AFter the whole Company had, as it were by Common Consent, continued silent for some time, which others spent in Reflections up­on the Preceding Conference, and Pyrophy­lus, in the Consideration of what he was about to Deliver; this Virtuoso at length stood up, and Addressing himself to the rest, ‘I hope, Gentlemen, sayes he, that what has been already Discoursed, has Inclin'd, if not Perswaded you to Think, [Page 2] That the Exaltation, or Change of other Metals into Gold, is not a thing Absolutely Impossible; and, though I con­fess, I cannot remove all your Doubts, and Objections, or my own, by being able to Affirm to you, That I have with my own hands made Projection (as Chymists are wont to call the Sudden Transmutation made by a small quanti­ty of their Admirable Elixir) yet I can Confirm much of what hath been Argued for the Possibility of such a sudden Change of a Metalline Body, by a Way, which, I presume, will surprize you. For, to make it more credible, that other Metals are capable of being Graduated, or Exalted into Gold by way of Projection; I will Relate to you, that by the like way, Gold has been Degraded, or Imbased.’

The Novelty of this Preamble having much surprised the Auditory, at length, Simplicius, with a disdainful Smile, told Pyrophilus, ‘That the Company would have much thanked him, if he could have assured them, That he had seen ano­ther Mettal Exalted into Gold; but, that to find a way of spoiling Gold, was not onely an Useless Discovery, but a Prejudicial Practice.’

Pyrophilus was going to make some Return to this Animad­version, when he was prevented by Aristander; who, turn­ing himself to Simplicius, told him, with a Countenance and Tone that argued some displeasure; ‘If Pyrophilus had been Discoursing to a Company of Goldsmiths, or of Merchants, your severe Reflection upon what he said would have been proper: but, you might well have forborn it, if you had considered, as I suppose he did, that he was speaking to an Assembly of Philosophers and Virtuosi, who are wont to esti­mate Experiments, not as they inrich Mens Purses, but their Brains, and think Knowledge especially of uncommon things very desirable, even when 'tis not accompanyed with any other thing, than the Light that still attends it, and indears it. It hath been thought an Useful Secret, by [Page 3] a kind of Retrogradation to turn Tin and Lead into brit­tle Bodies, like the Ores of those Metals. And if I thought it proper, I could shew, that such a change might be of use in the Investigation of the Nature of those Metals, besides the practical use that I know may be made of it. To find the Nature of Wine, we are assisted, not only by the me­thods of obtaining from it a Spirit; but by the ways of readily turning it into Vinegar: the knowledge of which ways hath not been despised by Chymists or Physitians, and hath at Paris, and divers other places, set up a profi­table Trade. 'Tis well known that divers eminent Spagy­rists have reckon'd amongst their highest Arcana the ways by which they pretended, (and I fear did but pretend) to Extract the Mercury of Gold, and consequently destroy that Metal; and 'twere not hard to shew by particular in­stances, that all the Experiments wherein Bodies are in some respects deteriorated, are not without distinction to be rejected or despis'd; since in some of them, the Light they may afford may more than countervail the Degrada­tion of a small quantity of matter, though it be Gold it self. And indeed, (continues he) if we will consider things as Philosophers, and look upon them as Nature hath made them, not as Opinion hath disguised them; the Prerogatives and usefulness of Gold, in comparison of other Metals, is nothing near so great as Alchymists and Usurers imagine. For, as it is true, that Gold is more ponderous, and more fix'd, and perhaps more difficult to be spoiled, than Iron; yet these qualities (whereof the first makes it burthensom, and the two others serve chiefly but to distinguish the true from counterfeit) are so balan­ced by the hardness, stiffness, springiness, and other use­ful qualities of Iron; that if those two Metals I speak of, (Gold and Iron) were equally plentiful in the World, it is scarce to be doubted, but that Men would prefer the [Page 4] more useful before the more splendid, considering how much worse it were for Mankind to want Hatchets, and Knives and Swords, than Coin and Plate? Wherefore, (concludes he) I think Pyrophilus ought to be both desi­red and incouraged to go on with his intended Discourse, since whether Gold be or not be the Best of Metals; an assu­rance that it may be degraded, may prove a Novelty very Instructive, and perhaps more so than the Transmutation of a baser Metal into a Nobler. For I remember it hath long pass'd for a Maxim among Chymical Philosophers, That Facilius est aurum construere quam destruere: And whatever becomes of that, 'tis certain that Gold being the closest, the constantest, and the least destructible of Metals, to be able to work a notable and almost Essential change in such a Body, (though, by detereorating it) is more than to work a like change, (though in popular esti­mation for the better) in any Metal less indisposed to ad­mit alterations, especially in such an one as Pyrophilus inti­mates, by telling us, that 'twas made by Way of Projection, and consequently by a very small proportion of active matter; whereas the destructions that vulgar Chymists pretend to make of Gold, are wont to be attempted to be made by considerable proportions of Corrosive Men­struums, or other fretting Bodies; and even these, Expe­rience shews to be usually too weak to ruine, though sometimes they may much disguise the most Stable Texture of Gold. Cuncta adeo miris illic complexibus haerent.’

