Chapter X: Part 10

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 Wormius_[23] 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.

[23] Libr. 2do Cap. 34.

_EXPERIMENT XLVI._

We have often taken notice, as of a remarkable thing, that Metalls as they appear to the Eye, before they come to be farther alter'd by other Bodyes, do exhibit Colours very different from those which the Fire and the _Menstruum_, either apart, or both together, do produce in them; especially considering that these Metalline Bodyes are after all these disguises reducible not only to their former Metalline Consistence and other more radical properties, but to their Colour too, as if Nature had given divers Metalls to each of them a double Colour, an _External_, and an _Internal_; But though upon a more attentive Consideration of this difference of Colours, it seem'd probable to me, that divers (for I say not all) of those Colours which we have just now call'd _Internal_, are rather produc'd by the Coalition of Metalline Particles with those of the Salts, or other Bodyes employ'd to work on them, than by the bare alteration of the parts of the Metalls themselves: and though therefore we may call the obvious Colours, Natural or Common, & the others Adventitious, yet because such changes of Colours, from whatsoever cause they be resolv'd to proceed may be properly enough taken in to illustrate our present Subject, we shall not scruple to take notice of some of them, especially because there are among them such as are produc'd without the intervention of Saline _Menstruums_. Of the Adventitious Colours of Metalline Bodies the Chief sorts seem to be these three. The first, such Colours as are produc'd without other Additaments by the Action of the fire upon Metalls. The next such as emerge from the Coalition of Metalline Particles with those of some _Menstruum_ imploy'd to Corrode a Metall or Precipitate it; And the last, The Colours afforded by Metalline Bodyes either Colliquated with, or otherwise Penetrating into, other Bodies, especially fusible ones. But these (_Pyrophilus,_) are only as I told you, the _Chief_ sorts of the adventitious Colours of Metalls, for there may others belong to them, of which I shall hereafter have occasion to take notice of some, and of which also there possibly may be others that I never took notice of.

And to begin with the first sort of Colours, 'tis well enough known to Chymists, that Tin being Calcin'd by fire alone is wont to afford a White _Calx_, and Lead Calcin'd by fire alone affords that most Common Red-Powder we call _Minium:_ Copper also Calcin'd _per se_, by a long or violent fire, is wont to yield (as far as I have had occasion to take notice of it) a very Dark or Blackish Powder; That Iron likewise may by the Action of Reverberated flames be turn'd into a Colour almost like that of Saffron, may be easily deduc'd from the Preparation of that Powder, which by reason of its Colour and of the Metall 'tis made of is by Chymists call'd, _Crocus Martis per se_. And that _Mercury_ made by the stress of Fire, may be turn'd into a Red Powder, which Chymists call Precipitate _per se_, I elsewhere more particularly declare.

_Annotation I._

It is not unworthy the Admonishing you, (_Pyrophilus_,) and it agrees very well with our Conjectures about the dependence of the change of a Body's Colour upon that of its Texture, that the same Metall may by the successive operation of the fire receive divers Adventitious Colours, as is evident in Lead, which before it come to so deep a Colour as that of _Minium_, may pass through divers others.

_Annotation II_.

Not only the _Calces_, but the Glasses of Metalls, Vitrify'd _per se_, may be of Colours differing from the Natural or Obvious Colour of the Metall; as I have observ'd in the Glass of Lead, made by long exposing Crude Lead to a violent fire, and what I have observ'd about the Glass or Slagg of Copper, (of which I can show you some of an odd kind of Texture,) may be elsewhere more conveniently related. I have likewise seen a piece of very Dark Glass, which an Ingenious Artificer that show'd it me profess'd himself to have made of Silver alone by an extreme _Violence_ (which seems to be no more than is needfull) of the fire.

_Annotation III_.

Minerals also by the Action of the Fire may be brought to afford Colours very differing from their own, as I not long since noted to you about the variously Colour'd Flowers of Antimony, to which we may add the Whitish Grey-Colour of its _Calx_, and the Yellow or Reddish Colour of the Glass, where into that _Calx_ may be flux'd.

And I remember, that I elsewhere told you, that Vitriol Calcin'd with a very gentle heat, and afterwards with higher and higher degrees of it, may be made to pass through several Colours before it descends to a Dark Purplish Colour, whereto a strong fire is wont at length to reduce it. But to insist on the Colours produc'd by the Operation of fire upon several Minerals would take up farr more time than I have now to spare.

_EXPERIMENT XLVII._

The Adventitious Colours produc'd upon Metalls, or rather with them, by Saline Liquors, are many of them so well known to Chymists, that I would not here mention them, but that besides a not un-needed Testimony, I can add something of my own, to what I shall repeat about them, and divers Experiments which are familiar to Chymists, are as yet unknown to the greatest part of Ingenious Men.

