Anton

EDI T E D B Y ;

Kirchweger

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P roduction

I colloclion olaroancionl rnd norrrilin0s

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ALCHEMY, tsAGlcK'QABALAH, RostcRuctANtsM & FREEMASONRY of a Hotyand DiaboilcNature

voLUl,lE zstto

ANNULUSPLATONIS
(puaronrc nrne) or
PETSTCO-CEEMTCO

Erp l r n e ti o n o l lleluro
Includlnglts orlgin preservation,& destruction from

Hntonlsiepb frirrbtnpge r
Llterally prlnted through the Roeicrucianedlilon of 1 Tg1
lsrl ir trrur nl lr r r ilor t lr r lug l gal

ANNULUSPLATONIS
or

A URE A C ATENAH O MERI

lSoldln Gtrinol llonrrl
or
a physlcal - chemlcal

EXPLANATION of NATURE
and & DesrnucrloN PnesenvnrloN Irs 0nIGINr from A Soclety of true natural researchers revleed and lmproved wlth many lmportant annotatione given throughout

K l rc hw eger H n to n 9 os eph
2no Elllien
Transcrlbed llterally and true to the orlglnal, rare Rosicruclanedltlon of 1781
Sr r t i r 1!l2r

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Squomls

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TO THE READER
l , l it h th e p ro d u cti o n o f the pr esent wor k, "The GOLDEN CHAI N 0F (n e sto rer s of Alchenr ical l,lanuscr ipts Socie ty ) , H 0 M ER " ,R .A .l .S . m a y h a ve a cco n p l i sh e d their M agnumOpus, As will be dlscove r ed b y t h e re a d e r, ml n y d l ffer ' ent ver sions of thls book ( Boehmeet a Z ) h a ve b e e n p u b l i sh e d . This includes the R.A.l,l.S. pr oductl on o f a n e xce rp ta ti o n b y Dr . Siglsnond Bacstr on; r hlch was r eleas e d s e ve ra l ye a rs a g o . The pr esent wor ks r eflects the full tex t o f t h e w o rk e d i te d b y Anton Kir chweger . This author r eveals that h e w a s a me mb e r o f a secr et Her m etlc or der . That one of the br ot h e r s o f th e o rd e r, H o mer us, tn alchemical adept, set down the b a s i c s o f th i s ro rk. l f h a t e ve r th e tru e o ri g i ns of thls book, ho one will doubt that I t i s i n d e e d a n a ste rp l ece of alchem ical llter atur e. l,lr itten i n d o w n - to -e a rth l a n g u a g e , one gan begin to under stand alchem i c al p n i n e tp l e e a n d th u s u n veil the myster ies that shr oud the Hol y S c i e n ce o f A l ch e my. T h e footnotes alone for m a com pendlumo f dat a t h at l s o f e n o rmo u s yalue. It may be of lnter est to the r eader t o b e a w a re o f a q u e sti on asked by the R.A.tl.S. pr oducer of one r e c o g ni ze d a s a n a l ch e mical m ister . The question was: "If y our h o u s e w a s o n fi re a n d you could save only Ot{ E book fr om you r l i b r a r y, w h i ch o n e w o u ld you saye"? The alchem ical teacher , for s o h e w a s, smi l e d a se cr et sr nlle and r ep' l ied: "lJel l, it wou l d be t h e Go 'l d e n C h a i n o f H o mer ". Pr esslng this point the pr oduce r then a s k e d : " l s th i s th e n , THE nost inpor tant book of alchemyr o F r at l e a s t , 0N E o f th e mo st inpor tant books"? The teacher looked av r ay f o r a mo me n t, re fl e cti n g anil answer ed: "Yes. IF you can under s t a n d i t!!" S o , co u rte ous r eader , you have in your hands a book d e e m ed b y th o se w h o kn ow, as being UERYlm por tant. And so i t i s . l l o r e ge rma n e , yo u w l l l find it to be lmm ensely under standabl e. T o g i ve th e re a d e r so me idea of the effor t that went into t hi s b o o k , re co g n l ze th a t I people put In effor ts spanning over tw o y e a r s . It i s fi tti n g th en, that r ye thank those involved. Fir s t, l ' l s . L eo n e l l u l l e r rh o si ngle- handedly tr anslated almost 600 pages o f r r c h a i c Ge rma n te xt lnto Engllsh. Ie owe her m uch. Also, the l , l e s s r s. K e vi n i l a sma n a n d Danlel Dullles, two pr actlclng alchem i s ts i n A u stra l i a . T h e y d i d a tedlous and master ful Job of insur i ng no a l c h e m i ca l se n se w a s l o st. Thelr comm ents and editing nade a fant a s t i c b o sk co me to I i fe! Typlsts Judy Hlpsklnd and ltlar y Ro ber ts g o t t h e fl n a l ve rsl o n golng. Jor ly llintzel contr ibuted most of the l l l u s t ra ti o n w h i l e D a vi d llam labor ed with the sym bols and p r oofr e a d i ng . F i n a l typ i n g , editlng, sym bology and pr oduction wa s done b y H a n s N i n tze l ri th h e lp fr on iome folk who r ish to r em ain anony m o u s . T o a l l , u e a p p l a u d your n$ghty effor ts done as a labor of I o v e . T h a n k yo u . J l o w d ea r re a d e r, Jo U GrR cnbar k on a fantastic alchenical jour ney . R e c o g n i ze th o u g h , a s Ger har d Dor n r isely noted, the theor y i s dr y rithout th e p ra xl s. D o i ng the labor ator y wor k will thor ough l y l ng r a i n th e th e o ry a n d make it LM within and without you. tnj oy ! EVn

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W ORD A BOUT ln"Ael8cor

R.A.M. S. , the Regtoratioq of Alchenlcal Manuscrlpts Society ic a rrcry looecly htt grorp compoeed of prtntc cltlzens arotrnd thc sorld-who have contrlbuted to tbc preecut rork ed others ln me ;ay or tnotter. Tbe goel ol the soctcty le to ecck orrt end obtatn coptee of Alchcmlccl Etauacrlpts, .trrcts, prlrrtcd vorls end otber euch materlals ed lltersture. From these, cct'trtn ltene rac adGcted lor I rcstontlffir . Thfs co'Drlgtt tn re-typlng the neterlal to render lt reedsble, therefore usesble, Tbe readtag ts mede Eore ;ofoysble by thc uee of cbartg, ryabols, dlcttourlee, dlrgrant, lngertion ol prtnted lllustratioDs eod otber rnnotations to gbed edditioaal Ugiht on the text. ls r non-proflt cgrnizetlon vlth u,crnbcra from dl welks of R.A.M.S. llfe. There ts no rorgenlzetlsnt pGr BG, tnst Indivlduels deeirous of performlng e lrbor of love. It ts t[clr horpethrt tbctc cEorte rlll perbaps result ln renewed interest ln tbc scleDse of Alchcny or seea cootrlbute to new disWrile ttls rnetertel ts for ell on the corerles or ltelds of cqlerlmentatlon perttculerly tor the glncere practtctng Alcberntet. prth of Alchcny, tt tl Thc trenecrlpttoa of tbi.e meterirl ls r vcrbatim as brrmea ekllls peroit. The only erceptlons rre to mate th Ertter Eore reedeble, or uaderetendeble, rlth lome tnoder:olzetloar. Tble ls done ONLY rrbere tt is Judgedthat no e,mbfguity rtlt rrtse from r eltgbt delnrture fboa thc orlSlnal ead there ls no denger of dclctlng tcy rords or phresee rhere e poeetble uee of Gemetrie, Tcmurl, Notariqoa or otber form of sritteu code edste. Tbus, nia-apelled or logorreet.materiel ls to bc fouad rs rell re erchaic oratraage g.rrnrnjtigally Tbi.s tD rn cffort to nrlntrln the ortgtnal tcrt as frr es poaeible. tB rords. Tbe coapleted metcrtrl lg then reproduced, lometlmcs bouDd ead offered to ldereeted prrtl,es. The costs for tteec coplcs ere used to detrty reproduction costr rDd to elte{n ddttloDrl matcrlel for restoration ttl,tst WtU ud Teetanent" Tbc rork of R.A.M. S. trcludes such matcrtrl rs Fom tbe lurnlurblc Brectrom Meuutt, ttlrnsprtlgt e Process for the ttThe Mlneral Glntar ol Nttre and ', there. Addttionrlly, materiel by other rrltcrr s lf or rtll be olfcred. Sucber Gcber, Kdid, Rtplcy, Becoq Bezelrigg, Gtc. & l5l hfgbfy rppror2lete to rcbowledge the Btry pcraoas rto herrc eitber Detcr'|rlly br phtrorophlcelly coutrlbtiled to thc preeent etlort rDd llttrre ones. For ro6e tbla nftbt rell bc trbeOrtt trdlcefroa tbnt thcy uc coDlidcrcd r.s EeEDcru ol R.A.L|.S. or ttet cuch r Foqp Gvencrtste! lf,hlle tbe llgt ls loog, lt .lrcludcc: C. Colllnr. RteL Stcro, Dorte Edleln, Arp. Joo, D. .Dd J. Nbtzel' and eeN. Ogle, G. Prlce, F. Rcgtrdle, W.rna Doren, K. vmlbcotgleck are tbanks pcctelly Drdd ErD. For thptr lrbora rnd coatrlbutlono, irrrteful Alchemy. Lct thetr uucclflsh ctforts tnsptreothers b Ugtt tbc fircs of h*o. To obtnrn coptca of tbeee netcrieLs, sr to coatributc la lome ?ay to thla ttork,

coBtastf :R.A.ll.S.

itt

P re f a c e Tl:' e A urea Catena Hom e n i (G o ld e n e n K e t t e n bookr o! better under -was a famous book; of hundreds E o me rs ) is it is a famous forgotten

because today of years nurnber of time, from a ls o like in

and buried rn the past,

the dust

our

libraries. have read for example,

howeverr it;

iD uncountable best of that

peopre

and studied gained ( "Rin g

even the of

Goethe,

an array

inspiring --

thoughts

l-}re Annulue e n t it le d .

Platonie

des P lato")

as th e wo rk is From the to the sky it

comes rises

sky it

and down again to earth it must come changing. of t-}rreSuperi.ue et fnferi.ue as the wo rk is a ls o Hernetis

eternally That ()beren thirdly. is is the quintessence

und Unteren The idea

dee He rme s ) -that aII

e n t it le d nature, that a deeply to that

creationr

no matter

what its

most closely connection

"chained

together" all of

and interconnected, nature, that one thing

secret the this

pervades

relates idea

next

and things

depend upon each otherr appears in the in the form

EB weII of an 'up'

as the

secret

connection

and 'down, " a circu6s

'way-to" lation --

and 'way-back," this "possibly himself, natural

form of

an always

changing

fantastic" best in

double-idea the idea of

was what Goether And

he once said this vated

liked

Aurea Catena Homeri. was aleo this the one that a whole

same grand another

philosophic of readers

capti-

large

circle

book for

century.

Todayr B S mentioned even if concerns its content in is the

e a rlie r,

t h e b o o k it s e lf in all of

is us.

lo n g only

f o rgo t t e n , he who

still "art

lingering of the

himself this

hermetics"

will

occasionally

r un a cr o ss wiII not

"jeweI"; the

an d t h is

" p h ilo s o p h ic a l And only

G a rf u n k e ls t e in " "an artist" will - three

enlighten give up,

hermetic

darkness. through opent

but

persevere is always in

the work - once - twice go into the

times. Ap e r ta enters glance, the

"The door j an the will ponta, palace finally

room my friend!" A n d a c t u a lly , he who

intna of this

e o n e la o e ,

a mie e t it

book and gives "through also all

more than and reach "natural

a passing the king" bed of who And of

pass He will

doors the

naked queen." "the heart

encounter qui will

che cks both th e wil] of

and kidne y s "

Be?utatur reveal

e o rd a ? e n e s . to him the s p irit , spirit

them --

Queen and King -"the cha in "

tim e

in which the

o rig in a t e d . of you, other

T h is

as a "seedr" writings. a work --

enable

comprehension and present its internal

mystical-alchemical brothers, with

"So I begin which because of

honorable

value

and because it pastr of is the

has been mutilated

in various precisely practical echool-book' cially ba sis for for That

ways by many authors and clearly, explanations by our with --

from the

and more recently, theory as well a 'classic espea as

explanations

a work which and which lower

considered

elders

has become a requirement grades in order to create

the students the is respective what the

of the

s c ie n c e . " to the "Rosenkreuzer And even if w would not the like edition" of the present

preface 1781 is

Aunea Catena Homeni of the complete

saying.

we cannot --

work word by word herer to all, especially power of

by the way -to let the with

without spirit

agreeing of truth

details!

and the

conviction

come back to

life,

whieh it cause this itself.

haE been written or that He will follower

approximately of

200 years ago.

It

might

"hermetics' just

to read the original the immense

then realize

how much enlighterunent

Progrese of two centuries questions, rcrld and how little

has eontributed

to the answering of specific of general

in comparison to the solution As far

and human enigrmas.

as those are concernedr w are as

smart as we were before. diedainfully

In any case we have no reason to look down

o n th e a u th o r of an Autea Catena Hom eni.

I NT R ()D U C T ION
Concelning the tevznal authont and vatiout editiont o{ CE ril of tl f rt llr"

"E br 6ntilr l The identity wa s fir st buted i .e ., in printed of in the

author

t'h.e Aurea Catena Homeri. which p rio r to that h a d b e e n d is t r i a long time --

L723, b u t wh ic h version, "pr o f a n e informed Ce lle ,

a handwritten

has been unknown for ones." people T h e " in f o rme d

un known E rmongthe One of born in these

ones" knew,

however! Schm id t,

was Rudolf Johann Friedrich in 176I in Co p e n ha g e n ; in Ha rn bu r g , Schmidt,

L7O2 in

a n d wh o d ie d

h e w as a Dr. a n d "Ho frat" who did of will not

med.,

general

p ra c t it io n e r of

a n d a lc h e mis t T h is

(Councillor) receive and about

Da rms t a d t , / He s s e n . acknowledgement work

Ho f ra t

sufficient

from the

historians

alchemy

whom soon a major all of h is

based on some studies h e rit a g e the in t h e of fo r m o f the

b e published,

l-eft

e x t e n s iv e books to

manuscripts, city of

alchemistic his

and medical testament. e d it io n

library also

Harnburg in

Among his of 1738.

books is

t}re Aurea knowlon him, --

C aten a H omeri., the e d g e a b le of the

Leipzig

S c h imd t wa s v e ry in f lu e n c e

"golden his

chain r"

wh ic h

h a d a s t ro n g

a s ca n be seen in e D i squ isitio

work e n t it le d

E n e h irid io n

A le h y n ie o -P h y s ie u m A le h a he s t i n i s

de Menstnuis

lJ n iu e rs a lib u s 7739.*

u e L L iq u o n ib u s h a b it prove

Ph i,Lo so p honum, ete,,Jenae on the margins to us non. "marked" it of his his

He h a d t h e which

o f ma k in g re m a r k s to be very valuable

favorite pocket

books, edition of

AIso

the Aunea Catena flomepi was page of Stirus the preface p?o

completely following

in

this

manner,

and on the Kirchweger

had the

remark:

nDoctor

natione

Autor e

C atenae ?reae E omeri B e e o if e a s u s no biobibliographic about this remark

e lt . t ' * * researcher of Schmidt who could from

There was probably have been more pleased 1738 or of L739 (!) than

dating

Hermann Kopp, the of faet, at

deserving in his

historian-writer

alchemy.

Koppr E6 a matter isso)

own Aunea catena namely

Homeri' (Braunschweig that Feb. the I, Doctor L746, of in the Anton

arrives

the

same conclusion,

Joseph

Kirchweger

pg Forchenbron councirlor

(dead on and court author.

Gnunden in Region from in of

upper Austria,

Physicist

Salzkanunergut/Austria) things 1786

was the

KoPP concluded that

this

among other only in

a manuscript-catalogue (t) .

was published

Vienna

. rThis "alchemical-physicar handbook or investigation of the universar solvents or the alcahest of the phitosophers, etc. can be found as German translation under the title: "About the General Solvents" in the Magazine for Natural Sciences and Chemistry" lWagazi'n fur di,e- Eohere Naturui,seensehaft und Cheniel, Tubingen L784. **Doctor Kirchweger from SteiermarkrAustria, has identified hinself as the author of the Goldenen Ketten Homers.

There

is

still

another

book by the ete. (B e rI in

same Kirchweger: 1 7 9 0 ! ), the in wh ic h

Mi.enoh e re f e r s with

ee o p iu m B aei,Lii, V aLenti.ni, over h is a dozen times thir d to "his"

Autea

Catena;

same hoLds true

manuscript: remained

A re S e n u m e e u P a n d o ra n e d u x . r, unknown to all hermetic

T h e la t t er , literature

however, histor ia n s.

completely

The Aunea Catena Homeri, consiets ha ve h a d a third since it that one is part

of

two parts.

Later

editions But

adde d (De t n a n e mu t a t io n e not author third of the of the by Kirchwegerr assures "than

me t a L T o ru m). \f, wiLl we will f irs t not

probably its

consider "a much

here,

even though light" in

us that in the

find

b r ig h ter

this

p a rt

t wo p a rt s . " * in

The first

edition

A u re a Ca t e n a Ho me n i wa s p u b lis h e d A u n e a Ca t e n a Ho me ri. and natural and how they of what the things, are thing O r:

L 7 2 3 an o nlzmously under cription what their birth they of the origin

t it le z nature

'!A desof

how and out into

are

born kind,

and created, independent again, the

destroyed is,

original

nhich

gives

and destructs shown in

according simple

to nature's

own instructions with its under-

and order,

most

way and il-lustrated ff is

most beautiful stand what is

rationale earthen,

and causes throughout. how do you understand what

you don't heavenly?

Fr an kfur t

e Leipzig, there

P ublis h e r are

J o h a n n G e o rg B o h me , L 7 2 3 . " which (according to

Of this XoPp) only these

L723 version differ e d iti on s: L728 17 38 1738 in the

two editions, and other

initials

ornaments.

Then fol-Iowed

Frankfurt Frankfurt

and Leipzig and L e ip z ig Schmidt's City of

(Unknown to Koppr however, "Hofrat" Leipzig. of the pocket-size version now in the library Hamburg.

1754 L757 1759 L762 17 6 3 L77L l 78 l

Jena Jena

(Doubted

by Kopp)

Vienna

(Doubted by Kopp) and Leipzig. Favrat.) (Latin version by Dr. med.

Frankfurt Ludovicus

(L a t in Frankfurt and Lei p z ig . Kopp. Available at Unknown to B erlin. B erlin (A nnulue P la t o n is . and LeipzL g .

v e rs io n b y F a v ra t . the Hamburg Library.) b y K o p p ).

Dis p u t e d

(A n n u lu s P la t o n i. e . l

*This is not the place to investigate what reasons speak against part. I am also doubtful Kirchweger as author of also the third Valentinus." of Basilius that he wrote "The l{icroscope The last published (1781 ) Ro s e n k re u z e r e d it io n h a s t h is of n a t u re t it l e : a f te r

"Ann u lu e Platonie its of creation, true natural

or physical-c h e mic a L

e x p la n a t io n newly with

maintenance scientists

and destruction, and anplified

inrproved by a society remarks.

many important I78I." by the

Be r lin

an d LeipzLg, The preface,

P ublisher signed

G e ro g e J a c o b De c k e r, is followed

"Phlebochron" is the preceded f ig u re 2l

"listing plus a

of

the

chapters"

and it of

by 1) an illuetration Abyesi Du p lie a t a e of the

po e ti c v ola ti l e cove r ) chain

"e xpalanation and fixed p lus of poetic

or the eatena or

t wice (s e e

abyss";

a n illu s t ra t io n of t -h ' e A n n u li We dO not they

"explanatio n 3) a "remarks."

P la t o n ie

t h e go l d e n

Homer"i here,

show a cOpy Of the two nothing effort in different to try to

"Carmina" than

because even though it would their

contain

the book itself,

become a tremendous trenchant format

make everybody w or d s. Contrary clearly

understand

rich

artificial

to

that,

the

"refitark" in

Eays: the

"This

Platonic

Ring is below, and

and completely

explained

rhymes following

in

the whole

work

itself.. science of

rt

seems as if

Plato

borrowed except are for

the

latter

from the rible of

natural of

Pythagoras, and whieh with

which,

dome terthose phi-

tenets

his are

Euccessors in accordance

certainly moeaie

not

Pythagoras'

the

and hermetic the

Iosophy.

Robert

Fludd

and Heinrich for three

Cornelius

Agrippa, sentences, hidden

two very

famous philosophers, very nicely.

except

a few crazy books of

ehowed that philosophy rcrthy (de to be

The latter's

the

Phi,Losophi,a oeeulta) translated ration into

are very

good and were considered an explanation 'Cabala."

French.

They contain philosophy

and an elaboHis main stateand a colunon through to the its

on Pythagorasr That in

and the

ment says: puIl lower of

nature

exists

a certain that its

eonnection an upper rays force

hidden

forces,

which

causes, off

magnets

continuously whereas

shoots the

extending increasing the

farthest swings is the

creature: ulvard through

lowest

aLso in

degree real 'llagus',

a consistent things the in

forcec front of

therefore the eyesr (L . r. c.

one who uses the which to

iB enough mag3 7 , 3 9 ). of Forchalso on

n e ts

w i th

attract

h id d e n

f o rc e s

The preface enbrunn' medical

itself teacher

names as author in

a certain doctor in

"Hefferd in

Cromau and rural brotherhood, least

ltahren, he took

a deserving

member of

our

s.ecret

which

the name Homerusr' If of there

erroneously

or at

inexactly. with the brotherhood nrme

were really cannot not get

a Rosenkreuzer with

'Homerus" did

be determined its name from

accuracy.

The Aunea Catena, or from

howeverr the

either

euch a "brothero of Eonepi

known Greek poet however, chain

Homer. the

The additLon fact the that in

to Aunea Catena Homer the conneets

results, golden

from

Homer and since the chain that

was considered

slzmbol of

nature

within

itself. analogue trcircles" to

The rings to of the

of

Plato of

constitute

such a symbol. "rings" of

A certain Plato are the

"chain'

Homer and the

Scherin

von Prevorst. world visible not of

The latter looking

refer, from which The

however, they are

primarily then world

an inner, to outside to the the

spiritual outer,

transferred and the

natural only

world.

interior but also

world other they

exist in

each separately, fashion, and in

each connected connection,

an orderly

a biraterar Nothing ehould things. of is

since in

are basicarly form,

only but

one worrd. only

can be recognized be seen trithin Lassalle its

an isolated

each thing with "It that its

connection this

and its very

relation accurateLy:

other is one

once formulated phiLosophicat but everything

the most profound known for with i.e., itself, its

ideas

ever

expressed, within natural with

nothing organic

iE known only in in the

relation universe, or

'wherefromr it'may

and rwheretor only

and spiritual the whole

be understood

relation

absolute

true. " like to cite shows in the this following .from the doubt of prefaces the real origin of

We would

"The author all things in the

work beyond general spirit

so-described that in

the world, to

that'the en-

modernists lightened

hate rules

so much, is basking

he who does not his the in

applaud

these

own blindness. li,ght will

For the more flexible, shine to which For

inquisitive-minded, he would be looking miraculously contradict sophers try to are as the each other not

however, in vain

eome to

other

philosophie us, most of syatems.

literature. the philosophers

past in

has taught their with

various the

Many modern philoof things, but move-

concerned everything

spirituat to the

nature laws

explain

according

of mechanical

t0

ments. others, instead childhood with thing" eral

That

is

why most of

them stay that

with

the is

artificial no baeis have held prefer

nature; for this,

however, of giving and of

who have realized up the becoming prejudices

there

which

they

since to stay

enhanced with

the

truth, " but or

the most tasteress

schorastic --

melanchory. "is nothing

"Each and every just firm this gen-

aays Homerus himself world spirit this in a more or at a later science"

less time.

coagulated

condition."

But more about The "true

natural

as promulgated in the

in

the Aunea Catena B ma ? a g -

Ho m e n i Ls nun in d in a . In

nuee also it is

c o n t a in e d stated:

f a mo u s T a b u la

the preface

"Ou r three-times d e n e n TafeZ (Table)

grande r

He rme s (T ris me g is t o s ) c o n s id e r the

in

h is

S ma r a g -

which w e rig h t f u lly symbolic

t h e mo s t e le g an t same time as a bible system of such a with

of our philosophical of the hermetic natural

books and at has presented

philosophy, in

the mentioned however, in

true

science

such a small manner, of that

extent,

thorough those

and instructive rules lived

he agrees of

even in details all natural philo-

infallible

the most splendid I'm

sop h e r s who ever why our late

on ea rt h ;

re f e rrin g

t o Mo s e s . excellent,

That is

author his

chose the

aforernentioned themer " since

ancient explained

monument for i n his Annulo

"continuous the

as so beautifully

P latonis,

la t t e r the

ma y b e c o n s id e re d .SnarnagdenenTafeZ always

t o b e a rea l , (Table). in front rules it In of of in

thorough order your

conurentary to

concerning have this

to be able eyes, dear

theme of Ariadne brothers, that

and honorable

and so that will of the

the

o u r au tho r the

may be checked in and for in which

re g a rd . . . I

p la c e scholars

h e re in " the

German language, language

the pleaEure the original

Phoenician

had been written.

I1

ff

we renounce to publish of aII

the Snaiagdenen Tafel, and natural it

which had since

the high respect the thirteenth sible in its

alchemists

scientists

century, lapidary

we are dolng shortness; it

because it

ig incomprehen-

would take extensl.ve explanations

and the ideas anlzway are exPressed in the Autea Catena Honeni. Just who is the writer ehron is not known. of the preface using the,name Phlebothe two more recent

W know, however, that ilugel

Be n l i , n e r R o se n kre u ze ? Jo h . Gottfr . Christoph Wollner The latter

( 1707 - 1786) and Joh. the 178I edition. also, especially in

(1732 + 1800) have obtained and interpreted

was then read widely

the Hamburg-Rosenkreuz circle.

l2

col'u4ENTs
This Platonic preted itself. natural of his Ring ie clearly and most instructively inter-

in the veraes on the folloring It would appear that which, Plato

page and in the whole work borrowed it from Pythagorean

science, successors

except for

some basic erroneous concepts from Pythagoras) r

(who surely

did not derive

agrees with

the Mosaic and Pythagorean philosophy. Agnippa, aside from a very well indeed.

Robent Fludd and Eeinnioh Corneliue few minor incorrect phrases,

have proved this

The three books on occult of the latter to warrant explanation are quite

philosophy

('tDe Phi.Loeophia Oeeulta") enough an

good and have been deemed worthy into the French language.

translation

They contain

and an enlargement principal a certain

of Pythagorean philosophy tenet is to the effect

and of that in

the Qabala. Agrippa's nature tic its there exists forces. its

connection

and coruuon characterisforce to shoot out cycler x-

in occult

These cause a superior inferior

rays through

magmets in a continuous And, vice versa,

tending

to the lowest of creatures. attraction,

the inferior' through

by a correaponding an ascending scale.

can rise

to ttre uPPenost he Eaid, before

That is the reason vhy, that lie nanifest for

'He is a true

Irlagus who uses the things if

ones eyes as of the

they were so many magnets intended fo rce s" . (L .I. e/37/391

the attraction

occult

a Poem from one of translating Note: Orring to the difficulty and a language to another, the rhlmlng has been onitted simple transliteration of the neaning given. This Poem is given overleaf . EltN

13

E r p l r n r l io f n tl r Fl Il r r

ABYSSI DUPLIGATAE
The DoubleVolatlle and Flred Abyss

On e a bgtt ldeepl ea{ lt { onth anothen. T o g e thett theq [onn a hazd bouquet. T h e volatile nuat becone quite ( ited, Stearn and, waten mutt tunn into zatth. H e a ven ittet( nutt be eazthLg, 0 t e l te no Li[e wiLt entet the eatth. T h e highett nutt becone the Lowett, T h e Lowett again the Highett. T h e $ixed nutt becone quite volatil.e, Wa te n and tteam nu6t be the eanth. T h e Eanth nutt ( Lq high up to Heaven, H e a ven m utt cr leep into the eenten o[ the Eanth. T h u L , Heaven and, Eanth mutt be nevented, 1 6 th e Lowett it to becom e the highett. gzaaon hillt T h e volatile the lixed. T h e [ixed ( oncet- the volatile into i) eath. T h u t nutt atand neveaLed, The Quintzttence and what it can do.

