Likewise the magnet can be transmuted to tenfold power and virtue. Heat a magnet in charcoal until very hot, yet without making it glowing; immediately quench it in oil of crocus of Mars made from the best Carinthian steel, so that it absorbs as much as it can. You will make it so effective that you can pull nails from a wall with it and perform similar marvels which an ordinary magnet can never accomplish.

In the transmutation of gems, understand that the world is situated in the two stages of tincture and coagulation. Egg white can be tinged with saffron and coagulated into beautiful yellow amber; with pine soot into black amber; with verdigris into green amber like a blue stone or turquoise; with green juice into something like emerald; with lazurium into blue amber like sapphire; with brazilwood into red amber like garnet or ruby; with purple colour into something like amethyst; with ceruse into something like alabaster. In the same way all other liquors, especially metals and minerals, can be tinged with fixed colours, subsequently coagulated and transmuted into gems.

How false pearls are made.

Pearls can likewise be made entirely like true pearls in form, so that they cannot readily be distinguished by lustre and appearance. Purify egg white through a sponge as thoroughly as possible. Sprinkle in and mix the finest white talc, mother-of-pearl shell, or Mercury coagulated through Tin and reduced to fine powder. Grind everything very well together on marble into a thick amalgam, then dry it in the sun or behind a warm furnace until it is like cheese or similar. Finally form pearls of any desired size from this mass, attach them to pigs’ bristles and dry them pierced in this way like amber. They are then prepared. If they do not shine enough, anoint their outside with egg white and dry again. Very beautiful pearls result, like true pearls in form but not in virtue.

How false corals are made.

Corals are made in much the same way by those who seek to deceive people, as with the pearls just described. Grind cinnabar with egg white on marble for an hour, then dry it like potter’s clay. Form pills or little branches as desired, dry them thoroughly, anoint the outside with egg white as with the pearls and dry them again by themselves. Corals result which resemble native corals in appearance but not in virtue.

Golden and silver varnish.

Know also that egg white by itself can be coagulated into a very beautiful varnish, into which Silver or Gold can be sprinkled during coagulation.

How wood becomes stone.

There are many other different transmutations of natural things. I shall now briefly mention those I know and have experienced. First, any wood placed for a certain time in water of rock salt is wonderfully changed into stone. Stones are likewise transmuted by Etnean fire into coals, which are called stone coals.

Coals from stones.

Glue from skins.