In our preparatory works the alchemical praxis requires to transform the element Earth into Water, so this makes the second part of Ortelius Commentary on Sendivogius.
Andreas Orthelius here presents two methods to work on the unearthed raw matter: the first path involves a prompt distillation; the second implies the raw matter is worked up into a liquor rich in salts, which Orthelius calls Lixivium, or lisciva, then it undergoes the final distillation.
Previous chapter at Orthelius Commentary on Sendivogius. Chapter 1.
My translation from Latin from Theatrum Chemicum Zetzneri Argentorati, Orthelius Commentator in Novum Lumen Chymicum Michaelis Sendivogii. Caput II, Tome 6, page 409:
“Chapter 2.
On the Red, or Adamica, earth Distillation in Liquor.”
Since in the previous chapter Orthelius presented a method to keep a certain earth (with manure) buried during all the fall-winter months, we can assume the raw matter to be distilled is exactly that. He still refers to it as “Terra Adamica”, which I discussed in chapter 1.
“I’m going to expound the text. The Philosophers took this lutum (earth) and from it prepared pellets of many sizes, then put them into a retort, which was placed on an oven, along with an accordingly wide recipient, at first on a moderate fire, then they increased the fire under the retort, that made various colors to appear; after that they distilled with eight or ten measures of water, then they added the remaining of the liquor to the salt encrusted in the neck of the retort.
The earth subject according to the Sendivogius’ enigma was called the source of our chalybs. From that source we have to distill the water, the author (Sendivogius) in his above mentioned enigma wanted to indicate with the appearance of Neptune, deity of waters.”
This is the first method, the distillation from the bulk raw matter. The use of heat from the very beginning involves a distilling process in a decently closed environment to prevent an unwanted escape of the “spiritual parts”, or vapors. If spirits are almost gone, our Mercurius will be very debilitated.
…….then they distilled with eight or ten measures of water…..it is a good practice to consider rain-water for the use, as of course, once the easily distillable parts have already moved to the gathering recipient, we need to add a solvent to dilute the hardly distillable portions.
Concerning Chalybs, it is one of the many synonyms of our Mercurius in a peculiar operation. We will see how Orthelius considers it. So, our Mercurius will come out from this earth raw matter. The supreme water, the element water for antonomasia, the fluidity.
“Addendum.
Side-note: the Lisciva of the Ancient.
It must be observed that some philosophers, those who were adepts, modelled neither pellets nor boluses, but collected in straining with an extreme skill, and through a single distillation, at worst after four or five distillations the thing was done; from the above mentioned earth they prepared lisciva, which was preceded by filtration and evaporation, at that moment, and only after they have managed to accumulate a sufficient quantity of liquor, they distilled with a proper degree of fire, and a very wild fearless flowing spirit similar to sea waves finally floated on its water.”
The whole paragraph gave me a hard time due to verb forms alternatively in conditional, future and past perfect, not to mention the oscillation between singular and plural subjects. Anyway, the point of this method, performed by those whom Orthelius defines “adepts”, or vey skillful, seems to be the preparation of lisciva. i.e. a mix of water and salts, quod filtratione et evaporatione praemissa, that’s to say preceded by filtration and evaporation and, only after that, the distillation can take place. The description of the phases antecedent to the distillation gives an impression of having some traits in common with the method presented by Phantom Play with his Earth Salt Self Extractor.
Next chapter at Orthelius Commentary on Sendivogius. Chapter 3.
Previous chapter at Orthelius Commentary on Sendivogius. Chapter 1.