Of course, our modern poets would say the wonderfull things and contained in these two explanations, in a more beautiful poetically if a perceptive cognition correct manner. Especially l{e have more than would tune their lyres up to theee high truths! these vdrses in their entire one reason, however, for printing old-time fonmat.

1{

DEsraI*qsFgD* @ -FSSryry; H ,ffie4pEc4atloq pf , rpue naturat seienrl.grs,

revtsed and publtshed wlth E[any import-ant
-

annotatlons

by A4ton

iloseph ffirchregr

,- Secorrd Edition
lr - r ' ,' t- -

- Literal.
a
l

ancl tfue-to-ttre-

Edftict+,of. I78I* i xlluetratad. w 30, fiermenn-Barsdoff; puht: ".l92l. rare $oaletuelin

. i, ..a

original.

' :'

Bertin

l5

EXPLAN ATI ON
rl tll

ANNULT
o ? : THE
* I

PL ATO}IIS
CHAIN 0F H0l'lER

G 0LDEN

The Chain of Homer ie proved thus: After the chaoe pulls asunder (a) must forge it. spirit A volatile Spiritus mundi is its name. (b) from above Fiost, dew, Enow' rain and everything companyAre betrothed to it in faithful eeed of the world Here is eontained the volatile into the loler. From the upper realms, when it falls From that it takes on a bodY before our eyes. l{hen it glows visibly

Nitrum is known to the whole world. all his Power? l{ho is there to tell It is he that can forge many a thing. To him the lower realm is subject, Neither can the uPPer dispense with him. He must give birth to the whole of natureHe is the father of aII things, of the uorld. t{ho can conquer the fortreaaes given hin by the Creator. His porer has been His iealm is over heaven, earth and the Bea' Adam he is in all things' Out of him Eve nust also sPring. Then the goal will be reached, when the whole earth becomes fertile, When he becomes fixed and no longer flashes, And Eve sits next to him. Sun, moon, the sear and the earth Turn him to Eve through constant tuotion. Through heat and cold, through constant rnovement of the sea, With Adam rises Eve. (c)

comnon SaIt and Alkali' tfho is called of the whole world children feeds the tfho get together, woman and man when For forged from thembe perfect will fruit A

with

her blood.

SaIt For the Sour and A1kali aouP. Gives the fat to every

(dl)

15

This is proved by the volatile realm N ot volatile, not fixed , n o t e we 1 l.

of

the

animals.

The'Vegtable Hermaphrodite also shws Of what it is forged.

The fixed ores and stonee gl.ve evidence That they are proper (or: belong) to Niter and Salt. Fire and Air, Water and Earth, Desire of it the active part. When now the noble world-seed has been made fixed.

Steam and water have also been brought to earth, Then is made, and also accomplished That which aII the world esteems most highly. Fixed must the volatile become, Out of water and stearn turn to earth. And when it becomes a red dry blood, It is the worldrs good. treasure and highest

A perfect perfection Which drives away all

poverty

and disease.

17 FOOTNOTES

(a) The symbol shown in the margin of page 15 ( 6 ) comprises a great secret, of which nothing can be said at present. (b) The symbol of the O i_s here given because the World Soulr or the philosophical , being the foreman of God, O who forges all things above and below, therefore, also produces the meteors, has his seat chiefly in the sun, into which he was drawn and locked by Divine omnipotence on the fourth day of creation. (c) B e ca u se i n o u r' Annulo Pl,atonia much is wr itten about thi s main subjectr w will here only reproduce the words of 9felling, ( P a rt I, C h a p . 3 , S ec. 19) , they ar e: nlts spher e consist s of the whole world, it has the ray of the upper light and the lower. Consequently, it consists of volatile and alkaline fixed parts, and is a wonder salt of nature". This author would be irreproachable in every way if he had not tarnished himself with the error of Origen. Nevertheless, this does not prevent us from drawing on him when his statements are right and pertain to our subject. (d) Here from which things are quently, it lieve this we see the character of the Philosophical Vitriol, the double llercurius is prepared, through which all nature. Consetransformed into the pure tinctural gives indeed fat and good soupsl Profaners may beor not.

18

FOREWARD
Very worthy, Again dear Brothers, publicationl unwelcome critic den n e u e s t e n IX , many a profane scholar in wilI the of a Rosicrucian with that

sary, together Au se r le se ne l l od e r n yet at

who has inserted

B ibliothek V ol.

L , i. t t e y a t u r 428, f .) of the

(S e 1 e c t L ib ra ry a v e ry

L iterature, the

N. L X V f , P . coarse review

n o n s e n si c a l , influence

same time

rather Just, of

Plumenock

on all too

our writings. on the thousand worth those scale years

however, reason

as this

censor

has been found

light

upon which the true to

we have been used for as the sham scholars, fate

several

to weigh to

as well just

to make it willawait I, Brothers, principal the lower its

our while

reply side. point

him,

so an identical

who are on his come to is the

therefore,

and present

to you,

very

worthy

a work which textbook classes inner

considered

by our High Superiors chiefly science to of

a classj-cal of is

and has been prescribed as a basis worth for the said

the disciples nature. This

due to tinctly, of of the

and because it as well

elucidates, our

clearly real

and diiprinciples by many writers

theoretically true science of

as practically, which

nature

have been distorted

former

and modern times. whoever a period will considers of time how many errors will himself have crept into that

And indeed, this all study of the over public

become convinced grateful

have good cause for no longer available in

being

to us for accessible to with natu-

trying the

to make books public

bookstores

general

through the

new editions. present

Among these true

we count,

perfect

justification, tested

work on the

and genuine (a).

ra1 philosophy,

by the most certain

experiments

I9

The author, Forehenbrunn. physician

who is

resting

in

c;od, was called at

Heruend uon

He was a teacher also

of medicine

Croman and a country our secret fraternity,

in lloravia, the

a worthy

member of fn this of

in whieh he bore such conclusive universal that those World

name of the

Homerus. right

work he shows with alr things in the

arguments Spiritr

origin

Eo much decried approve of these

and so much hated purified principles

by moderns entertain le ar n ,

who do not in their light

th e m se lve s however, vain dict in

blindnes s . will shine

T o a f L e x ib le to

ma n , e a g e r t o he would of

that other

him here which

seek in

philosophical in their

books. various

For the majority systems about in

sages contraway. Many but That however, to stick

one another

a wonderful

moderns do not wish wish is to explain

to hear

anything by the

spiritual

essences, motion. others,

everything them stop the at

laws of mechanical nature;

why most of

the

artificial of

who recognize to the

unreasonableness scholastic during blues their

such a BysterTl prefer of renouncing the

tasteless they

instead youth

pre-

judices of tr uth. Yet of

sucked in

and of

becoming prisoners

such people with

should

just

read

the

first not

chapter try to

of

the Book

Creation

impartial natural that

eyes and should scientist which they ilh:nrined wished

be smarter should let to

than Moses, the themselves their should tr e e s, their

by God; they he would

be told

say according minds. consider They well d is s e c t

darkened onIy, I

brain,

and they

would

change their ys,

sEry, look herbs, the

at men and animals, a n d min e ra ls , by the

all

flo wers, parts in

stones ,

know how to author and in

manner prescribed would find, not

our wisdom the

schools,

and they

without

great

astonishment,

20

universal the first In grows is firmest World

World

Spirit,

which among all,

some of

our philosophers, very

Buch as well-. and and great

and oldest short:

know and understand everything yesr that

Everything by fruitful

one sees, naturet are

lives

produced

the most genuine with spirit it: in by the

subterranean Spiritr

creatures

filled

oFr ls our Brother skin, and Ieg, Spirit

Homer expressed whatever of there is

"Everything every mineral

and each, is

stone,

coagulated it;

and fixed it

the WorLd or Life that the life,

(b) " and filled rain, and motion

with could sition ys, of

otherwise nature.

would be impossible For this in Spirit is

be in

direct

cause and compoplants, and ores, t h e Sp i r i t the

and augmentation in every almighty of all single

human beings, (c ). the

animals,

thing

He c a n rig h t ly creator controlling of a ll

b e c a lle d

the

Architect, things,

the world,

o ve r se e r

the b e g in n in g great which

o f f s p rin g , right

wh ic h p r o F I A T (d), in her upper lives

ceeds and is the Spirit

created in

by the itself right

JEHOVAH as the constitutes

unified levels; (e); plant light is, the

nature

and lower and works a n im a lr the ot

the right

ANfMA llUNDf by which

everything which in t o

MERCURIUS VITAE, without ( f ); the liv in g water, is wa t e r,

no man, enters the

can live with the its

wh ic h

upper that

crystalline water, (h ),

by means of which

body, (g);

nethermost

illumined we re ,

and transfigured d e a d lif e is

an d its

previously

cru s h e d

a s it

r e s u s c i t a te d where, in its called

lodging seer of

(i ). first

It

h a s its it

seat in the upper r egions of Sha m aj i n condensed into This is

that

descent,

that

nature which is casing and

the Chaotrg l{elgr

of the plastic the

by the sages.

the first

WorLd Sou1, or of old Platonists

great the

aesistant

over-

God which genetnin).

caLled

generating

nature

( N atur a

2L

Now, then, coarser more it its ranges takes

this of the

chaotic air

t{ater,

the more it our of

sinks

through region,

the the

and approaches

earthly

on a yet

more compact degree After it has helped it

condensation animal the

due to

astral to

effluences. nourishment P1uto, of

the to

and vegetable of the

realms

and growth, producing there the

proceeds the

areas

subterranean tlre assistance However, general salty is

minerals of the their

and metals terrestriaL origin in

with globe.

the

fire the

in said

center

even if

bodies

take

from this infected, which

procreative places

father,

they

have been marred damaging,

their

maternal

by a certain and which

caustic

eorrosive

against

human nature, by the

has been most strongly central fire. revealed this

woven into

their

substance Yet, it

aforementioned

can, part

by the guide to of of his work,

Eweetening be freed of

by our

Homer in

the practical into three the

spot, for

transformed of the

sweetness

sugar

and made acceptable

products

natural

realms. worthy, dear Brothers, is the first or theoretical and experience, and transto all

Beho1d, very pa r t of our A nnuli by the the

P latonie, approbation

wh ic h of the

b a s e d o n re a s o n holy

supported mitted peoples to

divine

scripture,

Egyptians secret

by our

forefathers,

brought

by these there.

and their said

fraternities, forefathers stars. noblest of

and still our

taught

Among the shining is rightly

patriarchal

Thrice-Great

Hermes is lablet, which symbolic he has laid and inaccord with

like

the

sun anong the by us the the true

In hj-s Emerald of

considered so to

our philosophical Philosophy, so thoroughly in complete

books and, down the struetively

speak, of

Bible

Hermetic science he is

said in

system

natural space that

euch a small

22

the

infallible science reason

principles who ever why our constant that it

of lived

the most excellent on earth author - llloses,

of

aII

teachers That

of is

natural also the

I mean. said

deceased guide

chose the it

age-old in his corffnentary

monurnent as'his Annuli. Platoni,s

and explained

so well

can be considered

a thoroughgoing

o n the Emerald Iablet. To enable thread tenets of of our very worthy, dear Brothers their to bear eye, this to guiding test the

Ariadne our

constantly therebyr which

before ES well some idle

mind's

author with on this product for

as to talkers

recognize

themselves to

unreasonableness cast suspicion

have endeavored ancient

so precious of more recent

document of times, in

days as an it here

interpolated in

I Ermreproducing the Phoenician

German, but it is

the

sake of

scholars

language

in which "It which is like is

had originally true is and no lie, like is that below,

been written. c e rt a in which is a n d t ru e s t abover the of a ll, that is th a t above

below that

and that

which of

which

whereby as all

wonder-signs are created of it before;

a thing

can be obtained. by the will things sun is its of the

And just

things

by One alone, so also aII The it a ll in per-

Only One who thought OnIy One Being, mother,

originate its father, Its

from the

by appropriation. the wind is the has carried father of

the moon its is the

b e lly. in

nurse

e a rt h . His

T h is

fection into the earth

the whole world. You must separate gently, heaven, power with great

power is earth

total

when he is fire, the

transformed fire from

earth. crude, up to the

the

from the

understanding. again and the of from

He ascends heaven to the

from the earthr dtld

and descends of the the upper

receives thisr

lower.

t{hen you have achieved and all

1rou wiII

possess

splendor

the whole world,

23

darkness strength, penetrates

will for that

fly it

from you. overcomes all

This

is

the

strongest

strength things,

of and

all

subtle

and volatile is

which

is

crude. the

Thus the world rnost wonderful

created. are

And

by means of That is

this

one thing

works

accomplished.

why I have been called: parts of the truth.

The Thrice-Great Everything

Hermes, because I I have said about the

Possess three wo r k o f the

sun has been fulf ille d . " said incomparable ln the monument of Egyptian the wisdom was real mothertongue ES one must at a time oldest still (k).

That originally of the

the

written

Phoenician

language, if

ancient that its

Hamites, author

cannot was the

be doubted

one admitsr

admit,

second Hermes urh.o lived the Egyptian those with dialect,

when no syllable daughter of the

was yet said

known of

the the

language,

which

who peopled them into proves There

uninhabited ft is

Egypt

under Menes brought this fact that

the

country good just as

precisely in his for

Kriegemanz subject s a id (1).

with is is

arguments little oldest

commentary on the doubting that in the the

r eason

E me ra ld f a b L e t It is

the very ri-

document ne possess therefore, that

said J.

language. L.

quite

d icu lo u s, not th a t of

a c e rt a in such high

a b f n d a g in e in (n ), view

L.!4. of

(n ) i s the fact

ashamed of th e

contesting

antiquity, K ire h e n (o ),

Learned Jesuit alchemy;

A than a s iu s L a mb e e iu s

wh o wa s n o f rie n d (p ), Ys, the

h ig h e r

P etrus Herr ...

O la u s B o rrie h iu s (g ) a d mit it ,

even the distilling la tte r e ven grants: truest

G. H. B u rg h a n t "This

and that

? a b u L a S ma rg d in a is from Hermes,

t h e v e ry

o ld e s t

and perhaps although, from his

document to the

derived

be he who he mayr" he had absorbed Plastic' great

according youth,

atomic-mechanical perceive the

tenets

he does not

universal,

24

Spirit It to

of is

nature just this the it.

shown so clearty as ridiculous age-old for

in the

it. a f o re me n t io n e d of a Latin a b I n d a g i, n e author (r)

ascribe

work to inscription cert a in ly

the

labor

because,

he says, proof of

affected Which is it

VISITA a n o b le

INTERIORA TERRAE &c. is a rg u me n t ! in S c illic e t ! big enough to

Whether ho ld th e said

had really or is

been engraved o n ly c a lle d cat fight that

an emerald

writing in

s o a s a s in ile , about persons it with

I do not wish him. Neverart

to become involved theless, that it is not

a learned

so unbelievable produce said

who know the gem. and its

Hermes had known, could But that he considers pardon

Euch a big Tablet

the him,

suspect

content

confused,

I cannot his

especially time

as otherwise to time

he produces show un-

much good in suitable seem to

spare in

time this

and from kind that of

does not

arguments lack

scholarshipr he has not

so that studied in

he does not our academy

anything

except

o f w i sdo m. No fewer time at which that contradictions Henmes lived. he had never Unsinus that are found among scholars regarding the

Some even consider been on earth. (s ).

him a chimera, among these a b I n d a g in e the latter is (t) lived wh i l e however,

asserting

Chief

Jo h a n n e s Heinrich would sh o r tl y this is like

T h e a b o v e -me n t io n e d

to make out the lived flood, in of

he was Mosee, although is , in the

after

tha t the

s e c o n d mille n n iu m, T h e mo s t rid ic u lo u s ,

on e only th a t the

f o u rt h

(u ).

author to

Famae re mi, s e a e a d F n a t re e that

Ro a e a e e t a u n e a e of Athens, this only opinion. note here from

Cnueie tries although In order that not not

aver

Hermes was a Greek and King true scholars agrees with

one among the to expatiate

too much, however, would

f wiLl

our philosophical

apprentices

derive

great

benefit

25

considering Eon tula n u e

the (v)

Tablet together

of

Hermes with

its

beautiful p la t o n is .

comentary

by

with

o u r A n n u lo part of than author the the

The second or practical no leas just wortby the of first consideration part the the

work we have on hand ie preceding with theoretical. the greatest For thoroughhe deals In astral

as in

writes of

ness and clarity in it this the

about with of

generation

things

as a whole,

second part true rebLrth are of

their the

corruption tfater,

and natural

analysis. its

Chaotic

and especiatJ.y achieve of our it all

offspring, separation of these

palpably the leaven

shownr

6s also

how to

without components

by a total latter three

volatilization procedure arise nature, every

bodies. radiealie

From this of the

so useful are able body of men and

Menetrua to soften,

kingdoms of make fixed into a potent

which created for

volatilize, and to

and again transform it

their metals

line, (w) .

medicine

But because the sorbed author poison ff our a corrosive teaches into

creatures to

of

the

eubterranean

kingdom have abbeing, this body. way and our

injurious

human nature soften,

and a caustic

(Chapter

X) how to medicine,

tame,

and transform the animal

a honeysweet

ealubrious

for

Brother the

Homerus had done nothing guides even after the llth to aweetening, his demise.

more than we would

show this

teach

pertinent

owe him our

deepest

gratitude in

Finally, taunted very both

and last est.

chapter,

he eomes to this

the

so much a

Alkahest

or Alka

Some consider

famous liguor dissolve

simple sour

eubstance

(Ene einpLieieeinue), subjectsr virgin purity. and that

suppoaed to without

and alkaline of its

any corrosive Philaletha,

and

any weakening Stankeg,

By what about

lrenaeuE it,

and our Brother

Helmont write

we may infer

that

26
it must be made of any detailrhow or whether spirit that which his of urinous far it its or urinary boasted salt. virtues I do not wish founded or to go unor is

into

are the

foundedr the

can be compared to of the

fifth

element which

volatile

of Mercurius B a s iliu s unpublished Helmontian

ancient

sages,

p r e cisely

V a L e n t in u s writings Alkahest

a n d o t h e rs our author

a re pr a i s i n g . maintains that

In one of that the effect

the

can be proved

by other they

illenetrua. u n ited

He calls

these

hermaphroditic

ones,

and says that both

without

resistanc e , that they they

(S in e S t n e p it u l,

wit h

the Acidis p re c i p i -

a n d the A LeaLieis, tations and that Regarding so lvents mineral

a u g me n t e d t h e re b y between the

wit h o u t acid

are a neuter

and the, urinary. hermaphroditic

the most noble

marcasite,

various of

(Menetrua Hom o g e n e a l a n d p re p a ra t io n s will be found in our annotations, in true, sincere about t h re e the first these which love the

t h is

b le s s e d

we recommend to all of humanity. part of this which

pharmaceutical

alchemists to

!{e have yet An n uli P latonia.

say something of it , of

third of

There e x is t s the printing

k in d s

e d it io ns in

have been added to different versions.

two parts is authentic

three and all it fit to

But since ascribed to omit

none of our the of is ,

have been wrongly print none of FinaIIy, gu ir e those

Homerr w have thought third this part little alltogether.

them and to the

importance It

work does not in d is p e n s a b le branch all covered previous that left is,

reto by it. ediby some

any recommendatio n . who wish

n o n e t h e le s s , in the

to work intelligently have arisen readers, know the lack of also Latin

Heretofore, tions those doubts

there

complaints

about

by various who do not due to this

by some new Brothers, Language. ot They are they

with

knowledger

must be in

doubt,

27

as Latin Pages, however' of the

scraPs whieh and they are author.

they

do not they the that put the

understand

occur

on almost translated.

aII AIl,

wonder if with

have been correctly Moravian it is

disgusted

German manner of so tiring that

writing

They regret not This here why, to is

many a reader and undertake there are obunderErn

must force something scure stand. effort

himself else.

book down nidway, as, in addition,

especially which benefit

passages That is

and there, for the

no beginner of

can easily studentsr

our younger to

has been made to meet these annotations,

complaints, to accurately and in

clarify

the obscure the Latin

passages by explicit texts and single

replace general

words

by German terms,

to make the

wh o le w or k clearer, Therefore, serviceable adorable the very

easier, worthy to the

a n d mo re u s a b le . dear Brothers, use this of the exceedingly lovable and and

tractate of of

honor and praise nature, fellow for

Creator

beautiful needy

your

own instruction, end we devoutly the power of

comforting

your the

men, to which Heaven with number, in

reconmend you to Spirit, fulness

blessing through love,

Grace of the with sacred

the

and reurain, and brotherly

unalterable

faithwish,

our usual

Christian-fraternal PhLeboehnon

28

FOOqTNOTES (a) The old title of this b o o k is : A u re a Ca t e n a Ho me ri. To the last editions was added a third but false and interpolated part which does not stem from our school. $ler is true brothers of the deceased author and sole legitimate heirs to this book, also to change the title have deemed fit in this new edition published by us. Pa r t f , Chapter 23, p. 272. rd 9 . , p. 3. d e Me rc u rio , p. 757. p. zLO.

(b) ( c) (d) (e)

Ph ilalethae Zo r oasterrs Jo. A gricola

A nthrosoph. Clav., in art . ,

P opp. T ra c t .

(f)
(g)

Groeser Bauer, p . 7 .
R eg arding this, the au t h o r o f Mi, k ro k o s mi, s e h e V o rs p i, e le wr L t e s , p. 252 "When we enter the service from of wisdom and deliver darkness the word expressed by God, which is a true light, heaven as well as earth are engaged in nourishing and augrmenting and giving birth t o it in s u p e rp e rf e c t io n . ' No t e t h is r ds i t, herein lies not just the ground of all tinctures but also of the great magical Stone of the age-old sages. It is contained in all created bodies of the triple realm of nature as an imprisoned, so to speak, enchanted treasure ( Ih e saurus ineantatue) p e rs o n c a L ls it , c ru s h e d a s a c e rt a in " NB, until and locked, it is brought to fermentation by air and it-s aeidue, and the spirit achieves a free breakthroughi or through the assistance of the artist, through general or specific but it is most wonderfully freed from its fetters expedients; by the double magical fire. C ab ala ehymiea, which is a d d e d t o t h e G n o s e e u n d K le in e B a u e r published in the year 1753 under the title in the edition S aLomonis, p . 1 6 9 f . Ph iloeophia I f t ime a n d t h e l i m i t s Se e Compaes der lleisen, P re f a c e , p . 3 0 f . set to this Preface would permit, this sentence taken from the Iearned Samuel Boehant Canaan could be proved in greater detail. This is entitled: HERMETIS ?RISMEGISTRI fabula pin di.eata pe? ,1.C. K nie g s n a n n a m, I 5 5 7 , 8 . In his In chernico-physical P amphil. Ne b e n s t u n d e n . L.2.c.4. Smaragdina 8 . S . 16 p . L2.

(h)

( i)

( k)

(I) (m) (n)

Ho f , 1 7 8 0 .

Obelise.

29

Footnotes
( o) ( p) ( g) (r) ( s) ( t) ( u) (v) In In

(continued) :
Histor. A gyptiaeo, li t e ra t . G. 4. B re g f a u , ' L 7 3 6 , in 8. p. 30. l. i. c . i.

Ppodtom. Hernete

Xn h i.s Die'tilli,erkunet. Id e m , p. In Dise. LZ f . de Zoroastne, II f .

He rme t e e t S a n e h o n i. a t h o n e ,

No rirn b .

1661.8.

Id e m , p.

Se e Compass den llei.sen, P re f a c e ,

p.

30 and 4I ,

42.

It is in the German version of Theatro Chemi,eo by Friedrich Rothscholz, which came of the PreEs in Nurenberg in 3 octavo volu mes, L728-173I. S. See V ereammlungened e n , S t . VIIf .

( w)

30

INDEXof GHAPTERS
PART
t r e O r nr r r ti aar S rrlu - on thc g c n e ra t io a

1
rn d b t rt h of a e t u ra r thlngs. Page

C ha p . I..... C ha p . II.... Chap. III...

What Nature

Is is B o rn , a n d Ho w

33

Out of W hat E v e ry t h in g It Originated How Everything

39 Forth 52 58

Vf,as Born and Brought Universal

Chap. fV. .. . In !{hat l{anner the gotten and Born C ha p . V.....

Seed l{as Be-

How the Divided a n d S e p a ra t e d Ch a o t ic Hy Water fs Reborn and Becomes a Unilealic versal General Seed of AII Things, Conunonly Mu n d i Called A nima S e u S p irit u s On Heaven and I t s On A ir and Its and ft s f n f lu e n c e

G4 69 ?7 8I 85

C ha p . VI.... C ha p . VfI... Ch a p . VIfI.. Ch a p . IX.... Ch a p . X.....

I n f lu e n c e I n f lu e n c e

On !{ater On E arth

and It E I n f lu e n e e

Discovery of t h e T ru e Un iv e rE a l S e e d o r Reborn Spi.ritus Seu Anima Mundi, the Famous World S pirit Clear P roof tha t Nit ru m a n d S a I t Found in Everything in the l{orld Nitrum Waters and S alt A re t o and Earths A re t o b e

100 lf8 125

Ch a p . XI.... Ch a p . XII... C ha p . XIfI..

b e F o u n d in A I I

Nitrum and S alt A re t o b e F o u n d L 4 A n in a li, a , t{hich Are Made of These Trro and Are Again Into Then Dissolved Nitrum and S alt A re t o b e F o u n d in V e g e t a I{hich Are Made of These Trro and Are bilia, Again Dissolved fnto Them . Nitrum and S alt A re t o b e F o u n d L n llin e ra lia , Which Are Made of These Tvo and Are Again Into Them Dissolved

L27

Ch a p . XfV...

13I

Ch a p . ) i l ...

135

3t

Page

Chap. x v l . . .

On the Front Door and Key to Nature, and As the Author of AIl Parturition of Natural Things, Called Destruction' Putrefaction tlhat Putrefaction ft Consists Really fs and In What

145 L47

Chap.

)n/rr..

Chap. )ffIII. Chap.

Through What Arises Achieved Thereby

Putrefaction

and Is

1 53

xrx.. .

How the Volatile Can Become an Acid, and Contrariwise, Nr Aeidun Again an Alka1i; Becgmes an Aeidum, and the How the alkali a Volatile Latter What the Universal Aeidum, and Alkali and Particular Are Volatile,

I 58 L82

Chap. Chap.

xx.... xxr. . .
xxrl. .

What is the Birth of Ani.mali,a, of l{hat and Into What They They Consist, Components Dissolved Again Are What is the Birth of Vegetabili.a, and Into Components They Consist, Are Again Dissolved of l{hat What They

187

Chap.

19 4

Chap. XXIII.

of What of Minenali,4, What is the Bi;th and Into What They Components Ttrey Consist, Are Again Dissolved

237

32

TIIE OTIIER PINT

tr r G rnlrrtinrr S rrnn rt lrrt a n ir f t rn a end Dlssec t lo n o f Na t u ra l O a t h e De e t ru c t lo n Thtags. Page C ha p . I..... o rHow Nature Ch a n g e d t h e A lt e re d Ch a o t ic Hylealic First Beginnings into Her First Substance, which is Nitrun how and Salt; She turns them Again into Steam. How Nature How Nature De s t ro y s De s t ro y s t h e A n in a lia . the V e g e t a b ilia -. a n d A lt e rs 2 88

C ha p . If..... C ha p . III.... C ha p . fV ..... C ha p . V......

