Sigismond Bacstrom
CONTENTS
Preface
I. Of Sulphur - Sol
II. Of Our Mercury - Regulus of Antimony and Mars
III. Of the Secret Fire- Sublimate of Mercury
IV. Of Rebis
V. Of the Three Principles
VI. Of the Furnace and Glass
VII. Of the Work
PREFACE
The following extracts selected from numerous authors,
contain a full elucidation of the hidden art on which so many thousand
volumes have been written. The writings of these Philosophers, as they call
themselves, and many of them were well entitled to that appellation, are for
the greater part, indeed we may say all of them, written with studied
ambiguity, to conceal the art, a disclosure of which, they were persuaded,
could not fail to prove prejudicial to mankind, though eventually it would be
far otherwise. The obscurity, however, which pervades their writings, ought not
to be wholly ascribed to their wishes to conceal their knowledge. It is true
that much of it may be attributed to that love of mystery which held the
diffusion of knowledge to be impious and wicked because, forsooth, a bad use of
it might be made by bad and impious men; and it is equally true that the fables
and metaphors they made use of in the communication of that portion they were
willing to communicate were often so ill chosen, so absurd, inapplicable and
contradictory, that no person, but the one who had the ingenuity to devise
them, could ever comprehend what they were intended to convey - but the
principal cause of the veil that covers these writings, continuing so
impenetrable, is the change, the happy change, that Philosophy has undergone,
since the dark ages, which has tended to render writings, that in themselves
were obscure even to the philosophers of the time, who yet, had a perfect
knowledge of the systems of the day, almost incomprehensible to those who make
themselves acquainted only with the modern systems.
The Ancients pretended to much more knowledge than the
Moderns lay claim to. The knowledge that certain invariable effects followed
certain causes was not enough in their eyes: the cause of the cause was also to be explained! Nor was
this difficult with men who were allowed to make whatever use of words might
best suit their dogmas. When they had traced effects to their causes, through
as many links as they were able, they always came to first principles and
elements, and these were invariably the same! - whatever was the
subject on which they treated! The most ancient first principles were Sulphur
and Mercury, and to these in process of time was added Salt;
but all and each of these were composed of the four elements, Fire, Air,
Earth, and Water! The former, as employed by the Sophi, were
mere terms of art, and very often had no relation whatever to the
substances now known by these names. They were generic terms for certain
principles predominating or supposed to predominate, in the subject of which
they treated - a kind of Proteus to which they could give any shape, and by
which they explained to their own satisfaction at least, the most intricate
operations of Nature. Hence not only minerals, but vegetables and animals were
all composed of the same principles; salt, sulphur, and mercury! Nor was this a
difficult thing to comprehend when once the disciple made himself acquainted
with the powers of Archaeus, the workman employed by Nature in all her
operations! It is true these Philosophers often disagreed in their detail of
these intricate operations, but as all of them landed in the same elements,
they were all sound at bottom and in general were perfectly satisfied
with each other!
But however defective their philosophy might be, certain it
is their knowledge in some particulars went far beyond what the moderns, with
all their advantages, can pretend to lay claim to. Their prime and grand
Arcanum was the Philosophers’ Stone - a secret which they concealed
with much care, and which yet they were anxious should be discovered by a few,
from their writings. And the only wonder is that it has not, long ere now,
become as common as any other art. Their claim to this knowledge is not allowed
by the moderns, but those who deny it cannot have examined the evidence with
sufficient care: indeed many who talk most confidently on this topic are by no means qualified to give
an opinion of the smallest weight, on the question, and in fact are much less
entitled to be considered Philosophers than those ancients whom they affect to
despise.
A slight cursory reading of a few of the Authors, who have
written on this art, will not enable any inquirer to discover where harmony
exists among them; much less will it enable him to reconcile differences which
arise from the different ways in which they have respectively chosen to handle
their subject. His knowledge cannot be acquired in a few months, no, nor even
in a few years - and yet when once it is acquired it may be communicated to
another, who has made himself a little acquainted with the old philosophers, in
a few hours. The great difficulty in reading their writings is to distinguish
between their abstract, ideal principles, and those which are corporeal,
tangible, and actually employed in the work. The most candid among them admit,
without any disguise. That though they talk so much about the elements,
meaning the four elements, that with them the Artist hath nothing to do. He
must leave Nature to work with these as she pleases; nor need he trouble
himself with making the principles; salt, sulphur, and mercury, but take such
as nature will provide him with, ready made. What then are the substances which
the Alchemists employed as their mercury, sulphur, and salt? It is true that
what one makes to be his mercury another puts for his salt; that in their mode
of Philosophizing they are often put one for another; and that all of them are
given innumerable names and to each of them often the same name - but it is
equally true that however various the appellations are that are given to them,
each of them are described, times innumerable, by their own proper characters
and properties, in the writings of the Philosophers; and that in number they
are but three answerable to the three principles - held by the
ancients to be the first products of their four elements. It is true it is
called “one thing”, “two”, three”, “four”, and “five”, but these expressions,
are mere quibbles, intended not merely to puzzle the ignorant, but to surprise the Adepts who might chance to see the work; for
many wrote on this art, more for the purpose of showing to others who possessed
the secret, that the author also knew it, than from any desire to communicate
knowledge to the ignorant - and what is worse, many wrote and published books
who knew nothing whatever of the subject.
The passages selected for the following pages are such as
relate most directly to the three principles or materials, the Furnace and
Vessel, the work itself and signs which accompany it, and multiplication and
transmutation. The remarks included between crochets [in this manner] are no
part of the text of the Authors quoted, but are introduced as helps to explain
the passages in which they occur.
Part I. The first principle, the ground work and
foundation of the whole art is Gold - common pure gold, without any
ambiguity or double meaning. This is “Our Sulphur”.
Part II. The second is Mercury, not common
quicksilver, however, but that substance to which the Philosophers have given
the name of “Our Mercury”, “Our Diana”, “Our Moon”, “Our Luna”, “Unripe Gold”,
and many other names.
Part III. The third is what they call their “Secret
Fire”, “Our Mercurial Water”, “Dissolving Water”, “Fire against Nature”, Spirit
of Life”, “The Moon”, “The Priest”, etc.
The first being well purified, and the second properly
prepared, they are then joined together, and the compound which is called Rebis
is then reduced to powder and mixed with the third. Thus are all the three
principles united in proper proportion. Selections respecting the union of the
former, form Part IV in the following pages - Part V consists of selections
respecting the union of the three principles - Part VI of the furnace and
vessel in which the matter is digested or concocted.
Part VII is passages which more or less include all the
former, but are more full as to the mode of procedure and the effects that
follow.
Sigismond Bacstrom, M.D.
PART I
OF SULPHUR SOL
Sendivogius
The invisible tinging spirit is the pure fire of GOLD…
the father of the Stone is Sol.
Pandora
As Gold is the most perfect of all the metals so Gold
contains the tincture of Redness - Silver a tincture of perfect
whiteness.
Rosarium
He who knows how to make a tinging venom from Gold and
its shadow that is Luna [i.e. common silver] obtains our Stone.
Alanus
He that knows not how to extract the Soul from the body of Gold
or of Silver and to return it to the body, wholly deviates from the
right path.
Laurentius Ventura
You will never arrive at any perfection unless Sol and
Luna [our Moon] be united into one body.
Whosoever will obtain a true work let him take the heat
of Sol and the Moon’s spittle [Join the two in Rebis].
Artephius
You must extract a living and incombustible water, and then
congeal or coagulate it with the perfect body of Sol.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
Whosoever desires to enjoy the secret Golden Fleece, let him
know that our Gold-making Powder (which we call our Stone) is only Gold digested
into the highest degree of purity and subtile fixity, whereto it may be
brought, by nature and a discreet Artist; which gold, thus essentificated, is
called our gold (and is no more vulgar) and is the period of the
perfection of nature and Art… Let Gold therefore be the one true sole principle
of Gold making… This doth in our work supply the place of the male, therefore
it is joined [in rebis] to our white and more crude gold [The Regulus of
Antimony and Mars is called unripe].
The Same
Sulphur doth, in his work, supply the place of the
male [observe the Sol is here called Sulphur], and whosoever undertakes the
transmutation art without it, all his attempts will be in vain; for all the
Wise men affirm, that there can be no tincture made without its Latten before
called Sulphur, which Latten is Gold without any double speaking… In
Gold, [common fine Gold], which is the gold of the Sophi, the tincture of
goodness lies hid.
D’Espagnet
Whosoever seeketh the art of perfecting and multiplying
metals, out of the nature of metals, goes in error, for from metals must metals
be derived even as from man, man… Perfect bodies [Gold or Silver] are endued
with a more perfect seed, and under the hard bark of the perfect metals the
perfect seed lies hid - In auro semina sunt auri, quamvis abstruse
recedant longuis.
The Same
They that hold sulphur and mercury to be the
matter of the Stone, by the name of sulphur they understand Sol and common Luna… He that seeks for a physical tincture
without Sol or Luna, losest both his cost and pains; for Sol affordeth a
most plentiful tincture of redness, and Luna of whiteness, for only these two
are called perfect, because they only are filled with the substance of purest
sulphur, perfectly clarified by the skill of Nature.
Artephius
Nature is to be amended by its own like nature, that is Gold
or Silver are to be exalted in our water.
Sendivogius
Although thou shouldest have the first matter, according to
the Philosophers, yet would it be unprofitable for thee to multiply that
central salt without Gold… The Philosophers’ stone or tincture, is
nothing else but Gold digested to the highest degree: for vulgar gold is
like an herb without seed, which when ripened will bring forth seed… Gold, may
yield fruit, and seed, in which it multiplies itself, by the industry of a
skilful artist, who knows how to exalt Nature… The body which yields the seed
is Gold: Luna or silver, not the common [but our Silver, the Regulus of
Antimony and Mars], is that which receives the seed of the Gold. [This Luna is
the garden in which the solar scion is planted].
Water Stone of the Wise
Mercury, the terrestrial body of gold must be dissolved,
destroyed and putrefied, and deprived of all its powers [its native
properties].
Eraeneus Philaletha
Whatever any sophist may suggest or any sophistical author
may affirm, let none take you from this ground: viz., that as the end you look
for is Gold, so let Gold be the subject on which you operate and no other.
Metallurgia
Since the Alchemists can obtain this sulphur they may
rejoice! All agree that the sulphur of the Philosophers comes out of gold.
This is the foundation of their universal medicine: this is the little golden
book which Trevisan says he won [discovered] with great soul-labouring, and
which dropped out of his hands into the fountain, after which he saw it no
more… The King alone enters the fountain [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars when
rebis is made], out of which he received his beginning and essence in the
mines… This is the rose-coloured blood of the lion which, according to
the Turba, must be united with the gluten of the Eagle.
Vade Mecum Philosophicum
By “the Root” Count Bernard Trevisan means the same
that Ripley does by “the basis of the work”; namely, the mature
sulphur, which is in gold, perfectly digested… This root is the chiefest
principle in our work… It is so called because it has the effect to introduce
perfection or determination, and brings the other principles to its own
perfection. Therefore it is denominated by Ripley “the Fire of Nature”
and “the Father of the third menstruum”, and not without reason; for
this one principle determinates and glorified the two other principles.
Augurellus
Seek not the principles of Gold any where else; for in Gold
is the seed of Gold: though being close shut up it retires deep and is to be
sought by us with tedious labour.
Raymund Lully
Two [metals] are more pure than the rest, namely, gold and
silver, without which the work cannot be begun or finished; because in them is
the purest substance of sulphur, perfectly united by the ingenuity of Nature.
Out of these two bodies, prepared with sulphur or arsenic, our medicine may be
extracted.
Trevisan
The subject of this admired science is Sol and Luna,
or rather Male and Female. The male [Sol] is hot and dry, the female [our Luna]
cold and moist.
Ripley
Like as the Fire of brenning the principle is, so is the
principle of gilding, Gold, I wys.
If you intend to make Gold and Silver by craft of our
Philosophy, thereto neither eggs nor blood thou take, but Gold and Silver,
which naturally calcined, wisely and not manually.
A new generation will forth bring, Increasing their kind as
doth each thing.
Eyraeneus Philoctetes
Seeing the perfection of matter is form why
should any studious in Philosophy neglect to contemplate the perfection of Gold…
If its permanency and beauty be not such as to captivate his thoughts and hands
from working on tings impure and fading, I must tell him his offspring will not
be long lived, for such as the tree is, such is the fruit… This form is
called sulphur.
Bacon
Sol, which is our sulphur, is reduced into
Mercury by Mercury.
Geber
That Gold is the tinging sulphur appears by this:
that being mixed with Argent vive by sublimation it transforms it into a red
colour.
Avicenna
Gold being the most noble among metals, the most compact,
perfect, and fixed, if it be dissolved and separated in most little parts it
becomes spiritual and volatile like the Mercury and that by reason of its heat;
and then it hath a Tincture without end, and that tincture is called the hot
masculine sperm.
Rhasis
We truly do dissolve Gold that it may be reduced into its
first nature, which is to say Mercury.
Sawtre
All Sol is brass, but all brass is not Sol… Therefore use
always the nobler member, that is to say Sol; for it is the kind of
kinds, and Form of Forms: it is the first and last in metals, and it
is among them in their natures as the Sun is among the Stars [It can
communicate light to them].
Hydropyrographum Hermeticum
My son thou oughtest to choose no other Body for thy work
but Gold, for all other bodies are rank and imperfect; and therefore the
philosophers do make the choice of Gold before all other things… the most
perfect, illuminating all other bodies and infusing life into them… Therefore
my son observe that the red philosophical sulphur is in the Gold… All the
philosophers do witness that their red sulphur is Gold.
Johannis De Monte Raphaim
If you wish to obtain the greatest secret you must endeavor
not only to purify vulgar gold, but also to tinge it so that it may become
seven times more red... To make Sol still more perfect than it is naturally is
not in the power of Nature, but this may and must be accomplished by an
intelligent artist if he wishes to obtain the jewel of knowledge.
PART II
OF OUR MERCURY THE REGULUS OF ANTIMONY AND MARS
Metallurgia
They err who advise Gold to be amalgamated with common
mercury, or with antimonial or some other running mercury made of a metal;
endeavoring to preserve the same in a quick, fluid mercuriosity by all kinds of
foolish processes - endeavoring to find out the Arcanum of our Tincture
without taking away the first life, notwithstanding the Philosophers declare
that Our mercury is not a living [i.e., a fluid or running] but
coagulated mercury [i.e., a regulus].
Vade Mecum
A crude immature and coagulated Mercury vive, not yet fixed,
is the destroyer of the perfect bodies [Gold and Silver] for truly it destroys
them, incrudates and softens them, and renders them fit for our work. It is the
offspring of Saturn and is acknowledged as such by the Philosophers, and it is
the only and greatest secret in the whole art.
It is necessary that it be freed from all superfluous and
burning sulphur with which it is joined in the mine [being found in the state
of a sulphuret], after which that which lies hidden n the center thereof will
be manifested… The sign of its right preparation is a beautiful whiteness, like
the purest silver, a heavenly brightness and a wonderful glittering on the face
of its fractures when broken, like the polish of a bright sword… in its crude
state it is a poison… a thousand names have been given to it… Ripley calls it a
Green Lion which devours the Sun… In the Turba Philosophorum it
is called Sea-water in which the perfect body is decocted until
it [the sea-water] is congealed… It is the offspring of old Saturn, for
which reason it has by some been called Venus, and principally for this reason - because she hath been
connected with the warlike Mars and been caught by Vulcan in the act
[Iron is added in preparing the regulus]. It has also been called a wood and
has received the name of Diana. It is likewise called the Philosophical
Mercury… and by Artephius a middle substance - because neither a
mineral [crude Antimony] nor a [malleable] metal… It is, moreover, a middle
substance between the body [Gold] and the Spirit [secret Fire], between earth
and water. Compared to the perfect body it is pure spirit,
but compared with the mineral water [or secret fire] it is a body, and in truth
a hermaphroditical body… This is the true Protheus, the most wonderful
of all concrete bodies [N.B., a concrete]. When joined with the perfect
body they melt incredibly fast in a [comparatively] low heat, and the perfect
body is quickly changed, and even suddenly transformed, into the appearance of
mercury [being readily dissolved in the fused Regulus of Antimony and Mars];
and though in the air it be congealed [when cold] the whitening of the Red
laton is already conspicuous.