That Gold dissolv'd in _Aqua Regia_ ennobles the _Menstruum_ with its own Colour, is a thing that you cannot (_Pyrophilus_,) but have often seen. The Solutions of Mercury in _Aqua-fortis_ are not generally taken notice of, to give any notable Tincture to the _Menstruum_; but sometimes when the Liquor first falls upon the Quick Silver, I have observ'd a very remarkable, though not durable, Greenness, or Blewness to be produc'd, which is a _Phænomenon_ not unfit for you to consider, though I have not now the leisure to discourse upon it. Tin Corroded by _Aqua-fortis_ till the _Menstruum_ will work no farther on it, becomes exceeding White, but as we elsewhere note, does very easily of it self acquire the consistence, not of a Metalline _Calx_, but of a Coagulated matter, which we have observ'd with pleasure to look so like, either to curdled Milk, or curdled Whites of Eggs, that a person unacquainted with such Solutions may easily be mistaken in it. But when I purposely prepar'd a _Menstruum_ that would dissolve it as _Aqua-fortis_ dissolves Silver, and not barely Corrode it, and quickly let it fall again, I remember not that I took notice of any particular Colour in the Solution, as if the more Whitish Metalls did not much Tinge their _Menstruums_, though the conspicuously Colour'd Metalls as Gold, and Copper, do. For Lead dissolv'd in Spirit of Vinegar or _Aqua-fortis_ gives a Solution cleer enough, and if the _Menstruum_ be abstracted appears either Diaphanous or White. Of the Colour of Iron we have elsewhere said something: And 'tis worth noting, that though if that Metall be dissolv'd in oyl of Vitriol diluted with water, it affords a Salt or Magistery so like in colour, as well as some other Qualities, to other green Vitriol, that Chymists do not improperly call it _Vitriolum Martis_; yet I have purposely try'd, that, by changing the _Menstruum_, and pouring upon the filings of Steel, instead of oyl of Vitriol, _Aqua Fortis_, (whereof as I remember, I us'd 4 parts to one of the Metall) I obtain'd not a Green, but a Saffron Colour Solution; or rather a thick Liquor of a deep but yellowish Red. Common Silver, such as is to be met with in Coines, being dissolv'd in _Aqua fortis_, yields a Solution tincted like that of Copper, which is not to be wondred at, because in the coining of Silver, they are wont (as we elsewhere particularly inform you) to give it an Allay of Copper, and that which is sold in shops for refined silver, is not (so far as we have tryed) so perfectly free from that ignobler Metall, but that a Solution of It in _Aqua fortis_, will give a Venereal Tincture to the _Menstruum_. But we could not observe upon the solution of some Silver, which was perfectly refin'd, (such as some that we have, from which 8 or 10 times its weight of Lead has been blown off) that the _Menstruum_ though held against the Light in a Crystal Vial did manifestly disclose any Tincture, only it seem'd sometimes not to be quite destitute of a little, but very faint Blewishness.

But here I must take notice, that of all the Metalls, there is not any which doth so easily and constantly disclose its unobvious colour as Copper doth. For not only in acid _Menstruums_ as _Aqua Fortis_ and Spirit of Vinegar, it gives a Blewish green solution, but if it be almost any way corroded, it _appears of one of those_ two colours, as may be observ'd in Verdigreese made several wayes, in that odd preparation of _Venus_, which we elsewhere teach you to make with Sublimate, and in the common Vitriols of _Venus_ deliver'd by Chymists; and so constant is the disposition of Copper, notwithstanding the disguise Artists put upon it, to disclose the colour we have been mentioning, that we have by forcing it up with _Sal Armoniack_ obtain'd a Sublimate of a Blewish Colour. Nay a famous Spagyrist affirms, that the very Mercury of it is green, but till he teach us an intelligible way of making such a Mercury, we must content ourselves to inform you, that we have had a Cupreous Body, that was Præcipitated out of a distill'd Liquor, that seem'd to be the the Sulphur of _Venus_, and seem'd even when flaming, of a Greenish Colour. And indeed Copper is a Metall so easily wrought upon by Liquors of several kinds, that I should tell you, I know not any Mineral, that will concurr to the production of such a variety of Colours as Copper dissol'd in several _Menstruums_, as Spirit of Vinegar, _Aqua fortis_, _Aqua Regis_, Spirit of Nitre, of Urine, of Soot, Oyls of several kinds, and I know not how many other Liquors, if the variety of somewhat differing colours (that Copper will be made to assume, as it is wrought upon by several Liquors) were not comprehended within the Limits of Greenish Blew, or Blewish Green.