2 89 2 9L 2 96 3 09

How Nature De s t ro y s , lll'e llinenalia.

Co rru p t s

On the Dismemb e rme n t o r Dis s e c t io n , Un io n , And Rebirth of the Chaotic tfater into a Fifth S ubsta n c e . tfhat is final ly t o b e c o n c lu d e d Preceding Long Chapter. Dismembermen t o f Animal Kingdom. t h e Cre a t u re s Creatures f ro m t h e of of of the the the

Ch a p . VI..... C ha p . VII.... Chap. VffI... C ha p , IX ..... C ha p . X...... C ha p . XI..... Agp r n iir

3 ?6 3 83 401 4 09 t l3 0

Dismemberment of the Vegetable Kingdom.

Dismembermen t o f t h e Cre a t u re s Subterranean Kingdom. Guide to S we e t e n in g . of t h e A lk a -E s t

Last Chapter it is.

a n d l{ h a t

4 65 i-70

33

I
lfxrr lhrune I s
IATURE is that Creator, in ltself rolely Lncluding amalgarnation, the vlsible which is brought worlds, all together by the

and lnvisible

and containing of which function

both visible

and invisLble

creatures,

due to the egeenee ,(being) and presence of Coa. For the better understanding by men of the creation, invisible realns the natu-

ral but,

visible

and the Eupra-natural analysier thls

are aeparated,

in the final that all

Le of no eoneern to us, because we has been naturally or Void. (b.) uade by God, out

believe

and everythlng

of the Chaos and the Great No-fhing

34

1nay they stand but with which

The term be visible not

Horld or

means all invisible

created to our

beings eyes.

taken is

aII

together,

That

why we underwe dwell, together other beings

by it the

only

the whole

terrestrial the planets which they

lump upon which and the exist, stars,

also the

sun,

the moon, alr sPace in

inuneasurable act,

and all

live, 2-

and are contained term Natune, law of

therein. handr w understand from the beginning beings the of the

By the working

on the other impressed

inunutably world

motion,

by the

almighty

Creator Word. in

upon all

these

created both of

by His existhing

eternally tence in of

uncreated the

This

law produces and that

the mode of created

whole world

general

every

pa r ti cular. According to the princip le of the sages: o mn is a e t io that is , of a ll the a g e n ti e in f lu e n c e object to

ae h a b e t ad dispositionem of the mover or doer the is

s u b ie e t i according

p a t ie n t is , to the

structure

be moved, or who qnirnates is th e

suffererT

the passive and destroys

recipient. everything o u r g re a t

The mover Himself in all, however,

and engenders

so much discussed

V orT d S p irit .

S e n d . iu o g iu s m e a n s spirit" alr creatures according species beis

Him when he uses the word 'flatuve and calls that effects its work He is in bodies. He is but is,

her a ',volatile same in within

one and the

created different to the

things. in

Universal rtays,

ttre Law of Uotion relatively varieties of

countless of the

that

different, created

condition the

innumberable the its this

cauae of forth

Word of

power of after

omnipotence: kind (Genesis motion

Let I). is

each grow,

bring

seed, That

and rnultiply

uPon which .(passive)

precisely part.

law of

impressed on the

is

the

euffering

The universal

t{orld

Spirit,

contrary,

35 is the active ( a s a u n i t), part in all creatures. Both, hsrever, llatune. mechanical idea taken together

co mp ri se w h a t we call

In order to form a clear, of tlris milIs, aative f l ou r

simple and quite

and paeaive coneept, we have only to consider paper g ri st like mills, gr inding mills, stamp nills, and

mi l l s, other

innumerable of their

machines. AII

are driven

to the accomplishment for instance, inner water,

specific

action according differently

by one energy source, to ttre diversity

but differently Although speaking, driven is

of their

structure.

from one another,

each one, properly the inner

in no other way driven,

than in accordance with

predisposition structure,

made by the Foreman (lltaster Craftsman) r in its Law of Motion results. the rrniversal is like Spinitue

and a specific

In the case of such llundir or 9forld Spirit,

a machine, water is like whereas the inner

structure

the so often

mentioned inunutable

law of motion in creatures.

CORALLARY TEACHl.IGS

I. basic

The whole origins, the

of Nature doer

and creatures, who is

therefore, a spiritual

consists being,

of

two

or mover,

and the

moved or being, in

sufferer regard

(passive to his is

recipient) spirit.

who is

a tangible

or corporeal

moving

EXPLANATION: eal relative is to

Air

the

passive is the

recipient eubtlest

(suffering)

and is

corporelement. Air,

fire,

which

and most effective

Yfater which

tangible

and corporeal, to water, ig

noved

and nade effective Spiritual by Water, But being. which

by the Earth

relative

an active

Ls moved, to

impregnated, Earth, is

moietened

and fertilized Spirit.

relative

a moving is

and active

everythingr universal

rB already World Spirit.

mentioned,

originally

made effective

by the

36

Ir.

Since

the of

effects natural

of

Nature

occur Art

only

according

to

the follow

created* Nature investiof

properties and cannot gation the of

things,

while usefull without

must faithfully her, all

achieve Nature

anything

without

practical

undertaken Spirit is

a preliminary created

correct of

knowledge those

universal

World work

and the

properties out

natural

things l ess. III.

in which

done,

must needs turn

as foolish

and fruit-

* or:

inborn understands in all this of active Spirit in

But whoever perfectly

and the relation

above-mentioned to in the His differences i nfinite

law of motion Proper wisdom, mercy. level it to

tlpes

creatures recognize

them, will

also

the Lawgiver ju s t i c e , and

His e t e rn a l He will of

o mn ip o t e n e e ,

His e t e rn a l s c ie n c e

a n d H i s eternal is on the 3. highest in highest

p o s s e s s n a t u ra l philosophy. to

p e rf e c t ly

Hermetic

And even if level, the the light

seems impossible scj-entist

some to to learn

climb

to

this reborn

natural of

eager not

and be truly

Christ,

grace, should not,

lose

courage take

and confidently in hand Ers

start without the

investigating. knowing it,

He shourd

however, of to it

anything knowing

or make something do. at Instead, a timer

rdithout begin with,

whatr

sophists

are wont to not

he must choose of his inside its studies out,

one thing

only,

several

ds the to

object know it

and investigations. and then only make of

Above aIlr it what is

he must get possible

according til

to

inherent

law of motion. investigated final natural For one of it is it,

Neither

must he stop perfectly, for

working

he has completely obtained the

knows it

and has thereby himself. that the Art entire

goal not

he had set in

the nultiplicity and with

consists host

(says

our

greatest

teachers

him the

of master

37

sages). eomething

But afterwards else, in which is

he can proceed he will

with

the

investigation

of be-

already

succeed more easily, a book of Nature,

cauee every very that fine

creature of

to be considered is

as the namely,

saying

our philosophers

to be understood, In this

one book opens and explains reach the For highest

another. of

way he can imsooner than chain,

perceptibly

level of

Hermetic

wisdom,

one can imagine. the links of which

the whole

Nature

resembles When then

a circular

hang exactly studie s first to the

together.

an enlightened come expand and

spir itua l to perfectly his

man, by his know the from this to

a n d in v e s t ig a t io n s , link, it will

h a s f in a lly him to third, And guide

be easy for to

knowledge

the next

second, through the in

from that the whole will of

the

so on from one link Nature, eager this faithful

circle.

servant truly

of

Lord, light

herself Grace.

an

investigator

reborn

the

38

FOOTNOTES

Our authorqs explanation of the word llatune is not wrong, to be sure, but formulated in such a mAnner so that (.or: it gives neither a clear nor a complete understanding c o n c e pti o n l o f th i s'su b j ect. W e wilI, thbr efor e, include in this chapter, the le.cture of one of our learned, brothers, verbatim. It is certainly deserving of being read. This is to be found on pages 34-37 r. Chapter I. (,b) Amsterdam, See "Fretmaunenieehe Vensamm\ungened.arln, L 7 7 9 . 8 , V o l . 1 0 , a n d th at which is said her ein , found in Chapter If, note (a)r also page 34, rComentary by an Elder Broth!".

(a)

39

CHAPTER II
The incomprehensible great decided FIAT! N othing (a) according God has created to h is will everything (o r: out of thevoi.d He Power. (b.) or

()UT AI{D HO}l OUT I{AS BORN IT ()RIGINATED OR OF }IHAT EVERYTHING OF I{HOI'I

a s h e lik e d ). holy

and willed,

and emitted

from his vapor,

mouth his .fog, (or: mist

Word of

which This

became an imneasurable smoke resolved

and smoke. into

and thickened water by its the

condensed) increase. with out

the

generally water,

known chaotic is that out

perpetual great is

This all its God the

then,

of which

world that

inhabitants has rnade all primeval afte r us

has been made, and this supernatural of all and natural things which

water

of which water is

things, came before

and this

origin (c) .

us and are to

come

GREAT VOID OR I{O-THING A LECTURE OI{ THE

HAVE OR16INATED FROMWHTCHALL NATUREAND CREATURES 1. which the Here we do not eternal of teach about ereated the the in primeval worlds Sis Nothing of spirits (void) before out of

Omnipotent those times,

the beginning the

when lle,

infinite

Wisdom, appointed instruction at Luciferrs

sun, noon and stars to B rothers against of

as measurements, a hig h e rc la s s . his ruler lived follorp fall over in the

because that Instead,

be lo n g s revolt

we b e g in

God, and after Lucifer of as the that

was accomplJ-shed. The Almighty atl that those wide hosts of the count-

had installed less legions

creatures

and vast teaching

expanse of which iIluhis Book

our planet-world. the most exeellent mined by the of C r ea ti on. Spirit

We thereby I'toees, that of the

infallible of creation

historian

eo highly us in

Lord,

hds recorded

and left

40

2. As soon, pe r fect of his

In that

the beginning, ie, as Lucifer,

h e writ e s , the

G o d c re a t e d Dawn, in

heaven and earth. his splendor and spirits own will light-waters s t illn e s s , by him upon aII t -} . e E lo h i m , withdrew arousing this the

Son of

power over whole

the Thro n e s , (desired) the

P rin c ip a lit ie s , to rule

a n d in f e rio r to his

hierarchy resist

according of the

and thus of

began to

irradiation illu min e d

heavenly g e n t le

Go d , which calm,

had so gloriou s ly joy and delight, of an g e ls

h im in

perfect h is

and had been reflected wit h of g re a t b rillia n c e ,

Th r o n es and hosts or the

the Judges, gentle m i gh ty

eternal of the

justice said

God, irmnediately thereby h is its

irradiation fi re,

light-waters, together wit h of

in which by the fire

Lucifer

f o llo we rs active vapors of

we re s e i z e d , and the

drawn together (while e n ti r e which just this

vehement harshness was whirling his re a lm

strength, through

up tremendous in the p ro c e s s

in rnense space of

d e s t ru c t io n , into in water, the partly a

condensed more and more and finally all around or the periphery of his

dissolved kingdom,

adhering mercurial

form of

sulphur

condensed fiery or fight, which

water) for their

were locked eternal

up in

a dark

heavy mass without And this his history of is

water the point

punishment. of that inert

lt{oses accepted From it

as the beginning we understand be the mass. the said

creation

and chronology.

by his massr

words quoted

above he meant the'earth'to which wrote was outside the following this

dark,

dnd by heaven that

hre also

under-

etand why he immediately wo r d s: i The earth, upon the abyss, the however, and the creation

after

above-cited

was without Spirit of of this

form and void;

and darkness

was

God moved upon the waters,"before water with even one syllable. Now

he mentioned

4I

then,

these

waters, Fire with of

resolved Vengeance

out

of

the nighty all

vapors around their all It

driven the

up by

the Divine were filled

and expanding throughout brought Days of all

dark mass, whereof we

an aetive Word of

spirit

expansion, the is

by the Almighty our planetary call the great

creation the six

forth creation. nature to

creatures that which arose.

world

in

Nothing'

from which

and creatures the in but whole the

Some ancient everything opinion beginning that

men gave this in it.

name toid this

expansion erroneous the

and

contained it

They did nothing in

not

was really the

itself,

because in

no form of creation just or

creatures

gradually all for

originating

therein therein in k ink in

by as

the work of p o ssib iliti es, pot

was real, as one n ig h t fn

though c a ll

were contained in s t a n c e the the

an ink-

a Nothing

a void.

itself

and by itself dots,

contains designs,

ab so lu tely spe e ch e s, wh ich , master

no letters, calculations, the

nume ra ls , nor

lin e s ,

wo rd s , but o n ly

n u mb e rs ,

f ig u re s hand of from it

re a I I y ,

a s p o t e n t ia l i t i e s writ in g create.

however,

creative all form

a s k illf u l, andr so to

p e rf e c t speak,

can gradually

CORALLARY
I. Eve r ything, therefore, waters.

TEACHilGS
in to O NE , t h a t is ' in of t he all

h a s o rig in a t e d And (according a thing

above-mentioned true sages:

the

known tenet the same it

Out of which therefore active

becomes, into

can also that

be changed back) ONE, into deeply a fiery

everything water. minds This for

can be changed back into our students

must henceforth

imprint

upon their

further of

consideration. a n d a n a c t iv e h is a n g e ls eaoenee were

Si nce Nature ( Se e Le cture S 2.I)

and'Man c o n s is t s and Luc if e r

a p a s s iv e wit h a ll

together

42
created and his action follows by the followers of the divine efflux of the

Eternal

Ornnipotence, which he to the moving it

yrere meant to irradiation

use only of

according

gentle

the Divine

Light-Bearers,

that:

Ir.
orders they so to cording of

That in addition
Angels ruler created, owing to

to the higher Angels,

in the which fact they that could the in

there were lower

and over order to which are, ac-

act lower

could

of Angels the higher,

speak, to

tangible nature

and are

recipients of degree

regard

the

and properties degree to

each.

Conseguently, toward as is aef, as the his

the orders

of Angels

graduate

from

passive

an exceedingly every sole Agens in ruler

more sublime relation over to

(subtle) its

nature

and characteristics, Lucifer angels, the had to through

Patiena. hierarchy

Since of only of his

the whole

Throne-Princes, aetiue mooement

and had to of the

keep paeeiue irradiation what

toward the

above-mentioned, Light-Waterr

gentle with the

Divine glorious

w may thereby nature with, and who to of

conclude character should rule the

a brilliant, ALnighty all

and super-splendid great But since off spirit

eternal

had endowed this of Eternity.

have ruled

throughout to his into state aII

he wished the infusion he shifted he his

and act upper

according

oon uiLL, in

he closed respect to

Light-Waters

himselfr to the the

them,

fr o m a na tunal-paeeive reversed being, the nature of of

a e e lf -a e t in g orders of his

o n e . rn s o d o in g , hierarchy, of his realm and of

own as

by which,

course,

destruction

followed

a n e ce ssity. From this well inner understood nature, we may further the great conclude with that Lucifer had perfectly In his

excellence

which

he was endowed. or only

however,

he either

had not

understood

imperfectly;

43

nor had he been intent have foreseen together fright credit th is III. inner with

on recognizing the reversal

it,

because othenrise of with

he would his realm

and avoided his own ruin

and destruction resulted

which

necessarily

ghastly have given

from his to tha t That the

willful

self-rule, for

and he would benefits.

eternally ft is

Creator us.

such superior

precisely

teaches the

sham-erudite attribute but

children their their

of

the world, not to

who from the

lack

of who

self-knowledge

talents

Creator

bestowed judge,

them on them, to deal

to

oern excellence; solely found deal to

who consider, to their nature

and wish

with

everything are

according

self-conceit into they which

and imagined they pervert

wisdom,

have a satanic

everything

they

with

and in whatever

operate. A true son of wisdomr in his heart, on the contrary, to the must especially and truth, light flow recogand he and act light of in

nize

himself the

according of

spirit upper

must let him. God in

gentle

irradiation

Consequently, nature, receive nature in

he must steadily true hunility

follow

the moving of his

and annihilation of his

own will, nature into of bodies.

so as to a heavenly Christ,

the

transformation a true

own earthly through into

by means of of

rebirth

the

blood

before

he can think blessings,

changing Brothers! strength

earthly which of our

tinctural

Grace of wish

dear to the

rre may well spirit,

ardently we

upon you according give true you. prayer It

but which through

cannot steady

may be obtained

from

above,

however,

and devoted

cooperation. two incomparable second and third speeches of the by our

To the Rev. Brother

above may be added the Ilannan, whieh are the

44

Ve r sa m m lu ngsneden; a1so, will get an adequate of idea

the

tenth

of

the

g re a t

No t h in g .

Thus you

on this

point. to in footnote c) is thus fuII and

The origin the of eternal power.

that

water

(referred (d).

God and his That spirit

spoken word changed visibly

That word is into

a spirit a vapor

and tangibly

fog,

and that

turned

tangibly

into

a water. enclosed is the in spirit one, a visible, in it. power; and which

Here now we have two things is water, and an inviEible, the is it spirit which is

hidden

Water without spirit without

a ?eeolaeeuml or without corporeal should

or without

water

nothing, is to

duration, or bodily effect mixes

because spirit things. in all and fI ) For all

must have a body if God intended creatures things also it to

effect spirit

be so that

everything easily give with birth,

by nreans of water, it spirit again. or

because water can soften,

and through destroy Water is

penetrate,

everything the is

* (s e e Ch a p t e r the body, (o r: the the casing, a c t iv e the

5 , p a rt

subjectr the active

and the p rin c ip le ),

instruth e s p ir i t true agena,

m en t.

Sp irit

agent

fa m o u s World and power of the blacksmith fn the q u ite vo latile

S pirit, God, the of all

anima & e p i, rit u s universal natural from its seedl things. origin,

mu n d i,

a ll-a c t in g the

Bp?ma uni.uerai,

beginning,

this

water

and spirit

was fog,

and unstabler (e). everyone stems.

o s c a n e a s ily

b e s u rmis e d ra

v a P o r,

a n d sm o ke-water From this beginning it

can infer

what is

its

origin

and from what put fonard

This

can and will

later

be clearly

and explained. That the world has arisen from vaPor, and that vaPor turns into

45

water, nothing which, water subtle

and water between driven sphere

into heaven

vapor,

is

indeed but is

obvious.

To be Eure r \l see and water earth-

and earth heat,

vapor,

Emoke, fog,

by the into

central

sublinated And if

up from the we could also

the atmosphere or vapors enter from of

or Air. the

Bee the see the subour dark it

effluences which from

heavensr

w could these

influences limated physical with found

above downward into But since we eannot by analogry praxis,'as be found in

vapors with

below

utrxrard.

do this

eye6r

w must comprehend it the chenical

(reflection)touching that which little can be world"(f)

our hands through in the what great is

world above is

can also like

the (g).

and that That

what is

below

such vapors when the

arise

from waterr the

w see first changes

of

all

in

the

sununertime,

sun heats the air;

waters, when it

them into

vapor, before

and draws them into and the with th e rain air . When the pot on his farmer sun is

also,

had been raining

shining

af temards,

we see how the vapors

roof s sprinkled again into

smoke and steam,

and how these

evaporate

is

cooking

water the

in

his is all

Baucepan, steaming into

kettle

or

stove,

he sees that he can boil however, that

water it

and smoking, steam. fog (mist) conorigin. with

and if

he wishes, We notiee,

or turn

pure after

steam becomes water clouds. Such clouds

and smoke have condensed into dense into rain, his

thereafter to their feels

Bnow and water, field, that

and fall

back again in the heat, out

The farmer in great out.

when he must work his whole down in body is his

discomfort That

breathing

and steaming resolves which in-

steam settles so that it runs

clothes

and there streamlets

to waterr

down his

back in

we caII

45

p e r sp ir a ti on. The same is tha t th e Liquoree the spout Been by those rise who deal the with distillation, t h e re and that that is, trickle vapors

as s t e a m in t o down in

head,

condense, thus the

through turn into

and run

streamlets,

water. above we can now conclude great water. in is number, P atiens, world, And, that spi rit after in is, and be sure the chaotic is that the first or vapor

From the matter resolved but i ble ; thin g ti l l of this into

God, is

water

our view, water Agens.

the

latter

one and simple, and invisand everya ls o reborn,

twofold wa ter is th e

and spirit, Out of a n d a g a in

visible t wo a ll

these

ceaselessly end of

born,

p re s e rv e d (h ). the well

d e s t ro y e d ,

the world to

He who desires wisdom, the in the let

reach

origin

and fountain around this in t h is

of this

the

secret in all of

him remember this chapters. hrith its

and circle find that

center is

following all,

Then he will power it t h in g s their to the this, of is

spirit al}

namely, world; to

apportioned c o n s is t of

subjects

en ti r e

and as al l this One in again

u n if ie d that natural

One, they is, the changes. or a

return

again

extreme center do not natural

dissolution, through let the

circumference

returns

Whoever correctly any scruple vola ti l e the into in the

understands

him feel

any doubt

dismenberment & e c o n t ra i fragrant; they that all

things:

For he turns & v ic e

a fixed, into the

a s we e t in t o into

a s o u r, (or:

versai r

stinking

poison

theriaca root

treacle) and can

because he knows that again desire. of their be returned For they matteri into

stem from a single he eets his

(i)

upon which different their

most arduous not because or

are only because of

because of smaller

ctrance,

or greater

volatility

47

fixity; why all the

their highly of

longer aware

or

shorter

digestion calr: all oners

or maturing. nour matter around hands, us, is

That in ar1

is

philosophers in alt

things

the world, it in just the

things

wherever

one on

looks' it' it

one grasPs flies about is

any moment with front said of

one tramples

our noses,

and one often

stgmbles

upon itrr.

This

by the tray. have found a means in the spirit it is

Nevertheress, selection of

phirosophers

subjects

and have directed be s t , it is soonest, yet more, it

us to where this and fastest. stronger is a ll

fo u n d m ost concentrated, is alr and everything, thing;

A lt h o u g h in

and purer in a ll (j).

one

p a r ti cula r

otherwise,

h o we v e r, thus said

The philosophers old huntsmanrs salute: Since, but in

who think Adam is however, the

back their to

opinion

with

the

known him

have brought

matter not

with

from paradise. accursed that it earth follows

paradise

must be sought pure regions, for

on this say and

superterrestrial that

they

incontestably

the material

medicinal

transmuting True, Go o d in fused it

tinctures cannot into al1

must also be denied natura l

be taken that

from there. the fatal FaIl the

because of as the

t h in g s into

c re a t o r' s This secret

b le s s in g consists in it

was swallowed the true

up and turned of

a secret. matter prace in

separation "that only this after

the blessed not Fal l; take

from

the

cursed. but a ls o

And thus

follows p o ssib le why our

courd the that this

paradise t h is is

became t h e rea s o n

a n d p re c is e ly it with

aages teach

Adam brought secret is

him from paradise." the blessed matter our from

How to discover accursed, secret in all

and separate

creatures by various

clearly

and faithfully however, alt

shown in serve

schools

methods which,

one

48

purpoge. That is, attain

we teach this

Art.in

ofder

that

the pupil

will

to the cognition But that

of the Creator both for fom.

and His creatures. men and metals, are easiest

the medicines,

and guickest aubterranean

found in concentrateq creatures rightr (the mineral

N,B, in the realm of the in that our Brother

kingdom),

Homerus is quite

iE thoee will.be discusqed

convinced who carefully this matter in the

heed what is exteneively

concerning

nCompaesder Jleiean"t paFt II,

paragraph I.

49

FOOTNOTES (a) What modern natural scientists have cooked up against this statement, taken in the sense in which it ie accepted in our 'ech ools, is being bri e f ly d e a lt wit h in a d is c o u re e b y o n e o f our Brothers in the 10th of the Vensammlungareden of the GoId and Rosicrucians, Amsterdam 1779, 8. But because this subject penned by we will is of importance, add yet another lecture Ven. Brother who wrote first the the one inserted by us in C hapter I (a). See above note (b) aforementioned speeches, No. 9, where page 228 the fine words of our master of wisdom may be on light You read, which throw a very bright on this matter. m a y add Connel. Drebbe l' e s h o rt t ra c t a t e o n lh e Na t u n e of t h e ne w Elements, which is con t a in e d L n J o e . F e n d . K le e b la t t t s Frankfort of some rare small chemical tractates, and edition 1768, 8., Cha p . I . A lt o g e t h e r, we re c o rrre n d t h is Le ipzig because work ts aII, and particul-arly to all Brothers, little genuine venerable a and very member of our it is written by k in d . association, a n d is e x c e lle n t in it s blessed This is that water of which St. Peter Bays in his second Epistle 325-7: That out of such the earth arose and consisted of water by the word of God. Our old Greek Brother ThaT,ea of He had the fonic School had very good knowledge of said water. knowledge from his teachers, the Egypacquired this excellent and pupils of the patriarchs, by whom he had been tian Brothers Therefore, upon returning introduced to the temple of wisdom. he taught his younger Brothers that water to his home country, Now, to be sure, beginning of aII created things. was the first of our modern scholars believe that thereby he a large portion and river water, nothing but conunon springwater, understood Thales in t h is . r a inwater. However, t h e y a re n o t q u it e rig h t well knew how to distinguish betwen chaotic water as the mother Nor and partrurient iteelf. of aII others and the offspring was it unknown to him that this offspring, that is, rainwater, which a large part of those perfections had enclosed in itself water b1z divine in the primeval chaotic had been incorporated by the and that it had been so much qualified omnipotence, effluences of the moon impregnated by the sun that it might births Mercury hidden in it to the various bring the general preserver. But beln all three kingdoms of nature as their cause our Brother Homerus is dealing with it at great length is Eaid here except work, nothing further in his principal to us in of Thales h,as been transmitted that the said opinion principle and that it our fraternal school as an irrefutable will be retained as such to the end of times. t h in g s a s we ll a s t h e i n v i s i b l e That all visible a n d t a n g ib le according to his ones have flown out of God and that, spiritual contained in the word or wiswise disposition, they are first dom. That is: From the llotd emanates the eternal Naturerout of thi

(b)

(c)

(d)

50

(d)

part of Nature, as the microcosmic emanated- the external pr eludes express it: (S e e I h e S e rp e n t o f s u c h is c o rre c t . M o eee, Danzig I L755, 8 , S . 1 6 , p . 1 2 ). We mu s t n o t - b e liev e that God's word or his speaking is but an empty sound, disappearing without significanee or without the slightest effect. By no means! l{ords issuing from the mouth of God are pure light and life. They are never passive, but arways pure force which is altogether activer essential. "Through this essential speaking and breathing of God all things were spoken and called forth out of the invisible into the visible ( H ebrews xr.3)." (E ng ris h B ib re v e rs io n : " T h ro u g h f a it h w e understand that the worlds were framed by the woia of Godr so that things which are seen were not made of things which do ap pear."), as the micro c o s mic p re lu d e s c o rre c t ly (See e x p la in Senpent of Moees, S . 2 L , p . 2 2 1 , a n d e imu lt a n e o u e ly a lle ge that even the words of men are not without reality. For when man utters his words toward a window in cold winter time, one can see that the coldr 8s an oppoEitum, congeals and coagulates the warm and moiet breath from the other eide. when the human word or breath must be recognized as something essential, how much more must we recognize the spoken word of the everlasting God as something essential! This is also the reason why Christ says that men must give account of every idle word in the day of judgrment. But how should the words of all men be found again, if they were not all preserved? He believes that the circle of air surrounding the whole globe is big enough to contain all our words, and that some day in the future (when at the end Jehovah would open the air as the great book of natural life) it would present them again as we had spoken them (See fdem, s. 29, 30, P . 22 f.). S o me a ll t o o s e v e re t h e o lo g ia n s litF philosophers do not wish to admit that the caueative word of omnipotence, or that "Let there be!" is something essential, the breath of God not only causea the existence and continuing of all v is ib le c re a t u re s , b u t a ls o in f u s e s a c e r Pr eservation power into them, owing to which they can last so tain divine long in an uninterrupted circular course (or: Iifestyle) according to the law of motion laid down for them, til the limits set for their duration cease and the day of eternal rest begins. By this they wish to f o rc e e p in o e is n a n d e t o ie ie n . Ho we v e r , Ve rbum E leetri shows in t h e t e n t h o f t h e F re ima u re rie e h e Versammlungereden accordin g t o t h e f ra t e rn a l p re s c rip t io n of o u r great Order, can in no way be accused of these errors.