Pyrophilus perceiving by several signs that he needed not add any thing of Apologetical to what Arristander had already said for him, resumed his Discourse, by saying, ‘I was going, Gentlemen, when Simplicius diverted me, to tell you That looking upon the Vulgar Objections that have been wont to be fram'd against the possibility of Metalline Transmutations, from the Authority and Prejudices of [Page 5] Aristotle, and the School-Philosophers, as Arguments that in such an Assembly as this need not now be solemnly discuss'd; I consider that the difficulties that really de­serve to be call'd so, and are of weight even with Mecha­nical Philosophers, and Judicious Naturalists, are princi­pally these. First, That the great change that must be wrought by the Elixir, (if there be such an Agent) is effected upon Bodies of so stable and almost immutable a Nature as Metals. Next, That this great change is said to be brought to pass in a very short time. And thirdly, (which is yet more strange) That this great and suddain alteration is said to be effected by a very small, and per­haps inconsiderable, proportion of the transmuting Pow­der. To which three grand difficulties, I shall add ano­ther that to me appears, and perhaps will seem to divers of the new Philosophers, worthy to be lookt upon as a fourth, namely, The notable change that must by a real transmutation be made in the Specifick Gravity of the matter wrought upon: which difficulty I therefore think not unworthy to be added to the rest, because upon seve­ral tryals of my own and other men, I have found no known quality of Gold, (as its colour, malleableness, fixi­ty, or the like) so difficult, if not so impossible, to be in­troduc'd into any other Metalline Matter, as the great Specifick Gravity that is peculiar to Gold. So that, Gen­tlemen, (concludes Pyrophilus) if it can be made appear that Art has produc'd an Anti-Elixir, (if I may so call it) or Agent that is able in a very short time, to work a very no­table, though deteriorating, change upon a Metal; in proportion to which, its quantity is very inconsiderable; I see not why it should be thought impossible that Art may also make a true Elixir, or Powder capable of speedily Transmuting a great proportion of a baser Metal into Sil­ver or Gold: especially if it be considered, that those [Page 6] that treat of these Arcana, confess that 'tis not every mat­ter which may be justly called the Philosophers Stone, that is able to transmute other Metals in vast quantities; since several of these Writers, (and even Lully himself) make differing orders or degrees of the Elixir, and ac­knowledge, that a Medicine or Tincture of the first or lowest order will not transmute above ten times its weight of an Inferior Metal.’

Pyrophilus having at this part of his Discourse made a short pawse to take breath, Crattippus took occasion from his si­lence to say to him, ‘I presume, Pyrophilus, I shall be dis­avowed by very few of these Gentlemen, if I tell you that the company is impatient to hear the Narrative of your Experiment, and that if it do so much as probably make out the particulars you have been mentioning, you will in likelyhood perswade most of them, and will cer­tainly oblige them all. I shall therefore on their behalf as well as my own, sollicite you to hasten to the Histori­cal part of a Discourse that is so like to gratifie our Cu­riosity.’

The Company having by their unanimous silence, testified their approbation of what Crattippus had said; and appearing more than ordinarily attentive,

As I was one day abroad; saith Pyrophilus, to return vi­sits to my Friends, I was by a happy Providence (for it was beside my first Intention) directed to make one to an Ingenious Foreigner, with whom a few that I had received from him, had given me some little acquaintance.