Sendivogius
We do not say, that the Mercury of the wise is a common
thing and that it is openly named, but the matter from which the Philosophers
extract their Sulphur and Mercury is common enough. The Mercury of the
Philosophers [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] is not found in the earth, but must
be prepared by art, by joining the Sulphur [of Mars] to the Mercury [of
Antimony]. He never shows himself openly, in his naked form. He is put under a
disguise by Nature [it is found in the form of a sulphuret]. We say Sulphur and
mercury are the minera of our Venus in a crude state [i.e., common Sulphur and
Antimony]; and this Mercury has a power to unlock, kill and revive the metals,
which power it has received when from the acid sulphur of its own nature.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
The father of our Hermaphroditical body is a metal [Mars]
and his mother a mineral [crude Antimony]; take then the most beloved daughter
of Saturn, whose arms are a circle Argent, and on it a sable cross,
on a black field, which is the signal note of the great world, espouse her to
the most warlike god who dwells in the house of Aries [In astrology Aries is
given to Mars as one of his houses], and thou shalt find the Salt of Nature.
With this Salt acuate thy Water.
The Same
They [the Magi] took the offspring of Saturn in hand… the
stylanx or trier of Gold… They found in this child of Saturn [Antimony] no
actual Sulphur, but only potential… Therefore they sought farther for an active
Sulphur, and that most thoroughly, and at length they found it in the house
Aries. This Sulphur is most greedily received by the child of Saturn… it draws it
to itself like a magnet, and swallows it up in its own belly and hides
it, and the Omnipotent hath imprinted his royal seal thereon.
Nodus Sophicus
Place your whole foundation on the Salt [the salt of
Nature], as in the salt is the principal secret, so much concealed by the old
masters.
Incertus Macrocosmus
In the first degree the Stone is called Adrop, Philosophical
lead, Antimony. In the second [when the Sulphur of Mars has been joined
to it] it is called the Philosophers’ water, the Philosophers’ Mercury.
The Same
The body of [our] salt, on account of its fiery spirit is
called Mercury. By the Eagle the Philosophers understand mercurial water, and by salt they understand Saturn, [i.e.,
the offspring of Saturn, the Regulus of Antimony and Mars].
Sendivogius
Our Azoth is the seed of all metals and has been formed by
Nature nearly of an equality of the Elements and metallic concordance.
Therefore in this alone, and in no other thing, the strongest power is to be
looked for and to be found. In all Nature there is but one ting from which our
art proceeds, and this is mercury, but not vulgar running mercury. It is a
stone and no stone, and is only called a stone by way of similitude.
1. Because its minera or Ore, when dug out of the mine in
its matrix, is truly a stone and a hard dry subject [Ore of Antimony] which can
be pounded and reduced to a powder like a stone.
2. Because after the destruction of its [natural] form,
(which must be taken from it as a stinking burning sulphur) and dissection of
its parts natural, it must finally be digested [with the other elements of the
Lapis] into a Stone, fixed and permanent in the fire and fusible like wax.
Now if you know for what you inquire, you must certainly
know this our stone; for you must possess the seed of that which you wish to
generate or multiply. Therefore bend your mind entirely to the first metallic
concrete which Nature has brought to a metalline form, but left unripe and
imperfect. In this [when you have called in the aid of the warlike god] you
will find our salt, Mercury, and Sulphur, tender and highly pure. In this Our
Diana you will also find the saline mercurial water inclosed in the
Fountain.
Anonymous
Having found the true subject, the true root of potable
gold, you must observe that for its preparation and solution not the body of
gold [not gold itself in this first work] but the primum ens of Gold [viz., Mars] which contains within
itself that medicinal fiery element, conquering and penetrating all things, is
to be taken.
Artephius
Antimony is a mineral participating of saturnine parts and
has in all respects the nature thereof. This saturnine antimony agrees with old
and contains in itself argentum vivum, in which no metal is swallowed up
except gold; and gold is truly swallowed up by this antimonial argent vive… for
this water is friendly and agrees with the metals, whitening gold,
because it contains in itself white or pure argent vive.
The Same
Now this water is a certain middle substance, clear as fine
silver [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars].
Eyraeneus Philaletha
The whole secret of our preparation is, that you take that
mineral which is next of kin to gold and to mercury, [Antimony]; impregnate
this with volatile gold, which is found in the reins of Mars - with this
purify your mercury, until seven times are past; then it is fitted for the
King’s bath. Yet know that from seven times to ten, the mercury [Regulus of
Antimony and Mars] is made better and better.
Sendivogius
There is granted unto us one metallic substance which hath a
power to consume the rest, for it may be considered their water and mother. Yet
there is one thing, namely the radical moisture of the sun [Sol] and moon
[Luna] that withstands it, and is bettered by it. That I may discover it to
you, it is called chalibs, or Steel [Regulus of Antimony and Mars]… There is
another chalibs [common Antimony], which resembles this, created of itself by
Nature, which knows how to draw forth, by virtue of the sun beams, [viz., the volatile Sol of
mars], that [philosophers’ mercury, the Regulus of Antimony and Mars] which so
many men seek after, and this [crude chalibs, mature Antimony], is the
beginning of our work [for with it, by means of Mars, we make our sophic
chalibs].
Incertus
The Philosophers’ Lead is not Lead Ore [or common lead] but
the stellated regulus of Antimony.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
Take that thing [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars] which we
please to call gold, but it is not gold [not yet ripe gold] yet it is in truth
gold [our unripe gold]. It is metallic and proceedeth from a mineral [Antimony].
Art by the help of Nature reneweth this. It sheweth an ugly face to a fool, but
to a son of art, is appears admirable. It is stellar-white, [the regulus
must be pure and stellated] and tender in its youth and to many people
appears mean and vulgar, nay most people deem it a thing of no value. From this
is made a thing of great worth [the perfected Red powder of projection]; shew
that thing to a Goldsmith and he will swear it is gold [having the appearance
of a splendid deep coloured gold calx] but sell it not if you be wise, for it
is the basis of many-fold secrets. [When once obtained you have only to feed
and multiply it, and this you may do ad infinitum].
Cato Chymicus
The four seasons of the year in our work are as follows: the
winter is the Ravens-head; spring brings the White Dove or Swan;
the summer citrine, and autumn perfect Redness.
Boerhaave
The term menstruum seems to have had its rise thus:
Lully and other ancient chemists observing the most kindly solutions to be made by a digestion with a heat no greater
than that of the human body, in about 40 days, they termed this space of time a
philosophical month, and the solvent employed a menstruum intimating
that the body performed the dissolution by a menstrual digestion. This term,
indeed, was at first appropriated to the solvent for the Philosophers’ stone,
but afterwards came to be applied generally to all solvents.
All minerals of a metalline nature are solid menstrual, and
especially Antimony which dissolves metals with as much ease as fire thaws ice.
But there is no method yet known of recovering the metals with which Antimony
has once been fused: all of them except gold, being lost in cupellation
therewith, which furnishes reason to suspect that it destroys the metalline Form.
This is certain, that nothing is better suited to alter the
nature of metals than Antimony. Whence I cannot but suspect the Adepts made use
of antimony as a menstruum in the preparation of their stone; nor do I believe
there is a better way to obtain that secret. At least were I to go in quest of
it, I should willingly begin my inquiries with this property of antimony.
Eyraeneus Philoctetes
Beware of common sulphur, which in no wise is fit for
our intent, being an enemy to metalline love; capable indeed of vitiating, but
not really marrying a virgin mercury [Antimony], but being ambitious and
powerful enough to compel, usurps the throne, [being joined with antimony in
the sulphuret] and truly possesseth the same in peace, till the right heir
[first Mars and afterwards Sol], comes, who is stronger than he, who
dispossesseth and casts him out, and takes possession himself. Let thy work
therefore in practice be to assist the right heir [separate the common Sulphur
by means of Mars].
Hydropyrographum Hermeticum
All the metals have their rise from water, the root of all
metals. Therefore they are reduced into water, as ice by heat is reduced into
water, because it hath been water before… It [our Water] disposeth the bodies
[of gold or silver] readily. It is father and mother; it openeth and shuteth,
and reduceth metals into what they were in the beginning. It disposeth the
bodies and coagulates itself along with them. The spirit [our secret
fire] is carried upon the water [i.e., is added to it]: that is, the power of
the spirit is seen to operate there, which is done when [or after] the body is
put into the water [i.e., the secret fire must not be added till after you have
made Rebis]… One of the greatest secrets, my son, is to free this stone or
mercury vive from its natural bonds… that is to reduce and dissolve it into its
primogenial water [the natural crude Sulphur must be separated from it and the
Sulphur of Mars substituted] for unless this is done all will prove but lost
labour…
Let him who by Divine assistance obtaineth this blessed
water render thanks to God, for he hath the Key in his hands wherewith he may
open the fast locks of all metallic chests… This blessed water is called, by
the philosophers, the daughter of Pluto, having all treasures in her power. It
is also termed the white, pure, delicate, undefiled virgin Beja, without which
no generation nor increase can be effected. And therefore the philosophers
espoused this delicate pure virgin to Gabricius, to the end they might raise
fruit [first joining them in Rebis and then by adding the secret fire]…
Although Gabricius be costlier and more esteemed by the world than Beja yet he
alone can produce no fruit.
To this virgin and blessed water the philosophers have, in
their books, given many thousand names. They call it heaven, celestial water,
celestial rain, the dew of heaven, May dew, water of paradise, parting water,
aqua regia, a corrosive aqua fort, sharp vinegar, brandy, quintessence of wine,
growthful green juice, a growing mercury, a viridescent water and Leo
viridis, quicksilver, menstruum, blood, urine, horse piss, milk, virgin’s
milk, white arsenick, silver, Lune, juice of Lune, a woman, feminine seed,
sulphureous vapouring water and smoke, a fiery burning spirit, a deadly
piercing poison, and basilisk that killeth all, a venomous worm - serpent - dragon - a scorpion devouring his children, a hellish fire, a sharp salt,
sal-ammoniac, common salt, sharp soap, lye, a viscous oil, ostrich stomach
devouring and concocting all, an eagle - vulture, bird of Hermes, a melting
and calcining furnace - with innumerable names of birds, beasts, herbs,
juices, etc.
Leona Constantia
Let the two heroes Saturn [Antimony] and Mars [iron] fight
together. Though the former is peaceably incline let them have three or four
violent assaults [viz., by the addition of Nitre in the crucible when making
the Regulus]. After this they will be reconciled, and as a token thereof they
will erect a glorious banner, resembling a star.
Multum In Parvo
The Chalibs of Sendivogius is the Regulus of Antimony and
Mars, which is the first and the coagulated Mercury of the Philosophers; but it
must be highly pure… The philosophers’ Mercury, which dissolves Gold and
Silver, is a dry mercury otherwise it could not be coagulated with the perfect
metals.
Johannis De Monte Raphaim
Old Saturn presents us with a brilliant ore produced in its
mine out of the first matter of all metals… In Antimony and in vitriol [viz.,
Sublimed Mercury formerly held to be a white Salt] is much good… This universal
mercury [viz., of old Saturn] is nothing else, [N.B.] but the Astral Salt which
some have called heavenly.
Marrow of Alchemy
The substance which we first in hand do take: ‘Tis mineral,
to Mercury of kin Which a crude Sulphur in the earth doth bake - Vile to the
sight yet glorious within ‘Tis Saturn’s child what need you any more? Conceive
it right, for this is our first door…
This is our Dragon… This their Green Lion, which with charms
they spell’d Hoping at length his fury for to tame. On Cadmus sociates they let
him prey And by his might they found he won the day The fray was over, lo a
morning star From out the earth was seem for to appear… The salt, in Saturn’s
offspring it is found… The sulphur in the house of Aries seek This is the magic
fire of the wise O heat the King’s bath… This kingly work th’ Almighty seals,
to teach The prudent, that the royal infant here Is born, whom straight they
diligently search And by the Star to him they are brought near… This
substance is stellate… This is our steel, our true hermaphrodite: This
is our moon… our unripe gold… Old Saturn’s son let two parts taken be Of
Cadmus one, and these so long be sure By Vulcan’s aid to purify, till (free
from faeces) the metalline part be pure This shall be done in four reiterations
The Star shall teach you perfect operations.
PART III
OF THE SECRET FIRE SUBLIMATE OF MERCURY
Nodus Sophicus Enodatus
Our Philosophical mercurial water [secret Fire] is the Key
whereby all coagulated, fixt and unfixed metallic and mineral bodies are
radically and physically dissolved and reduced into their first principle. This
mercurial water has been kept very secret by all the philosophers, as the
secret of the whole art.
Dienheim
When this spirit [Mercury] has been sublimed [converted
into sublimate] it is called, the water which washes and cleanses itself;
because [I the work] it ascends with its most subtil essence and leaves its
corrupting particles behind. This ascension the Philosophers have named
Distillation, Washing, Sublimation.
Flamel
Or whole secret and work is made with Our Water, and from it
and by it we obtain all that we require. It dissolves the body, not by a common
solution, as the ignorant think, who look for a clear water like that of rain,
but by a true philosophical solution, so that the body is converted into an
unctuous and viscous water [azoth] out of which the metals were originally
formed.
Nodus Sophicus Enodatus
How this philosophical water or fire, water of
mercury, is to be prepared, the philosophers have carefully hidden. Raymond
Lully has written better of it than others, but in a disguised manner.
Flamel
The life of all things is the water. His water makes
a solution of the body, and the spirit [rebis] and gives life to dead things.
Mathaeus Erben von Brandau
Whoever wishes to work by my advice… let him learn to make vitriol
and nitre, before he attempts this secret work, otherwise he will
fail in practice. [He means the Sophic vitriol, Sublimed Mercury, in which,
however, there is no vitriolic acid. Several salts were anciently called
vitriols to which that name is not now given].
Anonymous Verbum Dismissum
The quicksilver used by Philosophers is purified from its
terrestrial stench and filth by a philosophical sublimation.
Artephius
The whole of this secret is… Antimony, and a mercurial
sublimate.
Radix Chymiae
When Mercury is sublimated with Roman or blue Vitriol and
common salt, the mercury ascends from them snow white, and carries up with him the
Quinta Essentia of the Vitriol, so that in such a sublimate the Quinta Essentia
of Vitriol is invisibly concealed, although the sublimate appears snow-white
[such was the opinion of the old chemists]. If you want this mercury to conquer
the Gold he requires seven or nine Eagles, that is: 7 or 9 sublimations.
[We know that when rightly performed one sublimation makes it as perfect as a
hundred].
Dr T.M. Faustius
The clearest and best description how to prepare the secret
Fire, according to the practice of former times: Sublimed Mercury is dissolved
in Aquafort, the Aquafort is then distilled from it, and the calx is sublimated
snow-white - and there remains behind, in the bottom of the vessel part of
the Mercury burnt and foul. The pure Sublimate, is dissolved agian in fresh
Aquafort, distilled and sublimed again, and this purification and sublimation
is repeated 3 times, or until after sublimation no faeces are left behind - and this they called quinta essentia mercurii et vitrioli, and of the same
nature as gold. [All that is wanted is a pure muriate, or oxymuriate of
mercury].