And yet I must advertise you (_Pyrophilus_) that being desirous to try if I could not make with crude Copper a Green Solution without the Blewishness that is wont to accompany its Vulgar Solutions, I bethought my self of using two _Menstruums_, which I had not known imploy'd to work on this Metall, and which I had certain Reasons to make Tryal of, as I successfully did. The one of these Liquors (if I much misremember not) was Spirit of Sugar distill'd in a Retort, which must be warily done, (if you will avoid breaking your glasses) and the other, Oyl or Spirit of Turpentine, which affords a fine Green Solution that is useful to me on several occasions. And yet to shew that the adventitious colour may result, as well from the true and permanent Copper it self, as the Salts wherewith 'tis corroded, I shall add, that if you take a piece of good _Dantzick_ Copperis, or any other Vitriol wherein _Venus_ is prædominant, and having moistened it in your Mouth, or with fair water, rubb it upon a whetted knife, or any other bright piece of Steel or Iron, it will (as we have formerly told you) present'y stain the Steel with a Reddish colour, like that of Copper, the reason of which, we must not now stay to inquire.

_Annotation I._

I presume you may have taken notice (_Pyrophilus_) that I have borrowed some of the Instances mention'd in this 47th Experiment, from the Laboratories of Chymists, and because in some (though very few) other passages of this Essay, I have likewise made use of Experiments mention'd also by some Spagyrical Writers, I think it not amiss to represent to you on this Occasion once for all, some things besides those which I intimated in the præamble of this present Experiment; For besides, that 'tis very allowable for a Writer to repeat an Experiment which he invented not, in case he improve it; And besides that many Experiments familiar to Chymists are unknown to the generality of Learned Men, who either never read Chymical processes, or never understood their meaning, or never durst believe them; besides these things, I say, I shall represent, That, as to the few Experiments I have borrowed from the Chymists, if they be very Vulgar, 'twould perhaps be difficult to ascribe each of them its own Author, and 'tis more than the generality of Chymists themselves can do: and if they be not of very known and familiar practise among them, unless the Authors wherein I found them had given me cause to believe, themselves had try'd them, I know not why I might not set them down, as a part of the _Phænomena_ of Colours which I present you; Many things unanimously enough deliver'd as matters of fact by (I know not how many Chymical Writers) being not to be rely'd on, upon the single Authority of such Authors: For Instance, as some Spagyrists deliver (perhaps amongst several deceitful processes) that _Saccarum Saturni_ with Spirit of Turpentine will afford a Balsom, so _Beguinus_ and many more tell us, that the same Concrete (_Saccarum Saturni_) will yield an incomparably fragrant Spirit, and a pretty Quantity of two several Oyles, and yet since many have complain'd, as well as I have done, that they could find no such odoriferous, but rather an ill-sented Liquor, and scarce any oyl in their Distillation of that sweet Vitriol, a wary person would as little build any thing on what they say of the former Experiment, as upon what they averr of the later, and therefore I scrupled not to mention this Red Balsom of which I have not seen any, (but what I made) among my other experiments about redness.

_Annot. II._

We have sometimes had the Curiosity to try what Colours Minerals, as Tinglass, Antimony, Spelter, &c. would yield in several _Menstruums_, nor have we forborn to try the Colours of stones, of which that famous one, (which _Helmont_ calls _Paracelsus's Ludus_) though it be digg'd out of the Earth and seem a true stone, has afforded in _Menstruums_ capable to dissolve so solid a stone, sometimes a Yellowish, sometimes a Red solution of both which I can show you. But though I have from Minerals obtain'd with several _Menstruums_ very differing Colours, and some such as perhaps you would be surpriz'd to see drawn from such Bodies: yet I must now pass by the particulars, being desirous to put an End to this Treatise, before I put an end to your Patience and my own.

_Annotation III._

And yet before I pass to the next Experiment, I must put you in mind, that the Colours of Metals may in many cases be further alter'd by imploying, either præcipitating Salts, or other convenient Substances to act upon their Solutions. Of this you may remember, that I have given you several Instances already, to which may be added such as these, That if Quicksilver be dissolv'd in _Aqua fortis_, and Præcipitated out of the Solution, either with water impregnated with Sea salt, or with the spirit of that Concrete, it falls to the Bottom in the form of a white powder, whereas if it be Præcipitated with an Alcaly, it will afford a Yellowish or tawny powder, and if there be no Præcipitation made, and the _Menstruum_ be drawn off with a convenient fire, the corroded Mercury will remain in the bottom, in the form of a substance that may be made to appear of differing Colours by differing degrees of Heat; As I remember that lately having purposely abstracted _Aqua fortis_ from some Quicksilver that we had dissolv'd in it, so that there remain'd a white _Calx_, exposing that to several degrees of Fire, and afterwards to a naked one, we obtain'd some new Colours, and at length the greatest part of the _Calx_ lying at the Bottome of the Vial, and being brought partly to a Deep Yellow, and partly to a Red Colour, the rest appear'd elevated to the upper part and neck of the Vial, some in the form of a Reddish, and some of an Ash-Colour Sublimate. But of the differing Colours which by differing wayes and working of Quick Silver with Fire, and Saline Bodies, may be produc'd in Precipitates, I may elsewhere have occasion to take further notice. I also told you not long since, that if you corrode Quick-silver with Oyl of Vitriol instead of _Aqua-fortis_, and abstract the _Menstruum_, there will remain a White _Calx_ which by the Affusion of Fair Water presently turns into a Lemmon Colour. And ev'n the _Succedaneum_ to a _Menstruum_ may sometimes serve the turn to change the Colours of a Metal. The lovely Red which Painters call Vermillion, is made of Mercury, which is of the Colour of Silver, and of Brimstone which is of Kin to that of Gold, Sublim'd up together in a certain proportion, as is vulgarly known to Spagyrists.