Whilst this Gentleman and I were discoursing together of several matters, there came in to visit him a stranger, whom I had but once seen before; and though that were in a promiscuous company, yet he addressed himself to me in a way that quickly satisfied me of the greatness of his Civility; which he soon after also did of that of his Curio­sity. [Page 7] For the Virtuoso, in whose Lodgings we met, having (to gratifie me) put him upon the discourse of his Voyages; the curious stranger entertained us an hour or two with pertinent and judicious Answers to the Questions I askt him-about places so remote, or so much within Land, that I had not met with any of our English Navigators or Tra­vellers that had penetrated so far as to visit them. And be­cause I found by his discourse that I was like to enjoy such good company but a very little while, (since he told me that he came the other day into England but to dispatch a business which he had already done as far as he could do it, after which he was with speed to return, as (to my trouble) he did to his Patron that sent him) I made the more haste to propose such Questions to him, as I most desired to be satisfied about; and among other things, enquiring whe­ther in the Eastern parts he had travers'd, he had met with any Chymists; he answered me that he had; and that though they were fewer, and more reserved than ours, yet he did not find them all less skilful. And on this occasion, before he left the Town to go aboard the Ship he was to over­take; he in a very obliging way put into my hands at part­ing a little piece of Paper, folded up; which he said con­tained all that he had left of a rarity he had received from an Eastern Virtuoso, and which he intimated would give me occasion both to Remember him, and to exercise my thoughts in uncommon Speculations.

The great delight I took in conversing with a Person that had travelled so far, and could give me so good an account of what he had seen, made me so much resent the being so soon deprived of it, that though I judg'd such a Vertuoso would not, as a great token of his kindness, have presented me a trifle, yet the Present did but very imperfectly con­soal me for the loss of so pleasing and instructive a Conver­sation.

[Page 8] Nevertheless, that I might comply with the curiosity he himself had excited in me, and know how much I was his Debtor, I resolved to see what it was he had given me, and try whether I could make it do what I thought he Intima­ted, by the help of those few hints rather than directions how to use it, which the parting haste he was in (or per­haps some other reason best known to himself) confin'd him to give me. But in regard that I could not but think the Experiment would one way or other prove Extraordinary, I thought fit to take a Witness or two and an Assistant in the trying of it; and for that purpose made choice of an experi­enced Doctor of Physick, very well vers'd in the separa­ting and copelling of Metals.

Though the Company (says Heliodorus) be so confident of your sincerity and wariness, that they would give cre­dit even to unlikely Experiments, upon your single testi­mony; yet we cannot but approve your discretion in taking an Assistant and a Witness, because in nice and uncommon Experiments we can scarce use too much circumspection, especially when we have not the means of reiterating the tryal: for in such new, as well as difficult cases, 'tis easie even for a clear-sighted Experimenter to over-look some important circumstance, that a far less skilful by-stander may take notice of.

As I have ever judged, (saith Pyrophilus) that cautious­ness is a very requisite qualification for him that would sa­tisfactorily make curious Experiments; so I thought fit to imploy a more than ordinary measure of it, in making a tryal, whose event I imagined might prove odd enough. And therefore having several times observed that some men are prepossessed, by having a particular Expectation rais'd in them, and are inclined to think that they do see that hap­pen which they think they should see happen; I resolved to obviate this prejudication as much as innocently I could, [Page 9] and (without telling him any thing but the truth, to which Philosophy as well as Religion obliges us to be strictly loy­al) I told him but thus much of the truth, that I expected that a small proportion of a Powder presented me by a Fo­reign Virtuoso, would give a Brittleness to the most flexible and malleable of Metals, Gold it self. Which change I per­ceiv'd he judged so considerable and unlikely to be effect­ed, that he was greedy of seeing it severely try'd.

