoyn'd it, where it had been broken off, the whole Maſs was as green as Graſs. And I have ſeveral times us'd Bottles and ſtopples that were both made (as thoſe, I had them from aſſur'd me) of the very ſame Metall, and yet whilſt the bottle appear'd but inclining towards a Green, the Stopple (by reaſon of its great thickneſs) was of ſo deep a Colour that you would hardly believe they could poſſibly be made of the ſame materials. But to ſatisfie ſome Ingenious Men, on another occaſion, I provided my ſelf of a flat Glaſs (which I yet have by me,) with which if I look againſt the Light with the Broad ſide obverted to the Eye, it appeares like a good ordinary window Glaſs; but if I turn the Edge of it to my Eye, and place my Eye in a convenient poſture in reference to the Light, it may contend for deepneſs of Colour with an Emerald. And this Greeneſs puts me in mind of a certain thickiſh, but not conſiſtent Pigment I have ſometimes made, and can ſhow you when you pleaſe, which being dropp'd on a piece of White Paper appears, where any quantity of it is fallen, of a ſomewhat Crimſon Colour, but being with ones finger ſpread thinly on the Paper does preſently exhibit a fair Green, which ſeems to proceed only from its diſcloſing its Colour upon the Extenuation of its Depth into Superficies, if the change be not ſomewhat help'd by the Colours degenerating upon one or other of the Accounts formerly mention'd. Let me add, that having made divers Tryals with that Blew ſubſtance, which in Painters ſhops is call'd Litmaſe, we have ſometimes taken Pleaſure to obſerve, that being diſſolv'd in a due proportion of fair Water, the Solution either oppos'd to the Light, or dropp'd upon White paper, did appear of a deep Colour betwixt Crimſon and Purple; and yet that being ſpread very thin on the Paper and ſuffer'd to dry on there, the Paper was wont to appear Stain'd of a Fine Blew. And to ſatisfie my ſelfe, that the diverſity came not from the Paper, which one might ſuſpect capable of inbibing the Liquor, and altering the Colour, I made the Tryal upon a flat piece of purely White Glaſs'd Earth, (which I ſometimes make uſe of about Experiments of Colours) with an Event not unlike the former.
And now I ſpeak of Litmaſs, I will add, that having this very day taken a piece of it, that I had kept by me theſe ſeveral years, to make Tryals about Colours, and having let fall a few drops of the ſtrong Infuſion of it in fair water, into a fine Cryſtal Glaſs, ſhap'd like an inverted Cone, and almoſt full of fair Water, I had now (as formerly) the pleaſure to ſee, and to ſhow others, how theſe few tincted drops variouſly diſperſing themſelves through the Limpid Water, exhibited divers Colours, or varieties of Purple and Crimſon. And when the Corpuſcles of the Pigment ſeem'd to have equally diffus'd themſelves through the whole Liquor, I then by putting two or three drops of Spirit of Salt, firſt made an odd change in the Colour of the Liquor, as well as a viſible commotion among its ſmall parts, and in a ſhort time chang'd it wholly into a very Glorious Yellow, like that of a Topaz. After which if I let fall a few drops of the ſtrong and heavy Solution of Pot-aſhes, whoſe weight would quickly carry it to the ſharp bottome of the Glaſs, there would ſoon appear four very pleaſant and diſtinct Colours; Namely, a Bright, but Dilute Colour at the picked bottome of the Glaſs; a Purple, a little higher; a deep and glorious Crimſon, (which Crimſon ſeem'd to terminate the operation of the Salt upward) in the confines betwixt the Purple and the Yellow; and an Excellent Yellow, the ſame that before enobled the whole Liquor, reaching from thence to the top of the Glaſs. And if I pleas'd to pour very gently a little Spirit of Sal Armoniack, upon the upper part of this Yellow, there would alſo be a Purple or a Crimſon, or both, generated there, ſo that the unalter'd part of the Yellow Liquor appear'd intercepted betwixt the two Neighbouring Colours.