Artephius
Our moist fire, by dissolving and subliming that
which is pure and white, casts forth or rejects, its faeces or filth, like a
voluntary vomit… The pure and white substance ascends upwards, and the impure
and earthly remains fixed in the bottom… This must be taken away and removed
because it is of no value, taking only the middle white substance, rejecting
the foeculous earth which remains below, [and also any light flowers which may
rise into the neck of the subliming vessel]. The clear, white, pure, and clean
matter is wholly and only to be taken and made use of…
This sublimation is without doubt, the Key of the
whole work… In this whiteness [Sublimation] the Antimonial and Mercurial
soul, is by a natural compact infused into and joined with the spirits of Sol
and our Luna… In this whiteness is the soul infused into the body [this
is the priest that joins the male and female in an indissoluble union]… and in
this is our Philosophical sublimation [effected], not in the impure Mercury of
the vulgar, which has none of the properties which adorn our mercury drawn from
is vitriolic caverns [sublimed from salt and vitriol, as was anciently
the practice - vitriol being then considered indispensably necessary].
It is most certain therefore in this art that the soul
extracted from the bodies [Gold and our Luna] cannot be made to ascend, but by
adding to it a volatile matter [our secret Fire].
Eyraeneus Philaletha
I will tell thee, and that faithfully, what kind of water
this is, it is the water of Salt Peter, which is known as Mercury. [It
is a salt white like Salt Peter, but known to be mercurial}… Our water is truly
pontick. Serene, Christaline… we make it by art [by sublimation]…
Whosoever hath once made up our water nothing remains to be done but to cast in
a clean body [rebis] in a just quantity, shut the vessel and so let it stand
till the complement of the work.
Water Stone of the Wise
The Philosophers have written much of a vaporous water,
which they have called the fire of Wisdom, and they have said that this
is material or elemental, but [yet] an essential or supernatural
fire, sometimes called a Divine fire - this is our aqua
Mercurii, which is excited by the help of common external heat,
administered by Art.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
Especially and before all things be careful in your internal
heat, viz., the proportion of your water [the Philosophical mercurial
Water] for your sulphur [Sol]. This you must add and supply to it in the
beginning of your work… This performs all the work within, and without this
your external heat is of no value.
Benedictus Figulus
When the Philosophers speak of mercury, understand our
mercury; by the water understand Mercury sublimated from its proper salt
and coagulated into a salt [Sublimed Mercury].
Clangor Buccinae
The Water [secret Fire] is the Spirit which
purifies, subtilizes, and whitens the body.
Ludus Puerorum
The Water is purifying and is the efficient cause of
the purity of the whole body and of the Medicine. The water [secret Fire]
operates two things in the earth [rebis]. It washes and tinges it. While
it washes it is called water, and when it tinges it is called Air.
Incertus
Distilled Vinegar is not the Vinegar of the Philosophers.
Their most sharp vinegar is the secret Fire, which extracts the essence from
antimony, that is from the Regulus of Antimony and Mars and forms Azoth.
Pandora
I [says Mercury] am the Father of all the metals, a viscous
water and a sulphurous earth. I am found in the depths of the mines, where I
was born: from me do all metals proceed. When I am in my natural running form,
common quicksilver, I perform some operations; but were I sublimed I could
perform wonderful operations… I am the living water, Lac virginis, and
every secret is in me.
H. Von Batsdorff
According to the ancients, not a Balneum Maria, nor ashes,
nor sand, but the Fire of the Calx vive [one of the names given to the
secret Fire], or the heat of our mercury [not our Diana but the sublimed
salt] is the right fire.
Bernard Trevisan
In our Art we employ a twofold heat - that of the
sulphur [Sol] and that of the Fire [the secret Fire] that the one
may assist the other. But the fire is not of the substance of matter [not
common combustible matter]… though it augments the work. Were it so it would
daily increase the work [leaving an incombustible residue] which is erroneous.
The fire which Nature requires governs, in a peculiar manner, the whole art,
and we can add nothing else. By a vehement fire [that is combustion] the
principles are not reciprocally altered among themselves [which is the
effect sought nor are they moved. Let there be made, therefore, a fire
continual [not needing to be replenished] digesting, not violent [not that of
actual combustion], subtil, inclosed [viz., in the glass], aerial, surrounding
[embracing the whole matter], altering and not burning. So may God love me, as
I have told thee the whole construction of the Fire. Consider,
therefore, my words and ruminate on them one by one. Verily the Fire comprehends
the whole Art.
The Same
In our work we must attend to the weight of the sulphur in
the Mercury. And since, as I have before said, the element of fire,
which does not predominate in Mercury, in its crude state is the very
thing that digests the matter, it is necessary that everyone, who would become
a true philosopher should know how much more subtle the element of fire is than
the other elements [viz., of our compound], and what proportion of it [by
weight viz.] is necessary to conquer them…
Now for a conclusion… lend an attentive ear. Our work is
made from one root and from two mercurial substances… conjoined by THE
FIRE in friendship, as the matter itself requires, assiduously boiled until out
of the two one is made [viz., by means of the conjunction effected by the
“inclosed” secret fire].
The Same
Our sulphur [Sol] when it is joined with its water
[our Luna] or Mercury doth by little and little consume and drink up the same by
the help of THE FIRE.
The Same
I deny not that a drossy and impure mercury may and ought, by
a simple salt, to be sublimed or purged once or oftener, according
to a due philosophic experience… For there are sublimations of mercury from
its own proper bodies which are conjoined and mingled with it, by an
amalgamation with it in its most inward parts, from which being oftentimes
raised and reunited, rejects and loses its superfluities, and is not confounded
in its nature; and afterwards it is very agreeable to the Philosophic work, and
powerful to dissolve metallic species.
Ripley
Thy water must be seven times sublimate, Else
shall no kindly dissolution be, Nor putrefying shall thou none see Like liquid
pitch, nor colours appearing, For lack of fire within thy glass working …
Therefore make fire thy glass within, Which brenneth the bodies more
than fire Elemental…
Botulphus
That gentle fire, which is the White Fire of the
Philosophers; is the greatest and most principal matter of the operation of the
Elements.
Laurentius Ventura
The whole art is comprehended in… Sol, Luna, and Mercury… In
two of these is found the sulphur white and red… the tinging rays… but the
Stone of Mercury unites and binds them both [The Stone of Mercury is the White
Fire].
Leona Constantia
Everyone knows how to boil over a fire, but if they know how
to boil FIRE in water their knowledge would shew them a different
work from that of the kitchen.
Artephius
The error in this work is chiefly to be attributed to
ignorance of the true fire, which is one of the moving principles that
transmutes the whole matter into the true philosophers’ stone… In a short time
that fire, without any laying on of hands will complete the whole work… And by
the means of this our fire the medicine will be multiplied - if joined with
the crude matter - not only in quantity but also in quality or virtue.
Therefore seek out this fire with all thy industry for having once found it
thou shalt accomplish thy desire, because it performs the whole work, and is
the true Key of all the Philosophers, which they have never yet revealed.
PART IV
REBIS
Eyraeneus Philaletha
We have three conjunctions, all which must be known by him
who intends to complete this mastery. The first is gross… it is the
amalgamation [by fusion] of Sol with our Mercury [the Regulus of
Antimony and Mars] which, because the mixture is made of two things, is called
conjunction diptative; and the Compound is now called Rebis, that is,
two things, according to the verse. Res Rebis est una confecta. In this
mixture there are two nature the one more active which is the Mercury, the
other more passive which is gold… These two then must be mixed… this is
a manual work [performed in a crucible], and the last manual work, next to the
putting and sealing of it in the egg.
Incertus
The beginning of this Art is One only thing [Rebis] composed
of two substances - a fixt [Sol] and an unfixed [our Luna]. One [Sol]
is the seed, the other is and remains the Mother. The one is the Red fixed
servant, the other is the White Wife. One is the Mercury [the
Regulus of Antimony and Mars], the other is the sulphur [i.e., Gold].
Pandora
As gold is the most perfect of all the metals, so gold
contains the tincture of redness - silver a white tincture, tinging with
perfect whiteness.
With these bodies the mercury is mixed [i.e., with either of
them] and is fixed [by its digestion afterwards with the secret Fire].
Sendivogius
The invisible tinging spirit is the pure fire of gold.
This is concealed and caught in the center of the coagulated salt [the Salt of
nature - our Mercury].
Our art is nothing else but an equal mixture of the powers
of the elements, of heat and dryness - cold and humidity; a natural equality;
a union of the man [Sol] and his wife [Diana], though the man proceeded from
the woman. This is a conjunction of the fire of nature [Sol] with the Radical
humidity of the metals [our Mercury].
Flamel
Take thy beloved son [Gold], more beloved than all thy other
children, and marry him with his own sister Beja, who is an amiable and tender
daughter [our Mercury]. Gabricius is the husband, Beja is the Wife She corrects
and ameliorates Gabricius, because he proceeded originally from his wife; and
although Gabricius is of a warmer constitution than Beja yet no conception can
take place without Beja. Now when Gabricius and Beja lie together in the bed
[the crucible] he quickly dies, for Beja conquereth Gabricius, holds him fast
and encloses him min her body, so that not the smallest atom of him remains
visible - with so much love and sympathy does she embrace him, conceive by
him, and divide him into the smallest invisible particles.
Johan de Monte Snyder
The universal medicine which cures all human and metallic
diseases is concealed in gold and its magnet [the Regulus of Antimony and
Mars], the Chalibs of Sendivogius.
Laurentius Ventura
These two are Sol [Gold] and Luna [our Luna]. You will never
obtain perfection unless Sol and Luna be united into one body.
Dyonisius Zacharias
The mercury that contains both metallic sulphurs [the
Sulphur of Mars in the Regulus and the Sulphur of Sol] is called animated
mercury [rebis]. After this central intimate conjunction, it is the genuine
animated mercury of the Philosophers.
Incertus Macrocosmus
From a motive of Christian Charity I will illustrate this
[the animated Mercury] a little as I sincerely pity honest well inclined
searchers of this Divine and true art, who lose their money and precious time
and but seldom obtain any thing. I will therefore point out what is to be done
with this matter that it may be brought to a fruit bearing joyful issue.
When you have got the true matter [Antimony], the viscous water,
as the most experienced philosophers call it, you must coagulate it into a saline
body; [make a Regulus of Antimony and Mars] in this body [called by many
the salt of Nature] lies concealed a fiery mercurial spirit [derived
from the Mars] but this is not common quicksilver [it is the Mercury of the
philosophers]. The metals of the philosophers are not the vulgar metals, as
gold, Silver, Mercury, Lead - The body of the salt, on account of its fiery
spirit is called mercury. By the Eagle they understand mercurial
water [secret Fire] and by salt they understand Saturn [the Regulus of
Antimony and Mars].
The true matter has been named by various appellations by
the philosophers, though in truth it is one thing, Rebis - the Philosophers’ mercury… the hermaphrodite. [When the Regulus
of Antimony and Mars is animated with Sol].
Mathaeus Erben von Brandau
Whosoever wishes to work by my advice, let him attend to
what I have written, and consider well what my Venus is [viz., the
regulus of Antimony and Mars called Venus because of her first connexion with
Mars in forming the Regulus] which must be married to the King [gold] that no
abortus be generated. Let him learn to make cinnabar [viz., Rebis, because when
Gold is joined to our Luna the two are fitted to produce by the after digestion
with secret fire, the Red tincture: this he should understand] before he
attempts this secret work, otherwise he will fail in practice.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
First take thy body which is Gold and the water [the Regulus
of Antimony and Mars] which is Mercury, the one [Gold] ready made by nature to
thy hand, the other thou must prepare… Mix these together in due proportion.
We have in our work properly three mercuries [gold: the
Regulus of Antimony and Mars: and secret Fire] of which one [the Regulus] is to
be prepared by the philosopher. This being joined with the perfect body, and
set to digest, [the secret Fire being first added] the glass is shut, and then,
in this first composition, is the matter called Rebis.
Sendivogius
If Gold couple eleven times with our Chalibs,
it sends forth its seed, and is debilitated almost unto death. The Chalibs
conceives and bears a son more excellent than his father; for when the seed is
put into its own matrix it purifies it, and makes it a thousand times
more fit and apt to bring forth the best and most excellent fruits. [The
Tincture is more excellent than gold, having redundant virtue]…
If thou give our Old man [i.e., the Philosophers’ Saturn,
viz., the Regulus of Antimony and Mars] Gold or Silver to swallow, so he may
consume them… thou shalt have a medicine to cure the leprosie [of the imperfect
metals]… Seek for that hidden thing out of which is made, after a wonderful
manner, such a moisture or humidity [Regulus of Antimony and mars] as doth
dissolve gold without violence; yea, as sweetly and naturally as ice doth metal
in warm water. [Gold does so in the sophic mercury when you make Rebis].
Nothing is so friendly to this as gold.
Helvetius
Elias the Artist hath told me, that the Chalibs of
Sendivogius, is the very mercurial metallic humidity whereby, or by the help of
which, an Artist can, without using any corrosive, extract the first Solar and
Lunar rays, and separate them from their bodies [Gold and Silver] in an
open crucible in the fire [joining the chalibs with Gold or with Silver, not
with both at once, but with either of them, to make Rebis].
Raymund Lully
The perfect body [Sol] must first be calcined in the
water [our Mercury] and therein reduced to an impalpable powder [be divided per
minima] before you take the second water [our mercurial water or secret Fire]
to unite therewith in its due proportion.
Kalid
Sol or Luna must be calcined philosophically with the first
water [our Luna that the perfect body [viz, the Sol or Luna vulgar] may be
opened and become porous to enable the second mercurial water [the secret Fire]
to have the readier ingress.
Metallurgica
When, by our art, we make the perfect sulphur [Sol] to
re-enter the womb of his mother [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars] uniting him
[in rebis] to that body whence he had his origin, he may again be born a second
time. In this operation the sulphur of Sol is united with the sulphur of Mars concealed
in the animated mercury [the Regulus of Antimony and mars] but not yet
bearing rule therein: so that sulphur [gold] is here united with sulphur [Mars]
and the one is mended by ye other.
Vade Mecum
Pure gold is of most difficult and hard fusion, but with Antimony
it melts in a moderate fire… If you mix Gold with Regulus of Antimony the
Gold forgets its pristine stubbornness in the fire, and now melts, like lead or
tin, in a small heat. Silver [which may be used in place of gold] though
difficultly fused per se, yet when mixed with it [the Regulus of
Antimony] the two soften each other to such a degree that separately to melt
them would require ten times more heat.
Bloomfield’s Blossoms
Join thou in one body with a perfect unity First the Red
man and the white woman these twain: One of the man’s substance
and of the woman’s three By liquifaction… which conjunction is called
diptative.
Kelly
Now what is meant by Man and Wife is this
Agent and patient, yet not two but one, Even as was Eva, Adam’s wife I wiss
Flesh of his flesh and none of his bone.
Rhasis
Make the marriage between the Red husband and the White wife
and thou shalt have the mastery.
PART V
OF THE THREE PRINCIPLES
Dienheim
As an egg is composed of 3 things, the shell, the white, and
the yolk, so our Philosophical Egg composed of a body, soul, and spirit. Yet in
truth it is but one thing [one mercurial genus], a trinity in unity and unity
in trinity - Sulphur, Mercury, and Arsenic.
Flamel
They say that the three things are of one nature, of one
matter and essence, one water and one root - and they verily tell the truth.
Basil Valentine
The three principles of the Universal are but one thing - the true spirit of mercury and Anima sulphuris, with the Spiritual salt, untied
under one heaven and dwelling in one body. This is the Dragon and the Eagle
[Regulus and secret Fire], the King, the Lion [Sol] - The green lion [Regulus
of Antimony and Mars], the Spirit [secret Fire], and the body [Gold].
