But I will not ( pursues Carneades ) remind you , that the volatile salt of hartshorn , amber , blood , etc .are exceeding strongly scented , not - withstanding that most chymists deduce odours from sulphur , and from them argue the predominancy of that principle in the odorous body , because I must not so much as add any new examples of the incompetency of this sort of chymical arguments ; since having already detained you but too long in those generals that appertain to my fourth consideration â   tis time that I proceed to the particulars themselves , to which I thought fit they should be previous .These generals ( continues Carneades ) being thus pre - mised , we might the better survey the unlikeness that an attentive and unprepossessed observer may take notice of in each sort of bodies which the chymists are wont to call the salts or sulphurs or mercuries of the concretes that yeeld them , as if they had all a simplicity , and identity of nature : whereas salts if they were all elementary would as little differ as do the drops of pure and simple water .

But twill notfpur - fues Carneades ) remind you , that the Volatile fait of Harts - horn , Amber , Blood & c .are exceeding ftrongly fcen - ted , notwithftanding that moft Chymifts deduce Odours from Sulphur , and from them argue the Predominancy of that Principle in the OdoroiTs body , becaufe 1 muft not fo much as add any new ExÂ ¬ amples of the incompetency of this fort of Chymical arguments ; lince having alÂ ¬ ready detain ' d You but too long in thofe generals that appertain to my fourth confideration his time that I proceed to the particulars themfelves , to which I thought fit they fhould be previous : â   4 ' â  ¢ ' : â   " ' â   Thefe cur MIST .251 Thefe Generals ( continues Carneades ) being thus premisâ   d , we might the better Survey the Unlikenefs that an attentive and unprepoflefsâ   d obferver may take notice of in each fort of Bodies which the Chymifts are wont to call the falts or fulphurs or Mercuries of the ConcreÂ ¬ tes that yeeld Them , as if they had all a Simplicity , & Identity of Nature : whereÂ ¬ as falts if they were all Elementary yvould as little differ as do the Drops of pure and fimple Water .

Nu het dan blijkt dat de dankzegging den allerbesten eisch is , die ' er uit mach komen , moeten wy haar geduurigh betrachten , niet lijdende dat ons eenige van Gods giften by vergetenis zouden ontslippen .Wy dienen in dees gelegentheid de civetdoozen te slachten , zeit Carneades , by Plutarchus , die , hoewel ' er het civet uitgenomen is , de reuk daar van nochtans bewaren .De zoete heuchenis der Goddelike weldaden moet in onze gemoeden altijd bewaart worden , en blijven ' er in , zelf als zy lang voorby zijn .

Aeschines therefore the Academick , being charg ' d by cer ∣ tain Sophisters , that he pretended himself a Disciple of Carneades , when he was not so , said : I was then an Hearer of Carneades , when his Discourse , having dismiss ' d Con ∣ tention and Noise , contracted it self to what was useful , and fit to be communicated .Now an aged Mans Government being not only in Words , but in Deeds , far remote from all Ostentation and Vain - glory : as they say of the Bird Ibis , that when she is grown old , having ex ∣ hal ' d all her venemous and stinking Savor , she sends forth a most sweet and aromatical one : so in Men , grown into Years , there is no Opinion or Counsel disturb ' d , but all grave and setled .Wherefore , even for the young Mens Sake , as has been said , ought an old Man to act in the Government of the State : that , as Plato said of Wine , allay ' d with Water , that the fu ∣ rious God was made Wise , being chastis ' d by another , who was sober : so the Caution of old Age , mixt a ∣ mong the People with the Fervency of Youth , trans ∣ ported by Glory and Ambition , may take off that , which is furious , and over - violent .

And by this truly demonstrative science , namely chymistry , I found that they were com - posed of much salt , little sulphur , and less mercury .The Sceptical Chymist 73 But ( saies Carneades ) I have some suspitions concerning this strange relation , which make me unwilling to declare an opinion of it , unless I were satisfied concerning divers material circumstances that our author has left un - mentioned ; though as for the generation of living creatures , both vegetable and sensitive , it needs not seem incredible , since we find that our common water ( which indeed is often impregnated with variety of seminal principles and rudiments ) being long kept in a quiet place will putrifie and stink , and then perhaps too produce moss and little worms , or other insects , according to the nature of the seeds that were lurking in it .I must likewise desire you to take notice , that as Helmont gives us no instance of the production of minerals out of water , so the main argument that he employs to prove that they and other bodies may be resolved into water , is drawn from the operations of his alkahest , and consequently cannot be satisfactorily examined by you and me .

