[An Account of Two Books]

cannot positively assert. There was likewise no visible sign of either Sex. Being dissected it afforded these following observations. First the Guts were very much distended and transparent, and through them appeared the Faces very liquid accompanied with no small quantity of Wind; the end of the Rectum was entirely closed like a bladder, and sealed as it were Hermetically, pendulous in the cavity, and not in the least continued to a Sphincter, of which there was no sign. Secondly, there was no Bladder to be found, nor Uterus, or any mark of what Sex it was designed for. Thirdly, to supply the place of a Bladder, both the Ureters were inserted into the Rectum within an Inch or thereabouts of the end. Fourthly, the Stomack was full, even to distension, of an hard Substance, which being opened was exactly the same to appearance with hard press'd Curds. Fifthly, the Chile came freely enough out of the Ductus Pecquelianus, where it was inserted to the Jugular, upon the smallest pressure of the Intestines. Sixthly, I could not urge the liquid or Flatulent Contents of the Guts upwards within two Inches of the Pilorus, tho I pressed them till they brake, which hindered the inquiry after a Valve that possibly might be there to hinder the regress of any thing to the Stomack. Fleta Minor, or the Laws of Art and Nature in knowing, judging, assaying, fining, refining, and inlarging the body of confined Metals &c. By Sr. John Pettus Knight, &c. This useful Treatise contains in general the whole Art of proving and melting all sorts of Oars and Metals, and is divided by the Author into five Books. The First is of Silver Oars, where after a brief enumeration of the particular matter handled in it, He divides the Oars according to those differences which are most to be regarded by the Miner; viz. They are either Easy-flowing Oars, or Hard-flowing Oars. Of the first sort are reckoned Glass-Oars, which lose not above one sixth part in the Fire; The White-goldish Oars, so called not from their contents, but from their goodness in silver; Horny-Oars, named from their transparency; and Red-goldish-Oars like Cinnabar, which yield above half Silver; with many more, which are described by their sensible qualities, and are computed to yield from six to ten Ounces in a Centner, or hundred weights. Hard-flowing Oars are all Flinty-Oars which are commonly rich in Copper, but yield very little Silver, not much more than half an Ounce in a Centner. Likewise all common White-Glimmer, or Wolferan, or Sparkling Oars, Talk, or Cat-Silver are very poor. Next follows a description of the Assay-Furnaces, and all the Instruments necessary to the preparation, and proving of Silver, and other Metals; as Muffles, Bottomplates, Tefts, Copels, &c. All which, as to the shapes which the Antients did, and the moderns do, uses as also the matter out of which, and the manner by which they are made; are accurately taught, and commended or discommended, as they answered Experience. For good Copels on which the Tryals will neither leap, nor sparkle, He particularly commends Knuckle-bone ashes, either from Sheep, or Calf; perfectly calcin'd, very finely powdered, and moistened with strong Beer. The matter for the making Copels He calls Clar, for which, after the Tryal of other ones both of Beasts and Fish, He prefers Calves-head-Bones, or the Scales that come from their fore-heads as the best. Then succeeds the preparation of Lead-Glass, or Flux; (which is a general term for any addition that makes the Metal Metall Flow) of which there are two or three methods set down, together with the manner how to cleans it. He describes the Assay-Weights with their Divisions. The Centner Weight consists of an Hundred pound divided downward. The Penny Weight is of two sorts, That used in High-Germany, the greatest of which is a Mark or 256 Pence; the lowest an Helter or half penny: The Low Dutch Penny Weight has for the highest a Mark, or 288 Grains; for the lowest half a Grain. Silver Oars he tries in short thus: A small quantity, the proportion of which to the Centner is known, is to be put upon a Test, and melted with its due weight of Lead; this being done, the Lead well cleansed from its Slacks or Dross is to be assayed upon the Copel, on which the silver Grain will remain, which is the true Content of the Oar. He discourses how mixt Metals are to be assayed for Silver, as also how Coin'd mony, Plate, burnt Silver &c. How the Silver Touch-needles are made: How mixed with their proportion of Copper, and used. How silver is to be separated from other Metals, and burnt clean under the Muffle. The way by which good Proof-Ballances are to be made, and fitted with all possible exactness, as also are the Proof-Weights; the division of which from the highest to the lowest he prefers in making them; but they are to be proved when made, from the smallest to the greatest. The Second Book is of Gold-Oars, the method the same with that of the first. He asserts on his own experience that no Oar hath Gold alone, without other Metals incorporated unless the Gold is sensible; and even that is not wholly clean, but most commonly Silvery. The Fair-Gold is found standing in a Whitish Flint, sometimes in a Blew and yellow Horn-stone, and also in a Blew Juffer-streamy and Yellow Iron, but very small and flaminig, as in the Mine at Knein in Bohemia; there is also found a Greenish-Silvery-Flint, which after it is ground and washed, yields a fair high Duke-Gold which at the first digging is not perceived in the Flint. He tells us that Gold-washers go about the Country, and get their living by washing Gold, together with their manner of washing it; with a description of that compendious Wash-work by a Rattar or Sieve made of Brass wire, with a flat Hearth under it, and a Channel for the Water; this serves for