Anonymus Verbum Dismissum
Compose therefore our most secret stone from these three
things and nothing else, for in no other things are contained that which so
many seek after. This amalgama or natural composition, when managed in the
right manner, you may say in truth is but one thing - our stone. This whole
composition is a mixture whose price and value is inestimable. This is our
Brass mentioned in the Turba.
The Turba
Know ye that no true tincture can be made but from our
Brass, that is from our confection which is made of three things. Employ
these and you must get the mineral stone.
Pandora
Our tincture or medicine cannot be made from any other
substance, but only from our brass; that is from our confection or Amalga: that
is out of our metals Sol or Luna and their souls, by means of our Spirit which
is Mercury [that is secret Fire].
Water Stone of the Wise
Seek three in one things, and one in three.
Open these and shut them up again and you have the whole art. Solve et
coagula. The Spirit [secret Fire] will give the soul to the body. The
Spirit attracts the soul and returns it to the dead body [i.e., to the purified
Sol], and at length the three remain united.
Laurentius Ventura
One thing [the secret Fire] containeth and conjoins the
medicine, two compose it [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars and Gold joined in
Rebis] therefore three are joined in one body. This magistery proceedeth from
one root [mercurial] which is expanded in more than one, but must be reverted
into one.
The Same
The stone contains three things. The whole art is
comprehended only in three things; that is in Sol, Luna, and Mercury [Gold: the
Regulus of Antimony and Mars and the secret Fire] with the cause of their
preparation. In two of these bodies [in Rebis] alone, is found the Sulphur of
the Philosophers, white and red, in which wise Nature preserves the seed - and in this only are contained the tinging
rays, by the aid of our gold; but the Stone of Mercury [secret Fire]
unites and binds them both. As it consists of three species the name alberus
or albar-aeris has been given to the substance, which is composed of
three things, that is, earth [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars], water [the
philosophical mercurial water or secret Fire], and fire [the Fire of Nature,
viz., Sol]. As the egg hath got a shell, the white and the yolk, and out of
these three, one distinct thing, the chick is generated by the nourishing heat
of the hen, so, in like manner, our composition is governed, and by
putrefaction becomes Air, which is the spirit. The Stone is one in
trinity and three in unity, because therein are contained a body, a soul
and a spirit. The body fixes, the soul revivifies, and the spirit tinges [not
one without the other, but all three united perform these necessary operations
- dissolving, putrefying, quickening, tinging, and fixing].
Tauladanus
According to the testimony of all philosophers there are three
parts belonging to the Elixir, viz., soul, body, and spirit.
1. The soul is nothing else but the ferment or the form of
the Elixir [Sol].
2. The body is the paste or matter [viz., our moon,
the Regulus of Antimony and Mars].
3. The third part of the Stone is the Spirit [our mercurial
water or secret Fire].
The two first names must be taken from metals alone, namely
the Form from gold or silver - the matter from Saturn, Jupiter,
Venus and Mars. [Our moon is sometimes called lead, tin, Venus, and must
be joined to Mars]. The Spirit being the seat and vehicle for the Soul [the
Sulphur of Sol] infuses the soul into the body [our Luna]; and these two
extremes, soul and body [before united in rebis] are conjoined by the spirit [secret Fire] with an indissoluble
bond.
If this mediator were taken away the soul [of the
volatilized Gold] could never be centrally and permanently united with the body
[the Regulus]. Nothing but this spirit, this dry liquor [secret Fire],
attenuates or dissolves the Form [Gold] and the matter of the
Stone [the Regulus of Antimony and mars] and reduces them to a spiritual
nature. This spirit is called by the Philosophers: Heaven, Dissolving Mercury,
Menstruum, Azoth, Quintessence and a hundred other names.
Alanus
He that knows not how to extract the soul from the body of
Gold or of Silver, and to return it to the body wholly deviates from the right
path. This is done as follows:
The soul of the body of gold or of silver is extracted by
the spirit of Mercury [secret Fire]; and by this means the spirit of
Mercury is exalted and ameliorated, and the soul [volatilized gold] is united
with the spirit; and the body of Venus or Jupiter receiveth the
united soul and spirit and thereby receives a perfect life - and by this the
imperfect metals are perfected and revived [Venus or Jupiter here mean the
Regulus of Antimony and Mars].
Sendivogius
There is a stone and yet it is no stone [Antimony] wherein
the whole art lieth concealed. Nature has formed it but has not brought it to
perfection. You will not find it above ground: it groweth only under the
foundation of the mountains. In this subject lies the whole art.
Whosoever hath the fumes or vapours of this thing [the
Regulus of Antimony and Mars] and the golden splendour of the Red Lion [Gold],
with a highly pure mercury [secret Fire], and knoweth the red sulphur in this composition, he
has the foundation of the whole art.
Pandora
From me [says Mercury] do all the metals proceed. In my
natural running form [common quicksilver I perform some things, but when
sublimed I can perform wonderful operations. Whosoever shall join me with
my brother [Gold] and my sister [our Diana] shall have cause to
rejoice all his life. I shall then be able to kill and revive myself and all
metallic bodies.
Nodus Sophicus Enodatus
Attend carefully to the weight, as it is of much
consequence. A correct proportion must be observed in the conjunction of the
mercurial essence of the Philosophers. The ancient Arabian possessors of the
Stone say thus: The weight of the Male [gold] must be singular [1 part], but
that of the female plural [2 parts]. Take care that the woman [Regulus
of Antimony and Mars] does not dominate over the man, nor let the
husband be too powerful over the wife - permit not the Aqua resolvens [the
dry mercurial water, or secret Fire] be too deep [i.e., too large in quantity
for the other two], that the seed or sperm [Gold in rebis] be not drowned. In
regard to quality [or the nature of the principles] make a Unity in Trinity
[the three principles of which the one tincture, the Lapis, is to be made,
must have a metallic affinity for each other]. In the parable of the Mill, the
wheels and their number denote the proportion of the Mercury [our Luna]
and of the Sulphur [gold]; and the water which drives the wheels is the menstruum
[viz., the secret Fire].
Sendivogius
These three [salt, sulphur, and mercury] are in all things,
and without them nothing exists or can exist naturally in the world. But, as
the ancient Philosophers have named only two principles, that the searcher into art may not err, let him
know, that though they describe only sulphur and mercury yet
without salt, they could never have attained to this work, since salt is
the Key and beginning of this sacred science… These three principles are all
necessary, being the near matter, for the matter of metals is twofold - Near
and Remote. The near is Sulphur and Mercury. The remote, the four elements, out
of which God only can create anything. Relinquish then the [primary] elements,
for thou canst make nothing of them but only these three principles. Nor can
Nature herself make anything else out of them. As thou canst produce nothing
but these three principles, why labour foolishly to produce from the elements
what you may find made ready to your hand by Nature. Be satisfied therefore with
the three principles out of which Nature produces all things in and upon
the earth… mineral… vegetable… and animal. In the animal Kingdom the body,
spirit, and soul, bear a special resemblance to the work of the Philosophers.
The body is earth [answerable to the Regulus of Antimony and Mars]; the spirit
is the water [our mercurial water or secret Fire], and the soul is fire, or
sulphur of Gold. The spirit increases the bulk of the body, but the fire
is its virtue. And as there is more of the spirit in weight than there is of
the Fire, the Spirit exerteth itself and overpowers the Fire and draws it to
itself, and so each of them increaseth in virtue, while the earth, which is the
medium between them, is increased in weight. [This passage shews how far the
Philosophers have been from using the same terms in the same sense. Many of
them make gold or Rebis the body; Regulus of Antimony and Mars the soul; and
secret Fire the spirit. Without attending to this diversity among them we
cannot find out the thread of Ariadne.
The Same
The father of the Stone is Sol [Gold], the mother is Luna
[our Luna, not common silver], and the wind [viz., the volatile
secret Fire] carries it in its belly - that is the Sal Alcali called by the Philosophers Sal acumu nivenum [the
sharp snow white salt], the vegetating salt hidden in the body of
magnesia.
Metallurgia
Mercurius Solutus [the secret Fire] dissolves the
matter, mercurius coagulatus [Sol] coagulates and fixes, and Mercurius
corporus [our Diana] multiplies the tincture of our fixed mercury [Sol].
The first matter [Sol and the Regulus of Antimony and Mars]
is by the old Philosophers called sulphur and mercury; that is form and matter;
but they conceal the medium [our secret Fire] by which these two are to be
conjoined.
Theophrastus
The first matter is Sulphur, Salt, and mercury [sulphur Sol;
salt, the salt of nature, Regulus of Antimony and mars; and Mercury, our
mercurial dry water - or salt, the secret Fire; and mercury, our Diana].
Vade Mecum Philosophicum
Tell me, What are the principles of the Stone? If your
question concerns the genus, it is one and but one [one mercurial or metallic
genus]; but if you ask how many species? Three species and no more than three
enter our work… Know, that though three distinct species must enter into
the composition of or Stone, yet neither of them, taken separately, is the
material principle of our Stone, such as they are vulgarly known… When you have
united these three species in due weight and proportion, then by a long
decoction, in a duly graduated heat, it will yield you that one true principle
which contains all that is required in our Stone.
Three species only are necessary in this work which Count
Bernard has plainly enough indicated where he says: “Our work is made of one root and two mercurial substances, crude
but pure, extracted out of their mines”. By the Root the Count means… the
mature sulphur which is in gold perfectly digested… This one principle
determines and glorifies the other two, which are therefore called superficial
principles. Yet by them the weight is increased, and by them the death and
putrefaction of the compound is effected.
Bernard Trevisan
Our Sulphur when joined with is water or mercury doth
by little and little consume and drink up the same by the help of the fire…
When three are made one, in the form of a congealed
substance, then it hath in it a true tincture… hence all they who tinge with
Sol and his shadow, and with the poison, that is Argent vive,
do perfectly complete our Stone, which we call the great and perfect gum.
Ripley
One gender they be, but in number not so. The father is the
Sun, the Moon truly is mother, The mean [viz., of union and
solution] is Mercury…
The Same
Let the body be subtilly filled With mercury… One of the
Sun, two of the Moon, Till altogether like pap be done. Then make
the Mercury four to the Sun Two to the Moon as it should be And thus thy
work must be begun In figure of the Trinity. Three of the body [viz., Rebis,
i.e., 1 and our Luna 2] and of the spirit [secret Fire] three: And for the
unity of the substance spiritual [viz., the secret Fire] One more [making 4 to the Sun] than of the substance
corporeal.
Ripley
The second manner [of conjunction] is called Tryptative
[threefold], Which is conjunction made of things three, Of body, soul,
and spirit.
The Same
Consider first the latitude of thy [precious stone Beginning
in the first side noted in the West, Where the Red Man and the White
Woman be made one, Spoused with the Spirit of Life to live in love
and rest.
Carpenter
Of Titan Magnesia [our Luna] take the clear light Of the red
gum that is so bright, Of the philosophers the sulphur vife I’ called Gold withouten
strife.
Of them draw out a tincture, And make a matrimony pure
Between the husband and the wife, I spoused with the water of
life: And see that none division There be in the conjunction Of the Moon
and of the Sun, After the marriage is begun; And that Mercury the
Planet In love make them so to meet That either with other be joined even As a
stone is engendered sent down from heaven.
Bloomfield’s Blossoms
[After directions for making Rebis by joining “the Red man
and the White woman” and ordering them to be reduced to dust he proceeds thus:]
In a true balance weight them equally, With three times as
much of the fiery dragon Mixing altogether…
Look that thou join in one, persons three - The fixt,
the variable and the fugative, Till they together taste death and
live. The last is the Dragon fell That shall the other twaine both slay and
quell: The Sun and Moon shall lose their light And in mourning
sables they shall them dight, etc…
Eyraeneus Philoctetes
The matter is Mercurial, the quality sulphureous,
reconciled by Salt - which also may be, and sometimes are called the Water,
the Spirit and the Blood - or Body, Soul, and Spirit… Salt
prepares sulphur, salt and sulphur prepare Mercury,
Mercury preserves them. So that without salt, sulphur cannot be prepared
or set at liberty from his prison it being the only Key thereto; without salt
and sulphur Mercury cannot be qualified; and without mercury Salt and sulphur
can effect nothing, it being their proper vessel or matrix. But be sure all
homogenial or the mercurial simplicity will be impossible: therefore make the
latter Judge of the two former, for all metalline things are tried
in a mercurial balance.
Avicenna
I advise you to work only in Sol, and Luna [our
Luna] and Mercury, because the whole benefit of the Art consists in
them.
Hydropyrographum Hermeticum
It is impossible for Gold and Silver to perfect other bodies
that are imperfect unless the body of the Sol or Luna be born anew or
regenerated by the water and the Spirit.
Ripley
And now my son, that I may say something of the
Philosophers’ Mercury, know that when thou hast put thy water of life to
the Red Man, who is our Magnesia, and to the White Woman, whose
name is Albifica, and they shall have been gathered together into one, then you
have the true Philosophers’ Mercury… See therefore my son that thou diligently
puttest all these matters (which though they are three are yet but one
only) in a glass vessel, and lettest them quietly putrefy.
Johannis De Monte Raphaim
Sulphur is the father of life, Mercury is the
fountain of life, the salt is the center of life… The constant companion
of Sulphur is Mercury: they never quit each other, for the one needs the other.
But the Salt preserves what Sulphur and Mercury produce. Thus is Salt
the true copulator of Sulphur and Mercury.
Marrow of Alchemy
Thus is thy work with Trinity begun. The body and the soul
are first conjoined And both are with the Spirit mixed; the Sun, The Moon,
the Water - these are one in kind, In number three and yet
indeed but two; For why the Sun is hid, nor light doth shew… One ounce of Sol,
and of the Magnet three, Four ounces of the body make: to
which Four ounces add of water. These let be Thus ordered: first let Sol
his robe so rich
Be whitened by the moisture of the Moon Which with a gentle
Fire will be done. That mass [rebis] shall then saturnine to the eye Appear,
and flexible in heat like lead; Then pour on it of Virgin mercury [secret Fire]
The pondus due: thus is the Body red And fixt and solid in the hidden center
But to the sight white, volatile and tender This done, in readiness a vial
glass, Oval, or spherical, be sure to have In which the matter put, nor out
must pass ought of the inclosed air, which for to save Seal up the nick with
Hermes seal and then The spirits are secured within their den.
PART VI
OF THE FURNACE AND GLASS
H. Von Batsdorff
A single small furnace, wherein the degrees of heat can be
maintained, is sufficient. Let it be safely placed where no accident can happen
from fire. Place an iron pot in your furnace containing sand or ashes, and put
you small glass phial therein, and do not take it out until you see the whole
mass converted into a beautiful blood-red colour - the sign of ultimate
perfection.
Pandora
During the solution the fire must be gentle, but in the
sublimation it must be a little increased, and towards Redness it must be
strong.
Radix Chymiae
During the solution the fire must be soft, in the
sublimation middling, in the coagulation temperate, in the White-making steady,
in the Rubifying strong. If you are ignorant of the heat you will fail.
Laurentius Ventura
The heat must be linear unto the end of the work. When the
fire is equally kept, the subject, by the action of heat, is the better altered
from one nature to another, and that which was humid first will become dry, the
black will become white, and the white citrine and red.
Water Stone of the Wise
Place it (the glass) in a convenient furnace and begin with
a gentle, continual, airy and vaporous heat; such as a hen causes sitting on
her eggs.
Pandora
Begin with a soft heat, until peace is made between the
water and the fire [until the principles are united in perfect blackness].