And by this truly Demonstrative Science , namely Chymistry , I found that they were compos ' d of much Salt , little Sul ∣ phur , and less Mercury .But ( sayes Carneades ) I have some Suspitions concerning this strange Rela ∣ tion , which make me unwilling to De ∣ clare an Opinion of it , unless I were satisfied concerning divers Material Cir ∣ cumstances that our Author has left un ∣ mentioned ; though as for the Genera ∣ tion of Living Creatures , both Vegetable and Sensitive , it needs not seem Incre ∣ dible , since we finde that our common water ( which indeed is often Impreg ∣ nated with Variety of Seminal Princi ∣ ples and Rudiments ) being long kept in a quiet place will putrifie and stink , and then perhaps too produce Moss and little Worms , or other Insects , according to the nature of the Seeds that were lurk ∣ ing in it .I must likewise desire you to take Notice , that as Helmont gives us no Instance of the Production of Minerals out of Water , so the main Argument that he employ ' s to prove that they and other Bodies may be resolv ' d into wa ∣ ter , is drawn from the Operations of his Alkahest , and consequently cannot be satisfactorily Examin ' d by You and Me .

But I will not ( pursues Car ∣ neades ) remind you , that the Volatile salt of Harts - horn , Amber , Blood , & amp ; c .are exceeding strongly scented , notwith ∣ standing that most Chymists deduce O ∣ dours from Sulphur , and from them ar ∣ gue the Predominancy of that Principle in the Odorous body , because I must not so much as add any new Examples of the incompetency of this sort of Chymical arguments ; since having already detain ' d You but too long in those generals that appertain to my fourth consideration , ' tis time that I proceed to the particulars themselves , to which I thought fit they should be previous : These Generals ( continues Carneades ) being thus premis ' d , we might the better survey the Unlikeness that an attentive and unprepossess ' d observer may take no ∣ tice of in each sort of Bodies which the Chymists are wont to call the salts or sulphurs or Mercuries of the Concretes that yield Them , as if they had all a simplicity , and Identity of Nature : where ∣ as salts if they were all Elementary would as little differ as do the Drops of pure and simple Water .' Tis known that both Chymists and Physitians as ∣ cribe to the fixt salts of calcin ' d Bodies the vertues of their concretes ; and con ∣ sequently very differing Operations .

ceremony , for when this bird approached near the spot during the celebration of the ritesit was considered so ominous as to predict the certain death of the person who took up the plant in the course of the year .In digging up the roots of some species of Hellebore it was thought ne - cessary to eat garlic previously , to counteract the poisonous effluvia of the plant ; yet we find that the root was afterwards dried and pounded to dust , and sniffed up the nostrils in the manner of snuff ; as itis related that when Carneades , the Cyrenaic philosopher , undertook to answer the books of Zeno , he sharpened his wit and quickened his spirit , by purging his head with powdered Hellebore * , In the year 1676 , the author of â   The Anatomy of Melancholy , â   adds the Hellebore to the other emblematical figures of his frontispiece , with the following linesâ  â   Borage and Hellebor fill two scenes , Soveraign plants to purge the veins Of melancholy , and cheer the heart , Of those black fumes which make it smart , To clear the brain of misty fogs , Which dull our â   senses , and soul clogs ; The best medicine that ere God made For this malady , if well assaid .â   * Dioscorides , lib .

But , ( continues Carneades ) to resume my former discourse where your curiosity interrupted it ; Tis also a common practice in France to bury thin plates of copper in the marc ( as the French call it ) or husks of grapes , whence the juice has been squeezed out in the wine - press ; and by this means the more saline parts of those husks , working by little and little upon the copper , coagulate themselves with it into that blewish green substance we in English call verdigrease .Of which I therefore take notice , because having distilled it in a naked fire , I found , as I expected , that by the association of the saline with the metalline parts , the former were so altered , that the distilled liquor , even without rectification , seemed by smell and taste , strong almost like aqua jortis , and very much surpassed the purest and most rectified spirit of vinegar that ever I made .And this spirit I therefore ascribe to the salt of the husks altered by their co - mixture with the copper ( though the fire afterwards divorce and transmute them ) because I found this latter in the bottom of the retort in the forme of a crocus or reddish powder : and because copper is of too sluggish a nature to be forced over in close vessels by no stronger a heat .