( e)

This primeval chaot ic wa t e r is c a lle d b y E u g . P h ila le t ha in Antiquity of Magie, p. L 2 9 , " T h e S e c o n d Na t u re o f G o d , , , an d "The Child of the B le s s e d T rin it y . " What he here calls the "Iittle world" rnay be considered the hu man being as well as , me t a p h o ric a lly , t h e P h ilo s o p h e r' s Stone.

(f)

51

( g)

Read carefully the e le v e n t h o f Lungsreden. Thereby no mean light view on this subject.

t -h e F re ima u n e n is e h e V en s a m m is obtained for a closer

(h)

This invisible, vola t ile , a ll-a c c o mp lis h in g s p irit is caIled Nature by send i. o o g iu s , a n d it is a rs o d e s c rib e d in his words, "Nature is a v o la t ire s p irit wh ic h d o e s it s w o r k in bodies. " The identity of th e f irs t porum) is a tenet so clearly that it would be ludicrous to palaver about a matter which disciples. (id e n t it a s b e g in n in g s p n in e iproven in our school of wisdom make a long and extensive is also not unknown to our

(i)

(j)

Here the author touches upon a matter which has caused no end of confusion since olden times. Not only the sophists but also learned natural scientists considered that the Philosopherrs Stone could only necessarily and inevitably be prepared from a single, guite corunon matter, removed from aI1 specification. In th o s e s p e c if ie d s u b je c t s t h e re la y a t m o s t qu ite small particulars wh ic h , a f t e r t h e F a I l, t h e y s a id , w e r e no longer true children of Nature, but had only received a servantrs share and were covered in curses to such an extent that it was impossible to separate those completely from them. That is why most of t h e m re je c t e d me t a ls a s t o t a lly u s e le s s and unserviceable. Ilelli.ng }rimself partly agreed with this opinionr Ets is witnessed by his words in the t2th chapter, part, third of his known work, which starts as follows: S aI, S ulphur, and lt e rc u riu s , a wo n d e rf u l S p irit u s . Whoever has it, has enough; but do not look for it in the curse whic h , t h ro u g h ma n rs g re a t F a I l, through this System everlnrhere has scented and creptr ds far as it is e le me n t a ry , etc.

52

CHAPTER lil
HOI{ EVERNHING I{AS BORN
From the above-suggested is, after it is proven that the matter prirneval of aII stream, and each and spirit, this great God, the world. into water by condensation, implanted to riee, to and this in it first

or water thing in That water

and wide vaPor heated

two-fold

turned

was warmed, Thus it

and made hot

by ttre spirit itself,

invisibly. blister,

began to work within and fetid. water taste it

fermenr,

and become fou} beginning,

In the pure, through out of without its i tself, Parts,

this

was bright or emell,

and clear, rike

transparent, but earth dif-

any particular active spirit off

springwater; to in t o

became turbid

and gave birth It d iv id e d

giving into

a f o u l,

d e a d s me ll.

fe r e n t

a spiritua l-s u b t le , phy s ic a l it p a rt .

a h a lf -s p irit u a l

and half-

ph ysica l,

and a totally beginning, four that

rn the three, wa ter i as i t fixed also tvo,

was one and trro." It ri.as one in

Now it the

is

one,

two and

and five. is a water

becinning in it the

as a simple s p irit ; three,

wh ic h h a d h id d e n h a lf -v o la t ile , to the

h a d gone into etatus, which

a volatile , is, according

h a lf -f ix e d , of the

and a chemists, as it and Being

teaching

vo la ti l e, divided earth; aeide

aei.dum and aLeali; into fiue, the as it four

s p in it u e , ierfire

A n ima ,

conpue; air,

f o u r,

elements,

or heaven,

water,

presented

itself

as a perfect elgments. putrified, leaving the

indestructible

from ttre four After this

destructible

water thing

had become fully after order another

the

Iprd

gently

sep-

arated cording riees

one subtle to before its

coarEest,

each acthe thin subtle

particular the eoarse,

and law.

For by neceesity before the eoarsest,

and ttre coarse

53

before be sure, of

thick,

thick

before goesr

thicker, ds children

and this learn,

before

the

thickest. to

To

everything

according

ttre degrees

eomparieon,

poeitiDum, subtle finest,

eompanativum, part,

and eupenlatiuun. denizens, f u l1 - o f part. sky; Thus act, be-

Of the most ca u se i t life-and of was the soul, the

God nade heaven and ite p u re s t , fertile

c le a re s t ,

mo s t s p irit u a l, and mobile part,

most vivaclous, next, the

fiery,

and one degree Air folloned, another its

coarser,

God made the the Earth.

eubsequently, God separated and he bid

then tfater

and then

one after

and gave them Names and power to tike. bryrmeans of the Divine their

each to

produce

He comrnanded their which kind was implanted by the in

multiplication their seed,

Word, o$rn seed. its ina

and they of their

perpetuated (thus

propogating bring forth

propertiee its

immortalized) - the the Air

Heaven was to meteors cluding virgin etones, (this

inhabitants, things

and stars in

term means all rain, its

originating etc.

atmosphere contain or

meteorites, earth)

Bnolv and hail, fish, animals !!g

each of which also

- Water

and plants, animals

rocks

and minerals But God had not

-- the Earth just given

plants,

and minerals. to

(a.) each

a specific but also

power to multiply to each lndividual parts

of

these

separated those

elemental which in

parts, these

being,

(especially its

separated

elemental

constitutes power. (b) together a the

own being)

and each should wil.led in

posaeaa its particular,

own multiplication that of all these

God, however, universal prfunoridal tnto seed

and epertna should gfater

be begotten,

because

God saw that again

Chaotic

waE now divided beginning,

and could the four, their from

never

coalesce of all

ONE, as it things.

was in

the

without

destruction

created Air, again

Therefore, to

He conmranded these produce a eeed from

Heaven or Firerthe centre, which would

l{ater

and Barth, the four

combine

into

one and emanate

itself

a universal

54 seed for the

birthrPreaervationrdestruction that this would be done,

and rebirth He implanted into

of

all

things. Agene

To make sure and' Patiene (of kept all in (active

his

and passive as a whole,

principles)

each part each entity

and entity would This be

kingdoms) constant

by means of which up until it

motion, on Lts with

warming

becomes hot.

heating the such

causes each thing BuPerfluous sweat matter

own, to vaporLze, which it

exude and sweat out in its own body.

can dispense the

and vapor

are

corunonly This

called

influence turns

from into

above and the water in its is also

effluence parturient a two-fold precisely

from below. matrix water,

vapor,

however, of

during for it

the

process

birth,

abd this

water

can replace from

the primordial it and also This will

Chaotic because it

Water, has the in

because it

originated effect

same shape and form, greater detail From this the production (ii) in

and guality.

be e:q>lained

what

follorps. the following: seed of (i) that God commanded unithe proking-

we can conclude of a universal

and general

and apenma totiue seeds of each of

vetei'

He also Heaven Air,

conunanded the production Water and Earth, individual order from

elements, duction doms of is the of

and (iiil

he conmanded the the three

seeds of This

creatures, universal., It

from each of to elemental,

Natureperfect

to particular, the poyrer

(descending)

order.

was so conunanded that in t h is f a s h io n ,

o f m ulti plication throughout That ruptedly brief, it the

and propog a t io n entire world. (c. )

s h o u ld ,

be spread'

Heaven arouses

a new seed is

clear,

because we uninterAnd so, to be

experience forlows

nett influences that as the birth to father

and new effects. produces

a neh, seed, Therefore,

the mother

must necessarily father' the Air, causes water

give

a new fruit. all

Heaven as the seeds, all into

something and Earth.

new in

descending, it

specified that

Consequently,

follows

new births

55 must proceed from below to upwards. Again' the universal ones through and similarly In order seed originates, (or the mark well Spititue it is axiomatic that (d.) seed depends on

every specific

aedr and that the perpetual

the universal

eeed produces specific to ttre smaller,

descent of ttre greater order.

in the reversed

to comprehend how, and in what manner, this and from this, how the epegific

universal

seeds originate reader should

nundi unitengalie that f,ollow.

t panticulania)tbe

the chapters

55
FOOTNOTES

(a)

the All that has been said until now resembles in all respects, as may be seen in the first Revelation, chapter of the Book of From this it is evident Creation. that no ottrer teachings are given in our holy fraternity than those which are in perfect accord with the Divine Word. This process of Nature we must also emulate in our works. t{e must first rightly recognize CHAOS; also know how well to separate how to the four elements, bring out and unite according to Nature the three pnineipia or b e g innings, i.e., S aIt, S u lp h u r, a n d He rc u ry , in o rd e r t o s t a n d closest to the seventh level and Solornon's throne. It would othervise separated by the Art not be possible for the to unite again naturally parts of a body and form a third.

(b) (c)

By this seed or chaotic water all sublunary things are preproduced, served, all new changes in creatures are and everything is maintained in a state of efficacy. Such an admirable first beginning of all things, however, is nothing but "the (T ra n s la t o rrs pu r e tight of Naturer" n o t e : I t is t h e f a mou s Paracelsus) naturae' of which lies ever hidden in its "lumen the centerr so that it should preserve, nourish and refresh, and base pillar If this foundation of the natural sciences. light is known, the whole of Nature is open, but if it is not known and obscured, the whole of Nature is dark and hidden, N.B. clouds that covered by such dark and thick or it is at least It is necessary, it cannot be seen. that we chase therefore, of Nature with a lit light this darkness which covers the light or the true science of things. But the bodies of things are shadows and darkness, N.B. by which the light of Nature is obscured, and if these hard and thick bodies are not subtilized to allow this tight hidden in their center to shine and glisten, without seeing the we cannot but remain in darkness and night, rising sun. See the incomparable booklet Ceheimnis der Veruesung and un d V enbrennung alLer Di. n g e (T h e S e c re t o f t h e P u t re f a c t io n C ombustion of all Thin g s ), F ra n k f u rt 1 7 5 9 , 8 . p . 1 9 f f . ). from This light, hoytever, cannot be discovered and separated the dark husks in which it lies hidden except through fermentation and subsequent putrefactionr ES our Brother Homerus has shown throughout this chapter. As we must ever emulate wise Nature in this as in all other things, and as ne wish to proceed to Naturer w shall for reflecting according insert in full readers HeLLing's fine words on fermentation, even though they Chap. 4, are eomewhat lengthy. They are contained in Part II, S. 3, P age 239 ff of h is k n o wn wo rk , a n d a re a s f o llo rs : that causes of fermentation "lrle find so many and varied T h ro u g h a e id u rn a n d a L k a li a f a ir l y the y can hardly be told . good proof can be had, though actually it is not yet enough.fhat the minera of 6 can be totally dissolved into a red S by a sharp alkaline lye is known to alr crawring gord beetlds. That

57

( c)

(o rig in s ) of tne 6 all t h re e p rin e ip i. e su ch a solution ,i" Q.r{ and G) are togetherr no reasonable man can deny. Now the.n, it has happened to us that such a lye with a dissolved !I turned with heat into an amazing fermentation of an intolerable stench, which caused not a few to wonder. Whoever understands the nature of every sulphur and alkali, wiII also easily understand the cause of this fermentation. Likewise, he who knows the bodiLy shape of every ealt, will reach the goal soone st, and how a third t h in g h a s t o jo in t wo , f o r in s t a n c e r dD a lkali. and an aeidum, s o t h a t t h e ir f ig u re c a n c h a n g e , b e c o m e bigger and swell. This motion then causes a prickly penetration an d an ignition.The ig n it io n a causes total s we llin g wh ic h i s t h e fer mentation. Tbis io n t -in u e s u n t il t h e s p irit ' ; d e s ire t o p e n e trate, and the body of Ehe subiect taken set tired and therefore one ii killed by the other. Iir this strulgle of the little bodies, spirit can no longer be held back and either flees or is very easily driven away b1z distillation. That is why one has to be intent on getting to know the above-mentioned third (ie, thing well, s o a s n o t t o mis s t h e rig h t target. -the s p irit ) Whosoever understands what'causes the tartness or the astringent tastes, wj.ll surely find the unerring way. What our author ig here saying is beautiful and in concorin the upper dance, because the faet that this seed arises Do true and is therefore of heavenly originr light-waters philosopher They call it the water of is likely to doubt. N.B. that in it the seed-pobters Eden anC know from experience, of all things lie hidden, just as in the waters below the of influences firmament, being the outlet of Pieon, the natural S e e F n e ima u n e n ie e h e V e r s a m m th e heavenly bodies are lo c k e d . o u r mo d e rn a t o m-s ma sh e r s , B u t h o w will L u ngsreden X I, p. 263. a n d e x p la in e v er y t h i n g in f lu e n c e e reject all a s t ra l w ho totally they make understandable by the laws of mechanical motion, how will procreation realms of Nature? (Or: three in all of business the provide an understanding of ) . trlust they not suf fer just that anverdict which Plutaneh had already pronounced over their t h a t a lt h o u g h t h e y E mp e d o e le s , E p ie u n , e t e . , ce stral teachers, in the substance of and secretions admitt.ed some combinitions and the cessation beginnings first they denied a1l vital, bodies, in N a t u r e for' t h e y a s s e rt e d t h a t g e n e ra t io n effectsi of their to the law change through inherent not according occurred ProPthrough of gravity to the proportion but according erties, (s. id. P . 2 9 4 ). O u r y o u n g e r B ro t h e rs a re t h e r e accumulation natural guard against this seductive fore advised to carefutly best-founded unshakably to our irrefutable science and to stick expressed in the and convincingly which are Bo clearly tenets, present work.

(d)

58

CHAPTERTV
TN THE UNIVERSAL I{HAT IiIANI{ER SE$TAS BEGOTTEII BORN AI{D
After God had separated the einple Chaos into a fourfold one, ig, the elemeDts, he inmediately fr uitful imposed upon them the cormand: and multiplyt) Note: Heav en part. t{ater

that

Ctesoite and Air

t Mu l ti p l i o a n i n i l (b e are tlre Father,

the husband, the agena,the the patiene,

active

and Earth are the &tother, the wife, These four, and yet only

the passive part. and again a-

twg, must get together (ie, interior

rouae a seed in the first Prinordial birth,

matter,

a reborn Chaotic Tfater or or their things, (a.) thie seedr oE reborn Chaos, Heaven (or Centre, until for the

Chaos), out of their

preservation,

and destruction into

of all

God melts

the mass of the great tforld

a Etone.

The number of those who are to forge the Spiritue F i r e ) r Ai r, All llundi, is fourr is indicated

previously,

l fa te r a n d E a rth. these four appear to be quite anything opposed to each other is and

can never accomplish against another, yt

good when one extrene everything in

considered has manner. that

they acconplish

the Creator the proper

cornrnandedthen to do when they come together For the philosophical is: tenet

nust be and must remain true,

E o n tn a n e i n c p o so e a b uno ettr eme ad altenue estnemumabaeque one extrene (thing) to another without

medio, (one cannot pass frqr an intermediary) countlees

should .take careful note of this. For thousands make mistakes and fail eolely becauge they do . Every artist this point nor take heed of it. (b.) the intermediary l{ater of and

not consider

For Heaven can never become Earth without Air Air and tfater, and Earth

can never become Heaven without Likewise,

as intermediaries

between Heaven and Earth.

Heaven

59

can hardly air without

become rdater without the agency of subtle, is eoarse,

air,

and neither

can earth

become

the water. e 1 e a r, dark, t h in a n d v o la t ile ; fixed. e a rt h r on

He a ven is the contrary,

pure,

thick, in

and highly of their

These two For

are opposed to if with

each other to unite

consequence

properties.

someone wished earth,

and eoagulate he could

heaven, do it:

the most volatile, For the most is things a p p led , thru the be

the most fixed, back into the fixed its

never

vola ti l e and it

flies leaves

c h a o s wh e n a lit t le ' wa rmt h This occurs in all

behind.

whole of joined this

nature:

The most volatile without

and the most fixed An artist material,

ean never should bear

or united

an intermediary. to avoid to losing

in mind continually Therefore,

time fire

and money. into will earth inunedwould

whoever wishes them with their

change heaven or interrnediary. (c. ) , while t h e ir u n io n .

must first iately r e q u ir e Let unite

unite

Then they previously

permanently

in. any heat speak, the air for

they

a n eternity, heaven rise unite are

so to into

as an intermediary, beeause they as the

and they are both

will

inmediately When they air

without give

a struggle, then water

subtle.

united,

intermediary

between Then give of and thickest the

and earth,

and they the

will

again is

unite

irunediately. in to

them earth, most subtle from there directly,

and thus to to but the the

union subtle

accomplished this

the descent the thick, to the

next

levelrfrom

thickest, the in

and not appropriate reverse, air, they

frorn the

subtlest

through

internediate earth into the

stages. water latter to with into their water, heaven common

In the change that with

same woy, into air

turn

through For

transform are

and through

heaven:

one according

50

matter

and origin,

Consequently,

one must be the others

helper

and.

guide and one must be prepared by melansof the other. Thus it

ed: u n ite ve r se ly: fire.

must be, and this

air, with a ir

rule
wit h

of Nature cannot be transgresswa t e r, wa t e r a ir, wit h a ir e a rt h . wit h Or inheaven or For

heaven with Unite earth

wa t e r, into is is

wa t e r earth,

wit h

Then heaven is quite subtle,

turned air water

and earth but

into

heaven.

heaven is one degree. degree,

also

subtle

coarser

than heaven by air by one Thus

Lj-kewise, is thicker

thicker

and coarser water the

than

earth

and coarser according

than to

by one degree. order

one has to he r se lf. . op e r a ti on ope r a ti on s

proceed

stepwise

perfect

of Nature

Then a right, raising

conc e n t ra t e d a f if t h lit t le

h a rmo n y will In t h is

a ris e

a n d a tr u e

them to or

essence. will

wd Y , a ll' a lc h e m i c a l

must proceed

b e a c c o mp lis h e d . does not be that subtler is c o a rs e r seem to be a ir than is o nl y by onby

But someone will g u ite r ig h t here. subtler Is

interjec t : it righ t Water,

Y o u r le c t u re that it s h o u ld latter wa t e r is

one degree ly

than

and the

Earth

on e d e gree, degrees,

since

one can s e e t h a t earth

t h a n a ir

several deg r e e s.

and likewise

coarser

than water

by many

To counter as h e a ve n , air,

this water, these

objection , and e a rt h four

the

a rt is t

mu s t u n d e rs t a n d in d e g re e s

that of

just

a re ma rk e d o u t d e g re e s

th i n n e s s

and co a r seness, elements.For thinnest thicke st ceive the

e le me n t a l earth

a re a ls o

ma rk e d o ut w i t h i n mingle air, with or the the

coarsest or the the in

does not water with

inunediately the

water, air

coarsest subtle s t various one earth

subtlest

with

He a v e n . No ! kinds is of

F o r ju s t

as one can perin various kinds

the difference namely that

earth

as also

of water,

coarser

and thicker

than

another,

51

one can see the her degrees tle and this air

srme in again the

the

others. the

That

is

why Nature Heaven with are united, ever

here the they thicker into

resumes less flow Air. subinto

again with

and mixes

subtlest they into

least after into into till into

subtle.Iilhen their the union,

subtlest After thicker, with the

and then, they faII

the the

this,

subtle

water,

1atter This

the then and

and from there subtle earth,

the it

thickest

water.

mixes only thicker

subsequently

becomes ever

coarser But the the

and congeals let

a stone. that these degrees stand one above has rnixed

no one now understand as in a particular with the thin,

other, thick the the

concentric ys, it. with

sphere. water

NO! Nature and Air,

Earth Fire

and has also

forced In waters

(Heaven) into

same way Nature and likewise notice

has also the air

brought and the

the

coarse

and subtle our the the

together,

heavenr is

so that only rises in

eyes can almost natural coarse nately not turn

a small that

difference.

But it

dismemberment

one can see how the from it. In her in but

subtle

from is

and can be separated very well the ordered

action

Nature

altershe does in

and intermingled degrees'together, instances

such a way that one subtle

throw after

differing

thing

another

(d. ) as for from well a field

Take some earth water mixed. water uPon it and stir

or meadow, whichever so that water

you like,

pour

togetherr for drop This

and earth see that tender with

be well the to

Then let lets the

them stand coarse the earth sa1t.

a while,

and you will only the

and allows unites is

earth

come out, into will

namely,

immediately leaehed as it out is

the water water That is

a virgin no longer

earth. attack

When this the other

earth coarse

howeverrthe too week.

earth

62

the reason why you must first with water, and through water. for in that

turn

the virgin

earth it

i-tself

into

water,

That is,

you must distil its

to a spiritual the

way this earth

water regains

power to separate like

remaining subtler so that turn it

from the coarse and to make it water, and this earth. the entire

itself, wAter in

too changes into the remaining things

more powerfull In this world,

attacks

or residual throughout

manner doe-s by dissolving stages. in although (e).

Nature work in all and coagulating, From this all it

ever through an artist

the appropriate that

intermediate

should now learn

Nature herself, haphazardly,

her ways and doings,

does not mix everything

nay appear so to our eyes, but by rule, Therefore, an artist

measure and weight

nust not see and penetrate

the external

appearance but the hidden secret, manual work. Then he will

and he must fathom Nature by his to another and

go from one manipulation

grasp wisdom ever nore.

53

FOOTT{OTES

( a)

$lhat our author here calls a etone is nothing else but that new reborn tLnctural earth which the Holy evangelist ilohn describes so splendidly in Chapter XXf of his secret Revelation, under the image of a city. This is a verT important point, which must be very carefully observed in the fusion of the three cornponents. Our author has very clearly explained it here both in the ascent (going from the gross to the subtle) and in the desecent (going from the subtle to ttre gross) . This is not to be understood that they become a permanent coloring tincture in the fire in such a short time, but it means only that when the primordial components of a created purely and according to Nature, one canbody are united not separate anything from them but phlegn, which does not really belong to their consituent parts. Here the prime cause is explained clear1y, intelligibly and in detail: why at the noment of their recombiriation, separated the three components of a natural body, clearly and reunited according to their natural weightr toaY weII interpenetrate each other like water penetrating water, and appear to merge, and yet nevertheless require a long time for their real, inmost recombination and subsequent insepmust not only arableness. Our younger Brothers, therefore' read this inportant chapter, as well all the others, more than once, and then re-read it, but they must alEo ponder it wellr so as to deeply imprint in their minds the authentic tenets of the true teaching of Nature and the ArtD e u s e re a u i .t o mnia ' i.n num eno' ponder e & m esuna' that i s , God has created aII things according to their epecific number, weight and measure. This is is an old alchemical canon.

( b)

( c)

(cl)

( e)

64

CHAPTER V
) RIT. (SPI RITUS I'IUNDI ll()R[D SPI : THE CALLfD
By what has been said above, a lover of the

BECOI'IES AI{D }IATER IS REBORN CHAOTIC SEPAMTED DIVIDED AND THE HO}l (0R: PRII'I0RDIAL) COl4l'lOULY SED0FALLTHIIIGS, A GENERAL ORlGIllAL

Art

aees and underinto four parts,

atands

how the primal to the

and ageold of all

Chaos was divided sages, fire, and that air, it

according into

teachings strictry of God.

had been divided and earth to flow by the to-

heaven or, order

speaking, While

water,

irrevocable gether again

God comnanded them not he simultaneously unceasingly universal

until

a further

order, to

corunanded them and to give Soul

by the Word of multiplication birth to the divided chaotic for the

regenerate or the

water b irt h ,

seed,

the World and

o r the World S pirit, r e b ir th of all things.

p re s e rv a t io n ,

d e s t ru c t io n ,

Now this will again

may appear the first Y es, greatly

strange

to many a man who wonders where he has been separated F irs t , wh e n a f a rme r he sees it daily for so many

forge of

Chaos which it is odd.

t hou sa n d s about it,

years.

h e a rs with is his

he wiII

wonder, it with

although his hands.

physical

eyes and grasps

But because it what fields it is

called

by a different hidden by it, under it.

name and he does not ft is enough for cattle

understand his

and what is

him that are fed,

and meadons grow speculate should heed the It

by which

he and his

and he does not student

any further. it more,

A scholar, it is

however, clear. reason, For

and a beginning if

because

someone does not will he get Art,

understand the Art?

nain is

purpoee

and chief that they

how then

on in

regrettable

ao many enrbark upon the inunediately upon the certain that rush

more for into

ehame and processes

dishonorrsince and do not

thoughtlessly of four

the (a).

even reflect it is

origin the

each thing e le me n t s ,

N ow then,

f ire ,

a ir,

water,

65

earth That

have originated is why one of not

in

the

Chaos from one matter be different "r was born one, but of from

and foundation. anotherr so that or

them cannot another, is

one courd

say to

another,

nobrer

b a se r m atter." in that

No! llatter

t h e d if f e re n c e through the air. into

c o n s j. s t s putrefaction Earth the and depths

heaven has become subtle to the highest

and volatile with

and has risen water, with however, th eir

together

have become fixed

and have sunken

heaviness. made fixed, and subtle, For they it it it is is also arso earth; heaven. to and when The same transform and no not

But when heaven is earth applies one into is made volatire to air

and water. or in else their

musf be possible be of

anotherr occur into

would not

one matter, if

change could be transformed

increase

or decrease

one could

another. have eome into and spirit, into fourr being out of the Chaos, but in

These four, Chaos was nothing one.

then,

but water

two things ?nd these

comprised four

These two then divided and spirit.

are nothing that the f,our

but water water

From this

we can therefore through all

understand

and spirit -

are distributed air, water,

the mernbers of and in these

e1ementS,

heaven,

and earth, water

four

not be it

a mote can be found where this in a liquid in or dry, dissolved is

and spirit

can't

be met,

or coagulated water and spirit

condition.

Thue everyand co-

thing

the whole world word of the

and a resolved

agulated

eternal

Creator. by it the lives finer it

For the word became water, and is the Word, a thing coarser it is' isrthe

and consequently Now it the purer, is

everything also

known that

and subtler is: But the

more vivacious

and mobile

55
more inmobile, is, inert, and sleepier it is, it is. The more mobile a thing it becomes

the more spiritual

and through such motion,

ever more mobile. it

The motion, it

however, produces warmth, and the more it also warms and

is moved, the hotter

becomes. Therefore,

heats what is next to it. We must adnit subtlety tion, it it that heaven is very subtle, and through its and because of its perpetual mo-

keeps moving,

constant,

gets heated.

Since steam is a Chaotic Water, and is made heating causes Heaven to Steam, emit vapor, because it cannot

of Chaotic Water, this and perspire. rise But this

steam or perspiration,

above itselfr

ds God has set boundaries to it, the Air

must penetrate

below itself the coarsest tlest it

and thus comes down into portion is retained

from above, and there by the Air. affinity thickens The subit, and

and captured

ascends back to Heaven again due to its up and dovrn this way until it

with

continues

also

and bethe Air

comes coarser by such constant c a n a lso re ta i n it a s w ell. the influence

oourse of circulation,

that

This then is o f t h e A i r,

from Heaven which we enjoy by means it al s o i nmoves the order.

a n d th e a e tnal eeed.Since Eeaven is mobile, its neighbor, to be rnobile.

duces and causes Air, l{ater, and this

The Air

the Earth,

and thus the four

move in perfect

This type of motion can be observed in a clockworks drives another, drives another, etc. (b.) Air,

where one wheel

Just as Heaven gives its giver their effluence.

effluence,

Water and Earth also the universal

In combination,

they thue forge

(or general)

seed or Spiritue

Mund,i (JA-)

, the world Spirit.