_EXPERIMENT XLVIII._

The third chief sort of the Adventitious Colours of Metals, is, that which is produc'd by associating them (especially when Calcin'd) with other fusible Bodies, and Principally Venice, and other fine Glass devoid of Colour.

I have formerly given you an Example, whereby it may appear, that a Metal may impart to Glass a Colour much differing from its own, when I told you, how with Silver, I had given Glass a lovely Golden Colour. And I shall now add, that I have Learn'd from one of the Chief Artificers that sells Painted Glass, that those of his Trade Colour it Yellow with a preparation of the _Calx_ of Silver. Though having lately had occasion among other Tryals to mingle a few grains of Shell-silver (such as is imploy'd with the Pensil and Pen) with a convenient proportion of powder'd Crystal Glass, having kept them two or three hours in fusion, I was surpriz'd to find the Colliquated Mass to appear upon breaking the Crucible of a lovely Saphirine Blew, which made me suspect my Servant might have brought me a wrong Crucible, but he constantly affirm'd it to be the same wherein the Silver was put, and considerable Circumstances countenanc'd his Assertion, so that till I have opportunity to make farther Tryal, I cannot but suspect, either that Silver which is not (which is not very probable) brought to a perfect Fusion and Colliquation with Glass, may impart to it other Colours than when Neal'd upon it, or else (which is less unlikely) that though Silver Beaters usually chuse the finest Coyn they can get, as that which is most extensive under the Hammer, yet the Silver-leaves of which this Shel-silver was made, might retain so much Copper as to enable it to give the predominant tincture to the Glass.

For, I must proceed to tell you (_Pyrophilus_) as another instance of the Adventitious Colours of Metals, that which is something strange, Namely, That though Copper Calcin'd _per se_ affords but a Dark and basely Colour'd _Calx_, yet the Glassmen do with it, as themselves inform me, Tinge their Glass green. And I remember, that when once we took some crude Copper, and by frequent Ignition quenching it in Water had reduc'd it to a Dark and Ill-colour'd Powder, and afterward kept it in Fusion in about a 100. times its weight of fine Glass, we had, though not a Green, yet a Blew colour'd Mass, which would perhaps have been Green, if we had hit right upon the Proportion of the Materials, and the Degree of Fire, and the Time wherein it ought to be kept in Fusion, so plentifully does that Metal abound in a Venerial Tincture, as Artists call it, and in so many wayes does it disclose that Richness. But though Copper do as we have said give somewhat near the like Colour to Glass, which it does to _Aqua-fortis_, yet it seems worth inquiry, whether those new Colours which Mineral Bodies disclose in melted Glass, proceed from the Coalition of the Corpuscles of the Mineral with the Particles of the Glass as such, or from the Action (excited or actuated by fire) of the Alcalizate Salt (which is a main Ingredient of Glass,) upon the Mineral Body, or from the concurrence of both these Causes, or else from any other. But to return to that which we were saying, we may observe that _Putty_ made by calcining together a proportion of Tin and Lead, as it is it self a White _Calx_, so does it turn the _Pitta di Crystallo_ (as the Glassmen call the matter of the Purer sort of Glass, wherewith it is Colliquated into a White Mass, which if it be opacous enough is employ'd, as we elsewhere declare, for White Amel. But of the Colours which the other Metals may be made to produce in Colourless Glass, and other Vitrifiable Bodies, that have native Colours of their own, I must leave you to inform your self upon Tryal, or at least must forbear to do it till another time, considering how many Annotations are to follow, upon what has in this and the two former Experiments been said already.

_Annotation I._

When the Materials of Glass being melted with Calcin'd Tin, have compos'd a Mass Undiaphanous and White, this White Amel is as it were the Basis of all those fine Concretes that Goldsmiths and several Artificers imploy in the curious Art of Enamelling. For this White and Fusible substance will receive into it self, without spoyling them, the Colours of divers other Mineral substances, which like it will indure the fire.

_Annotation II._

So that as by the present (XLVIII.) Experiment it appears, that divers Minerals will impart to fusible Masses, Colours differing from their own; so by the making and compounding of Amels, it may appear, that divers Bodies will both retain their Colour in the fire, and impart the _same_ to some others wherewith they were vitrifi'd, and in such Tryals as that mention'd in the 17. Experiment, where I told you, that ev'n in Amels a Blew and Yellow will compound a Green. 'Tis pretty to behold, not only that some Colours are of so fix'd a Nature, as to be capable of mixture without receiving any detriment by the fire, that do's so easily destroy or spoyl those of other Bodies; but Mineral Pigments may be mingled by fire little less regularly and successfully, than in ordinary Dyeing Fatts, the vulgar Colours are wont to be mingled by the help of Water.