sandy Works. That Gold Oars out of the Veins are to be prepared two wayes, either by a Wet or a Dry Bucking; Flinty and Horn stony Gold Oars are first to be Roasted and suddenly Quenched to make the Oar run together, and the Flint brittle. He also shews how Gold sticks may be made to profit with and without Quick-silver. That there are two sorts of Touch needles for Gold, the White and the Red, so called from the excess of Silver or Copper in their Composition. That the Black Touch stones are best, tho not all equally good: if they are too weak, no Gold toucheth bright upon them; if too hard, the Hungarian and other weak Golds will not touch true. He farther instructs how to prove Gold by Aqua-fortis, and the Goldish Silver by washing it in common water; How to find whether Silver contains Gold without the Water proof; namely by drawing a Wire of true Gold, and another of the Silver you would prove, through the same hole, and then finding the difference by weight. Several wayes and Instruments are taught for the making Aqua-fortis, though Iron Jugs are prefered for this reason among others, that Aqua fortis distilled out of them, makes the Gold of an higher Colour. To make an excellent strong Aqua-fortis, he commends Calcin'd Vitriol, Nitre, Alum, and burnt Flints; after the Distillations; it is to be digested, and rectified from fresh Nitre, Vitriol, Burnt Flints, Verdigrise, roasted Antimony, filed Iron, and White-lead. Aqua Regis is made by the addition of Salt to good Aqua fortis. &c. Then Cementing is mentioned, what it is, and how performed. That to it is required such matter as will work upon Silver Silver and Copper by reason of the salts it contains, yet not touch the Gold; such as Verdigrise, Lapis Hematites, Crocus Martis, Tutia or calcinated Vitriol. With a description of the Cementing Oven, and how it is to be governed; How to Graduate Gold and give it an higher colour; How to make brittle Gold deft and fit to be wrought, by melting it with Nitre and Calx viva, and other waies. Lastly how to cast Gold through Antimony; which has been accounted the best if not the only means to make it very clean and fine; this the Author allows to be true, when the Antimony is good, but not else; and because Aqua Regis toucheth Gold only and nor Silver, therefore He judges it may be made purest and finest that way. The Third Book is altogether of Copper-Oars, with their description and the manner of assaying them, with many Instructions how to separate other Metals from them; but the Instruments and operations being much the same with what went before, a more particular account will be but repetition. We shall only add, that he gives a singular way of melting in the assaying-Work, and teaches how Copper is to be made Brass, by the addition of the Lapis Calaminaris; by which addition the Metal is usually increased Sixteen pound in a Centner. The Fourth Book Treats principally of Lead-Oars, and briefly likewise of Tin, Antimony, Quicksilver, Iron, Steel and the Load stone. The Bright-Lead-Oar he says is the best, and contains above half Lead; besides which there is White-Lead-Oar, like a sandstone; and Red-Lead-Oar like a reddish Clay; these are not so rich as the first, as neither is a Yellow-Lead-Oar mixt with Gray, which is called the Lead-Ram. Then follow all the ways of proving it, as also the boiling and smelting it, with the cautions to be observed in the Beat-works &c. In his Chapter of Magnets he quotes a passage out of Serapion, how by calcining a Magnet with an equal portion of Calx viva, and after adding the like weight of yellow Sulphur, there will arise a preparation which with the least drop of Water shall immediately take Fire. The Fifth and last Book is of Mineral Salts; as Salt-petre, Vitriol, and Alum. He describes Salt-petre to be a Stone-Salt, which hath in itself a fulminant fire; tells you of what earths it is best made, how those Earths and the Lees made of them are to be proved; with the way of boiling the Salt-Petre, and purifying it when boiled. And in the last Chapter, he describes the Ruffling and trying Flints for Vitriol, and the Alum-Earth or Sinister for Alum; which Earth is neither to be roasted nor yet to be boiled Raw, but must be laid in an heap together, to be weathered and warmed in itself, that it may fall under and break out, and then you may make Lees of it. Besides this the whole work is everywhere illustrated with sculptures both of the instruments and operations. The Translator Mr. John Pettus, has added a Dictionary of the Metallick words, which he calls the Second part; and has divided the Tract itself into Chapters and Sections, and pointed it (all which, he tells us) were wanting in the Original; and hath promised likewise the Contents both of those Chapters and Sections, as also of the sculptures. He farther promises to publish Agricola in English, within the compass of a Year, it being already fully Translated. Benjamini a Brookhuyzen Oeconomia Animalis &c. in 4° 1683. The Author of this Book, being most addicted to the Principles of Descartes, propofeth (by a great variety of discourses) several ways and declarations, what the true notion of a Spirit and a Body may be; and how the Soul and Body, as two different Substances, may be joined together, so as to perform all the animal functions, that commonly are observed as well in Man, as in all other sorts of Beasts, and living Creatures. To this purpose he divideth his Book into 12 Articles, adding to every one, (where he is inquiring the Notion of the Soul) a large discourse, to make us better understand what he hath said and asserted in the Articles. So from the first to the 12 Article, he explaineth by what way or means one must begin to form Philosophical conceits: As, that no Principles of any Science must be taken for granted; and that the most simple