of Vulcan, yet my mind still takes delight in labours of that kind, and in the lovers of this most curious Spagyrick Art; and I do verily. believe and judge, that the most Wise God, will in this our age communicate gratis, or for nothing, the Metallick Mysteries of Nature to his Spagyrick Sons, Praying, and Physico-chimically Labouring.

Physician.

My Friend, I must needs grant this, that God, for nothing, communicates to his Sons, this laudable Good, as well as all other gifts; yet you shall very rarely hear, that he for nothing gives or vends this Medicamentous Wine or Nectar to his Sons. For we certainly know, how great a number of Chymists lived in former ages who, (according to the Proverb ) strove to draw water in a Sieve, whilest they presumed to prepare this Universal Stone of Philosophers. Besides, out of the books of them, who triumph in the glory of Adept, no one man can learn the way of preparing, nor know their First Matter, so as any one, searching to the lowest roots of Mountains, can never ascend to those their Heights, where Ambrosia, and Nectar of Macrosophists, is drank.

In the mean time, it is the part of a good Physician, since he wants such an Universal Elixir, (not without the daily study of conserving his Conscience pure and sound) to adhibit to the Diseases of the Sick, commended to his Cure, such Curations; or Remedies as for restoring Sanity as in which he (from the effect) certainly knows, that a virtue of healing is incited.

Wherefore, in all desperate Diseases, I, with many other Practitioners, do alwayes use such most simple Medicaments, that thence the Diseased may soon be restored to their Pristine state of Health, or to a better than the Pristine.

For indeed, various and diverse kinds of Salts, are generated in the Glandules and Lymphatick Vessels, after the putrefaction of this, or that nutriment taken, which afterward wax florid in various Humours, for diverse Diseases, either Internal, or External. Experience teacheth, that as many as are the Constitutions, or Complexions of humane bodies, to so many diversities of Diseases the same are obnoxious; although in one manner, and the same Disease, as our daily conversation evidenceth to us in those who drink Wine, whence divers Operations manifestly discover themselves.

Because Peter drinks Wine, he labours with an angry, I will not say, furious mind.

On the contrary, Paul drinking Wine, seems to imbibe his mind with an Agnine Timorousness.

But Matthias sings, and Luke weeps.

Also,

Touching the Scorbutick Contagious Venome, viz. of Peter, his radical juice in the Lymphatick Vessels, and Glandules, is converted into an Acidity, stopping the passages, and all Organs of the whole body, whence, under the Skin, arise Spots on the Arms and Legs of a blewish colour, but in times of Pestilence, they swell like Pepper Corns.

Also

The juice of Pauls parts is changed into an Aperitive Bitterness; whence, under the Skin of the Arms and Legs, arise red Spots, pricking like the bitings of Fleas; but in a Pestilential time, they are Blanes.

Also

The juice of Matthias his parts, is converted into a sweetness easily putrifying; whence, under the Skin of Arms and leg, arise watery Tumours, almost such as are conspicuous in Dropsical Persons; but in time of the Pest, they are Pestilential Tumours.

Also,

The juice of the parts of Luke, is changed into a Saline, and drying sharpness; whence, under the Skin of the Arms and Legs, arise Precipitations of the ordinary Ferment of the Flesh, and Exficcations, as usually happens in this Atrophia, yea most frequently in the true Atrophia. But in the Pest, they become most ardent Buboes, with madness, even until death.

Behold, my Friend, no Physician, by one only Universal Medicament, can heal the Evil of this Scorbutick, or Pestilential, or Febrile Venome, but indeed, by the Mediation of some particular Vegetable, or Mineral Remedy, given to us from God in Nature, he may exterminate the same. For, as I cannot heal, or help all Scorbutick Persons, with one only Scorbutick Herb, as Scurvy-grass, or Sorrel, or Fumitory, or Brooklime; so, much less of a certain remedy made of these diverse Species congested into one; because, between the Herbs Scurvy-grass and Sorrel, there is an Antipathy, as between Fire and Water; and so there is the same Antipathy between the Herbs Fumitory and Brook-lime.

Therefore, the Correctory of Peters Scorbutick Saline acid tinging Venome, is made with the Volatile bitter Salt of Scurvy-grass.

But the Correctory of Pauls Scorbutick Saline bitter tinging Venome, is made with the acid fixed Salt of the Herb Sorrel.

The Correctory of Matthias his Scorbutick sweetish, and moistning tinging Venome is made by the help of the fixed bitter drying Sulphur of the Herb Fumitory.

And the Correctory of Lukes Scorbutick tinging Saline and drying Venome, is made with the help of the sweet moistning Mercury of the Herb Brook-lime, or red Colewort, as from the External Signature of these Herbs, it is easie to judge of the Internal Specifick Remedy against there diverse Scorbutick Disease. Certainly, my Friend, if this be observed by a prudent Physician, he must needs doubt of the Universal Medicine.

Artist.

All you have discoursed of, I can easily grant; yet very few Physicians use this Method of healing. Yet, in the meanwhile, it is not impossible, that an Universal Medicine should be given in the highest Mineral Kingdome, by the benefit of which we may perform and administer all things, which are by you related to me, touching the lowest Kingdom of Vegitables; but the most wise God, for several weighty reasons, hath not on all Philosophers promiscuously conferred this most magnificent Charisma of Supereminent Science, but hath revealed it only; to a very few. According as all the Adept, with one mouth, confess, and say: The Science is true, And, the verity thereof not to be doubted.

Physician

Sir, besides the above commemorated, there are also other Observations; strenuously refuting the Operation on an Universal Medicine, partly in respect of the Age and strength of Man, partly by reason of the Sex, and other Circumstances, whilst a difference is to be made between the tender, and the Robust, whether from Nature, or from Education; or between the Male and Female, or between a Young Man and a Virgin, or between the Beginning, Middle, or End of Diseases; or it is to be understood whether a Disease, be inveterate, or the Sick be lately invaded; or lastly, whether the Ferment be promoted in this Disease, or be precipited in in another. Effervescency is made either in the Stomach or in the Intestines. Assuredly there are many contradictions of the Wonderful effect, of the Universal Medicine. For the greatest part of rational Physicians want the Perspicil of Thomas Didymus in their Fingers.

Artist