67

FOOTNOTES (a) He is probably partly aining at the impatient sophisrs who, without having the srightest theoretical knowledge, irunediately believe that they can transmute mercury into gold if they but get hold of an old musty parchment, partly (not "democrati.c,') at the modern democritic atomists. The former wirr never attain goal of Hermetic the true finar world wisdom, which is the cognition of the incomparablygreat Creator through Nature. For 'if man could acquire this secret of Nature and the Art by means of a recipe, he would never attain to the great wisdom of the true knowledge of God as also of the inner foundation of Nature, much less o f himself, etc.' S ee t h e b o o k J e t A mo r P n o x in i, F ra n k f u rt a n d Leipzig, L746, P a g e 8 3 . These can be quite ju s t ly re p ro a c h e d wit h wh a t P h iT a ' L et h a i n the P reface of hls A n t h ro p o s o p h , P a g e 1 6 3 , re p ro a c h e s t h e Pe r ipatetics, that is, t h a t t h e y " lo o k u p o n G o d a s a n a rt i s t who builds with wood and stones, without pouring into them lifei whereas the world , b e in g G o d ' s c o n s t ru c t io n , is f u II of m oving living spirit wh ic h c a u s e s a ll b irt h s a n d in c re a s e s o f or e s, plants, Ho w t h e n will etc." t h e s e in v e s t ig a t o rs of nature accomplish anything in the true Hermetic alchemy, which de als with nothing but a c t iv e s p irit s a n d in it s wo rk wit h n a ture keeps to the process which the Creator of beautiful nature kept in the separation of the Elements. (b) 9ilhat the author is h e re s a y in g a b o u t t h e a ir, is e x c e ll e n t . True, moderrl physicists have said many a beautiful and useful thing about the nature of this element, yes, they have even invented a special aerometry or science which they have called the art of measuring the air. They describe said air as a liquid matter, having a determined degree of weight and expanding (or the.compressing property of force. They prove the weight air the said element) and its expanding force by the so-called pu mp kntlia pneumatiea l, wh ic h V o lf d e s c rib e s mo s t a c c u r a t e l y a n d minutely in all it s p a rt s in h is A n f a n g ru n d e d e n A e rom e t n i . e a n d in his V ersuehe (T e s t s ). B u t s in c e t h e y a ls o n o t ic e t h a t it has a determined degree of heat and cold, and that the difference in the weather and the seasons depends on these properties, they have tried to determine heat and cold by the the rmometen, its weigh t b y t } : . e b a ro me t e n o r t h e we a t h e r i n d i cator, changes in the density of the air by the monometer or by the air-measuring instrurnent, changes in the.humidity a re o f g r e a t h yg roneter or weather s c a le . T h e s e in v e s t ig a t io n s use fulness in ordinary lif e ; h o we v e r, wh e n it is a q u e s t io n o f the airrs inner and physical no particular advantage naturer of can be derived from this knowledge of the external effects this element. h o we v e r, will b e o b t a in e d b y Great p ro f it , principal reading and pondering over the present and following pie ce with reflection, d ilig e n c e , a n d d e e p me d it a t io n .

68

( c)

of the four elernents is the aforesaid This offspring general procreator of all things, the incomprehensible Nature Spirit controlling aII thingsr so hated by the profane natural scientists but so highly esteemed by true philosophers When he could not because of his excellence. mingle with the destructible elements in view of his delicacy, q u a lit y , pu r ity, most volatile a n d in d e s t ru c t ib ilit y , he rapidity incomprehensible soared with the incredible to human senses, and in that way became the fifth That is element. wh y our philosophers s a y : Q u in t u m E le me n t u m e s t S p i. n i, t u s E le me n t is a n me a n in g , " T h e F if t h ae theneus ineonnuptibi.Li. s , S p irit . " ethereal, indestructible From these sublime dwellings he descends through the sidethrough real effluences of fire, into the subtlest evaporations into the subthese into its less subtle, and with the latter and after that into the less tlest evaporations of the air, and level of coagulation, subtle where he assumes the first through the meteors into bodies which he engenders, sustains, according destroys, and regenerates, to the thorough nourishes, He does not, however, of our beloved Brother Homerus. annotation omniexercise his might and poner instilled into hin,by divine potence solely above and upon the surface of our globe, but he to carry on his business even penetrates to its innermost center, there, forming subteranean creatures workshops, in the metallic and to raise them to that perfection wisdom to which creative had destined He is in all sublunary bodies, them beforehand. in him or living therefore, and none of them can exist without his way. That is why a p rin c ip le is : o f a ll p h ilo s o p h e rs wh ic h is n o o t h e r "That Meneury (that is , o f t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs ) found Meneunius, can be in all things, than our hermaphroditlc under in none of can be found the solar circle and that them which this divine does not lie hidden in the more subarchitect (Ni. h il e u b s o le e a i, e t i t , or less firm fetters o f c o a g u la t io n . " in quo non nepeniatu? a ? g e n t u m u iu u m, f le n n a p h n o d it u e n o s te n The Art consists in setting him free from the firm adani.eusl. f a ci l i wh ic h b e g re a t ly fetters coagulat io n , A rt will of his in the holy Fraternity through diligent tated for our associates r e a ding of our present G o ld e n Ch a in .

59

CHAPTER VI
(0R: INFLUXES) HISIIIFLUENCES 0F HEAVEN AND
After foremost, very fine the separation of the Chaos, Heaven was the and highest That is the is first and a subtlest, ateam, most incomprehensible, lightr the purr highest and volatile. place, which element, why he went part,

uppermost full of

and took

finest

life, is

and became the most active the reason wh y h e a v e n is of of all life, t h in g s r I le e t a r the

element. p rin u n agens, the s o u l, the first

Th is wo r ke r

and father water

t h e ma le s e e d , a n d A mb n o s ia ,

or the a ir and

Ii fe - g ivin g wa ter ,

a t h in n e d

a volatiIe.

earth. air, as said above, do not toward have their the earth effluence and the

Heaven and the above themselves rdater sphere, As they flow but

below

themselves,

by well-ordered in downward, air. which motion his us. is

and express and earth

command of flow out

the Creator.

water

upward toward

heaven and the

Now heaven, by his which ceaseless

the most mobile, to

is

heated

and kindled a power next is it

and begins existence The exuding riee higher

eteam,

smoke, and perspire and in their the nor

he must do for to

- quite vapors but is this

unnoticeably of

manner invisible of efflruration, spherer

Heaven, with

cannot the Air.

vapor

must enter subtle

lower too with

Because Air caught of in the it

neither

highly unites

thick, the

Hbaven is delicate

and mingles, air. (the

and coagulates and circulate are well are

vapors

These two digest steam) till both

by a constant merged, after

to and fro which

motion

the lower effluences

of water

and earth

70

easily sp ir it,

assirnilated i.e., in the the

and can now forge the reborn air, in it c h a o t ic is rine, wa t e r.

universal Then, easier if

seed or world heaven but for hin in_

corporates united with A rover time water to

subsequentry water however,

to be

his

next

and earth. that heaven the air requires with rrater, union much and

must not with the No!

think, air,

unite

and rikewise

with

earth-

But as soon as they & the more they

meetrthe

can occur for this u-

instantaneously-The nion they through

longer

prepare

themselves so that

expansion

and circulation thoroughly For since in

or motlonr qnd unite the fourfold like

afterwards with

irmnediately with

intermix water.

srnoke of

smoke, water air, or

union

heaven, vapor, mist

etater and earth

occurs

the medlium of that

a pure

subtle

smoker oD can easily a nd mingles with

admit ano t h e r,

one steam rnist wit h

or snoke readily e s p e ci a r l y same

en ter s as they matter

o n e wa t e r tendency

a n o t h e r,

have an absolutely and a common origin,

natural

and one and the

Now someone might does not possible itself in its decrease that and not essence in in

ask if

heaven, or

ever

flowing

out

of

himself, imof

quantity

strength,

because it should forever

appears give

a natural anything

way something back into Just like

take

itself

without

diminishing due to movebeeomes

and strength. is constantl.y

a human beingwho perspiring, one might a resser also reach

ment & exertion

and heavily Thus,

weak and weary and loses concerning a greater

strength.

a conclusion (a.) to the

by faurty

analogry with that

thing.

Thus one can easily clightest author is changer here not

understand of of

lleaven is

not

subject But our

or capable speaking

increase this

or decrease.

etheric

and indestructible

7L

heaven but understood p o la ti on is

of

fire, the

and he wants appellation disc u s s e d up that

this

element His sequel it

to

be properly inter-

under also

heaven. in the

above-quoted of h is

fully

t e a c h in g s in any-

and so fully o n e w i th netertir

cleared

no.doubt n ih il, truth

about in

can remain n iL

corunon sense. is an age-old

E x n i. h ilo tenet, the

n i. h ilu n is at

poese by

of which of Nature

confirmed all times. d s is

the unremitting

and everlasting est ge n e n a t io thing

effects

Na m e o n nupti.o unius known, every i ts it

a lt e riu s . is again

A n d s in c e r dissolved out of that orr

well by

destructible into

and separated wh ic h the it four

d e struction

precise ly just with elements,

those

p a rt s

had arisen, active

rnay be considered properties four

as true their

and evident receptacles, exgerience

elementary the

what amounts to by their On the and just divided conthe into and and

same, the

cannot

any loss

unceasing trary,

effects

and the

changes resulting in just the

from them. same strength

they

must ever

remain

same nurnber, weight out they will of the

and measure as they on e d a y f ire heat according will to

were originalllt get the

Chaos, until melt in into easy to the

upper hand, of (fI the

will

the will

Creator, fII)

be recast Th is is

a nev,?heaven and a new earth answe r, a n d t h is rk n o t ' is c e rt a in will

Peter

b e u n ra v e lle d

b y.w ha t our

foIlows. the

For one t h in g

a n d c a n b e g ra s p e d w i t h is constantly

eyes:

so great full

space between heaven and earth of s t e a m, fog, s mo k e , c lo u d s , dissolve heat is

an d without and these

ceasing vaporsr

and vapors, into rain and

6ls soon as they and hail. evaporation,

condense,

Bnow, dew, frost resumes, those causing

Soon afterwards, so that however, there rte call

from

above and below in the birth of

no stop

vapors.

These vapors,

by the

cotunon name tAir'.

72

Just according cr e a tor , by naturar excrement nilated

as everything to to its naturer its

that

is

steaming the

or breathing

out of

desires, the

ES also lik e

command and order it s e lf , relinquish for this, it is its a ls o

attract constraint

back to

o b lig e d

and command to outlets designed and led it

excess or it has assi-

through thing

its

after all its

the

attracted

through

members. is forced his and assiand air,

Likewise' by a natural life milate

a man who exhales desire or constraint to ab s o rb

and perspires and at a g a in a ir, the

profusely risk of

losing

an d suffocating, it as himself, his life. is not

f o o d a n d d rin k the loss

whereby he replaces B ut be c a u s e t h is all his n e c e s s a ry outrets

and revives of

r efr esh e s

p a rt a k in g for

o r e n jo y in g

fo o d an d drink it as: away again the finest

ma n ' s s u b s is t e n c e , for coarser through food that purpose,

he expels such

through through

designed the

perspiration, the

through the

urine, I{hen a natural In

nasal this

secretion, is out,

and saliva, absorbs

coarsest air,

stool. in

he again

fresh

and drink

wdy, and again this cycle,

produces the nature

an excess or of air,

excrement

to eliminate.

food and drink into

has been completely

changed inside human Aneheus ca ti on of their

man and so transformed (b) that the excrements i. e . ,

manrs essence by the give food the slightest It indiis

do not a ir,

previous a different with

na t u re ,

a n d d rin k .

now altogether sp ir its, alcherny)

form and now of vo la t ile in its air, s a lt r praxis. water

a human essence and vital a rt of s e p a ra t io n (or:

saturated

E ls t h e

can demonstrate heaven, their longer to

Likewise, immediately below which, thinned

the

and earth

replace the

their risen

loss from are

with the

likes. they the

Heaven receives were on their utmost degree. wdy,

vapors

the more they

and prepared

73

They have also all of the in then n a ture, air up to to

been drawn through the firmament, the loss

aII

the

degrees to of

of

subtlety

of

and from there and effluence

the highest of into

prace this h is

order

reprace

heaven. it

heaven takes

as much as he requires, s a t ia t e d , h e f o llo ws

transforms a n a t u ra l

and when he is

in c l i -

nation into all

and pushes the the of firmament. the It to vapors

excess The air

or excrement also satiates

arday again itsetf

from himself

and condenses interthem

coming from above and from below without the excess into dew and rain Water,

ruption. as excess its thick

dissolves the lower

and feeds however, is

sphere,

the water. over to e a rt h .

discards over-

excess and hands it influxr of it air. this into

T h e e a rt h

loaded

by this part

or maybe satiated, water

and again its

chases the central

superfluous h e a t, it out

arday through

implanted

d issolves into this into the

ste a m a n d v a p o r, regulation,

f o g a n d s mo k e , a n d d r i v e s the Creator has imand an

By wisest of

p la n ted expulsion e n d to

alternation Nature

in c re a s e her

a n d d e c re a s e , to continue

a b s o rp t io n till he puts

and ordered to of h is

the world

according lover

will. clearly sees that casts everything a

From this m ust su stain pr io r

the itself

the

Art

precisely

f ro m wh a t it

a wa y , b u t wi t h be-

alteration.Then

what we c a I I

e x e n e me n t a o r d is c h a rg e s , man eats bread,

comes our beer, fruit.

food once more. From these fields.

For instance: he produces

wine,

excrements

which

are carrj-ed food grows when winter into its own

back to again robs the it

the

Seed is

sown upon them, In the

and his

from his of its

own excrements. leaves, they the fall roots

sane hray a tree: the roots

down to

and turn

sap that

seeps into

and feeds

and fertilizes

74

Parent

Tree. a man observe this carefully Henmetie and he will (the easily recognize

Let in it

Lhe Supenius

& Inferius

Superior

and Inferior Homer) and changes inturns (c). had in-

of Hermes) r the 1 c}a e Ann u lus to another into It is

Catena Aurea Honeri, (The P la t o n ic the

(The Go1den Chain of Rin g ): T h a t is : o n e of

P latonis and through the very same it

t h in g things similar there

everlasting

alternation or

again

had been beforer come to this

something for alone that it

easy to

conelusion, it

deed been one single ar o se r .an d again thing that

substance

(ct) and from a ro s e ,

everything mu s t rev e r t and everyfirst be-

from which to

a t h in g it.

in t o

through

returning

Everything because water this

had been water, had been its understanding this will in

must become water Now then, of let

again

ginning. the whole vance in as it is

someone apply follows.

throughout ad-

the work that

Then,

be no small this

our Art. next in

Now we shall order.

consider

the Air

connection,

75

FOOTNOTES ( a) The essence of which Heaven consists is nothing but the primordial, etheric Light, separated on the first day of Creation fron Chaos and united with the upper glaters which the Supreme Architecht of the World, had divided on the second (Geneeis I, 6-8) day from the l{aters under the Firmament. This Light, power the universal Wor1d Spirit, is the driving or motion of our world system, even after His union with the Waters above Eh6 firsrame-nt, aiter which he had already become the univereal I'lencutiud, and simpthe very purest, strbtlest lest being of the whole viEible world. He can never be affected by any adverse objeet, is never subject to any reaction, and also comprises within himself the whole enormous space from our atmosphere to the circle of the fixed stars, or the (tl.g. ltlercuri.ue ia the one who moves Heaven in upper world. place!) th e first P a rt I r, Ch a p t s . I rs rz g P . 1 8 1 . S e e lle llin g , Because of his excellent teachiDgs r this author deserves to be read carefully Yet, h uses some paradoxical and freguently. phrases which the Brothers should not be concerned about. While the influences of Heaven on our planetary systen, as weII as th ose of the latter o rr t h e y o c c u r a c on id e a e in a g in a t ip a , cording to a whole sy s t e m o f e f f e c t iv e id e a s ()e t t in g e ? t B P ar t I I , der A lten " P h ilo s o p h y o f t h e A n c ie n t s 'tP hiLoeophie P. 2Ol, he (Mereuriugl t is a ls o t h e t ru e in d e s t ru c t ib le Fifth El ement (Quintum eleme n t u m e a t S p irit u s a e t h e re u e in e o rru - 1 1 4 . tr tffisee E spagnet En e h i, rid io n P h y e ie a Re s t it u t a e , ean. The True Creator and Master Craftsman of all things, the beginY' the G r eat Jehouah, the gr e a t F I A T (S e e Z o n o a s t e r' e " CL a t . A ? t . t ' , P. 3 ff.) This word (arehaeua) which is very often read in our

(b)

wor1d, is nothing but the universa Irlercurius, which constitutes Nature in alI

r it created

n gs . I n frEiTll-nFit is the prime oriqinaFJite which rules all of Fis ne from a Greek word m eaning "I B egin", be c a u s e it I S t h e b e g in n in g a n d o rig in of the life of all creatures. ( c)

All this is so clear and can be observed daily by anyone, so that it really does not require any elucidation or further explanation. beginnings) The identity of the prime origens (or first prineipio?um - is a concept so frequently proven - fdentitae in our wisdom sehools that only and individual could doubt it

( dl)

76

(FOOTNOTES)

(d)

principles of Hermetic who hae not yet inbibed the first philosophy. The universal primary matter from which all visible ereatures have arisen the Greeks called "the All in ' AIl." they made a According to their poetic inclination, deity of it, which they sometimes mixed up with Zeus or and they took him Jupiten, that is, with the World Spirit, to be the ruler of the Chaos, shich ie othemise called HyLe or Sg1,ua by them. Our dear Brother Eomeruan who reposes in and universal substance a chaotic water C,od, calls this first (See above, Chap. II), shown and proven and he has irrefutably things originated in and were born out of it. that all visible This will remain the truth, no matter how flenkeZ (in FLor. Sa tu rn i a ., C h a p . IV , P. f19) and other m oder n phyeicists m ay For, according to the well-founded annotation object to it. o f tte l l i n g , (P a rt I, Chap. I, Sect. 16, P. 14) this water , ' just as all other waters now apecified and fertilized by the above water, posseases the whole Schanajin (Heaven), e*en in just as it their minutest and moet incomprehensible parts, does the whole, as it exists in the stars.

7?

GHAPTER YII
OFTHE AIRAIID ITS IIIFLUEIICE
The Air is the other conetituent part Eeaven it after the aeparation and active the Chaos. Together with is the snith

of the great

nale seed of all epirit spirit

things.

Heaven is the eour and rife; and lifer

the Air,

and preeerver

of souls

and consequently

the vital

of the microcosm. It

The A

is a delicate

ateam, or a water

changed into vaPor. Therefore,

is a thicker thickness, it it

and coarser vapor than Heaven. catches the subtle him into influence itself,its still

owing to its

of Heaven and coagulates own airy thicker, nature

in order to transform Then it

and essence.

also absorbs the lower, equals,

watery and earthly and copulates it

vapors as its them with

in view of their heaven. motion and stop snow,

commonorigin,

itself

and with

fn addition, circulation.

makes of them a unity

through their

Finally,

the subsequent vapors condense without below and dissolve then by their to continue the air into dew, rain,

from above toward the part or frost, which meteors*are

own weight precipitated work. for

to us upon water and land, From this uniting

and corrplete its is a first

we may see that

intermediate

Heaven with

Tfater and Earth,

without It

which heaven could not is the first this one which

become reconciled abeorbs the total fluence it

with

water and earth.

heavenly influence, the lower, and unites

and with

heavenly ininto

converts

watery and earthly

discharges in its

a company, connects the beginning

them, so as to forge eeed of all things.

sphere

of the universal

For one vaporr water with

r Atnospherlc

rs said above, easily one earth wlth

the vlrgln

mingles with

another,

one

another,
llolsture

another.
eubetance

But earth does not easof ralnwater.

78 ily Air fly the attract were to off a vapor retain directlyr a small if it part vapor or mix wlth of a eubtle fixed, Water, and it vapor. most of then also Earth due to the turns is the Even if it would thicker into changed action (or

tlre most into Earth

again. the

Instead, better

turns with

lfater, by its Water

uringles

Earth into

greater and Air

coagulation. by ever

On the

contrary,

increasing Nature

refinements acts through

of Water middle

and Air.

Therefore, and not

intemediates to another.

courses) For Earth

directly

from

one extreme

and Water

must become smoke and vapor, explained if they which with are of

as we see AdjoinThey and dew, of all are

daily, ing

just

as was previously can only combine,

Heaven and Air. equal subtlety. rain

elements

form a seed by thier falls

combination, Earth

condenses

into

upon Water and the porrers, out

as the all

centre

and receptacle plants,

heavenly produced,

of which and reborn.

animals,

and minerals

corrupted

As Maria coagulates attracts

Prophetiaea (of

6ays:trOne vapor nature).

or In

steam attracts the Eame wdy, with

or the Air is the

another"

a similar

and coagulates Water still

Heaven. Heaven,

together

the Air, with

condensed into Air

more powerfully. and coagulated stone and metal. A g a in , into

Water, into

together still

and Heaven is the utmost

absorbed into

Earth

morer ysr

even to Iy, Air

Thus Heaven becomes EarthY la t e r d is s o lv e s stearn and vapor, the Water and the one is changed into Earth, Heaven Earth, another

co r p oreal, dissolves

visible or thins

and t a n g ib le .

Water and Earth together

dissolves

and thins them into

the Air his

with

and changes now fixed,

nature, in

so that

now volatile,

continuous

alterations.

T he n i t

i s sa i d a g a inz Aur ea Catena Eomeni, Annulus Pl,ataai e,

79

Su p e r iu s th e in

& fnferius as the itself,

Herneti s , S uperior. but

t h e S u p e rio r A s s a id

is

as the t h e re

rn f e rio r, is

and

fnfer ior the matter is

above,

n o d if f er e n c e NB. or

everything

occurs

only earth,

by chance. air air. from

Earth thinned

a fixed water,

heaven, and water

heaven a volatile a condensed or one is

a rarified

thickened not different fixed,

From this except solved, fi xed , that the the

one may see that volatile thick or

another or disis made

one is other fixed

and the

other

one liquid volatile

coagulated; the

and when the

made volatile , one is that is ,

c o a g u la t e d

d is s o lv e d , and is ma t t e r

and the yet of what t hi n g s

dissolved it

coagulated,

changed into the f irs t

another

ha d been before,

p rimo rd ia l

(a) . Fi nally, cle s a ll of th e Nature may ri g h t ly sinc e in b e c a lle d t h e k id n e y s the and testiof

the macrocosm, radical, extract

h e r e s p e c ia lly of

c o n f lu e n c e

essential of

mo is t u re cosmic

t h e ma c ro c o s m t a k e s

p lac e ageand de-

and the old

the whole for

system collects, and so many years the birth,

where the is daily

Chaos, divided begotten

so much time for

hourly

anelt, and reborn of a ll

preservation,

str u cti on

and rebirth

n a t u ra l

t h in g s . - as well all be further creatures explained have a ris e in the

For what else below - but th e ir life

are dew and rain

a reborn

Chaos from which

living

and preservation? it, and aII this

A 1 1 v e g e t a b le s is generated

a n d min e ra ls and hatched e x a mp le s .

and grow from air , a s will

be explained

b e lo w b y v a rio u s

80

FOOTNOTES

(a)

If this is not philosophizing thoroughly,explicitly, and aceording to Nature, I do not know what is clearly Here one sees nothing of atommeant by philosophizing. puppet shotps, nothing of arbitrarily ageuned hypoistic theses, but everything is shown aa one may perceive it according to the laws daily in the natural alternations, Nature by the Creator. of motion imprinted on beautiful Blessed and doubly blessed are your dearest Brothers, that a book is put in your hands as the basis for your natural science, whereby also those who do not reach the can acquire a true and summit of the highest erudition geriuine eonception of natural science, whieh they would seek in vain in corpuscular physics.

81

CHAPTER VTIT
()FI{ATER AI{D TTS TI{FLUEI{CE
water and earth belong together.as four again belong together: likewise, For earth heaven and air, rnust have water, and these and water

nust have earth; heaven, and all one can neither

heaven must have the air,

and the air Else,

theee together exist

must comprise one another. the other. after the division

nor aet without prime origin patiene

water is the third

of the

great Chaos, and the first

or passive part,

the femate subthe

seed or Menstruum of the great lunar births rnother of all with nourishment, (a) .

world, and it

which must supply all is, together with

earth,

things

Slater is a coagulated heaven, a thickened rt is steam changed into water.

air,

a liquid

earth. beby

water is also a middre thing is the other intermediate earth,

tween heaven, air

and earth,

and it

which heaven caught in the air with it, turned into earth

is incorporated

into

mixed

and coagulated. air, air into water,

For as soon as treaven has turned into dew, rain earth, or snow, they fall upon the lower,

thicker

water and to ferThis is

mingle with

them, begin to get heated of

themselves, spirit.

nent and putrify how the spirit until it brings

because of ttre furplanted primordial works in the sater their epecific nothers. and works one into to light

the other

fruits

and beget them

through appropriate From this, herself, to turn that

(eperursrete.l must learn wisdom from Nature air, In

however, the artist

she is not content with earth, but that

only one intermediate, and watef,

heaven into

ehe uses air

82

the

same wdY, the his Art to

irtist the

must act rures of in

in

eonformity How often yet

with

Nature

and

'adjust spires

Nature. his like

nany a man percanrt or eombine them, like Water the

to unite

the

elements

workrand oil

They stand and Earth, gla ss. (b. )

one above the ott both fight

other,

and water, as two fires

as violently

and break

He must assiduously conjunction, it will which is

search

for

a means to Further

accomprish

the find he

easy to For if these

find.

on, is

the way to in a d e q u a t e ,

be disclosed. and if the

o n e in t e rme d ia t e produce

must use two, three, but of

do not

any result,

he must take from the

sErmekind

and not

optrrosites.