Which one consideration duly weighed is very considerable in the present controversy : and to this agree well the relations of our two German chymists ; for besides that it cannot be convincingly proved , it is not so much as likely that so languid and moderate a heat as that within the mines , should carry up to so great a height , though in the forme of fumes , salt , sulphur , and mercury ; since we find in our distillations , that it requires a considerable degree of fire to raise so much as to the height of one foot not only salt , but even mercury itself , in close vessels .And if it be objected , that it seems by the stink that is sometimes observed when lightning falls down here below , that sulphureous steams may ascend very high without any extraordinary degree of heat ; it may be answered , among other things , that the sulphur 196 The Sceptical Chymist of silver is by chymists said to be a fixt sulphur , though not altogether so well digested as that of gold .But , ( proceeds Carneades ) if it had not been to afford you some hints concerning the origine of metals , I need not have deduced anything from these observations ; it not being necessary to the validity of my argument that my deductions from them should be irrefragable , because my adversaries the Aristotelians and vulgar chymists do not , I presume , know any better than I , a priori , of what ingredients nature compounds metals and minerals .

To proceed therefore now ( saies Carneades ) to the con - sideration of the analysis of vegetables , although my tryals give me no cause to doubt but that out of most of them five differing substances may be obtained by the The Sceptical Chymist 199 fire , yet I think it will not be so easily demonstrated that these deserve to be called elements in the notion above explained .And before I descend to particulars , I shall repeat and premise this general consideration , that these differing substances that are called elements or principles , differ not from each other as metals , plants and animals , or as such creatures as are immediately produced each by its peculiar seed , and constitutes a distinct propagable sort of creatures in the universe ; but these are only various schemes of matter or substances that differ from each other , but in consistence ( as running mercury and the same metal congealed by the vapor of lead ) and some very few other accidents , as taste , or smell , or inflamability , or the want of them .So that by a change of texture not impossible to be wrought by the fire and other agents that have the faculty , not only to dissociate the small parts of bodies , but afterwards to connect them after a new manner , the same parcel of matter may acquire or lose such accidents as may suffice to denominate it salt , or sulphur , or earth .

Which one consideration duly weigh ' d is very considerable in the present con ∣ troversy : And to this agree well the Relations of our two German Chymists ; for besides that it cannot be convincing ∣ ly prov ' d , it is not so much as likely that so languid and moderate a heat as that within the Mines , should carry up to so great a heat , though in the forme of fumes , Salt , Sulphur and Mercury ; since we find in our Distillations , that it re ∣ quires a considerable Degree of Fire to raise so much as to the height of one foot not only Salt , but even Mercury it self , in close Vessels .And if it be object ∣ ed , that it seems by the stink that is sometimes observ ' d when Lightening falls down here below , that sulphureous steams may ascend very high without any extraordinary Degree of heat ; It may be answer ' d , among other things , that the Sulphur of Silver is by Chymists said to be a fixt Sulphur , though not al ∣ together so well Digested as that of Gold .But , proceeds Carneades , If it had not been to afford You some hints con ∣ cerning the Origine of Metals , I need not have deduc ' d any thing from these Observations ; It not being necessary to the Validity of my Argument that my Deductions from them should be irre ∣ fragable , because my Adversaries the Aristotelians and Vulgar Chymists do not , I presume , know any better then I , a priori , of what ingredients Nature com ∣ pounds Metals and Minerals .

For if that be carefully rectifyed , it may be reduced into a very clear liquor ; and yet if you cast a quantity of fair water upon it , there will quickly precipitate a ponderous and vomitive calx , which made before a considerable part of the liquor , and yet is indeed ( though some eminent chymists would have it mercurial ) an antimonial body carryed over and kept dissolved by the salts of the sub - limate , and consequently a compounded one ; as you may find , if you will have the curiosity to examine this white powder by a skilful reduction .And that you may not think that bodies as compounded , as flowers of brimstone , cannot be brought to concurr to constitute distilled liquors ; and also that you may not imagine with divers learned men that pretend no small skill in chymistry , that at least no mixt body can be brought over the helme , but by corrosive salts , I am ready to shew you , when you please , among other waies of bringing over flowers of brimstone ( perhaps I might add even mineral sulphurs ) some , wherein I employ none but oleaginous bodies to make volatile liquors , in which not only the colour , but ( which is a much surer mark ) the smell and some opera - tions manifest that there is brought over a sulphur that makes part of the liquor .One thing more there is Eleutherius , ( saies Carneades ) which is so pertinent to my present purpose , that though I have touched upon it before , I cannot but on this occasion take notice of it .