Having thus prepared him not to look for all that I my self expected, I cautiously opened the Paper I lately men­tioned, but was both surprized and troubled, (as he also was) to find in it so very little Powder, that in stead of two differing tryals that I designed to make with it, there seem'd very small hope left that it would serve for one, (and that but an imperfect one neither.) For there was so very little Powder, that we could scarce see the colour of it, (save that as far as I could judge it was of a darkish Red) and we thought it not only dangerous, but useless to attempt to weigh it, in regard we might easily lose it by putting it in­to, and out of the Balance; and the Weights we had were not small enough for so despicable a quantity of matter, which in words I estimated at an eighth part of a Grain: but my Assistant, (whose conjecture I confess my thoughts inclin'd to prefer) would allow it to be at most but a tenth part of a Grain. Wherefore seeing the utmost we could rea­sonably hope to do with so very little Powder, was to make one tryal with it, we weighed out in differing Balances two Drams of Gold that had been formerly English Coyn, and that I caused by one that I usually imploy to be cupell'd with a sufficient quantity of Lead, and quarted, as they speak, with refin'd Silver, and purg'd Aqua fortis, to be sure of the goodness of the Gold: these two Drams I put into a new Crucible, first carefully neal'd, and having brought them to fusion by the meer action of the fire, with­out [Page 10] the help of Borax, or any other Additament, (which course, though somewhat more laborious, than the most usual we took to obviate scruples) I put into the well-melted Metal with my own hand the little parcel of Pow­der lately mentioned, and continuing the Vessel in the fire for about a quarter of an hour, that the Powder might have time to defuse it self every way into the Metal, we poured out the well-melted Gold into another Crucible that I had brought with me, and that had been gradually heated be­fore, to prevent cracking. But though from the first fusion of the Metal, to the pouring out, it had turn'd in the Cru­cible like ordinary Gold, save that once my Assistant told me he saw that for two or three moments it lookt almost like an Opale; yet I was somewhat surpriz'd to find when the matter was grown cold, that though it appear'd upon the Balance that we had not lost any thing of the weight we put in, yet in stead of fine Gold, we had a lump of Metal of a dirty colour, and as it were overcast with a thin coat, almost like half vitrified Litharge; and somewhat to in­crease the wonder, we perceived that there stuck to one side of the Crucible a little Globule of Metal that lookt not at all yellowish, but like course Silver, and the bottom of the Crucible was overlaid with a vitrified substance, where­of one part was of a transparent yellow, and the other of a deep brown, inclining to red; and in this vitrified substance I could plainly perceive sticking at least five or six little Globules that lookt more like impure Silver than pure Gold. In short, this stuff look so little like refin'd, or so much as ordinary, Gold, that though my Friend did much more than I marvel at this change, yet I confess I was surpriz'd at it my self. For though in some particulars it answered what I lookt for, yet in others, it was very differing from that which the Donor of the Powder had, as I thought, given me ground to expect. Whether the cause of my disap­pointment [Page 11] were that (as I formerly intimated) this Virtuoso's haste or design made him leave me in the dark; or whe­ther it were that finding my self in want of sufficient dire­ctions, I happily pitcht upon such a proportion of Mate­rials, and way of operating, as were proper to make a new Discovery, which the excellent Giver of the Powder had not Design'd, or perhaps thought of.

I shall not at all wonder, saith Cratippus, either at your Friends amazement, or at your surprize, if your further tryals did in any measure confirm what the superficial change that appeared in your Metal could not but incline you to conjecture.

You will best judge of that (replies Pyrophilus) by the account I was going to give you of what we did with our odd Metal. And First, having rubb'd it upon a good Touchstone, whereon we had likewise rubb'd a piece of Coyn'd Silver, and a piece of Coyn'd Gold, we manifestly found that the mark left upon the Stone by our Mass be­tween the marks of the two other Metals, was notoriously more like the Touch of the Silver than to that of the Gold. Next, having knockt our little lump with a Hammer, it was, (according to my prediction) found brittle, and flew into several pieces. Thirdly, (which is more) even the in­sides of those pieces lookt of a base dirty colour, like that of Brass or worse, for the fragments had a far greater re­semblance to Bell-Metal, than either to Gold or to Silver. To which we added this fourth, and more considerable, Ex­amen; that having carefully weigh'd out one dram of our stuff, (reserving the rest for trials to be suggested by second thoughts) and put it upon an excellent now and well-neal'd Cupel, with about half a dozen times its weight of Lead, we found, somewhat to our wonder, that though it turn'd very well like good Gold, yet it continued in the fire above an hour and an half, (which was twice as long as we expected) and yet [Page 12] almost to the very last the fumes copiously ascended, which sufficiently argu'd the operation to have been well carried on; and when at last it was quite ended, we found the Cupel very smooth and intire, but ting'd with a fine Pur­plish Red, (which did somewhat surprize us) and besides, the refined Gold, there lay upon the cavity of the Cupel some dark-coloured recrements, which we concluded to have proceeded from the deteriorated Metal, not from the Lead. But when we came to put our Gold again into the Balance, we found it to weigh only about fifty three Grains, and consequently to have lost seven; which yet we found to be fully made up by that little quantity of recrements that I have lately mention'd, whose Weight and Fixity, compared with their unpromising Colour, did not a little puzzle us, especially because we had not enough either of Them, or of leisure, to examine their nature. To all which circumstan­ces, I shall subjoin this, that to prevent any scruples that might arise touching the Gold we imploy'd, I caused a dram and a half that had been purposely reserv'd out of the same portion with that that had been debased; I caused this (I say) to be in my Assistants presence melted by it self, and found it (as I doubted not but I should do) fine and well-coloured Gold.

