2^1

Natural Magic k.

the snails with their shells; and putting them into amoisture with a gentle sire; the humour th*c dropsadorn the face.

Boo^ Z-.

retort, draw out theirforth, will exceedingly

Chat. XIV,

The preparation of Sublimate.

T Said , that there was nothing better than quick-silver for womens paints, and tox cleanse their faces,and make them shine. Wherefore,I shall set down many ways toPrepare it,that you may have the use of it to your desire. Take one ounce and half°f pure quick-silver , not falsified with lead: for is there be lead mingled with it, allYour labour is lost. How it must be purged and known, I taught elsewhere. Min-S;c this with half a pound of Mercury sublimate, and put it into a marble mortar,•ndwith a new wooden pestle , stir it well, turning it roundabout. First, it willbe black, in six hours it will grow white , if you ceaie not to beat it. Then ad deone ounce and half of white fait, always turning it about with the pestle ; for themore you grind it, the perfecter it will be. When it is very well ground, it roustbe wastu. Sprinkle boiling clear water into the mortar, and stir it; and then staya while, until the muddy part may sink down, and the filth that was lighter, andswims on the top: laying the veflei on one side, pour out the water gently, and pourin fresh; do this five or six times in the fame manner, until the pure and onelypowder remain without dregs: make little cakes of it, and dry it in the fun. Somewhilst they bruise it, sprinkle water on, lest the powder by grinding should be madeso small, that it should fly away into the air. The chief business is to purge it, andgrind it well, that it be not troubled when it is flr-in'd forth: that which is gone tothe bottom, and so part ©fit be lost; some open a hole in the belly of a pot, thatwhen it is iettled, the hole being opened, the water with the dregs may run forth.Others to sublimate, adde a third part of quick silver, and grind it in a wooden mor-tar ; and in the mean while they chew four grains of maffick in their months , andthey spit the clammy spittle out of their mouths into the mortar, until it be white, asI said: then they boil it in one pound of the distilled water, of Bryony-root, till icbe consumed: then they put a linnen cloth, to receive it ac the mouth of the vessel,and so they strain it forth, and set it in the sun: they make troches of it with gumTragamh; others to sublimate,add a sixth part of quick-silver,bruising it round about jthen they adde camphir, borax, and ceruse, half as much, and mingle all together.The principal matter is, it is the best way to sprinkle it with water whilst you orindit, lest by grinding it, the powder become so light, that it fly away: also, when thewater is poured on, all the filth will come on the top, and more easily be poured off:then when the sublimate is washed, it is left to fettle down: then again pouring offthe former water, they pour on fresh, and they wash it oft, till they sec it is enough,and no black swims on the top. But there is no better, as we said, than

Water of c^uicf fiver.

But some will not away with quick-silver, by reason of the hurt it commonly doth tothe teeth : but they uie other water. Yet there is no better water, then that whichis extracted from quick-silver; it is so clear and transparent, and the face anointedwith it, shines like silver: it draws the skin handsome, and makes it soft by and by -and 1 never saw a better: the manner was shewed before.

Chap. XV.

How white-lead U prepared for the face»

B Ecausc sublimate is so dangerous, there is a private way to do it with ceruse,but not the usual way, that women may have their desire, without hurting rheirskin or their teeth. 1 am sow come to the business of ceruse. Take of swincsgrease

well