Walchius
A slow heat preserves the natural or radical humidity. The
Philosophers require a fiercer heat, such a one as the hen gives to her eggs.
Laurentius Ventura
As there are many degrees of heat, the question is how it
must be - Strong or Gentle? To this we answer that in the beginning the fire
must be gentle as Lullium says: Know then that without heat nothing is
generated. Intense heat is pleasant to the body. By a gentle heat the
corrupting humidity is extracted… It suffices to administer a continual heat,
according to the operation of our work - that is a natural heat.
Pandora
When thou seest the fixt water [the secret Fire] without any
ascending thereof fret not about the fire; only have patience until the spirit
and the body are become one.
Water Stone of the Wise
Our Aqua mercurii is excited by the help of common external
heat, administered by art.
Incertus
If you wish to see the sign of putrefaction it is necessary
that you procure an external moving heat, for as Nature in the mines boileth by
means of a gentle heat, in like manner our philosophical matter receives power
to alter itself, from such a degree of artificial heat as may be able to stir
up its inward power. This artificial heat must not be violent, but soft and
gentle, only able to act on the most subtil particles, to raise and mix them,
until the whole composition be broken, divided without any manual separation,
and converted into perfect blackness.
Pontanus
Put it on the fire [i.e., in the furnace], with such a
proportion of heat as shall only excite or stir up the matter, and in a short
time that fire [the secret sophic Fire] will complete the whole work.
Radix Chymiae
The putrefaction of the body is the beginning of the work,
and is effected by a gentle heat, so that nothing may ascend in the horse dung,
i.e., in our mercury.
[The solution effected by the secret internal fire he here
calls horse dung; but the gentle heat mentioned is that which is applied
externally].
Johan De Monte Snyder
You must be particularly careful about the government of the
fire, which must constantly remain in its right degree and must never cease;
for if the natural heat should fail, your work will die, and an immature birth
will follow, and that which is immature can only work according to its own
nature.
Incertus Macrocosmus
When you have put the genuine matter in its proper vessel it
then requires only a natural heat, so arranged that the external heat may not
surpass the internal but only excite it to action. If the heat is too great no
alteration can possibly take place. A great heat can only destroy and burn the
matter so that nothing useful can come out of it. On the other hand if your
heat is too small the materials will be dried up and become hard. The metallic
spirits will be dormant and inactive, and cannot operate if not excited [by an
external heat] and vivified by a living [internal] fire. As this is of great
importance the Artist must be careful not to commit an error in this point,
otherwise he will do nothing.
Water Stone of the Wise
Put a small fire under it [the glass] to excite the internal
heat, as Pontanus says, as a child must be in a natural animal heat in the mother’s
womb.
Take care, through the whole work, that you do not increase
you heat too much, especially during putrefaction; because, during
putrefaction, the internal natural power begins to subtilize the body.
Therefore to preserve the internal heat of the bodies from injury be careful,
especially during putrefaction to keep a gentle heat.
Johannes De Padua
Be careful not to make your fire too strong. This would
cause the Matter to sublime and would destroy the work. Notice what I say: if
you make your fire gentle and govern it prudently that it may not exceed the
internal heat [of the secret Fire] you will be certain to bring your work to
perfection.
Observe then! As soon as the internal heat of your
matter or of the body by feeling the power of the external heat awakeneth and begins to act, the matter has then heat
enough to operate perfectly, conformably to her own nature, and without
doubt, to produce its fruit by the power of Nature within. Even if you have
made the work ten times before, be not too bold with your heat, but govern it
with care, or your work will be destroyed.
H. Von Batsdorff
The natural or external heat must cause the internal to
awaken and to operate. The external heat must not, by too much violence,
surpass the internal, or all your labour will be in vain.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
As the Stone is compared to a man, and its first humid
regimen to a bath, therefore make the first degree of heat pleasant, gentle,
like a hot bath for a naked person - which is a lower degree of heat than
he can bear, and causes but a gentle sweat.
The second degree is a little higher, whereby a copious
perspiration would be induced, and this is as hot as a man can bear it.
The third degree is so much hotter as to cause a hissing and
bubbling and cannot be borne long by the hand; for our composed work in this
degree of heat rises in bubbles, which fall down again, rising and falling
continually.
The fourth and last degree of heat, which brings dryness,
cannot be borne by the fingers without burning them.
[In these degrees this author is here more candid than where
he directs (in “Ripley Revived”) to use such a degree of heat as would keep
“tin or lead molten”.]
The Same
I swear unto thee, upon the faith of an honest man, that if
thou urge thy fire so as to make ought sublime, in the days of this regimen
[that of Saturn] thou wilt destroy the work irrevocably; be content then, with
good Trevisan, to be detained in prison 40 days and nights, and suffer the
tender nature to remain below in the bottom [avoiding any kind of sublimation].
Laurentius Ventura
Our Stone has got its own fire, which, however, is inactive
unless excited and moved by external heat.
Sendivogius
Our blessed work must be conducted agreeably to the four
seasons of the year.
The first is winter - Cold and humid.
The second, spring, is warm and humid.
The third is the warm and dry summer.
The fourth, Autumn, is the harvest or time for reaping our
fruit.
The heat of the first regimen must be like that of a hen
sitting over eggs to hatch chickens; or similar to the heat in our stomachs
which digests our food. This heat continues until blackness - it may even be
continued until the matter is changed into Whiteness; but if this heat is
transgressed and the matter be kept too hot, you will never obtain the wished
for Raven’s head, but either a sudden transient redness, or a red oily matter
swimming on the superficies. Perhaps the matter may begin to sublime: in that
case the composition may be taken out of the glass and imbibed de novo with our
virgin’s milk [secret Fire] and then you may recommence the concoction with more prudence, endeavoring to avoid similar
errors in the future.
When the White appears, you may increase your heat a little,
to the second degree, until the matter be perfectly dried up - which heat may
be compared to that of the Sun when he goes from Taurus into Gemini. [The
degree of heat now spoken of is merely comparative. If his winter heat is equal
to that of a hen’s on eggs when hatching them, his spring heat must have a
proportional increase of temperature. This remark applies equally to what
follows]: When the Stone is perfectly dry the fire must be increased again,
answerable to the increase of the sun’s heat when he passes into Leo.
Johannes De Padua
In the beginning of the work the first degree of heat must
not be higher than the warmth of a sitting hen. In the middle of your stove you
must make a door which you can open and shut, so that you can feel in the pot
how quick or how gentle your heat is. Let it be such that when you touch the
pot your hand may feel pleasantly warm. Attend to what I say or you will
greatly damage the work. Take care, above all things, not quickly or rashly to
increase your heat; for if you make your fire too intense and the external heat
shall overpower and conquer the internal heat of the materials, the body would
retain the spirit; or else the spirit will sublime, and especially in the end, when
the body is converted into a Spirit: therefore be attentive in governing the
fire rightly, or you will destroy your work.
Isaac Hollandus
There are three colours… the first two must be produced by a
very low heat, which heat must be increased very gently.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
See that thy furnace be trusty, else thou mayest and wilt
fail; for tho’ the fire of coals do not effect anything, yet it excites,
and the water [the mercurial water or secret Fire] though it be of a
wonderful nature, yet it acts no farther than as it is stirred up [by the
external Fire], and any intermission in this work, after it is begum, will
destroy it. Therefore the wise men have called the furnace an Athanor,
that is Immortal, shewing that from the beginning to the end the fire must not
go out.
Ripley
Take heed to defend your glass from a moderate heat, and a
sudden cold: make use of a moderate fire and beware of vitrification.
Metallurgia
Having prepared your principles, put them, most intimately
mixed into a proper glass, so that only one third part of the glass may be
filled. Shut the glass closely that nothing may evaporate. Place it in ashes,
or in sand, and administer the first degree of heat - such a heat, that,
without burning your hand, you may be able to suffer it to rest on the ashes or
sand, or on the upper part of the neck of the glass. Keep it in this heat,
without moving or disturbing it, until complete blackness and various colours
appear, and whiteness follows. It is of great moment that you do not hurry your
work and burn up the matter by too much heat… Be careful of your fire that it
be not too strong… you ought to have blackness with such a heat that you can
hardly bear your fingers on the glass, and yet can bear the heat without
burning them. This regimen must be continued till you have gone through perfect
blackness into dryness, and until the matter is become snow or silver white and
fixed, and the Queen is born. This is obtained by one and the same linear heat.
Then you must increase your heat, but not out of reason till the matter becomes yellow; and so continue and it will become of the
most perfect deep cinnabar or carmine redness, or like unto a quiet glowing
fire.
Marrow of Alchemy
…Beware impatience do not cause Thee through an itch of mind
for to be bold, In this thy work to transgress Nature’s laws For no man sooner
errs through heat or cold Than he who through impatience of mind Cannot expect
its time which he would find Move not thy glass, nor open, else thou wilt
Endamage, may destroy, thy work: beside Increase not fire rashly, lest that
spilt Thy work thou see. There’s nothing al the Tide That this thy work doth
stand so much in fear As too much fire: one hour will cost thee dear Beware thy
Spirits find not where t’exhale For that thy work would spill, and also cause
Much hurt unto the workman. If you fail Therein, you break one of the strictest
laws Of all this work: nor cause them so to rise As for to break the Glass,
which brittle is Therefore as strong thy glass be sure thou get As may be,
without either knots or flaws, Equally blown for strength, which thou shalt set
Within a ring of brass, where thou shalt cause It to be fixt, with moistened
bone-ash: this Closely prest down a certain safe-guard is … With gentle fire
thy work assay, For that is certain. Be not moved with haste Thy work
t’anticipate; no not a day; But bide with patience till the black be past, Then
mays’t augment thy fire, but not too much - Rather too little than too great,
for such The counsel is of all the Sages old.
Artephius
You need only to prepare the matter. Nature herself alone
will perfect it: and if she be not hindered by some contrary thing, she will
not overstep her own proper motion, neither in conceiving, nor in generating,
nor in bringing forth. Therefore, after the preparation of the matter beware
only, lest by too much heat, you inflame the bath or make it too hot. Secondly,
take heed, lest the spirit should exhale, lest it hurt the Operator - to wit
lest it destroy the work, and induce many infirmities - as sadness, trouble,
vexation, and discontent… Decoct the composition till it be invested with a
most perfect red colour.
Bacon
The vessel for our Stone is but one, in which the whole
magistery or Elixir is performed and perfected… Though the philosophers often
repeat that the matter is to be put into the vessel, and closed up fast, yet it
is sufficient for the operator, once to put the said matter in, once to
close it up and so to keep it, even to the very perfection and finishing of the
work. If these things are often repeated the work will be spoiled… Thy vessel
being well and perfectly closed, is never so much as once to be opened till the
perfection or end of the work. So that you see the vessel it to be kept close
that the spirit may not get out.
Laurentius Ventura
Secure thy vessel that the composition may not escape and
fume away, and you will obtain your end.
Pandora
Mind that your door be well shut that he that is within, may
not find his way out, and, if it please God, you will find everything terminate
well.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
It is put into the glass and sealed up before you can attain
the first degree of the Magistery.
Anonymous
Put the mercurial matter into a proper vessel, seal it and
place it in its warm bed for a philosophical month until it begins of itself to
ferment and putrefy.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
Be careful of the closure of the vessel, lest the spirits
should fly out and the work be destroyed. Keep therefore the vessel and its
ligature, nor look upon this to be of little moment… Consider how great care
Nature has shut the womb of a pregnant woman… with no less industry be thou
cautious in perfecting his Philosophical work, lest thy labour be in vain.
PART VII
OF THE WORK
Water Stone of the Wise
My son if you will commence the work, excepting your food
and raiment no great expenses are wanted. Be of a free and independent mind,
and in a safe place prepare your only matter [Rebis] and reduce it into a most
subtil powder, put it into one only vessel with its water [the secret Fire]
well closed, and govern it with constant never ceasing heat and the effect will
follow.
Aquinas
Take the body of our first work [Rebis] with the Dragon’s
tail, that is virgin’s milk [the secret Fire]: taking 7 parts of fresh Mercury
[good secret Fire], add this to the matter according to the weight of the
powders.
Pontanus
In the beginning digest and simmer it gently, taking great
care that nothing may sublime, or, as the Philosophers say, that the
woman may not rule over the husband, or the man become too potent for the
woman.
Pandora
When thou seest the fixt water not ascending urge not the
fire, but have patience until the spirit and the body are become one. The water
[secret Fire] is the thing that makes white and red; the water
killeth and quickeneth; the water dissolves, calcines and purifies, and the
water putrefies… Let all your care be in the decoction of the water [the whole
subject rendered liquid by the action of the secret Fire]. Boil it slowly until
it changes from one colour to another, and be careful, in the beginning, that
you do not burn the flowers or blossoms, nor the greenness. Do not hurry, nor presume to do
the work quickly and take care that he that is within may not find his way out.
Arnoldus De Villa Nova
The Green Lion [Rebis is here intended] remains constantly
in the middle until he is killed [by the secret Fire]. Therefore, my son, I
recommend nothing else to you, but to boil our water [secret Fire] and
our brass [Rebis] until they be gradually calcined and killed - until the
colour changes and until its blackness be gone… Know also, my son, that in case
a red colour should appear to thee before blackness [i.e., a premature redness]
thou needest not to mind that; if thy glass be but well closed; as it must of
necessity return to its own nature; for it only the effect of the occidental
argent vive [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] overcoming the gold and
conquering it, but the principle which killeth will also give life, being the
father of all wonderful things.
Johan De Monte Snyder
One of our fires [the secret Fire] has a sympathy with the
metallic fire - this sets on fire the metallic sulphur and augments the
element, fire, in the metallic body [Gold]. The third fire is a cold metallic
fire [the Regulus of antimony and Mars] and may be compared to a mercury, as it
penetrates the metal [Gold] like a spirit it promotes the action of the
sympathetic fire [secret Fire] that it may penetrate the whole composition and
excite the anima every where.
The cold metallic fire [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] makes
the metal [Gold] porous, it opens and shuts, it is the beginning and the end,
the first and last Key; it is the foundation of the whole work and may be taken
for the universal menstruum and even for the first matter.
Isaac Hollandus
You may always work with two glasses, for the convenience of
Multiplication - one for the White, the other for the Red. But as the Red
Stone requires a more intense heat than the White, both cannot be multiplied at
once by the same heat.
Although the work for both is the same, yet there is a
difference in the paradise water to be noticed. The paradise water for the
White is extracted from Luna, that wherewith the Red stone is imbibed and
multiplied must be extracted from Sol - otherwise it is the same labour, but
the white and red cannot be multiplied by the same degree of heat.
Incertus Macrocosmus
In the first degree the Stone is called Adrop, Philosophical
Lead, Antimony [being in truth Antimony], etc. In the second degree [when the
secret Fire is joined to rebis and action and reaction follow], it is called Sal
Alcali, our Sal Armoniac, ashes of ashes, and sulphur of sulphur.
When it is become water it is Azoth, when white it is
called arsenic and lac virginis, when red it is called blood,
red sulphur, etc. When it is sharp it is called vitriol, alum, nitre:
when the Stone has been dissolved into water, it is called white running water,
when sublimed and white it is called air, and when red it is called fire.
It will become twice black, twice of an ash colour and twice
red; and after its second redness, when it looks like red wine, or human blood,
that is after putrefaction, the ancients have called it the Dragon [The names
are innumerable, and often very arbitrary and contradictory.].
Isaac Hollandus
There are three colours which must of necessity appear in
the Work, black, white, and red. The first two must be produced by a very slow
heat, which must be increased very gently.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
We have three conjunctions… The first is th amalgamation of gold
with our Mercury… The compound is called rebis… In this there are
two natures, the one more active, which is the mercury, the other more passive,
which is gold. The activity of the mercury above the Gold is because the
moving virtue of Sol is sealed, that is, his Sulphur is imprisoned….
