CHAP. I. Of the Original , Antiquity , and Vse of Glass .

IT has not been without Reason , that several Learned Persons have compared Man to a Microcosm , or Little World , since he contains in himself all the Excellencies of the Greater ; and that God , having created him after his own Image , has given him an Absolute Dominion over all Creatures in this World : Not only over Animals and Vegetables , and those other visible mixt Bodies , among which we are immediately conversant ; but also over Metals , Minerals , Semiminerals , Pretious Stones , Pearls , Corals , and whatever Treasures are hid in the Bowels of the Earth , or Bottom of the Seas ; that he might make use of them for his own Pleasure , and that by the Understanding God has given him , he might know their Properties , to make them usefull for his particular Occasions .

The Power of Nature is limited in all her Effects , and Man alone can augment and enlarge by Art , the Virtues and Powers which she has produced , by separating the Pure from the Impure , that which is more Subtil and Spiritual , from the more Gross and Earthy ; which Nature her self cannot do , by reason she has no Tools nor Instruments proper for such Separations ; especially of those Impurities , which by proceeding from the Corruptions of the Matrixes , where all her Generations are made , perpetually mix themselves with all her Productions : Besides that the Universal Seed ( or Spirit ) of the World , which contains in it self the three Principles and four Elements , whereof every thing in Nature is compos'd and nourish'd , is it self not free from Impurity ; for in making its Circulations from Heaven to Earth , and from thence again to Heaven , where it is impregnated with all the Virtues of the Constellations and Planets , it returns again , and descends even to the Center of the Earth , there to be impregnated with a Body and Salt , and acquire the utmost Elementary Perfection ; whence the Central Fire forcing it to repass to the Surface , and thence into the Globe of Water and Air , after having produced , in its passage , in all the Elements , an● infinite Number of Mixtures , it ascends again into the Heavens , whence it penetrates and animates the whole Universe . It is by all these Circulations tha● this Seed or Soul of the World becomes invested with Impurities , whereof the general or universal Spirit is tainted , so that the Pure and Impure ascend and descend together in Confusion ; insomuch , that only the Industry of Man can separate them , by ejecting the unprofitable excrementitious Parts , and separating and purifying its Principles , and then reuniting them , to make a Compound of a greater Virtue ; so that of that Compound you may make a Species capable of producing its * * Without doubt the Author has an eye in this Expression to the Multiplication of Gold . like : For the Nature of one Mixt or Compound , cannot produce or be chang'd into a Mixt of a different Nature ; We must always sow Wheat to have a Crop of Wheat .

Hence it is that so many great Philosophers have told us , That Man , by the means of Art , might begin where Nature left off , by purifying its Matters , and reducing them to their first Principles , and thence raising them to the utmost degree of Perfection ; whether the End be to prolong Man's Life , or curing his greatest and most inveterate Diseases , as also of other Animals ; or for Metals , Minerals , Pretious Stones , Plants , and other Vegetables . Now such Separation and Purification of Substances is not impossible , as long as you destroy not entirely the Subjects : But it must be perform'd by something that specifically agrees with their own respective Natures ; then ( by it ) you may make a perfect Reduction of their Substances , wherewith by means of Art , Man may perform all those things I have now mention'd , as to cure the most inveterate Diseases , convert what is imperfect into the most perfect ; and it is hereby that you have display'd , that absolute Dominion which God has given him over all the Creatures .

It is not my present Design to enter into the depth of the Mysteries of this sublime Science , which I leave to those true * * Adepti . Philosophers , who are the only Creatures to whom God has reveal'd them , and whereof all other Men , like my self , are unworthy : but only to shew by sensible Demonstration , That Man , in many things , is capable of imitating Nature by the Assistance of Art ; and of performing several things by his Industry , and the Work of his hands , which look more like Miracles , than the Effects of Art . Those which make the Subject of the following Discourse , would be no less surprizing , if they were less common ; but from the time our Eyes become accustom'd by constant use to any Object , the Esteem of it begins to be lessen'd , and fall ; Witness Nature her self , whose Annual Renovation , tho' we are accustom'd to it , ought to be a perpetual Subject of Admiration .

Of all the Works of Art , that of Glass is not the least considerable , whether it be Natural or Artificial ; it melts in the Fire without consuming , and is therein perfected or made fine like Gold , which is a perfect Metal , and there leaves behind it its Dross , becoming purified and whitened , which renders it more proper for making Dishes , Glasses , and other Vessels for Man's use , than any other Metal , or Matter whatsoever . Nay , I may yet go farther , and say , That Glass not only purifies it self in the Fire , but also assists to purifie and melt all other Metals , and render them more plyable and malleable , and so more easie to work upon to the ends they are design'd for .