Creatures

subterranean things the

kingdom and others vegetable

from this

same realm with

agree together, others from

from the

kingdom combine easily those is from the

same realm, like th ey

and likewise For there arisen

animal

kingdom with between them. a re fixed are

others Wh ile

them. have all

hardly

a difference ma t t e r,

f ro m a s in g le min e ra ls ;

min e ra ls

ve g e tab les, fi xed

vegetables

volat ile

lik e wis e ,

v e g e t a b le s

animals,

and animals another.

v o la t ile

v e g e t a b le s , eat

and one can easily the creatures from

be changed into the vegetable

For man and cattle

kingdom and make them animal dies, from in the it. b o d y wilr' b e Vegetables,

by the

Arehaeue, wit h e a rt h ,

and when and

m a n o r the plants

cattre

c o v e re d however, the

groht again rise

feed on the mineral earth into their and

vaPors which roots, turn

a volatile vegetable. nature,

form through

and become all into a nitrous-salty into the

But when the they the

vegetables

putrefy and

are dissolved

by water (or:

are carried cracks na tur e .

sea through of the earth,

crevices

and fissures rise again

and crevices)

where they

to a mineral

83

From this' quite it naturally

the lover

of Art

can now see how one Kingdom is Ae has been so often said,

changed into

another.

is not done indiscrinrinately and the other fixed,

or haphazardously fixed

- one Kingdom

is made volatile

- and Eo on. As one Kingdom volatile, it acquires of fix-

becomes nore highry propertieE ity

or more highly

of another that

kingdom, because it determines

is the properties

and volatility

the differences

between tffo

kingdoms in the firet

place. are the father and nale Earth effeet all seed of aII things, and which

Heaven and the Air I{ater

is the female seed and

ig the vessel

rnother in which the uSlper three

re-birthe Creator.

and that

they haven been conunanded by the Eternal

84

FOOTNOTES

(a)

do not wish to admit this. Among l'lodern philosophers o thers, J.G. HenkeZ (in h ls F lo n a e a t u rn iz a n t e , Ch a p . V I II , P. 314) attacks Thales a n d t rie s t o c o n t e s t h is v ie w b y making only ONE thing or a simple gomething, a body-forming prime while Nature, however, does not act otherorigin, wise than through male and female beginnings. OnIy, he does no t understand the obje c t o f t h e q u e ry (S t a t u s q u a e lt io n i, s ) . the Water, in its relationship to sublunary things after from the Chaos, is not a simple thing as HenkeL separation a but it is, a s o u r Ho me ru s s a y s v e ry p ro f o u n d ly : be lieves, co agulated.heaven, a t h ic k e n e d a ir, a n d a liq u id e a rt h - a Almightiness awakened a powerful steam turned into water. (our philos o p h e rs ( a ) fire E a y ). F ro m t h is we n t f o rt h a n irnmense steam which dissolved and turned into ( y ) water. ( See 'V ereammTungsrede n , No . L 4 , P . 2 2 8 1 . I t is t h e f irs t (G e n e s is I ), t he which we r e a d in t h e S c rip t u re of e le ment very oldest of the beginnings and the mother of all visible Without its covering things. the earth cannot receive any b le ssing, because mois t u re is t h e t ru e c a u s e o f t h e mix t ur e (P h i, L a le t h a L n A n t h ro p o s o p h , fert ilit y an d the resultant f . (?) P. f86). To this may b e a c ld e d P lu t a re h ' s d e lh a le t e , (a e S a L e , c . I . , lle llin g S e c. 1 7 , I. (de P laeit P hilosop h a n ). P. 15) says that water is t h e f irs t Q u a lit a s f e e u n d a ri. a or fi r s t element, and in it a lJ . b o d ie s we re in a p rimit iv e state q u ic k s a n d , h o w e v e r , an d are comprised in it . T h e v irg in e a rt h , h e says, is the other e le me n t (f e e u n d a q u a lit a s seeundania), dDd from this one could recognize how equal to the firstr b e e n s t a n d in g in th is world and all its c re a t e d p a rt s ' h a d 5, 6, 71. w ater (2 P eter III, cannot be united without an intermediate. I\lo opposites dryest clearest, For when God had separated the very subtlest, (t h a t is , f ro m t h e p rimo rd ia l fr om the first Ch a o s ) , creatur e i ts eontnarium utas sim u lt a n e o u s ly c re a t e d , t h a t is , t h e darkest, mois t e s t wh ic h is t h e c o ar s e co arsest, a n d c o ld e s t , They were temness of the earth and the moisture of water. pered by the dryness of the air and the earth, as the coarseness and dryness of the earth were ternpered by the subtlety one o f the air, the moisture o f t h e wa t e r, e t c . Co n s e q u e n t ly, Coz.nel. can see that no union can occur without an intermediate. Dr e bbel, V on den Natu r d e n E le me n t e , Ch a p . I f , wh ic h it i s v e r y u se ful to read.

(b)

85

GHAPTER TX
OF THE EARTH ITS TI{FLUEIICE AI{D
The Earth the ter Chaos, is the fourth and last element is separated the out of air and waand the nethermost, as heaven the uppermost, the earth

the middle

parts. the from

Heaven is earth is

subtlest, air

the coarsest; in of the rnidtheir

heaven is dle' yet

volatile, different ( fineness) is

fixed,

and sater to the

stand degree

each other

aceording

s ub tl ety

and volatilit y . the other things passive (a ). Air, part E a rt h and the is female seed, f ix e d Earthr the moHeaven, a fixed

The earth t he r of a ll

sublunary lfater, being,

a e o a g u la t e d , turned of aIl into

a coagulated coagulated and of animals But the

a thickened the center seed, earth

a vapor vessel all the in

and the from which

heavenly

influences and

univereal the to

minerals, earth.

vegetables

grow in in

and through briefly

order steam,

explain

what way earth to achieve of

and water the generation

change into of the

air,

smoke,

fog and vapor or the

universal-general-seed Boar high up into the

regeneration ys' even into

the

Chaos, and note the

how they f ollo win g :

air,

heaven,

To begin stand that leged

with,

however,

the

lover

of

the Art

must rightly

under-

the meaning of my words. heaven or and totally that Empgneum vhere exempt from

That

by 'heaven' with

I do not his elect,

understand which is but privion the

God dwelle any changes

and natural

effects, our

contrary, not

Heaven where the realm thie, is I of

changes Godrby

DO occur.

Changes in

Beaven do Almighty.

influence Having

special reader ie to

corunand of take note

God, Iord thatr 6s I

eaid

aek the that of

said

above,

"Heaven' is in

which highest

extrenely or

rarified constant

(subtle) motion.

and It

therefore,

a state

activity

85

will its it,

never

stop

moving state,

as long

as God is motion

maintaining it

the world is next

in to

established the air,

and by its although

causes what

to move too, by its although

much more slowly water,

than heaven. in turn

The air, moves the weaker

however, earth,

moti.on moves the the latterrs

and this

motion

gradually

becomes

and slower. the air is moved by heaven can be seen by the is constantly no proof. forced to moving or Sailors stop high it stirring. on small fact That and big that the air

That the air or

the wind

tnoves the wat,er requires mostly water the at with eea' its are often tide

waters, while moves

work or up. is earth to

are becalmed, water

and waves roars fact

But that

earth

can be seen by the

that crushed

continuously which

carrying rips Here it as be-

sand, mud and stones. off an d washes off and there situation it of in

They are

the water (b ).

one p J -a c e a n d c a rrie s piles the it p la c e . up again

another

erodes, fi ts th e

mountain

and val-ley,

Now then, not. For in

every living

movement causes warmth, animals, that is, in also

be it

perceptible on the

or ground, animals so to from

those heat. litt1e

living

one can not one does not spe a k, motion only

only

perceive

warmth but

fn aquatic indeed,

perceive cold.

any warmth,

or very

ys, s p rin g life.

A 11 life ,

h o h re v e r, mu s t n e e e s s a rily because cold that

and the

resulting the reader

rrarmth,

extinguishes exists

From this tible

may conclude warmth. heat times, the other, is

there

a percephere beat all

and an imperceptible all the not elementsr at other

This

has been inserted which yet the

cause in times, times,

implanted and which in all

one can feel birth at

though in

gives

one case as in

elements,

whether

87

the tlot. if got

sun and the

subterranean Do matter see nor in this it

central

heat

are present small is it

to is,

assist ys,

or even

For everythingr one can neittter heaven rf, irnplanted

how incredibly it, alr

grasp with

because Lt the other

so tlny,

has stilt

elements. heaven in perceptible it, it has

therefore, a motion, rest,

thing

has impranted or not,

necessarily

be it it

visible

or not. from where

Heaven does not it takes it;

must have motionr it appears to

Do matter rest, it

and even if

be at

yet

has its a p re c i o u s or place

in visib le stone, of birth

effluences, a root or

effect s which

a n d p o we rs .

F o r in s t a n c e , off its

a plant dried up,

has been torn to

mother is

and is

appears

be dead because it it, which

prevented rest so that is but

from growing. accomplishes

However, great

Heaven is

within

does not

deeds by the not loss brings just of its

imperceptible when it is

evaporation, worn but

sueh a precious only its

stone,

even when it

touchedrwithout size or weight, nature lover

power and might or sickness

and without

changing to its

health

to man according

implanted

and property. of its the Art sees what that is, this is and from what power

Now the each thing active look

derives

effect,

from heaven and its Therefore,

perpetual do not

motion, for

lukewarming, on earth, are not

warming and heating. big or smalI, in which

anything elements

Heaven and ar1 inCicates

the other that of

concentrated. contain Now all rf it

Reason also the nature

everything that

must necessarily it originater;l. primary

and property has come it

from which chaos, its the

and everything

from the

matter. and these

has come from that, are spirit spirit

has indeed spirit is

properties the

proPerties

and water. is

the mover,

warming

factor.

Thus this

88

distributed droplet filled

everlnrhere

throughout tiniest water,

the

worldr earth

so that

the

smalLest quite state. its parts,

of water with it

and the

mote of both is in

are also

and with droplet less

a liquid

and a dry in earth here all

And just the lated fixe d spirit

as the being

of water fixed, in (c.) earth all

water

and spirit

Iikewise, its parts,

the mote of the spirit

is

coagumore

$later

and spirit

being

an d coagulated. But the fact that

and water

are not

as mobile

as heaven, and conis as fast that or the fixity forms that for things as motheir

is

due to

their

thickness

and coarseness, voLatile like

or coagulation heaven and it

centration. in its motion

Itake the

earth

as heaven. in all

From this things

can be seen,

however, volatility

whole difference only, in all that

depends on their cause the

is, fixity

and volatile is if For

change and varying and end of Nature

things.

And that

the whole it it is is

purpose

heaven is the

to become fixed creatures. in

to be useful obvious with that

and salubrious all sublunary not for

sublunary

are coarse bile either.

and thick Thus,

comparison

heaven,

therefore

heaven must necessarily could they enjoy

become earthly vapor, itself is the

usefulness. tremely means of

How else

such a subtle not give That all

so exto them by why

Eubtle the

and volatile,if rfdtr that all

Heaven did the earth?

airr

and also

reason

God has provided form itself into

heaven must go through elements as, on the

elements the fot the

and transelements

contrary,

other

must change into and usefulness, struction

heaven by great for the generation of all

subtilisation,

salvation the de-

and preservation, sublunary subjects.

also

and regeneration for us to

In order

prove

by what means water

and earth,

together

89

witli

the

air

turn air not

into

steam, let

smoke and mist the lover other of

and how the the Art

latter

change into in mind that

and heaven, only

keep firmry are everybut in it arl that Heaas

heaven and the in its all big

elements

where mingled ven-and-Air ston e s is

and present displaying be it

and emall

things,

moti\re I it t le ,

power and might, it t h in is enough,

earths the an

and bones, of

mu c h o r

re v ea l s lik e

pr e se n ce animal mobile

Heaven e A ir.For sooner rooted show its in the

a s u b t le ,

a n d o p e n t h in g than a big

will tree

power and motion earthr

and imstone. is

oE even a seemingly together: for in

lifeless there

Earth earth, the r e

and water

are arways carries

water

because rdater is water,

an earthy we lls

sediments. a n d riv e rs in the is air

rn the f lo w earth. in are

Earth of it.

because s p rin g s , big is lakes arso

out

rn addition, this is

very it for

can be found there

Now that heaven and

known, air,

known that air, water

heaven in gether all just i ts

heaven,

and earth without

forever the

toin

and in parts.

each other, A s little

and none is

having

other

a s ma n c a n liv e dispense a re it the

wit h o u t with

a soul

and spirit,

as little Th us, then,

can one elenent water the and e a rt h earth, through in them, their if

another. wit h h e a v e n a n d ai r . fruit. The moisten- or

f irle d is

Water must moisten ing the and fertilization, mobile spirit

to bear

implanted - together c e n t ra l

heaven and air with the

mingling as the

external

su n tha t ment, the

joins

as we ll

heat,

c a u s e s a mo v e a warming, the into of

movement a lukewarmirg, This heating

the stirs the

lukewarming

warming

a heating.

and awakens the water and the more there is

steam and vapors.

The greater

heat

90

ltater, 'etean ing the the gets

the

stronger into the

it the

steams, air, it

bubbles is

and evaporates. more by the

When this surroundmoves,

breaks warmth subtler higher to it of it

moved still wind. the to gets

sun and air so that

and by the it it rises gets it

The more it higher it the

becomes, rises, the

moves and, nearer of it the

nearer the

heaven; to the

heaven,

however,

nearer

origin

m o ti on . This the more it volatile it then is is the reason why the longer this to the tends steam is maximum. toward nature Earth, moved The more

subtilized

ancl volatilized the more it

becomes, however, the vapor is the

heavenrs by means the more

natureruntil of

changed into nearer it

a Heavenly comes to Earth as to the

Heaven. But Heaven, it

earthly

becomes, until

changed into has been given

& atone how this

by means of Earth. stearn is

Now, an explanation transformed of a vapor It is into this air is

and heaven. and wha t it is

We wilt ma d e o f . earth

now examine what kind

now sufficiently get

known that heated.

and water believe

emit it

vapor may ask

and steam when they the farmers, is they there

Whoever does not to exprain to

will

not

fail

him the that

reason. there is an

Neither inherent the

any scholar the earth. are

who would not If there is the

admit

warmth in all vapors

an inherent earth

warmth in not

earth,

doubts

removed about

and water

emitting Yet cau se i t of all

and steam. twofol-d, ys, fourfold. f o u rf o ld , and the water rt is twoford be-

such steam is consists of

water in

a n d e a rt h ;

b e c a u s e it first

c o ns i s t s from

four these

elernents four

regard

to origin air,

matter

which

elements,

heaven,

and earth

have arisen

91

and,

as said

before,

because none can exist this eteam into only

without two, they

the into are

other. water fixedr and cowater

The reason earth, agulated and earth That Iieve; tttough but they is

why r divide because in but into

regard

to heaven and air become subtle

vapors; turn

when they ai.r

by their

motion,

and heaven. everybody will easily be-

such a steam had been water, that will there not is earth in this about

steam causes doubt it after the knot before,

in many, of doubt that

much quarrel Therefore,

has been resolved. one element and subtilizes the air water, is the the

take

noter

ds r said

otherts other.

leader

and that

one element

dissolves the air, other Heaven.

Heaven dissolves and softens

and subtilizes the earth.

water

dissolves Water, othe rrs

On the Air the

hand, Earth In this

condenses the

Water condenses the Air, ma g n e t , a t t ra h e n s ,

way one is et

s o lv e n s ,

e oa g u L a n s ,

u o la ti .L isans This, the

figens. every artist should into four its and must note: parts, turn its Just (or: into air is not its as

however,

Chaos was divided degrees, grades.

fourfold these

grades divided

levels, their

steps),

were in

Consequently, subtle the as that

the which air

heaven closest touches which reaches

to

the

so extremely highest. as thick uppermost substance plants ea r th, that but In

t-}l.e Enpy?eum, Heaven at borders on heaven is sphere. slimy, stones not The

same w&y, the as that not

and coarse water which is

which

the water

as thick itself the water. e a rt h ly

as groundwater like

and the to the

watery and

attaches

gum or glue For not only s a lt s ,

grout under there grow in according

etones p it c h ,

and sand are re s in r dnd

are also

ju ic e s , These is ,

wax which fe r s o n ly

and on the to gnad u ,

earth. that

are aLZ Earths to it s

and difv o la t il i t y

a c c o rd in g

92

and fixity. stones, but

Yes, there on its softens, and, in

not

every

earth

is

so extremely earth

fixed

as the is

exiEtg

also

a volatile

(d) which

nevertheless Water absorbs in into the it air

way to becoming fixed. Ioosens and dissolves takes ysr it this volatile with it Earth, high even up

prompted form of is

by heat, steam, infer,

along

the It

by continual to

motion

Heaven. by the

easy to

and also of into the

conclude

subsethe liir

quently thicker than the

test

and practice more easily

reborn

Chaos, that (or: delicate)

Heaven turns subtlest into In the the

a fine finest the Air

Heaven can and the thicker heaven than the lower

is

more easily coarse and low-

changed est air.

thicker, air lower aII too

aame w6y, subtl.e.

coarse the

sooner

becomes water

water sooner Wa ter ;

than

the

upper

Instead, the

thick-slimy thin

changes intc.Earth -the same is true easily turned

than

upper,

and volatile-

e eontna. s o lu b le into e a rt h , water e s p e c ia lly than a stone t h e v irg in already Air or dried evapwith Air

The vo1atile, saltiness, out or is

sooner This than

sand. by fire with

water

can Eooner be changed into thick water. The same is

orated

coarse

true

an d a lso

Heaven. shown the from into first beginning Almighty of Nature, and his into four

Now we have sufficiently how she was turned word, partel vapor how that into water

steam by the

water

divided four

two and subsequently from a steam, fog,

and how these and received

arose

gmoke, and forth fruit,

the

conrmand to multiply in the same manner in forth.

and bring which

and to produce had originally

births

they

themselves

been brought

93

For

just

as they

arose

from

the

prirnordiar give birth

steam, to

these

four steam

must continually of exactly steam, a Chaotic the

and in co-operation, sErmematter rebirth, out and nature, is

an identical

without

any deficiency. that

This is,

through l{ater

precisely

to become water, is

of which also

each and all without

to be born anew, ti![ the end

preserved of

and destroyed,

reborn,

stop,

the world. That the four to elements the Divine gave birth !{i11r to such a water it had been in of

done according view their of the

DoE could for they

be otherwise children

natural

laws of motion, they

were the

mother.

consequentry, receive

have the and arl four

power to

produce

such

a seed as they ot i nd iu idua,

from her,

things

produced

by them,

are an image o f when they jo in

these

e le me n t s . g iv e b irt h to the u n iv e r s a l

The se four, seed for of aII the

f o rc e s ,

generation,

preservation,

destruction

and regeneration

things. as these unionr four together these birth jointly four in arouse has in its nost it of a universal seed

Just in their

so each of a like

particular

recei.ved

the power to produce For heaven is clearest of i tse lf, which above the without are full its

own sphere. pure, most transparent, forth that fruit is , forth also the the s ta r s been out its its

the most subtle, others. the of

Therefore,

brought t h e o t h e rs , The air

colla b o ra t io n life and light. plants

Btars

brought thus

meteors, ea r th i ts

water

animals, plants

and minerals;

animals,

a n d min e ra ls . anirnals, plants their

T h e s e s p e c ie s r and minerals appropriate

and lights,

the meteors, from

have again elemental

made specifically

the

Eeed of

sphere.

94

J u st a s e a ch sp h e re has specifically from its e e e d , 8 0 th i s sp ecies,

br ought for th its

its

s pec i es

divided lnto

indi.oidua, has according

again recel-ved the corrmandto go lnto to the image of the original has been given a long life serve itself to century been lost turning for that rnetter,

seed and nultipty

so that not only every star purity and power ro pre_

because of rts

a long time, but we have experienced from century various new stars have arisen, while others have

- which r order the astronomers to examine - and r am to the Air. other btrths of all kinds of meteors are daily that be

rn the Air,

h a t c h e d , so th a t h a rd l y m a t t e r g i vi n g observed with rl se

o ne disappear s or passes away without This, however , can better

to a n o ther thing.

our eyes and the touch of our hands in the sphere of Water and Earth. One can indeed eee that every anLmal and plant as it reaches its p e r f e c t i o n g e n e ra te s a se ed, in tur n, to br ing for th its kind. T hi s Poriler of urultiplication, biltty, as it were, goes Lnto lnfinity or innumera-

s i n ce a s so o n a s one dies or decays, another or ten tlm es m o r e a r e re b o rn a n d g e n e rated ( e) . This nay also be observed in the seemLngl-rrlifeless of the stones and minerals. stones out of the earth big and small buildlngs, t o n o r t n o t th e sl i g h te st them (f). F r o ur th i s, seen, although h o w e ve r, the r eader ehould take tt that, every elemental sphere gives binth to its by what.w e,v e indioidua For if crearures

one rrere to dlg ever so ,oany thousands of years for an end of them, as up

and used them for

one would not flnd

l oss or decr ease has been per cel.ved in

95

and these here the

aPPear to

be different the upper differ

from

each otherr of

tr may conclude as those of

as above that air, water every

species in

heaven as well to volatility elemental

and earth indiuiduum in

regard

and fixity. sphere dif-

Likewise, fers

Ln every their

particular

one from For the

another fact that

degree

of volatirity illuminating and clarity.

and fixity. creatures In the is due

heaven produces transparency subtle

to the

its

purity,

fineness,

sErmewdy, to

lower

elements of

produce or

and coarse

creatures these to

according differ

their

degree

subtlety

coarseness, is in

and all proportion

among

themselves, or l esser

and this volatility

difference or not f ix it y .

their

greater

For Heaven is fixed in g to matter this to

so wholly

volatile is

that the is nature

it subtle

does not Earth.

contain Accord-

some extent, of ear t h , relative

and that it s to f ix it y its

content its fixity in

d e t e rmin e d .

L ik e wi s e

has the Air

and Water and Earth

are constituted Just as the

a similar

manner. o r t h e v o la t ilit y a f ix it y , (o r: in of t h e E a rt h f ix it y as neaas against a volaWherever as of exists,

V olati.Le, of is is

e u r e d against tha t tility. there o the r is of the Yet earth

that earth it

heav e n is a liou id it y

heaven's

f lu id it y ) the

r o r ra t h e r, vtay: it

to be understood is

following less of

- and there in all it things

some more or - a f ix it y it s

as well n a t u re

e lements

o r c o a g u la b le Q u a n t u u m.

a cco r d in g

to which is

excee d s in

O n t h e c o n t ra ry , And as an

where Heaven element

present, little

one can assume volatility. of this or thatr

has much or it in its

80 one must also assess (9 . )

an d uti l i z e

practic a l

a p p lic a t io n s .

95

We hav.e been speaking gteam. into

of the rebirth

of the Chaos or universal this steam into rn theory water, and in as

Nop, howeverr w are going to turn reborn chaos as it porer, was originalry. which it for

a true

practice reIl

we will

show its

had in the beginning as long.as

ag at present the artist

and in the future,

God wishes, to do,

so that

may grasp with. hig hands wha-t he intends his certainty further on.

and then establish

97

FOOTNOTES (a) The earth is the nobleet seat of that womb which attracts and receives the seed from the male part of the world. rt is Nature's Aetnd ot volcanic mountain, where the fire-goa vuleanus practices, not the lame poetic one who limps aite, his fall but a Pure, heavenly fire that forms all tirings.She is the nurse.and recipient of arr things, for the upper -wnat natures precipitate themserves into it, io to speak. it receives in one d9, it revears to the next and, like a faithful it does not retain anything of what is -treasurer, entrusted to it. rts inherent groperty il cold. see phiLaLe tha A nthropoeoph, P . 1 8 5 f f . T h is c o t a q u a lit y is t h e -of cause of the contracting and binding power nalure being rocked in it, for we have but two piime origins of natural cr eatures, that is, l ig h t a n d d a rk n e E s r o ! h e a t a n d c o ld , o f which the first is active, but the other passive. The earth is the foundation of the other elements, wtrictr comprises in itserf the seed and alr the powers of arr things, lnd it is pr e cisely because of t h is t h a t it is a ls o c a lle d t h e u n iv e r sal mother of animals, vegetables and minerals. Therefore, when it is impregnated by heaven and the other elements, it produces afterwards everything out of its wornb, etc. Nuisem e nt, of the rrue salt o f t h e P h ilo a o p h e n s , wh ic h is t h e l o t h b o ok of the secrets o f a t ru e a d e p t , Dre s d e n L 7 5 7 , 8 . , Se c . vII, P . 247 ff., whic h S e c t io n ma k e s q u it e re ma rk a b le re ad i n g . In our Europe, this may be seen especially in places rocated on the German sea, such as Holland, the East and west Fr isian fslands, Dithma rs c h e n (a re g io n in Ho ls t e in ), etc. yraves (or: spring tides) By the so-called tidal entire villages are carried off and again cast out in other places and deposited on dry land. The new land then lies untouched until the herb Serpi.Llun or wi1d thyme grows on it, a sign that it has reached its maturity and is ready for cultivation. Then, with the approval of the sovereigns and by the granting of many privileges, it is crisscrossed with dams which they guarded from the washing of the Bea rraves, and call dikes, made fertile again. Yes, there are exrmples where in one place more whole districts have been deposited than had been carried off elsewhere. This increase undoubtedly has its origin in the fine quicksand at the bottom of the sea, which is so precisely stacked together by ttre strong motion and resulting mingling with the soil by means of the sulphuricsaline sea water that it constitutes such an excellent soil whose yield in fruits is more than a hundredfold, and which requires a renewal of manure only every fifteen years.

(b)

98

(c)

with this the philosophers of all times and lands agree. Therefore WeLLi.ng say s q u it e in a c c o rd wit h t h e m (d e S aL e , Chap. I, S ec. 16, P . 1 4 ): T h a t t h e in t a n g ib le p a rt s o f t h e water also contain the whole thamajim, as it has been found and sPecified in the stars. In the BErmeplace he writes about quicksand, which he considers to be the virgin earth, that every particle of it, being an offspring of the water, must eontain in itself the whole heavenly seed of the sun, the m oon, and all the st a rs . This is the true elemental earth, the basis and foundation of all created things, which floats above our heads, t-}:.e SaL AstnaLe, which was incorporated into all creatures at the first Creation and is daily instilled into them by the upper for their effluences multiplication and preservation; the tr ue dust A phan-trlin-lt a -A d a ma h , o u t o f wh ic h A d a mrs s p irit u a l body was built in Eden. This salt of Nature is found in all things and in the right weight, number and measure for each matter, and it can be obtained from them. Its first coagula t io n s re a c h u s in d e w, ra in , s n o $ r, h a i l stones, shooting stars , Wh a t a v o la t ile etc. o b je c t d e w i s whlchr ds soon as it but feels the rays of the sun, is immed( attractetl by them, while it contains iately a fixed earth ) which becomes visible during putrefaction. Rain requires a " much stronger heat to make it return to its Chaos. Therefore, it also contains a greater supply of it, that is, a somewhat which even shows up before the putrefaction coarser earth, p h y s ic ia n of this meteor. D, G ie e e , in o rd in a ry t o Hi s Highness in Cologne, Joseph Clemens, colSerene Electoral poured it on a porcelain plate lected it in clean vessels, which he put in a room where no one entered but himself and where there was no dust. He allowed it to evaporate of itself and concentrated it to such an extent that finallv no-. thing remained but a red earth likeKermes antimony = + Of this he then gave to his patients only by grains, and he achieved great cures with it. ft is the same with snow, hailstones and ice, which do not only consist of mere Q but simultaneously also of a very subtle virgin earth and a wa t e r. S e e lle lL in g , saline P a rt 3 , Ch a p . 2 , S ec . 1 0 , mercurial P. 310.

