MER
the Charafler of a. Principle, which is that whole Subflance cannot be Analysed, or reduced into Matters more fimple; but becaufe the Analyfis has not yet been difcovered : Tho it is poffible it may hereafter, there being little doubt but that Mercury is a Compound. This is the more probable, in regard Mercury may be deftroy'd which never happens to fimple Bodies. The manner of destroying Mercury, is, firft, by changing it into a perfect Metal, by introducing a fufficient quantity of Light within its Subflance ; and then expofing this Metal to a Burning-Glafs, where, in a little time, it evaporates almoft wholly into Smoke, leaving nothing behind but a light earthy Duft.
The Properties of Mercokv.
The Characters, or Properties of Mercury, are i That of all Bodies it is the hcavicft, after Gold ; and Hill the purer it is the heavier : Nay, fome of the Philofophers even hold that Mercury well purged of all its Sulphur would be heavier than Gold itfelf. The ordinary Propor- tion is that of 14 to ijf. If any Mercury be found to weigh more than according to this Ratio, it may be fafcly con- cluded to have Gold in it. See Weight,
The ad Character of 'Mercury, is to be of all Bodies the moft fluid! 3 that is, its Partsfeparaie, and recede from each other by the lmallek Force. Confequently, of all Bodies it is that whole parts cohere the leafl, or are the leaft tenacious - and theteforc ot all others the lead duclile and malleabl
(^4)
MER
heii
Mnfcu as their Weights. Now, Mercury heawer than Water ; if both of them be expofed i n a Winter s Night to die fame Cold, the Mercury mull be h much colder than Water, as it is heavier. So, alfo if they be both apply'd to the fame degree of Hear, while the Water becomes warm, the Mercury will be hot enough to burn the Hands. See Heat and CoLd.
The 7th Property is, that it is dilToluble by almoll all Acids, and unites itfelf with them ; at lead with all foffil Acids. Thus it is difl'olvcd in Oil of Vitriol: Spirit ot Sulphur per Camf-.maw, Spirit of Nitre, and Aam fJiA
It is prepared with Oil of Vitriol, inio Turbitb Mineral ' with Spirit of Sulphur, into Cmmbar 5 with Amareaa or Spirit ot Sea-Salt or Sal gemma, into corrofive Sublimate
See luEBITH, ClNNABAB, SUBLIMATE, tjc.
Only Vinegar docs nut diii'olve it ; and hence we are f urmihed with a Method of deteding the Frauds of Drug- glfts, cifc. who make a practice of fophillicating Quick- Silver with Lead. Do but take a Mortar, and pound the Mercury, with Vinegar therein 5 if the Vinegar grow fwee- tijh, it is a Proof there is a Mixture of Lead : If Copper have been mi x'd with it, the Mercury will turn greeniih orbluifh ; if there be no Adulteration, the Mercury and Vinegar will both remain as before.
The 8th Property is, that it is the moil Simple of all Bodies, next alter Gold : Accordingly, we find it the fame in all its parts, fo far as our Obfervation goes If a.
a^T-ci^ny^
tL 3d Property of Mer^rl Xh l^de^ds Sg^ttJ^£2*f t £S t ? t
folves into a Fume fcarce perceivable tr, i-V,,. iv. . 1, .• r ii , ?' ■ L *°' Q > wc ca " lometimes
wha,ev™„er it ±$ES$S££& fc*£ fc^^lfeaJ ttZZ^ «« "»
Tfc cr'fix e aMe th of i fe r .f B ° "1; *<&?£?$ £ "!"" '" <& t^%' ^° M *™^ 5£Sfc
lenglh ,0 hecom P e, g n y i,ed?n the' Crudblef t we learr! * '" ^ ^7^^^
""* ted, ° US *^"™™ -^ at Tar,, See The Chief Quick-Si/ver M^Ire thofe of a^
The Gilders are hut too we., acquainted with the Va- fc £&& X J^MTthefe 1^
mours, tho very apt to reach and def/roy the nobler a. In hard ftony Glebes, or a imneral Su'bfla"^
The 5 th Property is, that it eafilv enters .nd ,W f a' ^ fo ™ etimcs a blacki,h C °l°-"-- 3- It is alfo
mately adheres .0 Gold lefs cafily to th £ her Me a ' w **?£ : A , u P on . P cn ' n S Holes! " the Beds of
with difficulty to Copper, and not at an » „„ ? S ,j *** ,h "f, f"'""'™" gufhes a Vein or Stream of
Amalgamation. 1P " t0 Ir ° n - See Pf*W. «1 WKrri,.Jb»»,, This lall fort is moft
Indeed we have heard much among the Adepts about TlT V i fc$T °-™M l v ^"'""= fefer it far to any
making an Amalgama with MercurJinA Iron P but the , I V Ki^ for , ^J™" 1 PP"" 50 "- O'-^n affurei
Experfment would never fucceed w^'th that Noble Chv rf&nF&^F**** ° "ff* 1 Direflots
mitt, Her. Boeri,*.^. 'tis poffible here , mat hi S Quick-Silver M«« wherein the Difference be-
way of binding thofe two Bo P die together • and no dnZ ?*^ ™ m ^.» m ™'» 1 »**«? unfitted 3 he was an-
an Amalgam? might be made 1 "large Ouanthv rf W ^^"T', ?' X \ a ," d «M*«iea
Gold were added ,0 the Iron- But then vTihTr u Pi ' I r * f ■ S "' phur ° f th = Gold volatile :
pound were beaten into a Dull,' in Wearer the Iron SZ M f , ?„ ^ { < v "*\«"™ *f* •&«* f"ccefs.