These two must be mixed… this is a manual work, and the last manual work next
to putting and sealing of it in the egg, that thou hast, before thou hast
attained the first degree of the mastery.
The next conjunction in order is when thou has administered
and regulated [in due proportion] thy fire [the secret Fire]
that thy spirits shall so ascend and circulate until they have extracted out of
the fixed body [Gold] its most digested virtue, or subtile soul, which
is sulphurous, or of great fieriness [The Gold is called the soul, the sulphur,
the fire of Nature].
When dissolution is made, Sol then is most active, and
mercury more passive; mercury then is as it were the feminine sperm, which
being more crude and tender is sooner wrought upon by the [secret] fire,
which Sol, the masculine sperm, feels not till it be penetrated by the mercury
[Regulus of Antimony and Mars] and then it is forced to send forth its seed;
for the formal principle resides mostly in the gold, and the material
chiefly in the water [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] and then it is
forced to send forth its seed; for the formal principle resides mostly in the
gold, and the material chiefly in the water [Regulus of Antimony and Mars]. In
the one being thick of composition, the formal part is sealed;
in the other the little which it has is more at liberty, and consequently
sooner active.
So then by mediation of the soul [the solar principle
derived from Mars and Sol] the spirit is made one and incorporated with
the body [of the ripe and unripe Gold]; for the soul being by the spirit drawn
from the body, doth naturally desire to be united with it again, and so long as
it is from it, it is from home as it were on a pilgrimage. The body also
naturally doth desire its soul and will as forcibly attract it as a lodestone
iron…
But this conjunction doth not retain the volatility of the
compound though it is so united that the parts ascend and descend together…At
length not only these parts, but their elemental qualities, are so strongly
permixt that the one doth not more in acting than the other doth in reisting,
by which means they are not only united to follow one another, but fixt to
abide fire together. This is the last and nobles conjunction in which all the
mysteries of this microcosm have their Conummation. This is by the Wise called
their Tetraptive conjunction… He who arrives here may sit down at the banquet
with the Sun and Moon. This is the so highly commended Stone of the Wise.
The Same
Without putrefaction you may not expect to reap fruit
from your labor… The cause of this death, or corruption or rottenness [which
takes place in the subject in the glass during the third conjunction] proceeds
from the action of continual heat, not so much of the external fire of the
Athanor, as of the compound within itself; in which the fire against nature [the
secret Fire] doth open the perfect body [Gold] by continual contrition and
decoction, and so lets loose its sulphur… which is fire of Nature; so
that between these two in continual action and passion, together with the
external heat continually acting, the whole compound is brought to corruption. The external heat doth sublime the
moisture, which again of its own accord returns continually, and doth moisten
the earth so long, until by reason of the heat it have drunk up the moisture
wholly, and then it dies. Unless you see this rotting of thy compound, which is
done in a black color, with a stinking odour and a discontinuity of parts thy
labour will be in vain. You cannot expect to have a new form brought in till
the old be corrupted and put off.
Gold and Mercury are two such principles that they will for
ever delude those who work with tem in a sophistical way [amalgamating Gold wit
common quicksilver]. They will remain the same to the end of the world unless
pure gold be mixed [in rebis] with its own pure and appropriated mercury [the
Regulus of Antimony and Mars] and set in a de heat of digestion [the digesting
heat of the secret Fire]; a mutual action and passion will then rise between
them, which, without the laying on of hands by the artist, will tend to
a new generation. For in a convenient fire [the secret Fire assisted by
external heat] in which the compound may perpetually and incessantly boil, and
the subtile parts ascend and circulate upon the gross without intermission, the
most digested virtue or soul of the fixed body [Gold] which is his basis of
tincture will be extracted by the water [the Azoth or solar Butyrum
Antimonii] and this will mix itself with the pure spirit [furnished by the
secret Fire] of the water and with this it will ascend and return, until a
total separation be made of the pure from the impure and the subtile from the
gross. Then shall the body draw down its soul again, and by the power of the
Most High it shall be united; and with it the spirit of life shall be also joined,
so that all three shall become one, with a union indissoluble. But all this
presupposeth a putrefaction or corruption of one form, else there cannot be an
introduction of the other.
First then take thy body which is gold and thy water which
is Mercury [our Diana]… mix these together in due proportion, as I have often
told thee; then set them to the fire [add the secret Fire] to decoct, and give them a convenient
heat in which they may boil, ascend and descend perpetually, without any
intermission night or day. But especially and before all things be careful in
your internal heat, viz., the proportion of your water [the
philosophical mercurial water or secret Fire] for your Sulphur. That water [or
secret Fire] you must add and supply to it in the beginning of your work, in
its preparation [viz., you must add this to your Rebis before closing your
glass]. It is this that performs all the work within, and without this your
external heat is of no value… Let your external heat be so that your compound may
boil and sublime… till the vapours cease and are retained… then will the
compound rot, which for its similarity is called our dunghill… Continue your
decoction and the vessel shall be beclouded and thy compound shall wit constant
circulation become black. This colour shall be a sign to you that you have not
run your course in vain… so soon as to hast complete blackness, know that
whiteness is hidden therein. But before you attain to this whiteness you must
have patience and pass through many intermediate changeable colours, which will
be no small cheering to the workman, who must wait without tiring till the
earth and heaven be united. Then shall thy elements perfectly accord, and one
colour cover thy new married soul and body; and that will be like to the most
pure Lily, or sublimed salt, sparkling like to a new slipped sword in the sun
beams. In this whiteness is the multiplicative virtue exalted and made apparent
in its first degree, by which mercury, Lead, Tin, Copper, or Iron may be turned
into pure silver in a short time.
Johannes De Padua
Know that putrefaction, although it can be brought on
perfectly in 42 days, is better to take a longer time: the longer the better as
hereby no damage is done, and the body [Gold] dissolves effectually; which must
all be done with a gentle heat, and so the circulation and separation of the
elements will be the better effected.
Flamel
Within which [furnace] is set the Philosophical egg, which
is a vial containing the prima materia, or first agents of the Stone: that
is the Scum of the Red Sea, and the Fat of the mercurial wind [the
solar liquefying compound of Sol, our Mercury, and secret mercurial Fire]… Take
care that with a just and equal fire you manage these proud and haughty
natures… keep them in temperate heat continually.
View these dragons - they are the true principles… That
which is undermost, without wings is fixed, or the male, gold:
that which is uppermost and has wings is the female [Regulus of Antimony
and Mars], black and obscure, which strives for the mastery and dominion for
many months. The first [Gold] is called sulphur, hot and dry; the other
[our Diana] Mercury, Argent vive, cold and moist. These are Sol and
Luna [our Luna], of a mercurial origin and sulphurous; which by a continual
fire [secret Fire assisted by external heat] are adorned with Royal
Habiliments and changed into a quintessence.
These are the Dragons and Serpents which the ancient
Egyptians painted in a circle, the head devouring the tail: thereby signifying
that they proceeded from one and the same things, and that it alone was
sufficient, and that in its revolving and circulation, it made itself perfect.
These are the Dragons which the ancient poets feigned, did
watch, without sleeping, the golden apples of the Hesperidian gardens.
These are they on whom Jason in his adventure for the Golden
Fleece, cast or poured the liquor [our mercurial water or secret Fire] prepared
by the Enchantress Medea [or call Medea secret Fire and her broth, Azoth].
These are the two Serpents which Hercules [our secret Fire]
must strangle in his cradle… the two serpents twined and twisted round about the Caduceus of Mercury by
which he exercises his great power and transforms himself into all shapes as he
pleases. He, saith Haly, who shall kill the one shall also kill the other,
because the one cannot die without the other… Killing one another they are
decocted and digested in their proper venom, which after death changes them
into a living or permanent water; before which time, by their corruption or
putrefaction, they lose their first natural forms, to assume afterwards a new
one - better, more noble and excellent.
These are the two seeds [Gold and our Mercury], Masculine
and Feminine, which generate within the Bowels or womb of the four elements and
complete all their operations. These are the Radical moisture of the metals,
viz., Sulphur [Gold, and Mercury or argent vive; not the
vulgar but ours.
These two seeds… are gathered from the dung, ordure, and
putrefaction of Sol and [our] Luna. Happy are they who know how
to gather this fruit; for of it an antidote may be made which has strength and
power to conquer all infirmities, weaknesses, and diseases.
The dark colours which shew themselves as they signify
corruption and putrefaction, so they also presage a new generation by the
gnawing and dissolving of the perfect bodies [Gold or Silver]; which
dissolution proceeds form external heat, joined with the watery fire [the
dry mercurial water] and subtile poison of our mercury; which resolves into a
mere cloud, viz., into impalpable powder, whatever resists it…
At the time the matter is dissolved it grows black and
generates: for all corruption is generation - therefore blackness is much to
be desired. This is the black sail with which Theseus’ ship returned with
triumph from Crete, which was the cause of his father’s death. Thus must this
father [Gold] also die, that out of his ashes another Phoenix may
be born, which son may become a King.
If this blackness appear not at the beginning of your
operation, whatever other colours may arise, you will fail of the Magistery…
you must have a blackness which comes from the perfect metallic bodies, and
cannot be destroyed in less than five Months, after which immediately follows
the desired whiteness. Of you have this you have enough, but not all. [By
continuing the digestion it will again dissolve, corrupt, regenerate, and at length
become Red.]
Schola Philosophorum
The sign of the first perfect whiteness is the appearance of
a little hair-like circle, passing over the top and appearing on the sides of
the vessel, round about the matter in a kind of citrine or yellow colour.
The Seven Egyptian Seals
The Stone before it wholly parts with its blackness and
becomes white, like most shining polished marble or a naked brandished sword,
will put on all the colours that can be imagined. In these operations,
performed by the virtue of the vegetable soul which is within it, it will grow
citrine, green, red [but not the true red], yellow, blue, and orange; till
being wholly overcome by dryness these carious colours shall vanish and end in
this admirable citrine whiteness.
Incertus
The disposition that precedes putrefaction is of great
moment. Its unerring sign is perfect blackness. In every labour it is the
sulphur that causes blackness, and this in our Art and in the matter is the
digestive power, which blackens of necessity. From this it appears that in
order to bring on this putrefaction and true radical solution, heat as well as
dryness, cold as well as humidity are absolutely necessary. Therefore the Philosophers teach us that we must conjoin or unite the
contrary qualities of the elements - and therefore they say: The Dragon
[Gold] dies but not but with his brother [secret Fire] and sister [Regulus of
Antimony and Mars].
If you wish to see putrefaction you must employ an external
moving heat… it must not be violent, but soft and gentle, only able to heat the
most subtil particles, to raise and blend them until the whole composition be
broken, divided without any manual separation, and converted into perfect
blackness: for unless the subtile particles be brought to this state, they
cannot be perfectly disunited. Therefore all true Philosophers say, that
putrefaction is the perfection of the thing, and exhort not to be weary of
putrefaction; for according to the degree of this first philosophical grinding
in putrefaction, will be that of the generation and final perfection.
Radix Chymiae
Boil our Brass with a gentle fire, until its body be
destroyed and the Tincture is extracted in blackness, which is a sign of
solution. When heat operates in humidity it causes blackness, but when it
operates in dryness it generates whiteness.
Water Stone of the Wise
After blackness the matter becomes granulated, and appears
like the eyes of fishes. Then there appears a circle round the matter, which
looks somewhat reddish - at another time white: then it looks green and
yellow, like a peacock’s tail; and lastly the most brilliant white appears, and
after that fire and blood-red… If you perceive that before solution or
blackness it sublimes like a red oil, or if a red oil should swim upon the
matter, which is a very bad sign, you may take the whole composition out of the
glass and dissolve it de novo with mercurial water which the
philosophers have named Virgin’s Milk [another name for the secret
Fire], or the milk of the first matter, or blood and sweat, that water of
life which at the same time contains the strongest poison. With this mercurial
water you must imbibe or humect the matter and gently boil it de novo,
until no more ascends or sublimes in the glass, and perfect coagulation and
fixation be obtained.
Incertus Microcosmus
In one month you may obtain putrefaction; in the second
month perfect solution, calcinations, and sublimation - and all this is but
one and the same work. In the third month it appears like a rainbow; in the
fourth the agent becomes patient and the White begins to appear. This colour
lasts above two months. After this period it is not easy to commit an error in
the regimen of the heat, yet you must continue until you have obtained full
perfection - a ruby red powder.
Benedictus Figulus
When you read in the books of the Philosophers “take this or
that” you must understand it always of the Stone or its separate parts. When
they speak of Mercury, understand our mercury [Regulus of
Antimony and Mars]; by the water understand Mercury, sublimed from its
proper salt and coagulated into a salt [secret Fire], and this is called
Nitre and Sulphur by Bacon, which coagulates the mercury but he means not
common Sulphur… When they say take the Philosophers’ lead [viz., our Mercury,
the Regulus of Antimony and Mars] take not the green or blue vitriol or copper;
for the Sun do not always take gold, nor for the moon silver.
Sendivogius
Open the pores of the body [gold] in our water, whereby
the seed that is digested may be emitted and put into its proper matrix. Now our
water is heavenly, not wetting the hands, not vulgar. The body is gold,
which yields seed: Luna or Silver, not common [but our Luna] is
that which receives the seed of the Gold [i.e., it is the matrix]. Afterwards it
is governed by our continual [secret] fire [which is also our water],
for seven months, sometimes ten, until our water consumes three [the
ingredients which enter into the composition] and leave one [the
Tincture]…
Cause that there be such an operation in our earth [Rebis]
that the central heat [of the Gold] may change the water [our secret
Fire] into air, that it may go through the plains of the world, and scatter the
residue through the pores of the earth; and then contrariwise the air will be
turned into water, far more subtil than the first water was [the whole will be
liquefied by the action of the materials on each other], and this is done thus:
if thou give our Old man [Saturn] Gold or Silver to swallow that he also
dying may be burnt, and his ashes scattered into the [mercurial] water [or
secret Fire] and thou boil that water until it be enough, thou shalt have a
medicine to cure the leprosy [of baser metals]. Mark that thou take not cold
for hot, or hot for cold [take not common crude Antimony, but our Old man], mix
natures with natures [our unripe Sol which is our Old man, with ripe Gold] and
if there be any thing that is contrary to Nature separate it [take away the
native sulphur from the Antimonial Sulphuret by the help of Mars] that Nature
may be like Nature. Do this by fire, and not with thy hand [The Regulus is made
by fire, it is joined to the gold in rebis by fire and is ultimately changed,
in its whole nature, by the action and reaction of these two, in and with the secret
fire]. Know that if thou dost not follow Nature, all is vain… This I say to
you. Seek for that hidden thing [our sophic Mercury] out of which is made,
after a wonderful manner, such a moisture or humidity, as doth dissolve gold
without violence; yea as sweetly and naturally as ice doth melt in warm water
[Gold does so in the sophic mercury when you make Rebis]. If you find
out this you have that thing out of which gold is produced by Nature [i.e., the
elements of gold are in it]. Although all the metals are all derived from this
source [all being composed of the same elements], yet none of them are so
friendly to it as gold; for to other things there adheres some impurity but to gold
none. Besides it [our mercury] is as it were a mother unto it [the gold].
Helvetius
Elias the Artist hath told me, that the Chalybs of
Sendivogius is the true mercurial humidity by the aid of which an artist can,
without using any corrosives, extract the fixt Solar and Lunar rays, and
separate them from their bodies [Gold and Silver] in an open crucible in the
fire [joining the Chalybs and Gold or Silver in rebis]; and that he can
afterwards convert this volatile mercurial tincture [by digesting it with
secret Fire] into a Philosophical dry tincture [the Lapis].
