Liquors was pour'd into it.

Having made, _Pyrophilus_, divers Tryals upon this Nephritick Wood, we
found mention made of it by the Industrious Jesuit _Kircherus_, who having
received a Cup Turned of it from the _Mexican_ Procurator of his Society,
has probably receiv'd also from him the Information he gives us concerning
that _Exotick_ Plant, and therefore partly for that Reason, and partly
because what he Writes concerning it, does not perfectly agree with what we
have deliver'd, we shall not Scruple to acquaint you in his own Words, with
as much of what he writes concerning our Wood, as is requisite to our
present purpose. _Hoc loco_ (says he)[17] _neutiquam omittendum duximus
quoddam ligni candidi Mexicani genus, quod Indigenae Coalle & Tlapazatli
vocant, quod etsi experientia hucusque non nisi Caeruleo aquam colore
tingere docuerit, nos tamen continua experientia invenimus id aquam in omne
Colorum genus transformare, quod merito cuipiam Paradoxum videri posset;
Ligni frutex grandis, ut aiunt, non raro in molem arboris excrescit,
truncus illius eft crassus, enodis, instar piri arboris, folia ciceris
foliis, aut rutae haud absimilia, flores exigui, oblongi, lutei & spicatim
digesti; est frigida & humida planta, licet parum recedat a medio
temperamento. Hujus itaque descriptae arboris lignum in poculum efformatum,
aquam eidem infusam primo in aquam intense Caeruleam, colore floris
Buglossae; tingit, & quo diutius in eo steterit, tanto intensiorem colorem
acquirit. Hanc igitur aquam si Vitreae Sphaerae infuderis, lucique exposueris,
ne ullum quidem Caerulei coloris vestigium apparebit, sed instar aquae purae
putae fontanae limpidam claramque aspicientibus se praebebit. Porro si hanc
phialam vitream versus locum magis umbrosum direxeris, totus humor
gratissimum virorem referet; si adhuc umbrosioribus locis, subrubrum, & sic
pro rerum objectarum conditione, mirum dictu, colorem mutabit; in tenebris
vero vel in vase opaco posita, Caeruleum colorem suum resumet._

[17] Kircher. Art. Mag. lucis & umbrae, _lib. 1. part. 3._

In this passage we may take notice of the following Particulars. And first,
he calls it a White _Mexican_ Wood, whereas (not to mention that
_Mornardes_ informs us that it is brought out of _Nova Hispania_) the Wood
that we have met with in several places, and employ'd as _Lignum
Nephriticum_, was not White, but for the most part of a much Darker Colour,
not unlike that of the Sadder Colour'd Wood of J