(d)

( e)

Mons uniue est vit a a lt e n iu e is a n a g e -o ld p h ilo s o p h ic a l canon which has its perfect validity in the three realms of Nature. Ttris is the true Fythagorean metempsychosis which cannot reagonably be explained in any other ryay. generation Much has been written and said about the daily of stones, but if this matter is viewed according to our reasonings, it can easily be explained, which our Brother Homerue has done beautifully and clearly in the following paragraphs. Modern physicists seek the cause for the

(f)

99

(f)

generation of stones Eolely in their ordinary conglomeration or juxtaposition, without the addition of a plastic and soto-speak creative assistant foreman of God by teaching that the Air precipitateE the Earthly parts existing in the Water, that is, unites Water with itself, the Air (evaporates the Water), lets it run off them, dries the Earth and binds small particles of this accumulated mass ever more and more firrrly. (In the eighteenth century, the geologic theory was that ALL rocks were crystalized out of a watery rnedium). VenbumEleetni has shown the absurdity of this system as clearly as the sun at noonday. This in the eleventh of our Veneammlungeneden,at P g . 2 9 3 ff. A t th e e nd of his thir d book, Diodor of Sicil y entertains the same thoughts. Not knowing Greek, I therefore r e nd e r h i s w o rd s i n Latinz Cngstallus Lapia eE aqua or itu n pur a c o a g u l a ta , n o n q u i d e m a fni,gone, eed di,oi,na ealonie Di, qui d u p i ti e n e e n o e t, va nioeque eoTor ee eusei.piat, meaning, "T he crystal stone arises in pure frozen water, not from the cold, but from a truly divine pourer of warmth, so that it may keep its heat and take on various colors". t{hat else is this Divine polrer of warmth but the etheric fire originated from the prim o rd i a l -co n ce n tra te d Light, tle lfo OCe.r ,o:of Hippocr ates, i .e., our blessed creative World Spirit.
point in Hermetic analystical chemistry A very important is that one should become well acquainted with the degrees of volatility of the bodies to be dismembered' and fire-resistance In metallic bodies advantages. which can provide very important class, where one \re find a large number of the fire-resistance or solfriabil.ity their extent, estimate can, to a considerable ES well as the philoof the ordinaryr idity by the strength them. to dissolve required sophical, solvents

(g)

100

GIIAPTER X
DISCOVERY CHAOS, OF THE TRUE UIIIVERSAL RBORI{ SEDOR SPIRITUS SEU ANII,IAE IIUITDI, OR,THE FAMUS TORL! SPIRIT
rn the preceding and earth, chapters we said that heaven, air, water twhich originated

in the chaos-water and spiritr

ceived the comraandto produce a universal ate the previously servation, existing chaos for

seedr or to regenerpr-

the murtiplicationr of alt this things.

destruction

and regeneration generate this

As proven, oration. it Alr four

the elenents of them drive

eeed by their the air,

evapwhere

steam into till it

is driven

to and fro

and circulated

condenges frqn produced sucWe

above and downward by the effect ceeding vaPors, and finally eall this w a te r, it i n g e n e ral, is the real it

of the continually condenses into

water due to this. fr ost, bu t

dew, r ain,

Enor il, hail,

fundamentally true Spinitue

seed, the true

reborn Chaos, the sublunary subjects

t Anina Mundi, out of which all destroyed and reborn. that this dew, r ain,

are bornr ptarved,

N ow th e n , th e te st

etc.,

is indeed the it

reborn Chaos and the universal must be a water ral) can arise frorn which all

seed or Spinitue creatures

Hundi, Ls that vegetable

(aniraal,

and minefrom

and be born out of it Chaos. In addition, four elements, it

which have'already

arisen

the Primordial to contain this arr

must have the power and might t{ater and Earth, and if eLe(a.) out

Heaven, Air,

is 8o, it

must neeeaaarily in themselves

also contain

that uhieh the four each brings about! into that

uents conprise

and everythlng

So we now say that o f w h i c h a ro se . t per quod aliquid

everything fit,

must again return in illwt

E s q u o a l iquit fi t, p e ? illud

itenun teeolbitur , atque peduei in

ipaum teaolui

I0 1

sua m p"i'mam mate?iam seu na t u ? a m n e e e a s e e s t . and were born to out of steam and water, which spirit is they also

T h e e le me n t s dissolve

arose in-

again

steam and water, issued, into

dew and rain. they

From spirit again

and water by spirit

they

and water

are turned

and water That born

(b) . dew and rain first, better are is sueh a spirit not only and water, by their (or: or such a reeffect,

chaos as the perhaps to four

proven

daily

whLch is deners it,

known to peasants but their out

farmers)

and garalso proves or

than

city

philosophers,

dissection (the

as aII

elements o!

are brought

by it

dissection,

diEmembermentr The daily not it, only but

analysis)

.and made manifest. of this water indeed proves that

effect

and action plant

does every that minerals

and grass

grow and increase born,

because of destroyed

and animals it the to the

are also end of kingdom

preserved,

and reborn

by means of of

times. feed on it t a k e ; in of thie A ir and grow by it, constantLy, (spirit their and in life.

The creatures ( i .e .' also S pirit of in

animal

the A ir)

because they

those

the plant etc.) do not in

kingdon, and use it require

grow out for

water of

the rain-water, Vegetables ceive such action That seed will the

the preservation for the

any proof,

farmer

can per-

the plant

Kingdorn directly. grow out of such water and

subterranean in its

creatures proper

be taught

chapter. that rain and dew are the great and by time

Now we have partly the universal reborn

proven the

theoretically

Chaos,

universal-general & Anima Mundi, born is

seed of out

world which

or macrocosm, not only

t-he Spiritus already

of which till its

everything

preserved

r02
arrives, Agent.And end of but in is also destroyed this and reborn water by the to in'a very

again

same, to the

such a cycle, as we will w will

continues further

function special

the World,

elaborate examine this to

chapter.

Now, howeverr reborn Chaos through Therefore, hail, whichever

known universal see what parts it

seed or contains. and if

dismenberment, and collect but

take

some dew or rainr you can proceed thunder through miet, is

sDor{r frost or faster it

you wish; collected then

better best!

you use Rainwater; in not a clean contain barrel,

during it

Collect it

filter

a feltr

so that

does such

any mist

(This

word, roofs.

has a double find

meaning:

as manure or dirt) tr an sp a r ent, yrater to drink look

from the

You will

a bright, t a s t e rit

clear, is spring-

crystalline at - in like

wa t e r short,

wit h

n o p a rt ic u la r clear

a beautiful pure water. under

water

which

you may

and enjoy Put this in

other

a lukewarrn place, wind

a roof can get

where neither at it.

the

sun nor with Let it

the moon, neither or

nor rain so that

Cover it into time water imperto it.

a cloth stand

a barrel-head, irnmobile it for

no impurity

can fall this

thus

one month, previous the

and you will nature. spirit,

aee a great begins ceptibly putrefy, clear, to

change in

from its

For this

get soi it

lukewarm because of will badly, begin to

inherent

altltough It starts

get warm and to divide. is found in this

smell

and a turbidness A brown,

previously

transparent in size

water.

spongy earth heavier of

swirns up on toprwhich sinks from to the Anehlike fine

increases the bottom.

more and more,

gets

and finally the subtle

Here one may 6ee a separation thick earth from the which it thin, by the is

coarae, eua. For

the the

inherentrlmplanted Bponlt!-brorrrn in

spirit color

separates

103

wool, th id ea r th,

and greasy is the guhrr fn this true

(or:

muddy) and slippery f o s s il e a rt h r dust:

slimy (o r:

to

the

touch. ma rl

And or,Gur,

universal

s ilic io u s (c ).

or diatomaceou s the lover of

o r d ia t o mit e ) perceives

the Art

two things,

hrith

his

eyes'

water

and earth,

in which

two heaven and air eyes. Truer

are concealed: w can see the smoke or in water fogi as is

For we cannot air but when it here it is is

see heaven with flying about into in

our dark our water

sphere and is

as vapor, contained visible

dissolved

heaven. wa ter ea r th

Now there

are already B efore, itself the t h e re

two elernents wa s o n ly

to t he reader, wa t e r, b ut now

a nd earth,

a v o la t ile

h as manifested or

v is ib ly

o win g t o

t h e p ro f it a b le Heaven and air, way. stir in

ef f e c t however,

of putrefaction

lukewarm digestion. out in

have to be sought I{hen the together, so that vapor, which to put

and ferreted

another

rainwater it in

has thus

become turbid, set it

everything

well it

a copper to rise

alembic, steam. out of

an oven and heat

the water

begins fog

Then you will the alembic, itself. together

see how a steam, and that But with do, if is the air

and smoke or comprises the air

heaven in and turn

itself it into

and with water

you wish put steam receiver a

catch

heaven, and the the

h e a d on , in in of ted the the this

add a receiver

as t h e

b ra n d y like

d is t ille rs streamlets wa t e r.

head will form of water

condense and flow very clear,

into

c ry s t a llin e

Dra w o f f

o n e qu a r t e r you have separalight is and

and you have heaven and air elemente.You water, will perceive if it or

togetherrdnd heaven by its is re c t if ie d ,

two of

four

shin e .

For this

es p e c ia lly than it

s h in i n g springa

much brighter water. This

and clearer light

before,

like

a crystalline power or

shows that

contains

a superior

104

heavenly put

nature.

After

you have distilled

heaven and air draw off

carefully, all it the is all yet reserve

another till

receiver it is

on and continue like the melted tender

distilling, honey, virgin

water dry:

thick

and not so that earth which

For you would its fixity.

burn

has not

reached this also

As to

the second third the out,

(drawn off) the

distillate, of water". is, the p la c e

and you have the in it

element,

"water that

What has remained ver y the der m oist sun to it; earth, dry take

alembic, put so that it it

however, in a g la s s

still it in

d is h ,

up completely

becomes dry all

enough to the

pow-

then

do powder it, your

and you have separated eyes.(this must also is prove the "earth

elements

and have thern before Now, these w i se all that lation it is very

of water") elements, t h e m, i. e . , otherthat

elements

to be real about For let

wrong what h a s b e e n writ t e n are born of them.

sublunary

subjects

no one imagine a heavenly revemeteors, it alone.

he can build as to

heaven unless

he has received of this water. b irt h , this

how to make stars water is itself to the

The same for and I le a v e water

be ca u se this Insteadr born the

a me t e o ric out of

w are going creatures of

see if animal,

fourfold

can be

vegetable,

and nineral which

kingdoms,

from which which

we have our main sustenance and live take symbiotically if

and with and in

and through

we exist Well then,

harmony. to make minerals'

come earth in a retort, not its

you wish put it in

moisten of the

it

a littte

a place of the

where the warmth sun' when it but is dry'

sun can get it again

but

l.,l.e di'reet water, (the

rays

rnoisten

with

second distilLate) a n d re p e a t t h is if

not with and You

He a ve n and A ir ( or "hu mecting")

(the

first

d is t illa t e ), f re q u e n t ly . mineral.

mo is t e n i n g you wish, and drying

and drying totally

B y s o d o in g , moistening

can make the

Earth

By this

105

you will retort to

find

that

the

earth

becomes heavy and sandy. a paper stopper,

NB.

The

must only air to

be closed enter.

with

and not

firmly,

allo w

When now you see that recognize an animal; tha t sand, it has a mineral consequently take find some of a trace to

the Earth nature:

has a sandy consisteDCy, it is not a vegetable,

you wiII nor

for

a minerar. it

when you then

have enough of a re t e s t ed ,

a n d ma k e a t e s t r of s ilv e r a n d g o ld .

d s o re s

a n d you will But if Earth, p a r ts take of its

you wish the Earth

get

a vegetable to,

from the

above-mentioned two them

referred

sun-dried o n e p a rt it

and powderedrtake of

water

(2nd dis t illa t e ), the it in Earth the with

He a v e n & A ir r p o u r do, the not sun, a p la n t too wet

together nor too little it,

and moisten dry, plants place will

as gardners directly the in

air,

not

and various into

grow. seed)the

B u t if fruit

you put of that

seed of

(any ordinary

seed wil,I birth. take of it

also

grow from it.

fn this If by the three melted so that how in

way, we now have the you wish to get

vegetable

an animal, pour on it

however, one part

the water

earth

dried

sun and powdered, parts of

and two or thinly sun see stir as first.

heaven and air, Put it in

as much that

becomes like warmth of the

honey. the

lukewarm air shine lit t le on it

and mild

sun does not

too warm - and you will of d if f e re n t d e c re a s e , k in d s

a few days various If the water it always

a n in a ls

a n d sw arm. b e for e r

a n d mo is t u re stays at the

s h o u ld

s p rin k l e a s at

so that

s a me c o n s is t e n c y the first animals them will

Then you will and others

see that

in part them,

some of part

disappear feed on it

grow from

and in

some of

and become ever

bigger.

I would have like

to mention

here

a trick

106

for will

producing keep it in that

all

kinds

of

animals,

whichever

one desires; say that really Void, f wish

but to

r into mat-

a eecretr the Creatorrs

so that

nobody could It out imitate, would of

terfere reason ter.

creation. everything

be better and without

God created if

the him,

w, however, already in

we wish

to

must everywhere forbidden

have the

created his

and made matter, and his

and God has not but in

us to delight

creatures

creation, it

has rather to his

commanded us to do so, saints to as the cabalistic of

and he has revealed Art, by which

secret

man attains

more and more

the cognition It is the of

God (d). the c h ie f cause of theologians over e rro r that n e it h e r to the the cog-

precisely vapidry

mob nor nition is over,

disputing

can attain

God. they

They all themselves is the true, pretext

squabble do not And in that to

God, and when the if

squabble have

know and doubt addition they are they

what they

quarreled sciences

about under

suppress

the natural

forbidden him; but

magic and that they of are blasphemers all idolatry

one blasphemes themselves. and heresy

God and wishes is then the

fathom

That that

beginning

and origin

theologians

as well

as the mob run even more after God, although they themselves

manmon and always do not believe

preach

a way to

and do not

know what God is

and who he is. cognition one level Christ before says: you, must beto another you how will

But gin with

r say that the the earth

whoever wishes and then of rise to

to have that heaven from

through

cognition understand the the

each of is

the

levels:as and lies

who do not

what

earthly

you understand able to find

heavenly? quotation

(Translatorrg in the

note:

I have been un-

exact

Bibre

concordance).

107

From this ch a o s, Bal the ter ated field spiritus

everyone

can conclude

that

this

water, is

or the

reborn u n iv e r from wa-

mundi,, or d e w, 6 n o w o r ra in wa t e r everything can be born it that

seed from which first renders from it. (chaos). the

was born this

And from this fertile or

may be seen that everything sees this to

earth

and that gardener

can be genereveryday in his he

The farmer

and he need not his

be further

convinced

believe by it of

it,

but

sees with perbly. what it

own eyes that are,

everything

moistened

grows suthis mystery,

Few there is that

however,

who know the fertitity. lv it h but the

core

gives say: Indeed, in the

and produces ft it is is S p irit , S p irit ,

True, h e lp

everybody that it makes can

kn o ws and will thin g s achieve a va il in grow. little this

o f wa t e r

a s a v o la t ile wishes v is ib le

s p irit

sublunary. ea rt h ly

For whatever re a lm, in these

to be of b o d ie s , to grasp,

corporeal

must also tou ch

be or become corporeal. Conseq u e n t ly , bo d y , ju s t

One must also t h is v o la t ile a n ima l,

be able

a nd see it.

s p irit

mu s t a ss u m e a nd

a tan g ib le m in e r a l

and visible visible

as the

v e g e t a b le

seed is is it.

a n d t a n g ib le . a few, although of people this are very often spirit is or that

This handling seed, it

known to but very it

few know the origin in

corporeal

even if

can be obtained nane than it should fertility is it

abundance. really have.

The reason For by its

has another and root world, due,

should b e c a lle d of the

right the

or ig in gr e a t is its

S e me n ma e n o e o s mi, s e e d o f T h is a p p e lla t ion

the

t h e wh o le wo rld . c o n c e n t ra t e d ,

because it

c o a g u la t e d ,

c o n d en s e d , body,

corporeal like

seed and .9pi:ritue a rrater,

mundi-, in water

a transparent, that

visible

a crystal,

a dry

does not wet hands r rrr

108

e a r th, ice, a ll

a uratery earth, a coagulated

and f u ll

of

heat, air

a ls o

fuII is

of

c o ld ,

li k e than

heaven, the world to put give it

a coagulated (e ). spirit your

which

better

tr ea sures Yet in

of order

this into

palpabty handsr the

and bodiry

before

your plate

eyes and to it

so that

you may conternrainwater from the

sufficiently: put it it in

Do this-take o r k e t t le it it in is

putrified it

ba r r e l, The n Le t of all

a glass but while Now put

a n d b o il s t ill

d o wn t o o n e -t hi r d . f ilt e r a t in it b a s in cl e a n or

cool,

lu k e wa rm, c e lla r Spirit in

s ediment. dish

a c o ld

glass the

or wooden pot, in two forms, It

and the World one a transparent it s e lf to

will

appear during cryof the it

night

and diamond-shaped t h e wa lls a n d s id e s in t o

sta llin e ve sse l, will

matter. and if

attach e s

some srnall p ie c e s to those.

o f wo o d a re p u t form, mass. the to universal

t h e v e s se l , sinks to the

also

adhere

The other

howevef,

bottom

as a sornewhat brotrnish-colored the spirit,

Now you have here

World

Spirit

and Reit and a

Se m e n m aeroeosm'i, Chaos reg e n e ra t u m, move now the pure. one attached pour to the

t o u c h b o d iL y separately

and see.

sides off

and retain the

Carefully also.

the water

from the we ll in

one at

bottom

r em o ve i t

Dry it,esp e c ia lly Preserve teII it welI.

the

s u n o r b y me a ns o f two to the lame

lukewarm oven.

Go with

these

Vule a n and he will Throw the coa l, lent!) a ve r y upper will

you wh o t h e y

a re a n d wh a t t h e y to the sides ft

a re c a1 l e d .

seed which

had adhered t e ll

upon burning is coal. c a lle d It (be sihas sa1t,

and it nfIRE! husky,

immediat e ly

y o u it s also

n a me .

(Niter) gruff

Throw the voice

other

uPon the teeth.

a n d g n a s h e s it s salt.

Its

n a me is

common or

'rustling"

- alkaline

Now you have both

names (f).

109

This peter,

ni,ter,

sublimated different

from rainwater from that of

like

every

other

salt-

has no effect The salt,

any other like By this the other test

saltpeter. common salt; you now see

however,

cracks in

and crackles all works. a rl

it th e

has also ker nel

the

same effect the

and center, visible hands.

seed of

t h in g s ,

s p e n ma ma e ? o and you grasp and reto

eosmi, it with

clearly your

and corporeal

before

your

eyes,

These two generate, that exists is under

sustain,

destroy

generate o u r e ye s. rEters

everything In the air

the moon and is a n d it a ls o

visible

it

v o la t ile it

p ro d u c e s and also to their not

v o la t i l e produces level, containing

(g).rnwater things,

and earth fixed Nothing

becomes corporeal according

corporeal also these

and more fixed,

most fixed.

under the moon can be found of dissolution. proven All

two manifesting of these

as a result further

and everything

consists

two as is

following:

one is: ( (D ,
On e is an A eidum Th a t Ls S pinitus This is the father Male seed Ag e n e uniuersale p r inondiaLe Heaven and air Ste e l Hammer To begin see it, with, this thing the

T h e o t h e r is t

(e

T h e o t h e r is / L k a li T h a t is Co rp u s This is the mother Female seed P a t i. e n s u n iu e re a le p rin o rd i. a L e Water and earth Magnet Anvil was totarry p rio r wit l volatile. rn order ds v o 1a t i l e . the to

we must

distitl

ra in wa t e r a n d it acguires

t o p u t rif a c t io n r ris e of over fixity q u it e

so o n a s it

has been collected , however, it contains. of it this it

By putrefaction, eedimentation

a basis

through Earth) As it is quite

(the

precipitate generates

containing animals.

The volatility somewhat fixed,

water

grows fixed,

produees

vegetables;

and when it

lr0
p r o d u ces

it

minerals. whoever wishes and coarser to generate minerals from it must the

Therefore, take earth,

the more fixed ES I said

parts,

such as the water to have herbs to get

with

before;

whoever wishes whoever

and plants varis, in a ,mine-

must add some heaven and air; ious kinds of animals of

wishes

from it

must add some more of air and heaven,

the

volatile,

that stand

more vital the rniddle ral

spirit

because vegetables From the

between animals can readily

and minerals. be made, &s well be shown in to

elements,

or a stone

as an animal greater detail. the

(each king-

dom can be generated!) But the seed lies n a tur a l in cause of the door

as will

our getting

see and touch of all

universal from the

and master-key na me ly , is the

deliverance (h ). inherent

bonds and locks, however, but, when it i.e.,

p u t re f a c t io n resting

The cause of spirit which it

putrefaction, never stops

never

has an instrument it is v is ib ly

by means of which a n d in v is ib ly , It

d o e s e ve rything, tibly turns ft the

wate r,

percep-

and imperceptibly, a volatile the which rots into

incessantly a fixed, of

at work. a fixed

causes putrefaction, into stopr a volatile. it breaks sand

and again this

continues stones ft

alternation it had itself the trees,

work without

coagulated

and changes them into creatures turned of the

,.or dust.

decomposes the of of the the stone

animal dn anior

kingdom and again mal of mineral farmer how the out of the of rotten the

makes a tree tree, a tree tree

to dustr

decayed animal, without

and a stone No

rotten this, the

- and this

interruption. watch with

believes

although wood of walls,

he must everyday his also door, that

annoyance grow

urorms eat his

and how trees flies fly into

and herbs his rooms

delapidated

r ll

from a decomposed ox.

(and that

fish-Iife Chaos,

generates from the

in

ponds) had abecame had

Now we have explained risen the from four the Primordial

how the

beginning, descending,

Steam and by continually water and Earth, the (i. )

elements,

Heaven, Air, incessantly the

and how these

been conunanded to Vap o r )

re-generate Wa t e r.

Primordial

Steam (or

and from this,

Ch a o t ic

We have shown the ha ve m a de it intangibilityr appreeiate That reborn just its visible so that

volatile of it s

and invisible in v is ib ilit y , can norf, see it

intangible t a n g ib L e nith

seed. out of

We its

out

everybody

his

eyes and

powers through

further that is,

investigation. this universal is is seed from the

I have said,

however, that

chaos or

rainwater, than

Nitnum, and salt,

not much better due to the fact is that no the an d

as salt

conmon Nitrun

any work can be done with difference othe r . no artist w er e to phonum th e B ut in if the effect,

one as with unless

the other,

and there

one were more purified p u re , o n e is lik e in

than

they

are eq u a lly himself is

t h e o t h e r, this, if

should say that it would

allow this

to be mistaken

someone

iV z lt ru m V u lg i. b u t superstition. it is

the other If

Ni. t n u m p h i l o s o produces p h ilo so p h o n u m . little-

be pure

conmon Nitrum for me Nit ru n

sa m e effect And what

as the scruple

othe r, should

in d e e d about single

one feel every

this? thing is

For those

experienced

laboratory

workers

must be doubled, g e n e ra lt y and that themselves re je c t e d one is do not

o n e m u st be called bu t the other but is

S ubieetum called

V u lg i. - a n d t h a t

su b je e t u n comes to V u lg i it

P h i. L o s o p h ru m, the point, they

accepted; kno w wh ich imnediately

when it

Ls S ubjeetum say: ys,

a n d wh ic h

P h iL o a o p h o ru m.

They im-

cannot

be fathomed

by human intelligence.

112

God must always or by an adept, sense (which is

perform while the it

a miracle is often his hand,

and reveal a laboratory failure)

the

subject

in

a dream

worker'B

own want of pay

cause of

because he does not doing,

attention of result

to what he has in he has achieved. look to derive

to what he ls

to what kind

IIe does not further

examine the

circunstances,

he does not th r o u g h

advantage

from a chance discovery

reflection. done this? it? How? If I now added this he lets f a e ile it est go, or removed that, although he should

Has this what would kee p th is things

become of saying

rnstead, f n v e n t i. s

in mind z improved.

a d d e re

Lnvented

are easily built.

Supposing

an unlearned

mason watches to his simple in if time

a house being understanding, a fe w faults. done thus, in big an iron durable it

He builds

the house aecording building c o n c lu d e s : here I

and when he has finished From this would he imn e d ia t e ly

he notices Look, should

f had

be more comfortable; would be strongert high it

have built a

bar,

and it

or here or

some wood, or etc. If

stoner wanted

or here this

a square sold

low room,

now

he no longer already the

house, to

and built the previous should

another,

he would In

have ten

advantages

correct or

mistakes. proceed

serme way a laboratory

worker

chymist

when he

h a s m ad e a mistake. w as too much or too kin d the b r in g of kind obstacle

He sho u ld little,

c a re f u lly of

e x a min e it , an effect

o f wh a t t h e r e t h is has, what

wh a t k in d that t h in g

or help

gave.

He s h o u ld

in v e s t ig a te so as not to

and properties opposing the is reader better

of every subject thin g s (o r:

beforehand, t h in g s ). the

together So that

a d v e rs e

may see, than

however,

that

universal likewise

Ni.tnun with

of

the

rain

not

the

common saltpeter

r 13

the

salt

- he ehould and origin the it is childre

consider of the blood of

that

the

universal

Nitnum

is

the con-

generator clude that

conmon saltpeter, derives that from that

and he should of father

and mother and if

and that

precisely

primordial

constitution;

it
self

does give the results

in his whole

of its

father,
In addition,

it

is indeed the father

as f have said f it , in iT lu d the and as

him-

substance. states z is

1 ch eAcio ma itself vitur,

E s q u o a L iq u id born, into of of

? u rs u s is

soLagain

by what eomething If then are the

precisely the animal,

same it

diasolved. eral

creatures.

vegetable

and minthey must

kingdomc

each one born

Niter into born is

and common salt, that of tiII their and if

go back again prime born origin. is again

and .dissolve If then

and reduce is

extreme everything And that

everything into this test: is itr Niten

this,

dissolved of

there

no difference. and is born of

everything be clearly everlmhere in

consi.sts

and salt it in

it,

must

shown by the and that it

that

must necessarily everything. we will

be found prove this

present

subsequent

chapters.

r 14

FOOTNOITES ( a)

If this universal seed did not contain all four elements, it would be impossible for it to unite with the magnets that lie in the sublunary creatures and to operate in them.
Of this spirit-water or spirit of trlercurius , Baeilius VaT.entinus speaks guite beautifully in the following words: (or primordial water universal seed) ie the true "This Mercurius of the philosophers who have already been before me and who will come afer me, without which the Stone of the philosophers and of the Great Itlystery can neither be made known universally nor partieularly, nor ean the .metallie transmutation. And that spirit ie the key to the opening of all metals as well as their locking. Thl.s spirit is also a good mixer with all metals, as long as they descend from his gtatus and arose and were born of his blood. For he is the true prinum mobile, eought by many thousands and not found by a eingle one, while the whole world is needing him, and he is sought far and is found nearby, as he is and floats before everybody's eyes." N B. S ee B asil V alent. in . c h y mic a l writ in g s , f n Ch g n ie e h e S c h n i f : ten") p. 733 ff. This wo u ld b e n o t e d . e cannot but regret On this occasionr dethe deplorable as-Eenry cline of rnodern medicine, or the rArt of Killingt C ornelius A gni;ppa calls it in h is f irs t t ra e t a t e d e o a n it a t e sei.enti.a?Lrm, Chp. LXXXII, and that eince that time the mechanical art of healing has come so much in usilt will not at all judging most deny these gentlemen doctors the science of often precisely the nature or the true seat of an illness by the symPin theory.Yet indications or signs as laid down by their tomatic which are proper to more than one such symptoms or accidents, For example, when an the main difficulties ariee: illness, they imnediately say: occurs j.n the blood' orgaam or boiling we have to do an air vesicle there is a hot fever, Behind this or petechial Not for the life of me! A military Another says: so that the fever is in the offingi lre have to use evacuants, But how, gentlemen! matenia peeeanl may reach the outer parts. a bloodIf the latter were the case and you had preseribed case you were to use or if in the first letting by rnistake' yrould not the sick personrs demise be hastened? evacuants, (Note: I believe has mixed the author or the German translator and "former".) For most assuredly, up the meaning of "latter" as to beconie that which it not be so complying will an illness would Ifow much better opinion. to their should become according physicians young starting do if, before proceeding therefore medical practice, they would learn to make good with their in the medicines, for these are an unknorpn thing univergal By that they could save a great deal of disLatin kitchen. that healing would infalliand also be certain cussing illness as long as the date set by God had not arrived. bty follow

(b)

(c)

II5

Assuming they had not guessed the illness: fn that case these general medicines never spoil anything; they do nothing but cause the great Master of Nature, the Archaeus (or: Archeus) or Spirit of Life, who had fallen into disorder, to carry out his functions as the sole true phi.sician N.B. at all times. The dismemberment of meteors is sufficient to give them a great many of such medicines which are worth more than all phar-maceutical laboratories. How very grateful should people not be to these men who labor day and night to make this wholesome use more public! Our,author is giving us a good occasion to do so, and, Damerion has proven it theoretically and practica ltry in his fine disc o u rs e o n a s t ra l p o o d e r. I,et us follow judgrment, him, and we need no more be afraid of ftippoerates,s which is: art (or: the art of medicines "The pharmaceut,ical or remedies) is the most excellent among all sciences. But be(f am adding: cause of the ignorance of those who praetice it due to the lack of universal medicines) it is considered the (Hi p p o c ra t e s m e anest of all." L n L e g e , d b in it io ). (d) This experience is very instructive and shows the consubstantiality of the very first beginnings and their conrmon origin from the chaotic water Eo clearly that one ought to feel justly ashamed to assert the contrary. What the author says of this earth, namely, that care has to be taken not to tender virgin burn it since it had not yet attained its highest degree of fixity, is founded in Nature. But as soon as the creatures issued from her have attained their and maturation, complete maturity plastic dot within the imperishable them, which is precisely but this wonderful nothing earth or its salt-magnet, is of such power can neither firmness.that an invincibility and rocklike "its be extinguished by the night of the incendiary fire nor by the (P . J . F a b n i, My n o t h e e . co ld of the dissolving wa t e r, e t c . " (p . 2 8 1 f f ) Spaggr. p.m. 111) In t h e X I . V e rs a mmlu n g e re d e Verbum Eleetri has had recourse to an example from the vegetable kingdom. Here now follow two examples from the animal kingdom: If one lets the ash of crawfish stand moistened in a humid placer ot in an earthen ware vessel with some pure rain or thunderwaterr on ean see within twenty days innumerable small worms, and if one squirts living beef bLood on them thereafter, (Porta in his natural they wj-ll gradually turn into crawfish. book, Nurem b e rg 1 7 1 3 . 4 . co n juring Page 173 ff.) T h is e x p e r i m ent is reliable. On t h e o c c a s io n o f a d in n e r in P a ris , D y g b i . made by himself, served a whole dish fuII of such crawfish which were exceedingly large and tasty. ?anaeelsus writes t h a t if a b ird is b u rn t in a c lo s e d g l a s s and set thus closed in manure, a ameary rnoisture will arise and (Ponta, will finally turn again into a bird through the warmth. p. ' le3). ib id.