In the Spagyrick Art , in Physick , in Chymistry , it is impossible to be without Vessels of Glass , whether for Sublimations , Distillations , or Putrefactions , Digestions , Circulations , or other Operations to which they are necessary for several Reasons ; one whereof is , That all the gradual Alterations , of the Matter therein contain'd , and what is done in it on the Fire , are visible to the eye ; and another , That those Matters can neither be imbib'd by the Vessel , nor transpire thro' its Pores , nor it communicate any ill Scent or Taste , which might be noxious to the Health , if the Matter be prepar'd for Medicine : Moreover the Philosophers make use of no other Vessels for their curious Operations , whether it be to extract the Philosophick Mercury , or purifie it , or for the Decoction of their Grand Elixir and Panacaea's , which they cannot perform without Glass ; for otherwise they would labour in the dark , and could never well regulate their Operations : Besides the Volatility of their Spirits , which they must preserve , is of so subtile and quick Penetration , that no other Vessels could hold them .

Churches , Palaces , Castles , and Particular Houses , owe their chiefest Ornaments as well as Conveniencies , to Glass ; for that transparent Substance guards them within from too great Heat and Cold , without hindring the Intromission of the Light . Looking-Glasses , and other great Plates of Glasses are as so many surprizing Objects to our Eyes , representing so distinctly and naturally all even from the least to the greatest Actions of the Objects before them ; whereby also one may always keep himself in a neat and agreeable dress . Notwithstanding not one in a Thousand of those who have them , ever reflect on the Admirableness of the Work , which is beyond doubt , one of the chiefest , and most perfect Pieces of Art , and than which Man can make nothing more wonderful .

Moreover , China-Ware for adorning Capboards and Tables , Dishes , divers sorts of Glasses , and Figures , and a thousand other Curiosities , of all sort ; of Colours , which serve both for Pleasure and Use , and employ the Poor all over the World ; are they not well worthy of Admiration ?

But if we consider the Painting and Representations in the Glasses of Churches , we must at the same time admire , that the Colours which we extract from Metals for that End , can be so very lively , as to resemble so many pretious Stones . If any of this Glass be cast into a Furnace , you may see what a vast number of Colours it is susceptible of , even beyond Comparison .

* * From the Latine Glastum , which is called Vitrum by Caesar in his Comment . lib. 5. Glass is called by that Name , because it is a transparent Metal , while other Metals are opaque , there being only Glass that can shew what it contains within . The Name of Glass , which the French , Germans , and English have given it , seems to be taken from its resembling or approaching somewhat in its Colour to † † It naturally hath a Blueishness . Azure , or Sky-colour . The Word Glass , also seems to be deriv'd , from its Resemblance to Ice ( from Glacies ) , while the Fire does much the same thing in Glass , as the Frost in the Water : Thus all Glass looks like Frozen Water ; which made a modern Author merrily say , That it made Wine smile to see it self cherish'd in the bosom of its most Mortal Enemy .

Monzerus tells us ; That when Looking-Glass was first invented , they were sold very dear , as if they had been made of some pretious Matter , and also by reason People took so much Pleasure in seeing themselves so lively pictured . To this we may add , That it is not above 200 Years since they came first to be in use , and that the way of making them was found out by a certain Person , who , melting some Glass in a Crucible , chanc'd to spill it on the ground , where it running under a great Square Tile , wherewith the Floor was pav'd , oblig'd the Workman to take it up , where he found it in Form of a Looking-Glass-Plate , ( which could not have been so form'd by the ordinary way of blowing ) , which began to employ his Thoughts all that Night , and thence he conceived , That Glass might be run into Plates like Metal , which he began to experiment from that day forward ; and so he found out the way to those Consequences which meer Chance was the first occasion of ; as it had been also before of the very Matter whereof this Metal is compos'd , as we shall hereafter shew .

The use of Glass is so Antient , that it is difficult to assign the time of its first Invention : Pliny pretends , that it was in the City of Sidon that the first Vessels of Glass were made , as may be seen in the 26 th Chap. of his 36 th Book .

Others affirm its Origin must be as antient as Bricks , by reason one can scarce make the one without the other ; this is the reason that has made some assert that this Art was known at the time of the Building of Babel , that being made of Brick , and that way of Building continu'd in Egypt , since we read , it was the sole employ of the Children of Israel in their Captivity to make them . This might be strengthen'd by a convincing Proof out of the Bible , whereof Moses was the first Author , where you read of Glass , which would not have been mention'd if it had not been in use in those Days .