_Annotation III._

'Tis not only Metalline, but other Mineral Bodies, that may be imploy'd, to give Tinctures unto Glass (and 'tis worth noting how small a quantity of some Mineral substances, will Tinge a Comparatively vast proportion of Glass, and we have sometimes attempted to Colour Glass, ev'n with Pretious Stones, and had cause to think the Experiment not cast away. And 'tis known by them that have look'd into the Art of Glass, that the Artificers use to tinge their Glass Blew, with that Dark Mineral _Zaffora_, (some of my Tryals on which I elsewhere acquaint you) which some would have to be a Mineral Earth, others a Stone, and others neither the one, nor the other, but which is confessedly of a Dark, but not a Blew Colour, though it be not agreed of what particular Colour it is. 'Tis likewise though a familiar yet a remarkable practise among those that Deal in the making of Glass, to imploy (as some of themselves have inform'd me) what they call Manganess, and some Authors call _Magnesia_ (of which I make particular mention in another Treatise) to exhibit in Glass not only other Colours than its own, (which is so like in Darkness or blackishness to the Load stone, that 'tis given by Mineralists, for one of the Reasons of its Latine Name) but Colours differing from one another. For though they use it, (which is somewhat strange) to Clarifye their Glass, and free it from that Blewish Greenish Colour, which else it would too often be subject to, yet they also imploy it in certain proportions, to tinge their Glass both with a Red colour, and with a Purplish or Murry, and putting in a greater Quantity, they also make with it that deep obscure Glass which is wont to pass for Black, which agrees very well with, and may serve to confirm what we noted near the beginning of the 44th Experiment, of the seeming Blackness of those Bodies that are overcharg'd with the Corpuscles of such Colours, as Red, or Blew, or Green, &c. And as by several Metals and other Minerals we can give various Colours to Glass, so on the other side, by the differing Colours that Mineral Oars, or other Mineral Powders being melted with Glass disclose in it, a good Conjecture may be oftentimes made of the Metall or known Mineral, that the Oar propos'd, either holds, or is most of kin to. And this easie way of examining Oars, may be in some cases of good use, and is not ill deliver'd by _Glauber_, to whom I shall at present refer you, for a more particular account of it: unless your Curiosity command also what I have observ'd about these matters; only I must here advertise you, that great circumspection is requisite to keep this way from proving fallacious, upon the account of the variations of Colour that may be produc'd by the differing proportions that may be us'd betwixt the Oar and the Glass, by the Richness or Poorness of the Oar it self, by the Degree of Fire, and (especially) by the Length of Time, during which the matter is kept in fusion; as you will easily gather from what you will quickly meet with in the following Annotation upon this present 48th Experiment.

_Annotation IV._

There is another way and differing enough from those already mention'd, by which Metalls may be brought to exhibit adventitious Colours: For by This, the Metall do's not so much impart a Colour to another Body, as receive a Colour from it, or rather both Bodies do by the new Texture resulting from their mistion produce a new Colour. I will not insist to this purpose upon the Examples afforded us by yellow Orpiment, and common Sea Salt, from which, sublim'd together, Chymists unanimously affirm their White or Crystalline Arsenick to be made: But 'tis not unworthy our noting, That though Yellow Orpiment be acknowledg'd to be the Copiousest by far of the two Ingredients of Arsenick, yet this last nam'd Body being duely added to the highest Colour'd Metall Copper, when 'tis in fusion, gives it a whiteness both within and without. Thus _Lapis Calaminaris_ changes and improves the Colour of Copper by turning it into Brass. And I have sometimes by the help of Zinck duely mix'd after a certain manner, given Copper one of the Richest Golden Colours that ever I have seen the Best true Gold Ennobled with. But pray have a care that such Hints fall not into any hands that may mis-imploy them.

_Annotation V._

Upon the Knowledge of the differing wayes of making Minerals and Metalls produce their adventitious Colours in Bodies capable of Vitrification, depends the pretty Art of making what Chymists by a Barbarous Word are pleas'd to call _Amanses_, that is counterfeit, or factitious Gemms, as Emeralds, Rubies, Saphires, Topazes, and the like. For in the making of these, though pure Sand or Calcin'd Crystal give the Body, yet 'tis for the most part some Metalline or Mineral _Calx_, mingled in a small proportion that gives the Colour. But though I have many years since taken delight, to divert my self with this pleasing Art, and have seen very pretty Productions of it, yet besides that I fear I have now forgot most of the little Skill I had in it, this is no place to entertain you with what would rather take up an intire Discourse, than be comprehended in an Annotation; wherefore the few things which I shall here take notice of to you, are only what belong to the present Argument, Namely,

First, That I have often observ'd that Calcin'd Lead Colliquated with fine White Sand or Crystal, reduc'd by ignitions and subsequent extinctions in Water to a subtile Powder, will of it self be brought by a due Decoction to give a cleer Mass Colour'd like a _German_ Amethyst. For though this glass of Lead, is look'd upon by them that know no better way of making _Amanses_, as the grand Work of them all, yet which is an inconvenience that much blemishes this way, the Calcin'd Lead it self does not only afford matter to the _Amanses_, but has also as well as other Metals a Colour of its own, which as I was saying, I have often found to be like that of _German_ (as many call them) not Eastern Amethysts.

