how metals are generated in the bowells of the earth.

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etalls are brought forth in this manner. after the foure elements have sent forth their vertues into the center of the earth, the archeus by way of distillation sends them up unto the superficies of the earth, by vertue of the heat of its perpetuall motion: for the earth is porous, and this wind by distilling through the pores of the earth, is resolved into water, out of which all things are made. therefore let the sons of wisdome know, that the sperm of metalls doth not differ from the sperm of all things, viz. the moist vapour: therefore in vain do artists look after the reducing of metalls into their first matter, which is only a vapour. the philosophers meant not such a first matter, but only the second matter, as bernardus trevisanus learnedly discusseth it, though not so cleerly, because hee speaks of the foure elements, but yet hee did say as much, but he spake only to the sons of art. but i, that i might the more cleerly open the theorie, would have all be admonished here to take heed how they give way to so many solutions, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and reiterations of the same; for in vain is that sought for in a hard thing, when as the thing is soft of it self, and every where to be had. let not the first, but the second matter only be sought after, viz. that, which as soon as it is[pg 12] conceived, cannot be changed into another form. but if thou inquirest how a metall may bee reduced into such a matter, in that i keep close to the intention of the philosophers: this thing only above all the rest i desire, that the sons of art would understand the sense, and not the letter of writings, and where nature doth end, viz. in metallick bodies, which in our eyes seem to be perfect, there must art begin. but to return to my purpose, (for my intention is not here to speak of the stone only) let us now treate of the matter of metalls. a little before i said, that all things were made of the liquid aire, or the vapour, which the elements by a perpetuall motion distill into the bowells of the earth; and then the archeus of nature takes and sublimes it through the pores, and according to its discretion distributes it to every place (as we have declared in the foregoing treatises) so from the variety of places proceeds the variety of things. there be some that suppose saturne to have one kind of seed, and gold another, and so all the rest of the metalls. but these are foolish fancies; there is but one only seed, the same is found in saturne which is in gold, the same in silver which is in iron; but the place of the earth is divers, if thou understandest me aright, although in silver nature sooner hath done its work, then in gold, and so of the rest. for when that vapour is sublimed from the center of the earth, it passeth through places either cold, or hot: if therefore it passeth through places that are hot, and pure, where the fatnesse of sulphur sticks to the walls; i say that vapour which the philosophers have called the mercury of philosophers applyes it self to, and is joined to that fatnesse, which then it sublimes with it[pg 13] self; and then becomes an unctuosity, and leaving the name of a vapour, is called by the name of fatnesse; which afterward coming by sublimation unto other places, which the foregoing vapour hath cleansed, where the earth is subtill, pure, and moist, fills the pores thereof, and is joined to it, and so it is made gold; but if that fatnesse come to impure, and cold places, it is made lead; but if the earth bee cold and pure, and mixed with sulphur, it is made copper, &c. for by how much more a place is depurated, or clensed, by so much the more excellent it makes the metalls: for wee must know, that that vapour goes out continually from the center to the superficies, and cleanseth those places through which it passeth. thence it comes to passe, that now there may bee found mines in those places where a thousand yeers agoe were none; for in its passage it alwaies subtilizeth that which is crude and impure, carrying it by degrees with it: and this is the reiteration, and circution of nature; it is so long sublimed in producing new things, untill the place be very well purified; and by how much the more it is purified, by so much the nobler things it brings forth. now in the winter when the air is cold, binding fast the earth, that unctuous vapour is congealed, which afterward when the spring returns, is mixed together with earth, and water, and so becomes a magnesia, drawing to it self the mercury of air, like unto it selfe, and gives life to all things through the concurrence of the beams of the sun, moon and stars, and so it brings forth grass, flowers, and such like things. for nature is not one moment of time idle. now metalls are thus made, the earth by long distillation is purified, then they[pg 14] are generated by the accesse, or coming thither of the fatnesse: they are brought forth no other way, as is the foolish opinion of some that mis-interpret the writings of philosophers.