Radix Chymiae
The subject or matter is but one thing, but internally it is
twofold - the Philosophers’ Rebis, or Res bina, a double
mercury. It is likewise Trina, or Tri-una composed of salt,
sulphur, and mercury, or Body, Spirit, and Soul [Rebis and secret Fire]. It is
also quadrina wherein are earth, water, air and fire - two invisible
qualities hidden in two that are visible.
Sendivogius
It [our matter] is only one thing [Rebis] wherewith nothing
is to be mixed but the Philosophical water [secret Fire] revealed to thee more
than once.
Anonymous
Take the mercurial matter, put it into a proper glass, seal
it and place it on its warm bed a philosophical month until it begins of itself
to ferment and putrefy, and until all its humidity be consumed, and the whole
be converted into a black powder or earth. In this sublimation, is completed
the true separation of the four elements. The cold and watery
element is changed into a warm and dry earth, which is the Raven’s head,
and the mother of the other elements. Our work is nothing else but a changing
and conversion of elements. The spiritual becomes corporeal, the liquid thick,
and the water fiery. The black earth must be imbibed in its own water [that is,
will liquefy itself again] in gentle heat, and must be dried up, until the
black earth is sufficiently mundified and brought to whiteness. This is
called the White foliated earth, the Sulphur of Nature or the magnesia,
wherein a new conjunction of Sol and Luna has taken place, and a
resuscitation of the body.
When our fruitful earth [the white tincture] is afterwards
humected or imbibed [being thirsty] with its own proper water [secret Fire] it
drinks that water with great avidity, until it becomes again pregnant and produces
fruit an hundred fold. Proceed therefore farther with your white earth, and
increase your heat moderately, until, by the continual motion of the heat it is
digested into a most excellent Redness which is called the Red Coral,
the Red sulphur, the blood, the purple gold, the burnt
saffron [Perhaps by humecting the earth with its proper water, the author
only means, that after you have the white, it will, by merely increasing
your heat a little, again relent and liquify, and pass on to the Red].
Repeat this rubifying three or four times [for this however
there must be an addition of new matter - the infant must be fed with his
mother’s milk] and you will have the most perfect Red Stone, like blood in
colour, with which you may tinge mercury and all the imperfect metals into
perfect gold.
It is necessary that you take of the above Red tincture or
sulphur 3 parts, add thereto 1 part of pure gold, reduced into a subtile calx,
and 2 parts of its water [secret Fire]. Rub these three together in a clean glass
mortar, put it into a strong glass and in a graduated strong heat melt it
together into a red stone [The author here points at Fermentation, but which other Artists recommend to be done without adding any secret
Fire].
Arnoldus De Villa Nova
The body [Gold in rebis] receives impression from the spirit
[here the spirit means secret Fire] as matter does from form: and they act and
react on each other. Therefore the body tinges not unless itself be tinged. Its
earthly thickness owing to its corporeity, hath no ingress. The thin airy
principle is that which tinges the gold and gives ingress; and this tincture is
the sulphur of the body [of Gold] extracted by the spirit.
Gold tinges not farther than its own body until its occult
inward fire or anima be extracted out of its fixed body and the gold be
made spiritual and volatile. Our living water therefore [i.e., our secret Fire]
is a fire which burns, breaks and mortifies the gold more than elementary fire;
and the more the gold is mixed with our living water and scoured therewith, in
a gentle heat, the more is it torn asunder, centrally opened and attenuated by
our fiery living water. When the gold shall have been sufficiently triturated
and made one thing with our living water, then it contains within itself the
fire-bearing [or fire-abiding] tincture. After you have tinged the body by the
spirit, then the body tinges, and is full of tincture and yields tincture.
Therefore he who knows how to make a tinging venom from gold and its shadow
that is luna [i.e., our luna] obtains our Stone; and unless he possesses this
stone, made of the one and the other substance [Sol and Luna - or Rebis and
our Water], he will not have action and reaction between his principles, nor
will the one tinge the other.
Basil Valentine
Hermes the Father of Philosophers possessed the art and
prepared the Stone out of mercury [our mercurial salt], Sol [Gold],
and Luna [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] of the Philosophers. Many thousands have followed him, and I tell
thee in truth that the Philosophers’ Stone is composed of two species or
bodies, and with Philosophical mercury you must begin and end… Our coagulated
mercury [mark the expression - coagulated, not running mercury], which is
a mineral [Antimony], must by art be converted into water, into its prima
material; that is into a mercurial water [by the action of the secret Fire on
the Rebis]. It is therefore a stone and yet no stone, out of which a volatile
fire in the form of water is made [viz., our Azoth], which drowneth and
dissolves its volatile mother [the Regulus of Antimony and Mars] and fixt
father [Gold].
Turba Philosophorum
The artists in Alchemy ought to know that it is impossible
out of the body [rebis] alone to make the glorious medicine without the spirit
[the secret Fire]. Nor, on the other hand, is it possible to procreate the true
medicine out of the spirit alone without the body. The reason is, because our
body, prepare it how you will, cannot acquire more fusibility by its own power,
than what is proper to it; nor can the spirit, prepare it how you may, be
altered from its own volatile nature, nor be perfectly fixed without the
mediation of the body; for it is indispensably requisite that the medicine or
tincture be made fusible, living, tinging, and permanent in the strongest fire;
which requires for its accomplishment an equality of the elements; and to a
certainty this equality or harmony of the elements can never be obtained
without a conjunction of the body [rebis] and the spirit [secret Fire], for by
their union both concur to this end, and the body is spiritualized at the same
time that the spirit is corporified and fixed.
Clangor Buccinae
Take the black earth [rebis] finely triturated, and imbibe
it with mercury [viz., our secret Fire], and place it in warm ashes to dry up.
Repeat this imbibing a second, third, and fourth time, until the earth itself be sufficiently white
and fixed [The Philosophers in general follow a different practice, avoiding
imbibition till they have obtained the perfect white or red]. Azoth, that is,
the mercurial water and the fire, wash and whiten Laton, that is the black
earth, and take away its obscurity. The preparation of the earth is always made
with the water. Therefore the clearness of the earth will depend on the
dealbation of the earth and its washing.
When you imbibe the black earth with the mercury [secret
Fire] take care that you do not burst your glass. The imbibing must always be
done on warm ashes. The time between each imbibition, to dry the matter up
again, will be twenty or thirty natural days. To the dried earth put of your
mercury [secret Fire] a sixth or seventh part of its weight. Seal the glass,
and over a gentle heat, the vessel being placed in ashes, dry and congeal the
matter, This you must repeat at least three or four times - the more the
earth shall be dissolved and congealed the more penetrating and subtile it will
become. The water [secret Fire] is the spirit that purifies, subtilizes, and
dealbates the body [rebis].
Flamel
The earth [rebis] with its own water [secret Fire] comes to
putrefaction, and becomes pure again of itself; and when well purified the
whole work, by the help of God, is well governed. Azoth and fire whiten Laton
[the putrefied body] and take the blackness from it. Therefore Morienus says
Whiten Laton. This is the composition of the Wise men before me. Mix, says
Turba, the dryness of the black earth [rebis in powder] with the humidity of
its own water [the azoth proceeding from Regulus of Antimony and Mars and
secret Fire] and simmer them until they be made White, and so you will have the
water and the earth made white by the water.
Rosarium (Arnoldus De Villa Nova)
Should the earth not be white enough, grind it with water
[the secret Fire] and calcine [i.e., digest] again; for Azoth and fire
wash Laton and take away its obscurity. Every preparation must be done with
the water; therefore according to the purity of the water will be the
purity of the earth, and the more the earth is washed the whiter it will be.
Marcilius Ficinus
Mercury [not the vulgar] mollifies the gold, and
attracts the soul from the body when the gold is sublimed with the true water
of life [secret Fire].
Opus Disiderabile
The concocted mercurial water is called Oil and
Ointment, that is the perfected magistery. It is called water when it washes
Laton [i.e., when the whole compound liquefies], and afterwards it is called
oil when it tinges - and the water is called the spirit of life.
The Anima is tincture, which is concealed in the spirit. Therefore the soul
[Gold] is sown in the foliated earth [Regulus of Antimony and Mars], which
retains it. The black [the pulverized rebis] has ingress into its water [secret
Fire].
Turba Philosophorum
Know ye that the Arcanum of the Golden Work is made of the
male [Gold] and the Female [our Luna]. The Male I have shewn you is concealed
in our Lead [viz., in the Regulus of Antimony and Mars, when these two are
joined in Rebis]]. The Female is our Auripigment which is our lead. In
this the male rejoices with the female [in rebis] for she is helpmate to the
male. But the male receiveth from the female a tinging spirit [furnished by the
Mars]. When you have mixed these [the Gold and the Regulus of Antimony and
Mars, joining the two in rebis], put them into a glass vessel, and grind them with the most sharp vinegar of Ethelia [another name
for the secret Fire] and boil the whole during seven days. Beware that you
Arcanum does not fume nor smoke. Take care that it cools not in the night, and,
if you will, lute you glass for the greater safety.
When you see it perfectly dry imbibe it with the sharp
vinegar of Ethelia [add more of the secret Fire]. Thus have I explained to you
the power of our Auripigment, which is the female through whom our
Arcanum is perfected.
Glossarius in Turba
The woman [Beja] dissolves the man [Gabricius], and the man
fixes the woman in the end. Kalid, a great Philosopher, says: It is nothing but
the union of the 4 elements; and it is called one thing when the
metallic substance [rebis] of the water [secret Fire] become inseparably
united; so that the one, a volatile spirit, and the other, a fixt body [i.e.,
the Gold in it is a fixt body] are in the end fixed together inseparably.
Incertus
1. The first principal solution is a reduction of the
imperfect body [Antimony] into a liquor or chaos.
2. The solution of the elements is a separation of the Chaos
by circulation, viz., into Mercury, Sulphur and Salt, or into Spirit, Soul, and
Body, or into water, fire, or oil, and earth.
3. The Philosophical solution is a solution o the Man and
his Wife during Putrefaction.
4. The solution of the ferment [Sol] is a reduction of the
luminous Sulphur [of the Sol] into either the White or the Red Oil [Here the
Tinctures are considered as Oils or Unguents - when they are specificated
they are Elixirs].
5. The last solution is a solution of the Stone itself, and
of both Elixirs [i.e., of both fermented Tinctures] to augment their power and efficacy [It looks as if Incertus fermented
before multiplying with secret Fire].
Alphidius
When we dissolve we calcine, without any interval of time
- so we sublime and compose; for between the solution and composition of the
body and spirit [Rebis and secret Fire] there is no lapse nor loss of time.
Corruption and Dispensation is made in putridness in the bottom of the vessel.
Putrefaction is effected in a very low heat, like that of warm and moist horse
dung, and in no other heat; so that nothing may ascend; for if anything should
ascend the principles would be separated, which must not be, until the male and
female are perfectly united and the one receiveth the other. The sign of this,
perfect solution, on the surface a black colour, which is the crude tincture,
and therefore must be carefully preserved by gentle heat.
Nuysement
Repeated solutions and fixations communicate to the Elixir a
power to penetrate metallic bodies. But for this it could have no ingress.
Therefore the youth Hermaphroditus [the Gold is here intended though commonly
the Hermaphrodite means Rebis] and his tender Virgin Sal Macis [our
Diana] must be dipped in the Fountain [the solution effected by adding secret
Fire to Rebis], that the one may embrace the other, and that he may be able to
say to her: “The time will come when my Virgin will never be separated from me,
not I from her; and that our union will continue inseparably, and both our
bodies possess but one heart and one face [in tincture alba et Rubia].
Let the Island Delus appear immovable, and let Apollo and Diana [Gold and
Regulus of Antimony and Mars] dwell therein [united in one regenerated body,
the Tincture].
H. Von Batsdorff
We have two fires, an internal [the secret Fire] and
our external; the one without the other can perform nothing. If you wish
to see a good effect from these two they must be managed with prudence… the
external must not be too violent for the internal, or all your industry will be
fruitless; the volatile will be separated from the fixt, and as our massa is
extremely fusible, it will melt and sublime, which has happened to me several
times, so that my work was spoiled and came to nothing. But, as Count Bernard
says, the fire must be an equal digesting continual heat, not too violent. In
your first degree of heat, during the solution, you must not hurry; for unless
your body be properly dissolved, a true fixation of the volatile will never
follow [There must be a slow gradual solution. If the heat be too great there
will be a separation of the more volatile from the more gross part of the
compound, which must not be].
Nodus Sophicus Enodatus
Count Bernard Trevisan, in his practice says: The Fountain
[Regulus of Antimony and Mars] is as it were a mother of the King [Gold].
She draws him to her, and killeth him, but the King rises again from death,
through her, and unites so firmly with her, that he become invulnerable.
Although Gabricius [Gold] is, in the opinion of the world,
more precious and valuable than Beja, yet by himself he can produce
nothing. That virgin Beja, our blessed water, the Philosophers have
concealed in their books under many names [as Beja, Our Moon, Our Mercury, Our
blessed water in which gold dissolves as ice in warm water, our Chalibs, our Steel,
etc.].
Water Stone of the Wise
The terrestrial body of Gold must be dissolved, destroyed,
putrefied and deprived of all its powers [or natural properties], and this in
the beginning of the work, assuming first a dark and afterwards a perfectly black
colour, which the Philosophers have called the Raven’s head. This
commonly takes place in forty days. During this putrefaction the anima of Gold
is extracted and separated, and is carried aloft and totally separated from the
body, the body remaining for some time without life, and like ashes at the
bottom of the vessel.
Ludus Puerorum
The whole mixture out of which our humidity is extracted is
called magnesia - and this humidity of ours we call Argent vive.
Eyraeneus Philaletha
Our Stone is made out of one thing [“For Nature doth produce
metals, according to their species, out of mercury alone], and of four
mercurial substances, whereof one [Gold] is mature, the rest [Antimony, Iron,
Mercury], crude but pure; of which two [Antimony and Iron] are drawn out of a
mineral by the third [viz., Mercury], which is wonderfully joined with a
temperate, not violent fire, and so cocted every day, until all be made one by
a natural conjunction, most secret, not manual [The last named substance, viz.,
Mercury is applied to extract from the others their hidden virtue to produce
from all one quintessential virtue as in union with the Muriatic
acid and so becomes a fit fire for the internal operations].
Eyraeneus Philoctetes
Pursue our Diana [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] with
great industry, whose beauty is singular and qualities excellent. She is more
fair, more grave, and yet lively and more fit for generation than any other;
marry her to the Sun [Gold] and their offspring shall be your reward. And for
your instruction know and note it well, that our water or mercury [or
Diana] is a compound simple. Compound in respect to quality [partaking
of the qualities of its ingredients Antimony and Mars], simple in respect to
matter and homogeneity [being wholly mercurial]. The matter is watery, the
quality fiery, which [qualities] are, according to the doctrine of elements
[which is nonsense], reconciled by air but according to the principles thus:
The matter [the whole matter Rebis, viz., Sol and Diana] is mercurial,
the quality Sulphureous, reconciled by salt; which also may be,
and sometimes are, called the water, the spirit, and the blood
- or body, soul, and spirit. Take it either way, but be sure to
understand them scientifically or practically… Salt [the salt of Nature, as our
Diana is often called, is here meant] prepares Sulphur [viz., Gold], Salt and
Sulphur [viz., Rebis] prepares mercury [our secret Fire], Mercury preserves
them: so that without salt, sulphur cannot be prepared or set at liberty
from his prison [the body of Gold], it being the only key thereto; without Salt
and Sulphur [Rebis], mercury [the secret Fire] cannot be
qualified; and without mercury [the Sophic fire] salt [Regulus of
Antimony and Mars] and sulphur [Gold] can effect nothing.