The Passages we find of St. Iohn in the Apocalypse , seem to put a very high esteem on Glass ; for in speaking of the Throne of God , Chap. 4. ver. 6. he says , And before the Throne there was a Sea of Glass like unto Crystal . And speaking of the Heavenly City , whereof he gives the Description Chap. 20● Ver. 18. he says , And the building of the Wall of it , was 〈◊〉 Iasper , and the City was of pure Gold , like unto clear Glass . and at the 21. verse , And the twelve Gates were twelve Pearls , every Gate was of one Pearl , and the street of the City was pure Gold , as it were transparent Glass . That is to say , a Glass of Gold , or more properly , Gold Vitrifi'd , which is that Electrum of Ezechiel , whereof St. Ierome makes mention . I may strengthen it yet further , by a passage out of Iob , Chap. 28. ver. 17. where speaking of the Wisdom of God , he says , The Gold and Crystal cannot equal it . Which does not only shew us the Antiquity of Glass , but also in what esteem it was had in those days , being always equall'd to Gold . This last passage is also Cited in a Translation of St. Ierome , and in several other Authors , among whom , some have chang'd the word of Gold and Glass , to that of a Stone more precious than Gold . Others to a Carbuncle , or some other precious Stone . But , ( say they , ) all these names are understood of only one and the same Stone , which the Antients believed gave Light by Night , and which is no where to be found . This last Opinion is very Mysterious , and that one only Stone , according to St. Paul , in the Epistle to the Romans , ought to be understood of the Divine Union with our Nature , by the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word .

The great Hermes , the Father of the Philosophers , call'd that Stone , the Image of the Invisible God , which Moses ( also ) shut up in the Ark of the Covenant , and which was call'd the Glory of God , shining in the Night like a burning Fire , or like a bright and and shining Star which gave light by Day , as you may see in Numbers . This it was , which these Authors meant and understood , but which no others can comprehend , unless it be the true Philosophers . We design to treat more largely thereof in our next Work , Entituled , The Mystical Characters of Antiquity unveil'd and laid open , wherein we will make it appear , that of those Characters were Compos'd the Two Tables of the Law , which were afterwards put into the Ark , and which are the two Pretious Stones which serve at present for Guides to the wise among the Philosophers , as they did heretofore for Figures to the Antients .

We might fetch the Origin of Glass from Tubal-Cain , the Son of Lamech ; for he being the first Chymist that found out the way of melting Metals , and the uses of Iron and Brass , whereof he forg'd Arms for War , as is noted in the 4 th . Chap. of Gen. it is not improbable , but that he might be the first Inventor of Glass , because one can scarce avoid reducing Calcin'd Metals into Glass , especially when the Fire is more than ordinarily violent , and the Matter remains longer in it than it ought . It was this which made Ferrandus Imperatus , say , that the Origin of Glass came from Fire , or from its Reverberation alone in those Furnaces where Fire was preserv'd in its full force . We own Fire to be the first Agent both of Nature and Art ; but with this distinction , that that of Nature vivifies or enlivens , and that of Art resolves and destroys , especially when it is too vehement : But he who knows how to direct and manage it , may make good use of it for the Separation and Perfection of the Matters wherein he works ; whence it very often happens that several Persons seek that which they cannot find , and find that which they did not seek ; wherefore we may truly say , that most part of our best Inventions and Secrets , have been found out by meer chance , and as it were hazard of Art .

The great Hermes was not ignorant of the Art of making Glass , since he taught the Knowledge of it to the Aegyptian Chymists , but not that of the Transmutation of Metals , tho' he possess'd it , as Kircher tells in his Oedipus ; That since that time , that People have always profess'd this Art , in which they were so Expert , that Flavius Vopiscus speaking of Alexandria , tells us , it was very Rich , and Fruitful in Corn , and that no one is there idle , one part of the Poor making Glass , and the other Paper .

