To Tincture Silver into Gold.—Make first a tart lye, put quicklime into a pot, whose bottom is full of many small holes, put a piece of wood or tile-shard upon it, then by degrees pour in the powder and hot water, and by the narrow holes at the bottom let it drain into a clean earthen vessel under it; do this again, to make it exceeding tart. Powder filbium and put into this, that it may evaporate into the thin air; let it boil at an easy fire, for when it boils the water will be of a purple color; then strain it into a clean vessel through a linen cloth; again, pour on the lye on the powders that remain, and let it boil so long at the fire, till the water seems of a bloody color, no more. Then boil the lye that is colored, putting fire under, till the water be all exhaled; but the powder that remains being dry, with the oil of tartar dried and dissolved, must be cast again upon plates made equal of parts of gold and silver, within an earthen crucible; cover it so long with coals, and renew your work, till it be perfectly like to gold. Iron changed into Brass.—It is reported that in the Mountain Carpatusan, Hill of Pannonia, at a certain town called Smolinitum, there is a lake, in which are three channels, the waters of which are so impregnated with copper and gold, that upon adding absolute vitriol portions of pure gold become deposited. The Sympathetic and Occult Virtues of Plants, Animals, Metals, &c.—In these few remarks on the sympathetic influences I have ventured to turn the light of a great central and positive science upon the mysteries, which all men, who dare think, are anxious to penetrate—for illustration: If we bury a crab for three months in horse-dung, he will turn to a scorpion. But if you thus bury a scorpion or lizard, he will die instantly. Some, by the use of eels and brandy, cure a person of drunkenness. But how? Why, simply by the power of sympathy. But once for all, let me here say, that this knowledge I cheerfully impart for the good of mankind. And every wise person52 will see in a moment that great care must be exerted where knowledge might be used for a bad purpose. But to proceed. A black cat drops dead at the sight of a Bengal tiger; a cat of any other color is not affected in the least. A snake will kill a bird by looking at it for the space of fifteen minutes; but a snake can produce no effect on men or animals. Why? Because the proper sympathies are not brought into action. A rat will die by being compelled to look at or be near an English ferret. If an ox is killed, and let lie in a tight house with plenty of glass windows to admit the light, he will in a short time be converted into millions of bees. If he is killed and let lie upon an open field, he will soon be converted into millions of maggots.