Metallurgia
The matter is nothing but Argent vive and sulphur, as the
Ancients say, or sulphur, mercury and salt. This can nowhere be found nearer
and better for or purpose than in Saturn [not his male child, lead, but his
daughter Antimony]. When clarified and spiritualized it is the medium between running
mercury and the metals [the only medium by which the two latter can be
inseparably united]. It is that temperate substance between the fixed and the
volatile, which is the nearest matter of the Tincture. Does not this contain
the sulphur, salt and mercury spiritualized [is not this the recipient, and
therefore called by philosophers the vessel, in which, when perfect solution is
effected, the principles are deposited] which may very easily by the power of
gold [which furnishes the sulphur] be refixed into a Tincture?
This is the heaven [or sphere of Saturn mentioned in the Turba]
- the mother of Sol and Luna. By mercury [the secret Fire] you must
dissolve the Stone [Rebis] and reduce it into tincture by volatilization and
fixation: then the true Gluten of the eagle [the Solar antimonial butter] as
Pythagoras says, is produced which unites with the blood of the lion [Gold].
The Philosophers concealed this true conjunction as their greatest secret…
When by our art we make the perfect sulphur [Gold] to
re-enter the matrix of his mother [our Diana] uniting him [in rebis] to that
body whence he had his origin, he may again be born a second time [if the
proper menstrual water, or secret Fire, necessary for his growth and
nourishment, be added in due proportion].
Vade Mecum Philosophicum
I conceive this to be the sense of what you have said: I am
to take the perfect body White or Red [common fine Gold or Silver] for
the Root of my Work. This must be united in just weight with the imperfect
body [our unripe gold], very pure and well cleansed from its terrestrial
superfluities: to which I must then add a skillful proportion of pure Mineral
water [the secret Fire]… In the first entrance of the work the perfect
body is calcined by marriage with the imperfect [when the two are
joined in Rebis], and so being exquisitely mixed [for the perfect dissolves in
the imperfect as ice in warm water] they are put into the philosophical egg [with the pure
mineral water]. He fire is then to be administered through its degrees, boiling
night and day until the work is perfectly finished [without performing
any other operation whatever; for all the other labours of which the
Philosophers speak, such as putrefaction, sublimation, distillation,
circulation, and separation of elements, making black, white, and red, etc.,
are the operation of Nature on the matter in the glass, without any laying on
of the hands of the Artist. This is the whole secret, the whole labour of this
wonderful production, which the philosophers have hidden with so much care, and
yet have actually unveiled in their writings, but in such a manner that the
treasure shall not be obtained without labour].
Incertus Macrocosmus
The Augmentation or Multiplication of the Stone can be
performed in two ways:
1. By repeated solution and coagulation. This Augmentation
increases the Stone in Virtue.
2. The second way is by Fermentation, which increases the
Stone in quantity. The multiplication by Fermentation is soonest
accomplished. What has been resolved or opened operates the quicker when fixed
by its own ferment [Gold or Silver]. It is with this as with leaven - a small
quantity leavens the whole lump.
The same takes place with the philosophic stone. When
projected on imperfect metals it transmutes a large quantity of them into good
gold.
The tincture is the living gold of the
Philosophers and is taken from its inward Sulphur, which in multiplication
must be caught like a vapour by the moving or volatile principle.
The siccity or dryness of the sulphur is the coagulating principle; and
it follows that the humidity of mercury must be the dissolving principle
and the principle of Multiplication, whereby the body may be opened and multiplied; and
that the moving and coagulating principle must be added to the Anima Solis,
which is the tincture.
During projection the subtil informing spirit is
transplanted.
If you ask which of the two multiplications above mentioned
is the best and most useful, it appears by Reason and experience that the
multiplication by fermentation [For fermentation we probably
ought to read in these places solution and coagulation] is the truest and most
certain - for in all things that which is confirmed by its leaven is more
perfect than that which is not. When this fermentation is properly done
the event will prove that what can in the first projection tinge a hundred will
in the second tinge a thousand parts, and you may exalt it as far as you wish.
The more the stone is dissolved with its soul, anima or
volatile spirit, and congealed again each time, the more is the tincture
multiplied not only in quantity but in virtue and subtility, and in projection
will fall on or transmute a greater weight of metal.
There are various methods of multiplication. Some bring the
medicine into a red powder, others into a hard brittle mass. This is of no
consequence provided the work itself be right.
Arnoldus De Villa Nova
By putrefaction and frequent reiteration thereof the
Philosophers’ Stone is augmented in virtue. Remember this my friend!
Scotus
Multiplication is either in Virtue, which is done by
alteration, or subtilization, by dissolving and recongealing - or in Quantity, and this is done by adding new matter [i.e.,
by compound fermentation].
Incertus Macrocosmus
The multiplication in quantity is nothing else but an
augmentation in weight, so that you obtain more powder in quantity but neither
diminished nor increased in power.
The Same
When your decoction [Tinctura alba] is completed you
us know its weight. Add to it one fourth of its weight of the congealed
water - we mean that congealed water which is our volatile
spirit, our Dragon’s tail, or White sperm, all which names
mean the same thing. Put this fourth part to the Tincture in the same vessel,
without taking the fixed Dragon [Tinctura alba] out of the vessel. Then
shut the vessel very close and lute it, and decoct as before: until it is
dissolved and congealed again.
Repeat the imbibition, inspiration, vivification, solution,
and congelation several times with our water, in one and the same
vessel, without ever taking the dragon out of his den, but there kill and
revive him [by the means indicated] and he will each time become more spiritual
than before, and a white, crystalline matter, fixt, fusible, and tinging.
Vade Mecum Philosophicum
When the perfect powder, white or red, is taken out of the
Philosophical egg, it appears like the most impalpable powder, whose atoms
appear more minute if possible than those in the sun’s light, and yet it is
very ponderous, like burnished gold [or silver]. But when united to or mixed
with a perfect body of its own kind, it appears like white or red glass… easily
pulverizable… The powder in its first state, whether aurific or argentific is
too universal or undeterminate - too far above specificated metallic nature
[for instant projection] and therefore must be familiarized to metals by
mixture with a perfect metalline body… The Philosophers advise us to project by
gradation till projection ceases - that is, to project one part of the
tincture on 10 parts, and again one part of the latter on ten, until after the
last projection [no longer glass but] pure Gold or Silver comes from the fire.
If in the first state the stone should only go 1 upon 100
parts, yet by reiterated solutions and coagulations, the energy,
penetration, and virtue of the tincture may be increased to such a degree that
its extent can hardly be calculated.
If projection be made on mercury, as is mostly done, let the
mercury be heated in a crucible, until its crackling noise announces its
approaching flight. Then the known quantity of the fermented elixir must be
projected on it which enters in an instant and tinges and fixes the Mercury…
The heat must then be augmented till you perceive the matter in the crucible
flow thin and clear. When poured out it will be found to be gold or silver,
according to the kind of elixir… The tincture obtained by one continual linear
motion, by the first circulation, is called, when perfected, the elixir of
bodies. This must be cibated by 7 imbibitions, and with the last it must be
putrefied, whitened and again congealed and fixed. It is then called elixir
of the second order. When this is afterwards physically married with its
own ferment [the perfect body], decocted, putrefied, whitened, sublimed, and
exalted, it is then called elixir of the third order. As the first
obtained tincture is called the elixir or Tincture of bodies, so the last is
called the elixir of Spirits… The second elixir or elixir of the second order,
is a middle substance, between the first and the third. When the Stone or
tincture of the first perfection is imbibed or cibated, and decocted as at
first, you obtain the medium or elixir of the second order; which therefore
deserves to be called the spiritual elixir - because the first tincture
has now received 7 imbibitions, and with the last of them has been putrefied
and renovated. Yet this is not the perfect elixir of the third order, since it has not yet
received the philosophical fermentation [viz., with Gold or Silver in the
crucible as before directed]; after which fermentation the Elixir, like common
fire, can be multiplied continually.
Many working in this Art lose their labour by making
projection on impure metals… but when melted with a perfect metal, of its own
species, whereby it is converted into a metallic tinging glass, then and not
before it flows like wax on an imperfect ignited metal, or when thrown on
heated mercury. The imperfect metals, being too far removed from perfection,
the unfermented tincture does not enter fast enough, not having affinity for
the imperfect metals of strength sufficient to separate their scoria in a
strong heat. Therefore the powder or tincture gets confusedly mixed and
dispersed among the faeces, and the hope of the deluded Artist is frustrated.
ALLEGORICAL TERMS, WHEREBY THE PLOSOPHERS HAVE HIDDEN
THEIR SECRET MEANING
Pure gold without any double meaning is intended by the
following terms:
The Root - the Radix - our mature Sulphur - Red Brass
- Terra lemnia - Laton - The Red Man - Apollo - Phoebus - Sol - The King - The Male - The Male seed - The Husband - The Man - Gabricius - The Red Lion - The Dragon without Wings - The fixt Sulphur
- Our Sol - The Toad - Hermes’ Tree - The fire of Nature.
The Crude matter of which our female is prepared is called:
Saturn - Senex - The offspring of Saturn - Saturn’s Child - Saturnia
- the most beloved daughter of Saturn - The Son of Saturn.
THE FEMALE WHEN JOINED TO MARS, IS CALLED
Venus, because of her intercourse with Mars before she is
married to Gabricius - The Dragon with wings -The Babylonian Dragon - Mercury -
Immature Mercury - Our Mercury -The First Mensturrum - The Menstrual Water -
The first Sophic Mercury - Chaos - White Brass - The Woman - The White Woman -
The Sister - Luna - The Moon - Our Moon - Beja - Diana - Andromeda - Fair
Phoebe - Our Vessel - The Matrix - The Feminine Sperm - Our Earth - The Ground -
Our First Solvent - Our First Water - The Fountain - Magnesia - The Middle
Substance - The Unnatural Fire (because of the Mars contained in it) - The
Serpent - The Sieve - The Marble - The Miller - The Green Lion (or unripe
gold). Sendivogius calls it Our Old Man.
THE SECRET FIRE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS HAS MANY NAMES
It is called: The Spirit - The Spirit of Life - The Water of
Life - The Water of Our Sea - The Mineral Water - The Water - Burning Water -
Ardent Water.
The Fire - The Secret Fire - Fire against Nature - The
Invisible Fire - Our Fire - The Fire of Snowy Whiteness - A Fire continual,
digesting, not violent, subtile, inclosed, aerial, surrounding, altering and
not burning, clear, close, altering, circulating, penetrating and alive - The
Mover - The First Agent - Philosophical Vitriol - That subtile Nature cleansed
by sublimation - The Fat of the Mercurial Wind - Our Mercurial Water - The
Second Sophic Mercury - The Venomous Fiery Dragon - Medea - Theseus, who had
black sails on his ship - The unhappy spring, in Ripley Revived - The Porter or
Servant of Count Bernard - Artpehius’ Map Fire - The eagles - The Virgins of
Dastin - The Vulture of hermes - The Priest.
It is also called Venus - The Nymph Venus - The Goddess
Venus born of the Froth of the Ocean (Ovid), because of the marine acid which
enters into the composition of the water of Our Sea, which acid is the
Alchemists’ Universal Lunar Mercury.
THE FIRST MARRIAGE
To the union of Sol and Luna - Male and Female - Gabricius
and Beja - Phoebus and Phoebe.
The product of this union is Rebis, i.e., Res bine - Arsenic
- Our Hermaphrodite.
THE SECOND MARRIAGE
The Priest marries them a second time in the Glass - He is
the Porter that attends the Birth - the Fire that warms it.
When our Diana is united with the nymph Venus it forms this
character [sigil: Mercury], i.e., Mercury, viz., the third and last genuine
mercury of the Philosophers, called Azoth - The Bath of Trevisan - The Balneum
Mariae - Sharp Vinegar - Horse Dung - Horse Dung - Moist Fire - The Vinegar of
the Mountains of Sol and Luna - The Dragon or Serpent with three heads, born of
the slime of the earth.
Give our Old Man (Our Chaos) Gold or Silver to swallow (in
the First marriage); let him be burnt to ashes (i.e., after this philosophical
Calcination of gold reduce the mass, when cold, to a powder); throw his ashes
in the water (i.e., in the second fire, making the second marriage); boil until
it is enough and you have a medicine to cure the Leprosy [of men and of
metals].
OBSERVATIONS
“Know that all your progress in this work is to ascend in
bus and nubi (that is in nubibus). Therefore I charge you to sublime in a
continual vapour: boil night and day without ceasing”. Exposition on
Ripley’s Epistle (p. 41).
“If any then should ask us what our natural operation of the
Stone is?, we would answer: Making of active natures passive, and passive
active by continual decoction. We boil continually, and when the
Spirit [secret Fire] is active there is a constant ascension and descencion,
and the body [Rebis, Gold] is dissolved and made to ascend like a spirit; and
when the body [Gold] is active the fumes by little and little cease, and
the compound remains below, boiling without fuming, and thickening and
at least calcining; and this is without hands repeated three times.
[In blackness, Whiteness, and Redness we make 3 unctuous calces]. The fire only
being kept continually; and then a Sabbath of rest and perfection is attained”.
Ripley Revived (pp. 185, 186, 199, 253).
“It is then nothing else but a boiling of hard and dry
bodies [gold or silver] in our Mercury [Regulus of Antimony and Mars] in a
convenient fire [the secret Fire], so long until they be dissolved and made
thin: then the same fire makes them fly, and flying they condense and return in
drops on the body [the position of Gold and revived Mercury not yet dissolved]
and moisten it, and by often returning, brings it to its own nature [i.e.,
volatilizes the Gold]”. Ripley Revived (p. 192).
“When thou hast the true mastery of our dissolution, thou
needest not to care for congelation, for governing it with thy fire thou shalt
obtain coagulation without laying on of hands”, Ripley Revived (p. 197,
214).
In this work Calcination, dissolution, sublimation,
putrefaction, separation, conjunction, death, and regeneration are all
performed in one vessel and by one linear procedure without laying on of hands.
Ripley Revived (pp. 197, 209, 213, 214, 218, 225, 226, 233, 285, 301,
325, 327, 388); Ashmole’s Theatrum Chemicum (p. 319).
The first operation (after preparing the matter) is to get
blackness, which will appear in the first regimen by continual decoction - Ripley
Revived - The matter will flow in the vessel, as soon as it feels the fire,
will ascend in fumes, condense and return to the body [Gold]. This continues
till all be brought to the state of circulation - after which the Sulphur of
the body [Gold] lays hold of the spirit and soul and all congeals in the bottom
of the glass, growing every day more and more black. (pp.337, 338)
Then shall the vapours cease. (p. 343)
Be now careful of your heat not to increase it, so as to
hinder conjunction. Ripley Revived (p. 353.)
“I swear unto thee upon the faith of an honest man, that if
thou urge thy fire, so as to make ought to sublime, in the days of this
regimen, thou wilt destroy the work irrecoverably”.
Secrets Revealed (p. 96). [i.e., after the ascension and
descension of the Azoth has ceased of itself conjunction begins in perfect
blackness, which increases daily. If you now increase the fire you hinder this
conjunction, you burn the tender matter, you destroy the work.]
In fine: Take the true material principles and put
them into the glass: put the glass in such heat that the matter may boil and
gently send up fumes, but only in such quantity that they may condense and
return to the matter below. Continue this degree of heat till the matter ceases
to sublime but still keeps slowly bubbling. It will get blacker and blacker
like melted pitch. Many colours will follow and the matter at length becomes
white. Then increase the heat a little and in time it will become red.
After that point you can proceed no farther without a
repetition of the first work. Be cautious not to vitrify the work. Secrets
Revealed (p. 110).
FINIS
