Essais chimiques d’eckartshausen

On Precious Stones

Gold and diamond tend towards the same shape, especially in crystallization where the salts crystallize into octahedra. We deduce from this observation a kinship of nature.

From all of the above we have learned that the pure Light united with the Pure Fire in the Pure Land produces the noble metals which are, in themselves, condensed phosphorus.

Diamond differs from gold by its transparency, just as gold differs from diamond by its opacity. - In gold, the luminous matter is fixed and the fire matter diffused. In the diamond, the material of the fire is fixed and the luminous material diffused.

Precious stones are counted among the number of pure natural glasses; nature therefore observes the law of vitrification in the production of gems. We know that metals themselves can be vitrified.

Nature shows us that, in descending order, the last corporatization by concentration of luminous matter is gold; and, in ascending order, the counterpart is the corporatization of the diamond, like the noblest glass.

It is a curious experience that phosphoric acid mixed with the wet radical of stones

(Kiesel f euchtigkeit) the reduces them to a kind of paste and dissolves them radically.

We also know that, according to the most recent work, diamond is classified as a body of coal or fire (containing material of coal or fire). The action of the diamond on the glass shows its homogeneity with it.

If we melt two scruples of fine gold with two drachmas of phosphoric acid, we obtain a purple-colored slag which, when melted with pulverized coal, increases by two drachmas in weight.

Metals consist of phosphoric acid which, combining with the carbonic substance contained in cobalt earth and analogous to talc, produces metallic sulfur.

Cobalt earth is alkaline; it dissolves easily in water and combines readily with acids.

Earth, analogous to talc, is constrictive.

The analysis of metal consists in the separation of the binding constituent parts from the bound ones - synthesis, in their reunion.

^{40 This augmentation powder can be performed after the completion of the first Work. It is therefore properly alchemical. I have no standing to judge whether the formula is truncated or not.}