We have another Evidence of the Antiquity of Glass , in the 4 th Book of Lucretius : But the most part of Historians attribute the Invention of it to the Alchymists , who by endeavouring to counterfeit Pretious Stones , found out this Secret . It is to these great Men , indeed , we are oblig'd for almost all our Modern Knowledge of the most curious Secrets of Nature , they having unveil'd her most hidden Mysteries . The Profession of an Alchymist in those Days , was not Vilifi'd as it is now , it being esteem'd very Honourable , Kings themselves exercising it . We shall discourse thereof in the Work we have promis'd , and whence the word Chymistry is deriv'd , where we will prove its Antiquity by several passages out of the Holy Scripture . But we will here add , that the Chymists of this present Age are very far remov'd , both in Knowledge and Probity from those Antient ones , who never practis'd those base Sophistications , and a thousand other Tricks of that Nature , which the Modern do ; which is the reason that this Art , so Noble and Sublime in its Principles , is now a-days so much Vilifi'd , that to have the name of a Chymist , ( of that sort , ) is enough to render a Man detestable among honest Men. Also most part of those who set up for that Profession , are nothing but a sort of Quack Collectors of Recipe's , with which , under the false appearances of Fixation , of Augmentation of Gold and Silver , which they call Powders of Projection , &c. and which they pretend to do with common Mercury , the Imperfect Metals , Minerals , Salts , Powders , and other Ingredients , Heterogeneous to the principal Matters , with these , I say , they abuse Credulous Persons by their fair words often to their Ruine . It is not with common gross Matters that Philosophers work , nor can they bring any thing to Perfection , before they have converted their Matters into Fluid , Volatile , and Spiritual Substances , such as they were before their Coagulations ; not by the means of Aquae Fortes and Corrosives , which the Antients knew nothing of ; but by means of the same Liquors that engender'd and nourish'd them , which is as it were their Parent , Homogeneous to them , and that Water of Life of the Philosophers , or rather the Key of Nature , without which , you 'll always work in vain . That which seems to the Eyes of the Credulous to be Augmentation , will never undergo the true Proofs of Silver and Gold ; if it should chance to undergo some one tryal ; you may be sure the second will make all the hopes of the pretended profit vanish in Smoak , and on the contrary , make you sensible of considerable loss , both by the waste of the Matters , and the Charges expended on the way of managing them . Thus those who have so little Sense as to engage in these Matters , may one Day find themselves drawn in to their loss .

But let us return to the Origin of Glass ; the Author of the Essays of the Wonders of Nature , tells us , That the Limon of Lac Cendevia , which is found at the Foot of Mount-Carmel , was the first Matter wherewith Glass was made . That some Mariners being about to make a Trevet for a Kettle , went ashore in a place where they found this Lac , that they took some of the Sand , and mix'd it with Nitre , wherewith their Ship was laden , and that making a Fire under the Kettle , they saw a Noble Stream as it were of running Crystal , or melted Jewels , whence they learn'd to make Glass of those two Matters , since which time , ( says he , ) they have also mixed Load-Stone , seeing that will attract Glass as well as Iron ; thence following they made use of certain fine Stones , and also of Sand , as the Indians also did of Crystal ; but that in his time they made use of a Glassy Substance , extracted from an Herb , call'd Soda , wherewith they mixed Sand to fix it . Pliny tells us something like this , in his 5 th Book , Chap. 19. where he also asserts , that we were indebted to Chance for the first Invention of Glass , which was on the Banks of the River Belus in Syria , where certain Merchants being drove a-shore in a Storm , were obliged for sometime to stay and make Fires and to dress their Provisions ; that the place abounding with a certain Herb call'd Kali , which , by the great Fires they made , being reduc'd into Ashes full of Salt , and joyn'd with Sand and Stones proper for making Glass , which are Natural and plenty thereabouts , run down into a sort of melted Glass : Which shew'd them not only the manner of making Glass ; but also Crystal , and several other ●ine things , which had not been found out without the Invention of Glass ; the use whereof is so necessary to pass away Life with Pleasure and Satisfaction , that Divine Providence has taken peculiar care that no place on Earth should want Materials to make it , all being stock'd with them in such abundance , that they seem inexhaustible . Which once made a certain Artist pleasantly conclude , That the Art of Glass would last throughout all Ages ; for the general Conflagration in reducing the Earth into Ashes , by reason of the vast quantities of Salts that are mixed with it , would at last vitrifie the whole Mass into a lasting Monument of the Art . It is true , the end of the World , according to the Holy Scriptures , is to arrive by Fire , not by that material Fire we use in our Chimneys ; but by that which we call Elementary and Central , whereof God will only augment the heat , which will so dry up and parch the Earth , and exhaust all its humidity , that it shall not only be Calcin'd , but chang'd into a better Nature ; afterwards to be inhabited by a new World of a Spiritual , Incorruptible and Glorious Nature , no more to be subjected to any change . What the two Authors we have just cited tell us , concerning the Origin of Glass , is far better clear'd , and more particulariz'd by Iosephus , in the 9 th Chap. of his 2 d Book of the Wars of the Iews , wherein he acquaints us with several surprizing things concerning the Sand for making Glass , whereof we have been speaking . He takes notice that the River Belus arises out of Mount-Carmel , and passes between Ptolemais and Tyrus ; that it is not above 2 Furlongs from Ptolemais that near this River is the Sepulchre and Statue of Bel or Belus , Father of Ninus , first King of the Assyrians , whom the Babylonians worship'd for a long time , and Sacrific'd to , by the order of Ninus , who was the first Author of the Idolatry and Priesthood of the Chaldeans , according to Eusebius , lib. 1. and Isidore , lib. 8. That that Statue of Belus , whom the Pagans call'd Iupiter , was almost 100 Cubits high , ( which is very remarkable , ) and that in that place there is a Valley almost round , full of a clear Sand very fit for making Glass : And if the Ships which come thither for their Lading , chance to empty the place , it is immediately fill'd again , by the Winds driving it down from the Precipices of the Mountains which environ the Valley round ; insomuch , that having for many Ages past , made use of this Sand , it still always remains in the same abundance . He also tells us in the same Book , Chap. 17. that this Sand has a strange Nature above any other , which is , that it will change any Metal into Glass that is thrown in among it ; and that which is yet more strange , that all the pieces of Glass made of this Sand , and cast again upon it , are immediately converted into Sand again : That there is also found among this Sand a Pretious Stone about the bigness of an Acorn , very fine and transparent .

