Theatrum Chemicum Volumen Secundum

DEFENSE

...and even steel. A gold wire was cut with pliers while it weighed seventy-two grains on the scales; then, wires of every [other] metal were drawn through the same hole and produced The proportion of the weight of metals. at the same length and cut separately. Thus, each wire was weighed on the scale. As I said, I saw the gold wire weigh one drachmaA historical unit of weight; in this context, it is equal to 72 grains., which is seventy-two grains. A silver wire of the same length and drawn through the same hole weighed thirty-six grains; lead likewise weighed thirty-six; a copper wire weighed thirty; a The cause of weight in gold. steel wire weighed twenty-seven; an iron wire weighed twenty-six; and finally, a tin wire weighed twenty-five. The cause of such great weight in gold is the equality and uniformity of its parts, its perfect mixture, as well as its purity and thinness, and the perfect decoctionIn alchemy, "decoction" refers to a process of steady heating or "cooking" that purifies and matures a substance. and thickening of its moist and dry components—and finally, the absence of [crude] sulfurous substances. Opposite causes. On the other hand, the reasons the remaining metals are not as heavy are the inequality of their heterogeneous parts, imperfect mixing, impurity, coarseness, and in some cases, imperfect decoction, while in others, an over-burning, and in all of them, a mixture of sulfurous and light substances. Therefore, whatever matter is most similar in its entire substance to silver and gold, and approaches most closely to their specific accidentsIn Aristotelian philosophy, "accidents" are qualities (like color or weight) that do not change the essential nature of a thing., must certainly be judged as the What the proximate matter is. proximate matter. Upon this matter, the practitioners of the arts of Argyropæia The art of making silver. and Chrysopæia The art of making gold. must necessarily bestow all their efforts if they wish to imitate nature and, by the power of an efficient cause (which I shall discuss shortly), induce the form of silver or gold into that same matter. For to any "proximate matter"—which we call a state of completed potential—the form immediately arrives from the outside by the power of the efficient cause, through a certain natural and, one might say, Fernel. inevitable necessity. This was rightly taught by that physician from Amiens, Fernel, a supreme philosopher, in the first book of his work On the Hidden Causes of Things Jean Fernel (1497–1558) was a highly influential French physician; his "De abditis rerum causis" explored the spiritual and physical origins of diseases and substances.. Do you not see how that gunpowder immediately catches flame from friction, resulting in great slaughter of mortals? This is because no other matter is closer to fire, due to the dryness and thinness of the powder, which match the qualities of fire; then, heat is produced through motion. Quicksilver is the proximate matter for gold and silver in the Art. Thus, when all the qualities of silver and gold converge in the proximate matter, silver and gold are made from it. But lest I delay anyone further or keep you in suspense, I can prove—both by the reasoning from what has been said and by the experience that will be related below—that quicksilver Mercury (Latin: argentum vivum). is that proximate matter for silver and gold in potential. A demonstration of this will be provided by the same points we have discussed...