uniper. 'Tis true, that
_Monardes_ himself also says, that the Wood is White; and it is affirm'd,
that the Wood which is of a Sadder Colour is Adulterated by being Imbu'd
with the Tincture of a Vegetable, in whose Decoction it is steep'd. But
having purposely enquir'd of the Eminentest of our _English_ Druggists, he
peremptorily deny'd it. And indeed, having consider'd some of the fairest
Round pieces of this Wood that I could meet with in these Parts, I had
Opportunity to take notice that in one or two of them it was the External
part of the Wood that was White, and the more Inward part that was of the
other Colour, the contrary of which would probably have appear'd, if the
Wood had been Adulterated after the afore-mention'd manner. And I have at
present by me a piece of such Wood, which for about an Inch next the Bark
is White, and then as it were abruptly passes to the above-mention'd
Colour, and yet this Wood by the Tincture, it afforded us in Water, appears
to have its Colour'd part Genuine enough; for as for the White part, it
appears upon tryal of both at once, much less enrich'd with the tingent
Property.

Next, whereas our Author tells us, that the Infusion of this Wood expos'd
in a Vial to the Light, looks like Spring-water, in which he afterwards
adds, that there is no Tincture to be seen in it, our Observation and his
agree not, for the Liquor, which opposed to the Darker part of a Room
exhibits a Sky-colour, did constantly, when held against the Light, appear
Yellowish or Reddish, according as its Tincture was more Dilute or Deep;
and then, whereas it has been already said, that the Caeruleous Colour was
by Acid Salts abolished, this Yellowish one surviv'd without any
considerable Alteration, so that unless our Author's Words be taken in a
very Limited Sense, we must conclude, that either his Memory mis-inform'd
him, or that his White _Nephritick_ Wood, and the Sadder Colour'd one which
we employ'd, were not altogether of the same Nature: What he mentions of
the Cup made of _Lignum Nephriticum_, we have not had Opportunity to try,
not having been able to procure pieces of that Wood great enough, and
otherwise fit to be turned into Cups; but as for what he says in the Title
of his Experiment, that this Wood tinges the Water with all Sorts of
Colours, that is much more than any of those pieces of Nephritick Wood that
we have hitherto employ'd, was able to make good; The change of Colours
discernable in a Vial