My ſcope in this 3d. Experiment (Pyrophilus) is manifold, as firſt to invite you to be wary in judging of the Colour of Liquors in ſuch Glaſſes as are therein recommended to you, and conſequently as much, if not more, when you imploy other Glaſſes. Secondly, That you may not think it ſtrange, that I often content my ſelf to rub upon a piece of White paper, the Juice of Bodies I would examine, ſince not onely I could not eaſily procure a ſufficient Quantity of the juices of divers of them; but in ſeveral Caſes the Tryals of the quantities of ſuch Juices in Glaſſes would make us more lyable to miſtakes, than the way that in thoſe caſes I have made uſe of. Thirdly, I hope you will by theſe and divers other particulars deliver'd in this Treatiſe, be eaſily induc'd to think that I may have ſet down many Phænomena very faithfully, and juſt as they appear'd to me, and yet by reaſon of ſome unheeded circumſtance in the conditions of the matter, and in the degree of Light, or the manner of trying the Experiment, you may find ſome things to vary from the Relations I make of them. Laſtly, I deſign'd to give you an opportunity to free your ſelf from the amazement which poſſeſſes moſt Men, at the Tricks of thoſe Mountebancks that are commonly call'd Water-drinkers. For though not only the vulgar, but ev'n many perſons that are far above that Rank, have ſo much admir'd to ſee, a man after having drunk a great deal of fair water, to ſpurt it out again in the form of Claret Wine, Sack, and Milk, that they have ſuſpected the intervening of Magick, or ſome forbidden means to effect what they conceived above the power of Art; yet having once by chance had occaſion to oblige a Wanderer that made profeſſion of that and other Jugling Tricks, I was eaſily confirm'd by his Ingenious confeſſion to me, That this ſo much Admir'd Art, indeed conſiſted rather in a few Tricks, than in any great Skill, in altering the Nature and Colours of things. And I am eaſy to be perſwaded; that there may be a great deal of Truth in a little Pamphlet Printed divers years ago in Engliſh, wherein the Author undertakes to diſcover, and that (if I miſtake not) by the confeſſion of ſome of the Complices themſelves, That a famous Water-drinker then much Admir'd in England, perform'd his pretended Tranſmutations of Liquors by the help of two or three inconſiderable preparations and mixtures of not unobvious Liquors, and chiefly of an Infuſion of Brazil variouſly diluted and made Pale or Yellowiſh, (and otherwiſe alter'd) with Vinegar, the reſt of their work being perform'd by the ſhape of the Glaſſes, by Craft and Legerdemane. And for my part, that which I marvel at in this buſineſs, is, the Drinkers being able to take down ſo much Water, and ſpout it out with that violence; though Cuſtome and a Vomit ſeaſonably taken before hand, may in ſome of them much facilitate the work. But as for the changes made in the Liquors, they were but few and ſlight in compariſon of thoſe, that the being converſant in Chymical Experiments, and dextrous in applying them to the Tranſmuting of Colours, may eaſily enough enable a man to make, as ev'n what has been newly deliver'd in this, and the foregoing Experiment; eſpecially if we add to it the things contained in the XX, the XXXIX and the XL. Experiments, may perhaps have already perſwaded You.
EXPERIMENT XLV.
You may I preſume (Pyrophilus) have taken notice, that in this whole Treatiſe, I purpoſely decline (as far as I well can) the mentioning of Elaborate Chymical Experiments, for fear of frighting you by their tediouſneſs and difficulty; but yet in confirmation of what I have been newly telling you about the poſſibility of Varying the Colours of Liquors, better than the Water-drinkers are wont to do, I ſhall add, that Helmont uſed to make a preparation of Steel, which a very Ingenious Chymiſt, his Sons Friend, whom you know, ſometimes employes for a ſuccedaneum to the Spaw-waters, by Diluting this Eſsentia Martis Liquida (as he calls it) with a due proportion of Water. Now that for which I mention to you this preparation, (which as he communicated to me, I know he will not refuſe to Pyrophilus) is this, that though the Liquor (as I can ſhew you when you pleaſe) be almoſt of the Colour of a German (not an Oriental) Amethyſt, and conſequently remote enough from Green, yet a very few drops being let fall into a Large proportion of good Rheniſh, or (in want of that) White Wine (which yet do's not quite ſo well) immediately turn'd the Liquor into a lovely Green, as I have not without delight ſhown ſeveral curious Perſons. By which Phænomenon you may learn, among other things, how requiſite it is in Experiments about the changes of Colours heedfully to mind the Circumſtances of them; for Water will not, as I have purpoſely try'd, concurr to the production of any ſuch Green, nor did it give that Colour to moderate Spirit of Wine, wherein I purpoſely diſſolv'd it, and Wine it ſelf is a Liquor that few would ſuſpect of being able to work ſuddenly any ſuch change in a Metalline preparation of this Nature; and to ſatisfie my ſelf that this new Colour proceeds rather from the peculiar Texture of the Wine, than from any greater Acidity, that Rheniſh or White-wine (for that may not abſurdly be ſuſpected) has in compariſon of Water; I purpoſely ſharpen'd the Solution of this Eſſence in fair Water, with a good quantity of Spirit of Salt, notwithſtanding which, the mixture acquir'd no Greenneſs. And to vary the Experiment a little, I try'd, that if into a Glaſs of Rheniſh Wine made Green by this Eſſence, I dropp'd an Alcalizate Solution, or Urinous Spirit, the Wine would preſently grow Turbid, and of an odd Dirty Colour; But if inſtead of diſſolving the Eſſence in Wine, I diſſolv'd it in fair Water ſharpen'd perhaps with a little Spirit of Salt, then either the Urinous Spirit of Sal Armoniack, or the ſolution of the fix'd Salt of Pot-aſhes would immediately turn it of a Yellowiſh Colour, the fix'd or Urinous Salt Precipitating the Vitriolate ſubſtance contain'd in the Eſſence. But here I muſt not forget to take notice of a circumſtance that deſerves to be compar'd with ſome part of the foregoing Experiment, for whereas our Eſſence imparts a Greenneſs to Wine, but not to Water, the Induſtrious Olaus Wormius23 in his late Musæum tells us of a rare kind of Turn-Sole which he calls Bezetta Rubra given him by an Apothecary that knew not how it was made, whoſe lovely Redneſs would be eaſily communicated to Water, if it were immers'd in it; but ſcarce to Wine, and not at all to Spirit of Wine, in which laſt circumſtance it agrees with what I lately told you of our Eſſence, notwithſtanding their diſagreement in other particulars.