For if that be carefully rectify ' d , it may be reduc ' d in ∣ to a very clear Liquor ; and yet if You cast a quantity of fair water upon it , there will quickly precipitate a Ponderous and Vomitive Calx , which made before a considerable part of the Liquor , and yet is indeed ( though some eminent Chymists would have it Mercurial ) an Antimoni ∣ al Body carryed over and kept dissolv ' d by the Salts of the Sublimate , and con ∣ sequently a compounded one ; as You may find if You will have the Curiosity to Examine this White powder by a skil ∣ ful Reduction .And that You may not think that Bodies as compounded as flow ∣ ers of Brimstone cannot be brought to Concurr to Constitute Distill ' d Li ∣ quors ; And also That You may not imagine with Divers Learned Men that pretend no small skill in Chymistry , that at least no mixt Body can be brought over the Helme , but by corrosive Salts , I am ready to shew You , when You please , among other wayes of bringing over Flowers of Brimstone ( perhaps I might add even Mineral Sulphurs ) some , wherein I employ none but Oleaginous bodies to make Volatile Liquors , in which not only the colour , but ( which is a much surer mark ) the smell and some Opera ∣ tions manifest that there is brought over a Sulphur that makes part of the Li ∣ quor .One thing more there is , Eleutherius , sayes Carneades , which is so pertinent to my present purpose , that though I have touch ' d upon it before , I cannot but on this occasion take notice of it .

Mais abbatons la grâde areigne , Qui caffe aux bibets d ' Alemagne , Et cet autre qui en ce coing , Estend fes voifles de fi loing : Voyez vous ces quatre aragnees , Comme elles font embefoignees , A tendre leurs rets au paffant : Allons donc viuement houffant , Ceste petite libertine , Elle est chaste comme Fauftine , A de son venimeux poifon , Gasté mainte honneste maifon : Sus donc qu ' elle foit balloyee : Cefte place eft bien nettoyee , La plus groffe ordure eft dehors , Allons vifiter d ' autres bords , Et chaffons de nos Republiques Les hiftrions , les empiriques , Les beuueurs de vin par excés , Les renieuniffeurs de procés , Soliciteurs , faifeurs de claufes , Bailleurs d ' auis , védeurs de caufes , Les Sizamnes les Arrabins , 39 Les grands babillards aux feftins , Les Carneades , les Sophistes , Les Sarcophages Atheistes , Tous ces nouueaux reformateurs , Et ces alquimistes souffleurs , Qui pour un lingot fous la cendre , Trouuent un licol pour les pendre : Nous voulons aussi baloyer Le legiste qui fçait ployer , Les bergers qui ont deux houlettes Les collations de foeurettes , Tant de baifeurs par charité , Petits prefents de pieté , Et autres prattiques deuotes , Les causes de tant de riotes : De tant de licts priuez d ' amour , De tant de pains perdus au four , De tant de napes adirees , De tant de futailles vuidees , De tant de lardiers vuidez , De tant de fcandales femez : 40 Et qui font rire à pleine gorge Les faincts de la nouuelle forge : Car parmy ces deuotions L ' on voit bien peu d ' Eustochions , Paules , Marcelles Fabiolles , Et de femblables christicolles : De fainct Hierofme encor moins .Chafsas encor tous faux tefmoins , Tous examens fignez fans lire , Le prefcheur qui n ' ofe tout dire , Le pescheur qui à toute main , Prend tout poisson , auec son ain , Les Medecins qui font trop riches , Les Pharmacopolles trop chiches , Les chirurgiens trop piteux , Les pages qui font trop honteux , Vne nourrice trop fongearde , Une nonnain trop fetillarde , Vn confeffeur trop Indulgent , Vn contable trop negligent , Vn 41 Vn Secretaire trop prolixe , Vne trop ieunette obftetrice , Un braffeur pres de mauuaifes eaux Vn paticier pres d ' vn bordeau , Vn boucher de puante haleine , Vne semante trop mondaine , Vn escollier pres d ' vn tripot , Vn tauernier aupres du pot Vn meufnier pres de fa tremie , Vn jaloux pres d ' vne Abbaye .Nous chaffons auffi ces Sorciers , Nourriffons d ' Efprits familliers .