404 METALS—THE NOBLER.
Again,
" A word fitly spoken," says Solomon, in the Book of Proverbs, " is
like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver." " Take away the dross from
the Silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer."
Furthermore, a German maxim, quoted by Carlyle, tells, that whilst "
Speech is Silver, silence is Gold."
By
the Spaniards the metal Silver is called " Platta," being the best, and
most perfect metal next to Gold. " It is white, hard, extensible, and
very agreeable to the sight."
" Concerning the ' Lapis Infernalis, or
the Silver Caustick," wrote M. Pomet (1712), " this stone is much used
by surgeons to burn, and consume dead and superfluous flesh ; but
special care must be taken not to touch the sound flesh, because the
stone will not fail to burn it, and cause an extremity of pain,
especially if the place be wet." " Silver is proper for those who have
used too great a quantity of quicksilver, either from without, or taken
inwardly ; for, it binds, or amalgamates itself with this, in the
body, and, depriving it of its weight, takes away its virtue." The
metal Silver is alleged by several authors to be an infallible medicine
for diseases of the head, and brain. The Astrologers, and the
Alchymists called Silver ''Luna," because they imagined this metal to
be "of the same matter as the moon, and that it receives from that
luminary continual nourishment." " It sympathizeth," wrote Dr. Schroder
(1660), " with the moon in the macrocosm ; and with the brain in the
microcosm." " It is held as a special strengthener of the brain, to
comfort the animal spirits, being good in all head diseases,
epilepsies, apoplexyes, etc." " It hath been found out that the Silver
spirit (Closs.) takes out the root of the epilepsie." " The magistery
of Silver," tells Dr. Salmon (Pharmacopeia