Lfnaway, and the Gold remai'n" ^o"h^)^^, MM 'f^'" *&'*££ Meecoev /,,„ the
w^s f make S ^^£&£$^%& , I^ fi ' ft «** ^ -itinera, Glebe into Powder , this
WeVve known Women, in a Sahvanon ,0 have Thet ' f J P°W a great Quanmy of Water upon it ftir-
Ear-Rings grow white and fof. with ,e Effluvia of the T g "" ^ *e whole briskly about till the Water
Msktjij and hence the Gilded to L Gold on anv • T f m^'"?. '^'i r < ' L ,Urbid - This W "« ha -
o.her Body, diffolve it in hot Mer 'Jy, whlh done Si ™ % 1 ■* V l SW.' they P ° Ur " ° S < wd '""EP 1 ?
apply the Solution on the Body to be »il. fi, n j ,7 «f. P Ia « Wlth ftefl >. which they fiir, and work as before.
Silver; then fet.ing it over the Coffi S ,ha Mr! 7 K W repeat ' antl r c ™ ti " ue t0 d °. tUlthe Water at
flies away, and leaves, he Gold adhering uke aCrufttn T S h ™™<="* a y Perfcahj clear ; then, all remaining
Silver Lilly rubbing the Cruft with'^^it Xe Ma" £ ° ^^ V ^ ' S M ^' ^ <>*er me?
the Silver is gilt. See Gilding. t .u- 71,1 o ,, .
The tfrh CharaSer is, That of all Fluids it isthe rnldrft ■ T " th,s , M f c "0', Sic. they add the Scoria of Iron, put-
. j A- k m »<l . r..„„„«„„ 1.. «.__"Tf' ,s . th s.™ldcft, t, ng the whole in large Iron Retorts, and fo diddling it 5
auc oN^iuuuu 10, iiiuiuian fluids, it isthe cold and the hottett : fuppofing the Circumflances the fame
Boeriaaw fhe.ws, that Fire is equally diffufed through all Bodies ; and that there is in reality the fame degree thereof in Mercury, as in Spirit of Wine ; and yet if you try with your Finger, Mercury in the Cold, is much colder nd, over the fame Fire, confiderably hotter, than the'
.... & „_ . ... ....g^. „„,, ivwuna, aim iu Cllltllling It 3
by which means all the heterogeneous, metallic and ftony Parr, is feparated therefrom 3 and the Mercury left Sure.
As to the Mercury in Cinnabar, they don't find it worth while to diflil, and get it out 5 Cimmbar felling for a better Price than Mercury itfelf. See Ci nnabae .
The miferable People condemn'd or hir'd to work in
ni/» 'K/tnoc nil A it* ■« -* 1I A <.1«. ..?___- mi . *- t-t **t* »-» ■
"".'. ™" '•>,™»?«m "utter, than the The mi
Spirit. This property depends onthepreat W,.; n l, r „f .k r ,r '- - r - —r- "-■•""""■ «"• ■"■ u iu worn m
I„, ; for the Heat and Cold of ri| g B^-„r- g thofe Wm«, all diem a little time. They are firft affeacd
ma«y me «eat and Cold of all Bodies is tmm, Wlth Tremors, and proceed to falivate 5 then their Teeth
drop