I hope you will pardon my curiosity, saith Arristander to the Gentleman that spoke last, if I ask why you take no no­tice of the effect of Aqua fortis upon your imbased Metal? Your Question, replies Pyrophilus, I confess to be very rea­sonable, and I am somewhat troubled that I can answer it but by telling you that we had not at hand any Aqua fortis we durst relie on; which yet I was the less troubled at, be­cause heretofore some tryals purposely made had inform'd me, that in some Metalline Mixtures the Gold if it were much predominant in quantity, may protect another Metal; (for in­stance Silver) from being dissolved by that Menstruum, though not from being at all invaded by it.

[Page 13] There yet remain'd, saith Heliodorus, one examen more of your odd Metal, which would have satisfied me, at least as much as any of the rest, of its having been notably im­bas'd: for if it were altered in its specifick gravity, that qua­lity I have always observ'd (as I lately perceiv'd you also have done) to stick so close to Gold, that it could not by an additament so inconsiderable in point of bulk, be consi­derably altered without a notable and almost Essential change in the texture of the Metal.

To this pertinent discourse, Pyrophilus, with the respect due to a person that so worthily sustain'd the dignity he had of presiding in that choice company, made this return: I owe you, Sir, my humble thanks for calling upon me to give you an account I might have forgotten, and which is yet of so important a thing, that none of the other Phaenomena of our Experiment seem'd to me to deserve so much notice. Where­fore I shall now inform you, that having provided my self of all the requisites to make Hydrostatical Tryals, (to which perhaps I am not altogether a stranger) I carefully weighed in water the ill-lookt Mass, (before it was divided for the coupelling of the above-mentioned dram) and found, to the great confirmation of my former wonder and conjectures, that in stead of weighing about nineteen times as much as a bulk of water, equal to it, its proportion to that liquor was but that of fifteen, and about two thirds to one: so that its specifick gravity was less by about 31/ [...]3 than if it had been pure Gold it would have been.

At the recital of this notable circumstance, superadded to the rest, the generality of the Company, and the President too, by looking and smiling upon one another, express'd themselves to be as well delighted as surpriz'd; and after the murmuring occasion'd by the various whispers that pass'd amongst them, was a little over, Heliodorus address'd himself to Pyrophilus, and told him, I need not, and therefore shall [Page 14] not, stay for an express order from the Company to give you their hearty thanks: for as the Obliging Stranger did very much gratifie you by the Present of his Wonderful Powder, so you have not a little gratified us by so candid and parti­cular a Narrative of the effects of it; and I hope (continues he) that if you have not yet otherwise dispos'd of that part of your deteriorated Gold that you did not cupel, you will sometime or other favour us with a sight of it.

I join in this request, said Crattippus, as soon as he per­ceived the President had done speaking, and to facilitate the grant of it, I shall not scruple to tell Pyrophilus he may be confident that the Degradation of his Gold will not de­preciate it amongst Us: since if it be allowable for Opinion to stamp such a value upon Old Coyns and Medals, that in the Judgment of good Antiquaries, a rusty piece of Brass or Copper, with a half defaced Image or Inscription on it, is to be highlier valued than as big a piece of well-stampt Gold; I see not why it should not be lawful for Philosophers to prize such a lump of depraved Gold as yours, before the finest Gold the Chymists or Mintmasters are wont to afford us. And though I freely grant that some old Copper Medals are of good use in History, to keep alive by their Inscriptions the memory of the taking of a Town, or the winning of a Battel; though these be but things that almost every day are some where or other done, yet I think Pyrophilus's imbas'd Metal is much to be preferr'd, as not only preserving the memory, but being an effect of such a Victory of Art over Nature, and the conquering of such generally believ'd in­superable difficulties, as no Story that I know of gives us an example of.

As soon as ever Crattippus had made a pawse, Pyrophilus to prevent complimental discourse, did in few words tell the President, That his part had been but that of a Relator of matter of Fact, and that therefore he could deserve but [Page 15] little thanks and no praise at all; though a good measure of both of them were due to the Obliging Virtuoso that had gi­ven him the Powder; and in that, the opportunity of com­plying with his duty, and his inclination, to serve that learn­ed Company.