Tacitus in the 5 th Book of his Annals , makes also mention of this River Belus , telling us it enters into the Sea of Iudea , at the Mouth whereof , the Sand that is gather'd up , by reason of the great quantity of Nitre contain'd in it , is easily chang'd into Glass in the Furnaces . And altho' the Shore is but small , that the Sand is notwithstanding inexhaustible . Strabo tells us the same thing in his 12 th Book , and Pliny in his 6 th , and also Agricola in his Treatise of Fossils : And one may say , that generally all Authors , who have spoke of Glass , have made mention of the place where this Sand is gotten , whereof Glass is made without any other mixture , wherein the Effects of Nature are to be admired , in affording us so fine and pretious a Metal in so base and common Matter . This ought to be an example to the Curious , and teach them , that those who seek for the prime Agent of Nature only in rare and pretious Matters , may be grosly mistaken , seeing it may often be found in the most Simple and Common ; and often even in those things we tread under foot : So true it is , that Wise Nature , or rather the infinite Goodness of God , has so ordain'd the Business , that the Poor as well as the Rich , may partake of the most pretious and valuable Treasures , and as easily arrive to that Sovereign , Universal Medicine , to cure all Diseases ; otherwise God could not be said to have dispens'd his Benefits to all Mankind , and his Word , which is infallible , would not be true , when he says , That he is no respecter of Persons , but that every one who loves and fears him , shall be accepted by him . Which shews us , that it is his Will to be known by all Men , and that all those who live in his Laws , may hope to be possess'd of this hidden Treasure , to employ the fruits of it to his Honour and Glory , which are the true Sentiments all good Christians ought to have ; otherwise they ought never to hope for that Divine Treasure , which God only manifests to his Elect.

Several Authors have written , and among the rest Pliny , Cassius , and Isidorus , That in the time of the Emperor Tiberius , who reigned in the time of our Saviour , a certain Person , but Anonymous , an Architect by his Profession , having by an admirable Piece of Skill , set upright again in the City of Rome , a great Portico that lean'd to one side , and made the Foundation firm and immoveable : Tiberius paid him , and banish'd him the City , forbidding him to return . In the mean time this Person had found out the means to make Glass malleable , and came again to Rome , and presented one of these Glasses to the Emperour , who , being angry with him for returning without his Leave , flung the Glass against the ground , which only bruised : That this Workman taking it up again , immediately mended it with a Hammer upon a little Anvil he had brought on purpose , expecting for it the Emperour's Pardon ; but it happen'd quite contrary ; for that Prince asking him , if there were any other that knew the Secret , he answering no , the Emperour immediately caused his Head to be cut off on the spot , for fear the Knowledge of this Secret , should come to be propagated to Posterity , and that Gold on that account should come to be no more valu'd than Dirt , and consequently all other Metals lose their Esteem and Value . In short , Glass would be more valuable than Gold , if it were malleable , by reason of its Transparency .

Our Age , fruitful in great Men , has had no less Advantage in the Reign of the late King Lewis the Iust , than that of Tiberius ; since we are assur'd , That a certain Learned Man having found out the same Secret calls it by the Name of Ferretto , nor makes any mention of it .