notions that can be found out, must be the only rule of an intellectual progression. And whereas true Philosophy requireth a conformity of the objects with reason, so a right judgement about any thing must agree with the perception of it: And hence all prejudices, customs, opinions of several Sects, the veneration towards Antiquity tiguity, and other fancies of man, must be all laid aside; and the most simple and clear perceptions will serve for a true reformation of Philosophy. In consequence whereof, The Author faith, that the first thing which is known to us, is the Conscience which we have of thinking, or that we Know that we have any thoughts: which he believeth to be the most exact Character of a Soul; so that the same rather should be described or called res cogitans, than res cogitans: for this cogitatio or Act of thinking, he saith, to be the same thing with the existence of the Soul; which cannot be demonstrated to another, though every one by himself is convinced, that he thinketh, or hath an existence. For this Proposition, ego cogito, I think, being a particular one, is more certain than that general notion, Omne cagitant est vel existit; and so it needs not any farther explication, Quid sit existere sine cogitare. Afterwards Artic. 13 he inquireth, How this Act of thinking becometh to be so continual, as that no space of time can interrupt the series of thoughts. The cause of which, he deriveth first from God, as the only Principle of all Being; and then from the Nature and Essence of the Soul, which is kept by such a divine virtue in continual activity: when all the variations which arise about the thoughts of man, are nothing but Modifications of one and the same Essence; so that a thing that once doth really exist, can never be brought to nothing again; the death or destruction of a thing being only a bare name, signifying nothing but a dissolution of things that formerly were mixed and tied together; and by this the variety of modifications or thoughts do suppose and require always the conscience of thinking, which is properly the Essence of the Soul, lasting for ever. Artic. 14 and the following, He inquireth about the difference of thoughts, and why one thought is to be accounted to be better than another; Where he showeth, that the prerogative or excellency of one above another is derived from the nobility of the object that is concerned in the thoughts; and whereas the same cannot be multiplied, he thinks it evident, that the whole System of thoughts is only a continuation of the same substance, variously modified, according to those things that are within, and without, or about us. And in the same manner as our thoughts do prove our existence, so there are certain thoughts, which do confirm that there are things above us, or more perfect than we can fancy ourselves to be. Amongst which is that thought or idea of an Infinite Being, which convinceth us, that there needs must be a God; because no body being able to give or produce that in himself, which is beyond his reach, this Idea Infiniti doth argue some higher Principle, of an infinite power. By such and the like Arguments after the Cartesian way, he goes on to demonstrate the Proprieties and Attributes of God, till Artic. 19 he comes to prove the existence of a sensible body, for we find that to the direction of our Senses we meet with such and such thoughts, so that against our will sometimes things are presented to us, which we cannot leave, but are forced to think on; which proveth both the union of our Soul to the the Body, as the existence of this sensible World: for according as our Senses are altered by the presence or disposition of the Objects, so differently do we find that we have thoughts, that are related to them; so that our perceptions cannot be continual dreams, but must really answer the impression made by the object. But making farther an abstraction of all sensible bodies, he findeth Artic. 20 that extension is as true a Character of them, as the Act of thinking is of the Soul: out of which extension, with some Principles of Natural notions, he is confident that all the Phenomena in Nature may be deduced and explained. And because it is very hard to give a rational account, how these two Substances Soul and Body, differing so much one from another, maybe joined together, he talks, Art. 23, of several degrees, by which this Union is to be facilitated; proposing a perfect harmony betwixt the variety of parts continually moved in the body, and the perception altered by such relations in the Soul. Which Mechanical Analogy he declareth from Art. 29 to the end of the Book; shewing how Respiration and Attraction of the Air, The Nourishment of the body by Eating and Drinking, The Digestion, Fermentation, Sanguification, Circulation of the blood, be the causes of all Diseases and Sicknesses; as Fever, Apoplexy, Consumption, Pleurisies, and other Infirmities are produced: and how the animal Spirits are generated in the Brain, and afterwards through the whole body dispersed, do serve for the perfect Economy of the Body, and in all Passions of the Soul. Amongst all these explications, the Author sometimes does correct the errors and mistakes of other Physicians, especially about the generation ex semine & ovo. For the rest, the whole book seemeth to be a meer explication of Des-Cartes his opinions. ERRATA. Pag. 153. l. 22. or the 1. 28. translated. P. 164. l. 14. to him. P. 168. l. 35. evil, P. 173. l. 35. (d). P. 176. l. 9. situated. P. 178. l. 18. Pupilla. P. 179. l. 19. Hypothesis. P. 179. l. 32, or P. 188. l. 19. Species. P. 190. l. 35. Succeeds. OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University, and are to be sold by Hen. Rogers at the Sign of the Bible in Westminster Hall, and Sam. Smith at the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1683.