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82
OMNIANA.

probably require many centuries before he makes the tour of the island.

198. Spectral Flowers.

When Christina of Sweden visited the Propaganda College, Kircher prepared many curious and remarkable things for her inspection. "She stayed some time to consider the herb called Phœnix, which resembling the Phœnix, grew up in the waters perpetually out of its own ashes. She saw the fountains and clocks, which by virtue of the loadstone turn about with secret force. She saw the preparation of the ingredients of herbs, plants, metals, gems, and other rare things for the making of treacle and balsome of life. She saw them distil with the fire of the same furnace sixty five sorts of herbs in as many distinct limbecks. She saw the philosophical calcination of ivory and the like. She saw extracted the spirits of vitriol, salt, and aqua fortis, as likewise a jarre of