Bacon, Francis, Sylva sylvarum : or, a natural history in ten centuries

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            <s xml:id="echoid-s3229" xml:space="preserve">
              <pb o="72" file="0106" n="106" rhead="Natural Hiſtory;"/>
            greatperſon, by undertaking, that he could make Gold: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3230" xml:space="preserve">Whoſe diſcourſe
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            was, That Gold might be made, but that the Alchymiſts over-fired the work:
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            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3231" xml:space="preserve">For (he ſaid) the making of Gold did require avery temperate Heat, asbe-
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            ing in Nature a ſubterrany work, where little Heat cometh; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3232" xml:space="preserve">but yet more
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            to the making of Gold, than of any other Metal: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3233" xml:space="preserve">And therefore, that he
              <lb/>
            would do it with a great Lamp, that ſhould carry a temperate and equal
              <lb/>
            Heat, and that it was the work of many Moneths. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3234" xml:space="preserve">The deviſe of the Lamp
              <lb/>
            was folly, but the overſiring now uſed, and the equal Heat to be required,
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            and the making it a work of ſome good time, are no ill diſcourſes.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3235" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3236" xml:space="preserve">We reſort therefore to our Axioms of Maturation, in effect touched be-
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            fore.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3237" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3238" xml:space="preserve">The firſt is, That there be uſed a Temperate Heat; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3239" xml:space="preserve">ſor they are ever
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            Temperate Heats that Diſgeſts, and Mature; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3240" xml:space="preserve">wherein we mean Temperate,
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            according to the Nature of the Subject: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3241" xml:space="preserve">For that may be Temperate to
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            Fruits and Liquors, which will not work at all upon Metals.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3242" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3243" xml:space="preserve">The ſecond is, That the Spirit of the Metal be quickned, and the
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            Tangible Parts opened: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3244" xml:space="preserve">For without thoſe two operations, the Spirit of the
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            Metal, wrought upon, will not be able to diſgeſt the Parts.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3245" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3246" xml:space="preserve">The third is, That the Spirits do ſpred themſelves even, and move not
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            ſubſultorily, ſor that will make the parts cloſe and pliant. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3247" xml:space="preserve">And this requireth
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            a Heat that doth not riſe and ſall, but continue as equal as may be.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3248" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3249" xml:space="preserve">The fourth is, That no part of the Spirit be emitted but detained:
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            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3250" xml:space="preserve">For if there be Emiſſion of Spirit, the Body of the Metal will be hard and
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            churliſh. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3251" xml:space="preserve">And this will be performed, partly by the temper of the Fire, and
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            partly by the cloſeneſs of the Veſſel.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3252" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3253" xml:space="preserve">The fifth is, That there be choice made of the likelieſt and beſt pre-
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            pared Metal for the Verſion; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3254" xml:space="preserve">for that will facilitate the Work.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3255" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3256" xml:space="preserve">The ſixthis, That you give time enough for the Work, not to prolong
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            hopes (as the Alchymiſts do, but indeed to give Nature a convenient ſpace to
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            work in.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3257" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3258" xml:space="preserve">Theſe principles moſt certain and true, we will now derive a direction
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            of Tryal out of them, which may (perhaps) by further Meditation be
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            improved.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3259" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3260" xml:space="preserve">Let there be a ſmall Furnace made of a Temperate Heat; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3261" xml:space="preserve">let the heat be
              <lb/>
              <note position="left" xlink:label="note-0106-01" xlink:href="note-0106-01a" xml:space="preserve">327.</note>
            ſuch as may keep the Metal perpetually molten, and no more; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3262" xml:space="preserve">for that above
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            all, importeth to the Work: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3263" xml:space="preserve">For the Material, take Silver, which is the
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            Metal, that in Nature, ſymbolizeth moſt with Gold; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3264" xml:space="preserve">put in alſo, with the Sil-
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            ver a tenth part of Quick-ſilver, and a twelſth part of Nitre by weight:
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            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3265" xml:space="preserve">Both theſe to quicken and open the Body of the Metal; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3266" xml:space="preserve">and ſo let the Work
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            be continued by the ſpace of Six Moneths, at the leaſt. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3267" xml:space="preserve">I wiſh alſo, That
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            there be as ſometimes an Injection of ſome Oyled Subſtance; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3268" xml:space="preserve">ſuch as they
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            uſe in the recovering of Gold, which by vexing with Separations hath
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            been made churliſh: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3269" xml:space="preserve">And this is, to lay the parts more cloſe and ſmooth,
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            which is the main work. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3270" xml:space="preserve">For Gold (as we ſee) is the cloſeſt (and there-
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            fore the heavieſt) of Metals; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3271" xml:space="preserve">and is likewiſe the moſt flexible and tenſible. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3272" xml:space="preserve">
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            Note, That to think to make Gold of Quick-ſilver becauſe it is the heavieſt,
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            is a thing not to be hoped; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3273" xml:space="preserve">for Quick-ſilver will not endure the mannage
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            of the Fire: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3274" xml:space="preserve">Next to Silver, I think Copper were fitteſt to be the Ma-
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            terial.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s3275" xml:space="preserve"/>
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