Metallographia: or, an history of metals. Wherein is declared the signs of ores and minerals both before and after digging, the causes and manner of their generations, their kinds, sorts and differences; with the description of sundry new metals, or semi metals, and many other things pertaining to mineral knowledge. As also, the handling and shewing of their vegetability, and the discussion of the most difficult questions belonging to mystical chymistry, as of the philosophers gold, their mercury, the liquor alkahest, aurum potabile, and such like / Gathered forth of the most approved authors that have written in Greek, Latine, or High-Dutch; with some observations and discoveries of the author himself. By John Webster.

John Webster

Date:: 1671

Credit: Metallographia: or, an history of metals. Wherein is declared the signs of ores and minerals both before and after digging, the causes and manner of their generations, their kinds, sorts and differences; with the description of sundry new metals, or semi metals, and many other things pertaining to mineral knowledge. As also, the handling and shewing of their vegetability, and the discussion of the most difficult questions belonging to mystical chymistry, as of the philosophers gold, their mercury, the liquor alkahest, aurum potabile, and such like / Gathered forth of the most approved authors that have written in Greek, Latine, or High-Dutch; with some observations and discoveries of the author himself. By John Webster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

124/424 page 96

of petals?* ' To thefe we may add what Paracelfm faith, * That ‘ corufcation, or fcintillation, is a certain, fign of Me- ‘ tals that are unripe, and yet in f rime ente ; and ac- ‘ cording as fparkling or fire is carried, fo the Veins lie. ‘ And that this corufcation, or fparkling of fire, is to be ‘ feen in the night, as if Gun-powder were fprinkled ‘ in a long line, and then fired ; fo it goeth along , ‘and fhineth, and doth gliflen, and glimmer even as ‘ Gold or Silver upon the Teft or Cupel, when the ‘ Lead is feparated from it. And if this glimmering ‘ ifiew whitifh, it is a fign of white Metals, as Tin] ‘ Lead, Silver, &e. if red, a fign of red Metals, as ( Copper, and Iron if yellow, yellow Metals, as ‘ Gold, &c. That this corufcation being thin and ‘ fubtile, is the beft fign ; and fheweth fubtile, and ‘ excellent Metals; and the contrary denoteth the con¬ trary. And as long as thefe glimmerings appear, e whether of this or that colour, little or great, fo long ‘ the Metal is immature, and as yet in frimo ente. as c the fperm of a man in the matrix of the woman. But f Bafilius faith, Seeing this fluff which this corufcation cfeizethon,is found often in a place where no Metals ‘ are , therefore it is very deceitful ? however com- ‘monly, and for the meft part of a metalline ‘ breath. For the figns of Metals, in or after digging, to feek them, take thefe: 1. If the Miners happen into a fat clayifh earth, * which difeovereth a Vein of pure and frefh Metal, it c is a very good fign, certainly fhewing, that the Me- * tal of which it is a Vein, is not far off. 2. If the earth digged up have no Metal in it, but f be very fat, and be of a white, black, yellow, red, ‘ green.

Licence and re-use

Contents