Secondly, That nevertheless this Colour may be easily over-powr'd by those of divers other Mineral Pigments (if I may so call them) so that with a glass of Lead, you may Emulate (for Instance) the fresh and lovely Greenness of an Emerald, though in divers cases the Colour which the Lead it self upon Vitrification tends to, may vitiate that of the Pigment, which you would introduce into the Mass.

Thirdly, That so much ev'n these Colours depend upon Texture, that in the Glass of Lead it self made of about three parts of _Lytharge_ or _Minium_ Colliquated with one of very finely Powder'd Crystal or Sand, we have taken pleasure to make the mixture pass through differing Colours, as we kept it more or less in the Fusion. For it was not usually till after a pretty long Decoction that the Mass attain'd to the Amethystin Colour.

Fourthly and lastly, That the degrees of Coction and other Circumstances may so vary the Colour produc'd in the same mass, that in a Crucible that was not great I have had fragments of the same Mass, in some of which perhaps not so big as a Hazel-Nut, you may discern four distinct Colours.

_Annotation VI._

You may remember (_Pyrophilus_) that when I mention'd the three sorts of adventitious Colours of Metals, I mention'd them but as the chief, not the only. For there may be other wayes, which though they do not in so strict a sense belong to the adventitious Colours of Metals, may not inconveniently be reduc'd to them. And of these I shall name now a couple, without denying that there may be more.

The first may be drawn from the practise of those that Dye Scarlet. For the famousest Master in that Art, either in _England_ or _Holland_, has confess'd to me, that neither others, nor he can strike that lovely Colour which is now wont to be call'd the _Bow-Dye_, without their Materials be Boyl'd in Vessels, either made of, or lin'd with a particular Metall. But of what I have known attempted in this kind, I must not as yet for fear of prejudicing or displeasing others give you any particular Account.[24]

The other way (_Pyrophilus_) of making Metals afford unobvious Colours, is by imbuing divers Bodies with Solutions of them made in their proper _Menstruum's_, As (for Instance) though Copper plentifully dissolv'd in _Aqua fortis_, will imbue several Bodies with the Colour of the Solution; Yet Some other Metalls will not (as I elsewhere tell you) and have often try'd. Gold dissolv'd in _Aqua Regia_, will, (which is not commonly known) Dye the Nails and Skin, and Hafts of Knives, and other things made of Ivory, not with a Golden, but a Purple Colour, which though it manifest it self but slowly, is very durable, and scarce ever to be wash'd out. And if I misremember not, I have already told you in this Treatise, that the purer Crystals of fine Silver made with _Aqua fortis_, though they appear White, will presently Dye the Skin and Nails, with a Black, or at least a very Dark Colour, which Water will not wash off, as it will ordinary Ink from the same parts. And divers other Bodies may the Same way be Dy'd, some of a Black, and others of a Blackish Colour.

[24] See the latter end of the fiftieth Experiment.

And as Metalline, so likewise Mineral Solutions may produce Colours differing enough from those of the Liquors themselves. I shall not fetch an Example of this, from what we daily see happen in the powdring of Beef, which by the Brine imploy'd about it (especially if the flesh be over salted) do's oftentimes appear at our Tables of a Green, and sometimes of a Reddish Colour, (deep enough) nor shall I insist on the practise of some that deal in Salt Petre, who, (as I suspected, and as themselves acknowledg'd to me) do, with the mixture of a certain proportion of that; and common Salt, give a fine Redness, not only to Neats Tongues, but which is more pretty as well as difficult, to such flesh, as would otherwise be purely White; These Examples, I say, I shall decline insisting on, as chusing rather to tell you, that I have several times try'd, that a Solution of the Sulphur of Vitriol, or ev'n of common Sulphur, though the Liquor appear'd clear enough, would immediately tinge a piece of new Coin, or other clean Silver, sometimes with a Golden, sometimes with a deeper, and more Reddish colour, according to the strength of the Solution, and the quantity of it, that chanc'd to adhere to the Metall; which may take off your wonder that the water of the hot Spring at _Bath_, abounding with dissolv'd Substances of a very Sulphureous Nature, should for a while, as it were gild, the new or clean pieces of Silver coyn, that are for a due time immers'd in it. And to these may be added those formerly mention'd Examples of the adventitious Colours of Mineral Bodies; which brings into my mind, that, ev'n Vegetable Liquors, whether by degeneration, or by altering the Texture of the Body that imbibes them, may stain other Bodies with Colours differing enough, from their own, of which very good Herbarists have afforded us a notable Example, by affirming that the Juice of _Alcanna_ being green (in which state I could never here procure it) do's yet Dye the Skin and Nails of a Lasting Red. But I see this Treatise is like to prove too bulky without the addition of further Instances of this Nature.