These Gentlemen (saith Arristander) are not persons among whom modesty is either restrained from expressing it self, or construed according to the Letter; and there­fore whatever you have been pleas'd to say, the Company cannot but think its self much obliged to you; and I know the obligation would be much increas'd, if you would favor us with your reflections upon the extraordinary Experiment you have been pleased to relate to us.

If, replies Pyrophilus, I had had wherewithal to repeat the Experiment, and vary it according to the hints afforded me by the first tryal, I should be less unfit to comply with Arristander's motion: but the Phaenomena are too new and too difficult for me to attempt to unriddle them by the help of so slender an information as a person so little sagacious as I could get by a single tryal; and though I will not deny that I have had some [...]aving thoughts about this puzzling sub­ject, yet I hope I shall easily be pardon'd, if I decline to pre­sent crude and immature thoughts to a Company that so well deserves the most ripe ones, and can so skilfully disco­ver those that are not so.

I confess, saith Heliodorus, that I think Pyrophilus's wari­ness deserves not only to be allow'd, but imitated; and there­fore by my consent the further discourse of so abstruse a subject, shall be deferr'd till we shall have had time to con­sider seriously of Phaenomena that will be sure to imploy our most speculative thoughts, and I fear to pose them too: only we must not forget that Pyrophilus himself ought to be not barely allow'd, but invited to draw before we rise, what Corrollaries he thinks fit to propose from what he hath al­ready delivered.

[Page 16] The inference, saith Pyrophilus, I meant to make, will not detain you long; having for the main been already in­timated in what you may remember I told you I design'd in the mention I was about to make of the now-recited Expe­riment. For without launching into difficult Speculations, or making use of disputable Hypotheses, it seems evident enough from the matter of Fact faithfully laid before you, that an Operation very near, if not altogether as strange as that which is call'd Projection, and in the difficultest points much of the same nature with it, may safely be admitted. For our Experiment plainly shews that Gold, though confessedly the most homogeneous, and the least mutable of Metals, may be in a very short time (perhaps not amounting to many mi­nutes) exceedingly chang'd, both as to malleableness, colour, homogeniety, and (which is more) specifick gravity; and all this by so very inconsiderable a proportion of injected Powder, that since the Gold that was wrought on weighed two of our English drams, and consequently an hundred and twenty grains, an easie computation will assure us that the Medicine did thus powerfully act, according to my estimate, (which was the modestest) upon near a thousand times, (for 'twas above nine hundred and fifty times) its weight of Gold, and according to my Assistants estimate, did (as they speak) go on upon twelve hundred; so that if it were fit to apply to this Anti-Elixir, (as I formerly ventur'd to call it) what is said of the true Elixir by divers of the Chymical Philoso­phers, who will have the virtue of their Stone increas'd in such a proportion, as that at first 'twill transmute but ten times its weight; after the next rotation an hundred times, and after the next to that a thousand times, our Powder may in their language be stil'd a Medicine of the third order.

The Computation, saith Arristander, is very obvious, but the change of so great a proportion of Metal is so wonderful and unexampled, that I hope we shall among other things [Page 17] learn from it this lesson, That we ought not to be so forward as many men otherwise of great parts are wont to be, in pre­scribing narrow limits to the power of Nature and Art, and in condemning and deriding all those that pretend to, or believe, uncommon things in Chymistry, as either (heats or Credulous. And therefore I hope, that though (at least in my opinion) it be very allowable to call Fables, Fables, and to detect and expose the Impostures or Deceits of ignorant or vain-glorious Pretenders to Chymical Mysteries, yet we shall not by too hasty and general censures of the sober and dili­gent Indigators of the Arcana of Chymistry, blemish (as much as in us lies) that excellent Art it self, and thereby disoblige the genuine Sons of it, and divert those that are indeed Pos­sessors of Noble Secrets, from vouchsafing to gratifie our Cu­riosity, as we see that one of them did Pyrophilus's, with the sight at least, of some of their highly Instructive Rarities.

I wholly approve, saith Heliodorus rising from his seat, the discreet and seasonable motion made by Arristander.

And I presume, subjoins Pyrophilus, that it will not be the less lik'd, if I add, That I will allow the Company to be­lieve that as extraordinary, as I perceive most of you think the Phaenomena of the lately recited Experiment; yet I have not (because I must not do it) as yet acquainted you with the Strangest effect of our Admirable Powder.