_EXPERIMENT XLIX._

Meeting the other day, _Pyrophilus_, in an _Italian_ book, that treats of other matters, with a way of preparing what the Author calls a _Lacca_ of Vegetables, by which the _Italians_ mean a kind of Extract fit for Painting, like that rich _Lacca_ in English commonly call'd _Lake_, which is imploy'd by Painters as a glorious Red. And finding the Experiment not to be inconsiderable, and very defectively set down, it will not be amiss to acquaint you with what some Tryals have inform'd us, in reference to this Experiment, which both by our Italian Author, and by divers of his Countrymen, is look'd upon as no trifling Secret.

Take then the root call'd in Latin _Curcuma_, and in English Turmerick, (which I made use of, because it was then at hand, and is among Vegetables fit for that purpose one of the most easiest to be had) and when it is beaten, put what Quantity of it you please into fair Water, adding to every pound of Water about a spoonfull or better of as strong a _Lixivium_ or Solution of Potashes as you can well make, clarifying it by Filtration before you put it to the Decocting water. Let these things boyl, or rather simper over a soft Fire in a clean glaz'd Earthen Vessel, till you find by the Immersion of a sheet of White Paper (or by some other way of Tryal) that the Liquor is sufficiently impregnated with the Golden Tincture of the Turmerick, then take the Decoction off the Fire, and Filter or Strain it that it may be clean, and leisurely dropping into it a strong Solution of Roch Allum, you shall find the Decoction as it were curdl'd, and the tincted part of it either to emerge, to subside, or to swim up and down, like little Yellow flakes; and if you pour this mixture into a Tunnel lin'd with Cap Paper, the Liquor that Filtred formerly so Yellow, will now pass clean thorow the Filtre, leaving its tincted, and as it were curdled parts in the Filtre, upon which fair Water must be so often pour'd, till you have Dulcifi'd the matter therein contain'd, the sign of which Dulcification is (you know) when the Water that has pass'd through it, comes from it as tasteless as it was pour'd on it. And if without Filtration you would gather together the flakes of this Vegetable Lake, you must pour a great Quantity of fair Water upon the Decoction after the affusion of the Alluminous Solution, and you shall find the Liquor to grow clearer, and the Lake to settle together at the bottom, or emerge to the top of the Water, though sometimes having not pour'd out a sufficient Quantity of fair Water, we have observ'd the Lake partly to subside, and partly to emerge, leaving all the middle of the Liquor clear. But to make this Lake fit for use, it must by repeated affusions of fresh Water, be Dulcifi'd from the adhering Salts, as well as that separated by Filtration, and be spread and suffer'd to dry leisurely upon pieces of Cloth, with Brown Paper, or Chalk, or Bricks under them to imbibe the Moisture[25].

[Page 372]
_Annotation I._

Whereas it is presum'd that the Magistery of Vegetables obtain'd this way consists but of the more Soluble and Coloured parts of the Plants that afford it, I must take the liberty to Question the supposition. And for my so doing, I shall give you this account.

According to the Notions (such as they were) that I had concerning Salts; Allom, though to sense a Homogeneous Body, ought not to be reckon'd among true Salts, but to be it self look'd upon as a kind of Magistery, in regard that as Native Vitriol (for such I have had) contains both a Saline substance and a Metall, whether Copper, or Iron, corroded by it, and associated with it; so Allom which may be of so near a kin to Vitriol, that in some places of _England_ (as we are assur'd by good Authority the same stone will sometimes afford both) seems manifestly to contain a peculiar kind of Acid Spirit, generated in the Bowels of the Earth, and some kind of stony matter dissolv'd by it. And though in making our ordinary Allom, the Workmen use the Ashes of a Sea Weed (vulgarly call'd Kelp) and Urine: yet those that should know, inform us, that, here in _England_, there is besides the factitious Allom, Allom made by Nature Without the help of those Additaments. Now (_Pyrophilus_) when I consider'd this composition of Allom, and that Alcalizate Salts are wont to Præcipitate what acid Salts have dissolv'd, I could not but be prone to suspect that the Curdled Matter, which is call'd the Magistery of Vegetables, may have in it no inconsiderable proportion of a stony substance Præcipitated out of the Allom by the _Lixivium_, wherein the Vegetable had been decocted, and to shew you, that there is no necessity, that all the curdl'd substance must belong to the Vegetable, I shall add, that I took a strong Solution of Allom, and having Filtred it, by pouring in a convenient Quantity of a strong Solution of Potashes, I presently, as I expected, turn'd the mixture into a kind of white Curds, which being put to Filtre, the Paper retain'd a stony _Calx_, copious enough, very White, and which seem'd to be of a Mineral Nature, both by some other signes, and this, that little Bits of it being put upon a live Coal, which was Gently Blown whilst they were on it, they did neither melt nor fly away, and you may keep a Quantity of this White substance for a good while, (nay for ought I can guess for a very long one) in a red hot Crucible without losing or spoiling it; nor did hot Water wherein I purposely kept another parcel of such _Calx_, seem to do any more than wash away the looser adhering Salts from the stony substance, which therefore seem'd unlikely to be separable by ablutions (though reiterated) from the Præcipitated parts of the Vegetable, whose Lake is intended. And to shew you, that there is likewise in Allom a Body, with which the fix'd Salt of the Alcalizate Solution will concoagulate into a Saline Substance differing from either of them, I shall add, that I have taken pleasure to recover out of the slowly exhal'd Liquor, that pass'd through the filtre, and left the foremention'd _Calx_ behind, a Body that at least seem'd a Salt very pretty to look on, as being very White, and consisting of an innumerable company of exceeding slender, and shining Particles, which would in part easily melt at the flame of a Candle, and in part flye away with some little noise. But of this substance, and its odd Qualities more perhaps elsewhere; for now I shall only take notice to you, that I have likewise with Urinous Salts, such as the Spirit of Sal Armoniack, as well as with the Spirit of Urine it self, Nay, (if I much mistake not) ev'n with Stale Urine undistil'd, easily Precipitated such a White _Calx_ as I was formerly speaking of, out of a Limpid Solution of Allom, so that there is need of Circumspection in judging of the Natures of Liquors by Precipitations wherein Allom intervenes, else we may sometimes mistakingly imagine that to be Precipitated out of a Liquor by Allom, which is rather Precipitated out of Allom by the Liquor: And this puts me in mind to tell you, that 'tis not unpleasant to behold how quickly the Solution of Allom (or injected lumps of Allom) do's occasion the severing of the colour'd parts of the Decoction from the Liquor that seem'd to have so perfectly imbib'd them.

[25] _The Curious Reader that desires further Information concerning
Lakes, may Resort to the 7th Book of_ Neri's _Art of Glass, Englished (6
or 7 years since the Writing of this 49th Experiment) and Illustrated
with Learned Observations, by the Inquisitive and experienc'd Dr._
Charles Merret.

_Annot. II._

The above mention'd way of making Lakes we have tryed not only with Turmerick, but also with Madder, which yielded us a Red Lake; and with Rue, which afforded us an extract, of (almost if not altogether) the same Colour with that of the leaves.

But in regard that 'tis Principally the Alcalizate Salt of the Pot-ashes, which enables the water to Extract so powerfully the Tincture of the Decocted Vegetables, I fear that our Author may be mistaken by supposing that the Decoction will alwayes be of the very same Colour with the Vegetable it is made off. For Lixiviate Salts, to which Pot-ashes eminently belong, though by peircing and opening the Bodies of Vegetables, they prepare and dispose them to part readily with their Tincture, yet some Tinctures they do not only draw out, but likewise alter them, as may be easily made appear by many of the Experiments already set down in this Treatise, and though Allom being of an Acid Nature, its Solutions may in some Cases destroy the Adventitious Colours produc'd by the Alcaly, and restore the former: yet besides that Allom is not, as I have lately shown, a meer Acid Salt, but a mixt Body, and besides, that its operations are languid in comparison of the activity of Salts freed by Distillation, or by Incineration and Dissolution, from the most of their Earthy parts, we have seen already Examples, that in divers Cases an Acid Salt will not restore a Vegetable substance to the Colour of which an Alcalizate one had depriv'd it, but makes it assume a third very differing from both, as we formerly told you, that if Syrrup of Violets were by an Alcaly turn'd Green, (which Colour, as I have try'd, may be the same way produc'd in the Violet-leaves themselves without any Relation to a Syrrup) an Acid Salt would not make it Blew again, but Red. And though I have by this way of making Lakes, made Magisteries (for such they seem to be) of Brazil, and as I remember of Cochinele it self, and of other things, Red, Yellow or Green which Lakes were enobled with a Rich Colour, and others had no bad one; yet in some the colour of the Lake seem'd rather inferiour than otherwise to that of the Plant, and in others it seem'd both very differing, and much worse; but Writing this in a time and place where I cannot provide my self of Flowres and other Vegetables to prosecute such Tryals in a competent variety of Subjects, I am content not to be positive in delivering a judgment of this way of Lakes, till Experience, or You, _Pyrophilus_, shall have afforded me a fuller and more particular Information.

_Annotation III._