116

( e)

E et de 4i" neTf'or the air rarified e arth".

in aete oeeul t u e o it a e e ib u s , q u e m n o o c le n o e t e ? o ? e m , aquam tanefaet' t o n n o min a mu s , e iju e e p in it u e e o n ge l a t u i eet, quam uniuevea terna - SendivogLus. ( "There- is in a hidden food of life, whleh we call dew by night and water by day, whose spirit is better than the whole )

(f)

Regarding the peculiar and wonderful effects these two have, joined to some other salts, when they have become volatile by parts, their own liguid-volatile is described in chapter VIII of our Veteammlangeteden, p. zLJ- ff. If it were worthwhile entering into a discussion about Kunckel and teachers of natural science like him, who pretend that there is no salt extant in (S ee Laboy a t o t iu m Ch y mie u n , p a rt f f , r a inwater Ch a p t e r 2 , p a g e IlI' one could write volumes! However, they need only imiff.l (or: replicate) tate the experiment described here in detaiL p a lp a b ly and faith will fall in t o t h e ir hands. S uch is the case wit h a L L me t e o ? a . (T h in g s o f a t mo s ph e r i c or igin). The fittrntrbn p u t e o r S t Drn p rg e (s h o o t in g s t a r) a noble meteor, and a t ru e S p e rn a A e t n a le , beis q u it e v o la t ile fore putrefactionr p e a s a n t d s e v e ry is a b le t o s e e . Ho w e v e r , as soon as it requires through puta certain degree of fixity r efaction, it drops a n E a rt h wh ic h is a s f ix e d a s is g o 1 d , which is the very (or: true) virgin earth sprung from the Chaotic Water and is floating over our heads, which has been extolled so highJ-y by Philosophers since time inunemorial. Conreaditg, w strongly cerning this subjectr recortrnend carefully several discourse times, the incomparable of our venerable Brother DaerioD of the astral the preparation concerning Powder, which is annexe d t o t h e k n o wn P lu me n ic ([ lu n p n irh irrt e n ) work. Then will not only about this, there dawn a great light, but about the clismemberment of all other meteors. a n d s ep a r a is t h e J (E I t o a ll d is s o lu t io n "P utrefaction B asilius in h is z t ' A L e h e mio a T V rit in g s t ' , tion". V alen t in u s H amburg 1740r page I 0 9 . way our Philosophers Let us hear how in a very instructive j.n a (with whom is God and His wisdom) express themselves, I'That causes air and manner customary to them . Io uit: A or vaPor, ot vapor is known to everybody, but that this air, (o r: g a t h e re d ) consmoke (or: steam), wh e n it is c o lle c t e d spirit in which a tiving denses into a thick ancl a thin L a ( i.e. f in a l l y a t wo rk , u n t il anehaeue - E ttV r, is c e a s e le s s ly retakes place of its own accord, whereby the ? separation stands mains at the botton of the vessel and above it a pure V qu i t e i n which the f and t h e 6 lie s h id d e n . T h is is a ll

(g)

(h)

(i)

117

(i)

continuect

No. IX, page 229 u.f. and 2l be repeated (or: duplicated) here now.

118

CHAPTER XI
PROOF THAT I{ITRIII'I A CI.TAR AND SAL ARE TN THE AIRAND THII{GS II{ ALL }IORLD. tN THE
Since its is subjects full of we cannot from light, the light is niter this ascend inferior is all into heaven but must usually cognize Heaven (a) heaven and fixed (b) air on regions, we say i.n one word: of fire. that

an effect fire.

or offspring

Saltpeter, is in

however,

Therefore becomes ever enough of and salt thunder that

we conclude

a most volatile descending. . Now about Let air.

which be said niter

more corporeal heavenly

the

niter. in the

That

are contained and hail, fulminates, things.

is

evl.dently

proven find

by lightening, any other like saltpeter

because here flashes,

earth

we do not

subject

thunders

and hails is first

and nitrous in the

Niter something to a thick

born volatile in

heaven abcive but and in water

changed into and earth, in-

spiritual.-vo1ati.le visible

air;

and tangible happens to

body. in the air and thus hails, flashes with

But how it in lightening

ignite w will

and thundersr

investigate in

theoretically o u r p ra c t ic e . contrary to it

ph ysica l

arguments, does not

and the n me c h a n ic a lly fulminate by heat. it unless

Niter added. to is, finer it

something

is niter

and aroused

The more volatile and ignites. is, In

and subtle the

the more violently and subtler

explodes opposite

same wEry, the they act

nLterte

the more violently

upon each other. Therefore, fire to of turn heaven to into as we have said, get caught volatile in order for the in light, air life and

and concentrated niter - it

the

- and then

a subtle

must also

have an opposite

119

for

it

to

become effective. a eontrarium region, to niter, in the it is met from below, steam, fog out of

To give the earth

and water subtle,

form of

and smoke, earth c o me t ohot rays they or

by an equally Sa L vo la tile, gether of the through sun,

volatile,

earthly

body,

a volatile these by the

S aL alealieun the wind

z t o la t i, L e .

!{hen then

and are moved and heated each other, and thunder

they

affect hail

ever more heated, and produce experienced fierce on hot

until

ignite, in the

fulminate, airr

explosions sumner days. shine too hot,

ds can be sufficiently contrary, the however, subtle

On the they unite,

when the

sun does not volatile

go together, but yrithout

niter

and the

Alka1i. in

They winter which

explosions, days. thus in it

as rnay be seen and observed The cause is the humidity which

and on humid and eold prevent prove their getting

and cold

heated the flow sa1t,

and ignited,

we can clearly

by our manual work Ree. saltpeter, Iet

following in

manner. in an open fire, salt add of

a crucible such as adl

to

it

so me volatile another

alkaline 5aL uolatile ,

a mmo n i. a e o r

u r in e r o r sulphurr minate,

o r a v o la t ile oils.

e a rt h , will

s u c h a s c oa l , ignite, ful-

oE vegetable and explode the

and animal like earth

Then it

gunpowder. or it the salt is - but in dry form - the deta danp

The subtler

more and the more violently onates). or It does this only they

thrashes

about

and explodes..(or heat, 'but in

when receiving readily unite. in

a dry

humid environment, For if

such Reagentia exploding,

come together because they

cold

and dampness, they factor which does Thus,

unite not

without allow

have a third

any motion

and ignitation

and pfevents

fulmination.

I20

if

a volatile niter, it

urinary will

salt dissolve

or aal

a mmo n ia e is the is

d is s o lv e d least

in wa t e r of is

with

both without or water fire is

suspicion till it

a change. dty,

But if

the moisture on fire,

evaporated

coagulated they

and the or

made somewhat too they ignite

strong

so that ately

begin

to melt the

flow

together,

inmedi-

and produce This

rthundert

or explosive

sound. whose primary found in After wit h by few bethe the gold, gold

may be clearly fulmination all

seen with

Aunum fulninante by many, but it the to true the

cause of

has been sought ascribe is

cause nearly which is

alchymists This, in of

sulphur

wrong.

however,

cause:

h a s b e e n dissolved tartani it falls (solution to

A qua Re g is a n d is potassium carbonate) porous

p re c ip it a t e d or another

an oLeum saIt,

alkaline often

the.bottom fulmination

as a very can not

caLs.Though

edulcorated ealts that this. of

or washed the cause the gold

be removed nor We shall

can the

to be heavier

than before.

nour analyze

Aqua Regi,s is sar tpe ter gord is

made of A q u a f o rt ole u m t a n t a n i

a n d s a L a mmo n ia e , A q u a f o rt is a f in e A rk a li. s a rt p e t e r is p re c ip it a t e d is

and vitriol, dissorved

wh e n n o w - and sal wit h p a rt ly sat-

Ln A qua Re g i. e - a v o la t ile arkalin e alka lin e by the than e a rt h e a rt h . it

a m m o n ia e - a volatile o le u m tartani, urated is a fixed

The Aquafont its

and made fixed

saZ tartari, it

enemy, and because it the nitrous gold. spirit The goJ.d howof and keeps

a more oPen earth is strongly

go1d,

precipitates by the

ever,

saturated pulls for

and filted

Aquafont. it with

Therefore,it itserf

|-}re Aquafont every dry that

down with earth is , subtle is the

iteelf

as earth,

eager s a lt

to absorb of Aquafort they When

e a r t.

And because these of the

t wo e a lt s ,

and that are easily

aaL ammoniae, are quite and ignited by the

and volatile,

excited

least

movement or heat.

12r
they feel such warmth, as gunpowder they detonate or

explode everything everything above it.

below This

them just

usually

exptodes

is the true
sulphur both of

cause of the Fulmen and not the Szlphun Solie

the gold). It is the volatile saltpeter

( the

and SaL Annoniae

strongly

interacting the is

subjects. gold's e:qrloding Earth, below, therefore coal however, having in is in the

The cauee of gold iteelf, which while Earth

a fixed

a downward grmpovrder

inclination; is a volatile

on the

contrary, upwards.

(charcoal)

pushing

Now we also conunon gunpowder times tains minate as Powerfully a corPoreal, is quite

see a difference in as much as this as gunpowder. coarse,

between gold

this

gold

fulminate

and

fulminate is that

explodes

three conful-

The reason

gunpowder in gold

rard saltpeter, volatile

whereas

that

spiritual.,

and a very

delicate are,

one.

The

more subtle' violently

volatile explode.

and spiritual

such Reagentia

the more

they

Gold fulminate ( oleum tantati If tile we take one, ),

that explodes of

has been precipitated

with

oil than

of

tartar

so much more porerfully a lk a li, salt it, it of s u c h a s o iL urine or of

gunpowder. a vola-

instead

a fix e d volatile with of

t a rt a r,

such as the the the

ammonium carbonate, all the more vio-

and precipitate lently. from the will also or By this, volatile

gold lover

will will

detonate see that from the wetl

the Art

t-h'e Fulmen stems gold. it The reader will not in

salts if

actually, this gold

and not

see that detonate. for

were to be kept it not ie

e:qllode

In

fact, it

even though would still

were

to be standing

Aqua Regie 6oon as it

roany years,

er<plode. Howeverr ds it begins then to

becomes dry

and some warmth

applied,

122

explode. no t In i gn ite;

Likewise

gunpowder: if it is

when it d ry , it

is

wet and damp, it effect

wilr

whereas,

s h o ws it s gold

imn e d i a t e l y . is dried or at

contradistinction, with

however, A lk a li or

when this a n d wa t e r, s a lis ,

fulminate

an d b o iled po tash r on ce '

a fixed A lkalis fixed to

s u c h a s 7 le u n it lo s e s it s

t a rt a ri

or other

o le a

f u lmin a t ion t h e v o lat i l e a t h ird

b ecause the that

07 e u n s a lis th e g o ld

tantani a n d t u rn s a n d b in d s

d is s o lv e s t h e m in t o the

Re a g e n ti a to r

adhere their there

fac-

by means of so that From this

disso lu t io n ,

re a c t io n

by its

fixityr

can b e n o mo re e x p lo s io n . that this crackling v o la t ile e a rt h and thunderand a of the

vte can now conclude general arise s or

i ng

effe ct

in

f ro m a n it ric s u c h a v o la t ile a re , t h e l' the

substance as the

de lica te co a l.

volatile

A lkali

s u lp h u r

The more volatile however, or the coal

they le s s du s t ,

s t ro n q e r

they

e x p lo d e ;

m or e fi xed, If added to e a ch other Re a g e n s is violence is volatile fixed. of

e x p lo d e . a u rip ig me n t , or s u lp h ur is drive

now oil, a flowing out also the or if

a rs e n ic ,

saltpeter,

one can inmediately re a c t io n , That is to

see how they

and cause a v io le n t volatile explosion it is or is fixed f ix e d . quite

a c c o rd in g say, the

t o wh ic h t h e d e g re e o f the Reagens

dependent

on whether they

and to what extent

are so fixed

or no t ff, a n o the r chalk the

on the fixed lime

contrary, or

c o n mo n f ix e d so me f ix e d contain

t a b le

s a lt

or

s a lt

of

tartar,

A lkali - which

e a rt h ,

s u c h a s le rn a volatile do not -

S ig iT la t a , is added to

or

do not

anything they fix

flowing

saltpeter, but unite in

one can see that a friendly and do not

interact without any have

violently change in

manner, fulminate.

each other By this

ternperature,

we hope to

L23

arnply Proven theoretically and salt in the air,

and practically

that and that

there

is saltpeter

although volatile,

tlre fulmen is evi-

derice of the presence of both, bodily shown in the putrefaction Now w will examine their

wtrich, as said above, is afterwards of rainwater. to earth saltpeter and water, and salt sustainer and also can also be and cor-

come from the air to see if

creatures,

found in them as the generator rupter, and regenerator of ali

and destroyer, things.

L24

FOOTNOTES

(a)

There is truth in this, in as much as the Creator had drawn the primordial light together in the sun, by which one could easily prove that light is the origin of fire, But since our Brother Homer speaks and not vice versa. about the separation of the elements, it does not really belong here. Here our author is saying something very beautiful, which our esteemed Brothers must well take to heartr ds in these few words is contained the basis of the true natu r a l sci e n ce .

(b)

125

CHAPTER XII
NITRUI{ AI{D SALT CAII BEFOIITID III EVERY AM EARTH TTATER
That frost, in nitrum is of if and sart proven earth can be obtained above teet. from rain, Enow, hoar they in are also the - that sane is and to as This saltwho etc., kind For surface in then by the But that for

every

and water, the in

must be looked soil fields, - no matter

manner. on the in

we dissolve of the earth,

which

meadows, bogs, - filter Proceeding be found,

mountains it

valleys,

lime let

eoil it

and redl clays, shoot crystals' will

and evaporate in everything little

one-third, with

rainwater,

saltpeter the

and salt earth proof. tell is

much or

according does not peter

to whether require

etrongly AII

saturated

or not. ask the those

special They will

you have to do is about it, being

makers. best.

you plenty

kno w it

Likewise wells ever, earth, into

with

all

kinds

of water saline they

and springs. and nitrous? flow

For how many Rivers, through it howthe along

do we find show it dissolve the

that

are wholly for

very the

clearly, saltpeter all the

do indeed in

and salt

thenr and carry

sea through cause of

countries. s e a rs c o n t a in in g mo re s a lt than saltpeter about

But the is that it is

constantly eo that it

irradiated, is ever

reverberated

and tossed the

by the windsr is it with reverberated. loses its the

in motion,

whereby

saltpeter and motion

And due to and turns earth again

such ceaseless into is often an Alkali. boiled a g a in

reverberation For dry, if

fulmen

saltpeter somewhat one will

unlixiviated afterwards

and this a s b e f o re ,

str on g r y,

we t t e d ,

b o ile d

L26

find it

that

it

co n g e a l s th e 'mor e"and tonier fixed atd alkaline.

it

is boiled, Then it

etc.,

unti l

finally

becomes quite because salt This fixation

never again and fixed quickas

fulminates' saltpeter. line

is nothing but a reverberated is done faster

in the dry way with is retained,

or other it

earths, detonates

when most of the saltpeter (fizzles out) with

otherwise tilizes

the coal dust and volaof the opposing if an egual amount Then it gets or

very rnuch and very strongly It congeals still fixed this faster

in the reaction dur:ing castinq

re-agents.

of cornrnonsal.t or another fixed at once. it If after

Alka1i cine lets

is added to it. it flor'r,

adding sulphur

coal dust,

no longer

fulminates

but partly

attracts with

the sulphur itself.

and coal to itself,

rendering

them stable

together

127

CHAPTER XIII
SALTPETER AIID SALT ARE TOBEFOUND IN THE CREATURES OF Tt|E At'lIrlAL KIt{GD0l'l AND THEY ARE IIADE 0F THESE Tt{0 AtlD ARE AGAIN RESOLVED I1{TO THE['I.
Anything meant to fertilize must oonsist of saltpeter That art and salt ani-

othenrise

it

is not much of a manure for and ealty

farmers.

mals are saltpetric analysts, tile

is known to all anatomy we often

rightminded find

chymical

because in animalsr salt

both a voLa-

and also a fixed That C \-/

salt by its

and an evil-enelling is a volatile

in ash.

inflanunable oiliness. by it s
niter burns fixed

vo l a ti l e

sar t

is indicated
is

name. is

Fixed

shows its e lf ignition, and its does not

T h a t o iI burns,

a liq u id else

proven

because it a d d it io n burn. animal is (a ).

and nothing f ix e d is

e xce p t earth,

saltpeter certainly

For the proof

s a lt ,

t he by

A better kingdom. very

furniehed

Phosphorus That rnechanics

made from the the animar

kingdom the

saltpetric makers, children

is

showrr by the up the living-

themselves,

saltpeter where their and is

who dig urinate

and bedrooms of That seePs into

farmers, the soil

i.ncessantly. an excellent

there

transformed

into

saltpe ter . whoever does still where many people uell decayed, is let not is not berieve Let it me, ret him take and then him go to Bome earth investigate discover out a cemetery from a grave, if that of the in anithis it

are buried. him lixiviate nitrous. reduced

mal kingdon kingdom, ar o 8 e .

Then he will again to the

also

a thing

aame thing

which

rt
-makers

is not cow and sheep's dung eo etrongly

have selected it from among all othere?

nitrous
And if

that
it

the

were not

128

an xxcellent would far m s. not

spermatic

food

for

manr God in eat

the

Old Testament and keep sheep-

have cormnanded the

Jews to

mutton

The farmer manure. he l ea r ns urine very Even if that

puts

cow and sheep's

dung on his saltpeter

field

as the

best

he does not

know that

promotes c o lle c t s the

growth, th e i r grrobrs

such dung f e rt iliz e s his meadows with it,

best. after put

He a ls o whieh

and waters beautifully. it

grass

Does he not thereby?

also

human dung on his then, out of

fie1d, dirt food and and

to render

fertile bread

Out of

that, for our

muck grotits our multiplication. admit of that

and nourishment

sustenance, origin,

Lnd as we are reflecting only

upon our

rire must also out

hte vtere not

born between muck and dirt we are sustained, d is s o lv e d nourished

but

muck and dirt, and into

by which

and multis a y s, the by into

p lie d , dust fields,

which we a re a g a in we in turn of

- a s Cl: , ris t

and ashes - so that

ean manure and fertilize succeeding and in that

meadows and vineyards and rotten

our

Adamrs brothers way become food

our dead bodies and drink Isnrt for it

carcasses

them. true that, o win g t o the a lt e rn a t io n the of t ime s , many a his

man does not grandfather chilcl, which

know how much he has consumed of and great-grandfather, lies perhaps buried father

dead body of also his

or brother, his

and decomposed in h a s ma d e h is

own fields wines

a n d vin eyards, heavy and juicy also of the

whose corps e rs let alone

ju ic e

wh e a t a n d h i s

how much he has consumed of his

dead cattler ther:e

enemies who had invaded diseaees dissolved or

homeland arrd died had rotted

fronr variouE , h is fie lds,

had been killed, ju ic e a n d s a lt

and decayed in e E ry , h e

into

- h o w mu c h , f

L29

has consumed thereof. By the above considerations and it is not necessary that for it has been abundantly proven,

any philosopher

to lose many words

about it, and salt

animal creatures

are not only born of saltpeter they are also disEolved Life Spirit of Na-

and consist

of them, but that

again into turer

them by the Aneheue or universal be confirmed in this tractate.

ds will

Note.' our present sword of a Vikingr that

bodies nay werr consist or the DNA,/RNA ce1ls

of the rust

from the

of a Pharoah or the atoms hogt By thermodynamic only turned into en-

once composed the toe of an Akkadian eannot be created

Iaw' matter erlty. - ErlN

nor destroyed,

130

FOOTNOTE

(a)

It

is

A
+

, being its

Contnani.um.

13r

GHAPTER XIV
()FTHESE ]'IADE TI{()AND ARE AGAIN I}ISSOLVO II{T()THEI'I.

NITRUI'I SALT AIID ARE TOBEFOUND II{ PLANTS, THEY AI{D ARE

That earth, also ters rain kinds hidden rt rain them, these these sarily earth, of the is

herbs

and prants every show.

grow out farmer

of

dew and rain, ES the in the

water

and will chap-

known to

and gardenerr

evidence

subsequently that etc. the is

For we have proven factorr Again those

preceding

eolely saltpeter

essential and salt. contain

oE the

essence,

of dew and that atl

(we have proven) as their essential

of water under is

and earth earthy

eubstance

the

and watery

cover. that is, dew, in

indeed

known that

the spenna uni,oensale, and ealt hidden growth. of

and snow, and the are that two are which in all

saltpeter

and diesolved As said, earth.

gives waters in

and promotes

however, when then

and in most kinds water and earth, do not

two are contained groht from nor them,

vegetablea grow out without and ealt. of parts sart of again the

must neces-

becauee of

they

of trere barren eglcnce, but out

do they

gro+t out

elnpty waterg is saltpeter two parte with up. take waterr former. and the ten

universal

seed - which mert

rn a crucible, of saltpeter. let into the

together this

and one part rainwater. in the In sun and

Then dissolve vegetable

that, sow it which soil, growth' ( a) .

seed swell Likewise, in that the fruit

Dry it Eome of Bow it

some soil.

Eame seed but into the both the same

has not but not

been goaked together of with the

aleo

Then obeerve difference in

speed of growths

the

beauty

That

prants

are highly

nitrous,

though

one more than

another,

L32

m a y be seen by their and alkaline and bright ability, th in g salt. flame the eIse. Is spi,nitue not the heat

burni n g

s p irit ,

t h e ir

a c id it y , break

t h e ir into the

o ili n e s s a strong inflammand no-

One can see how vegetables when they and the are flane ignited. are solely

Now, however, due to

saltpeter

burning finer as the

spirit !8,

of wine

(ethyl Nitrum?

alcohol) rt burns

or any other as subtly Farmers fo r their

a very

a heavenry OiI p la n t s , is

and beautifully u se th e Iamps. oil That

stars. of

indeed

requires as of

no proof. a n ima ls ,

of many kinds they are

a s we ll

a Nitrum better in the

proven State

by theirinflamnability. when they them, to gather

Farmers many leaves them rot fie ld s nection to

know it and grass

than

philosophers

woods, make big and aftemards

heaps of the

Iet their con-

and decay together fertilize animals them. about

take

stuff

We ll,

e n o u g h h a s b e e n s a id

a b o v e in of. are very

with

what such manure consists what it rneans, and they from

Gardeners preased tree. it

know very can get it

well soil

when they

humus derived for

a decomposing growths and use

They consider

too of

rich flowers

common garden

to manure fine know that

kinds

and aromatic subtle

herbs,

because it O into and

they dust, f-t

Nature

makes it which

very

and.has a very

turned fine

mould and earth, when it is

mould provides

lixiviated. and decomposition grovt out of of trees we can also but see that return out of to

By such mould vegetables not only

saltpeter

and salt

also

to them and are which Nature. in turn

transformed products

back into of the

them as their plant

origin,

other

kingdom gron to this

according

I also

hope to

have done justice

kingdom and to

133

have conferred

honor

upon ealtpeter - although

and salt not yet

as ite

otigin

and

Lta dlLrect general taiaing gether to thiE S

matter

speclfi-ed

oE prtoanother

or that ihlngs

realm - which'twb*E*vejttremfef,vet and generate of Nature. one thing'after

\t/

to all

in accordanrce with

the wlll

tr34

(al '

to This experinent is rellable and = ig again reconunendled ' eab'hsfifiati1!'tf,lrffiorRini farnret But l't riust "tt6:lgardencri.' be done by takinq into consideration that both aalts must fl-ow I fcir.3..ittnei"long tlnc tn itrong.hiat'j r6:thatiohly thelr fixed Alkali is left

135

CHAPTER XV
T()BEFOUI{D IN ALLCREATURES SALT ARE AND SALTPETER ()F ()FTHE I,IADE THEY ARE KIIIGDOI,I, AND SUBTERRAIIEAI{ THEI,I. DISSOLVED INTO AND AGAIN THEI

The more heaven it becomes; and the

approaches more earthy it

earth, it

the

more earthy the it more it

and corporeal becomes and

beeomes, less

fixed; ig n ites.

the more fixed Thus saltpeter, in water.

becomes, the

burns is it

and shines q u it e v o lat i l e

d e s c e n d e d f ro m h e a v e n , however,

and hidden

In putrefaction, it it

becomes manifest. turns alkaline, -

The more earthy an d thr o ugh be seen here ve r sa l another other in nature, nature the that with

and fixed fixation minerals.

becomes, the more it in c re a s in g ly For the is is lo s e s it s

F n lme n ,

as may uni-

rnore it

gets

away f,rom its takes animalr kingdon. them, fixed its to or on

the more and quality vegetable, it proves

its

n a t u re when it

changedspecified in

T h u s it in the

dD-

and yet its fiery

another

the mineral in all it of is

Nevertheless, greater tile or in fin e or its

domination

a vola-

smaller grade

extent, in the

according animal pit c h ,

to whether

and vegetable Re e in a , etc.

realms; in

coarae and sul-

oiliness, things,

resin,

t h e min e ra l ete. descending robbed another of

ph u r ic

B uch as S ulph u n , ila p h t h a , some lilinenalia fixity, by this the are of

P e t n o le u m, kind, is

But ingly

since

a stony sulphur

increasin-

towards

inflarunable and it eulphur

its

flanunabi.lity it

fixation, That (nitrous),

acguires

grrade, namely

becomes incombustible. are that saltpetric all

and eimilar

inflarnmable above by addition.

things showing

howeverr etem from

w have proven saltpeter and its

inflamnations

136

That

saltr

ds sal-t,

can be found

ir

the with

subterranean water, salt is after is

creatures they have

may be eeen by washing previously found that in the

the minerals

been somewhat annealed. such quantity longer it is form axiom daily fit, in the in

But that sart,

no longer fact absorbs.

form of earth,

due to the it

stays

the the this

the more earth it

The more earth ing its For chlr m ist salt the

dissolved, the longer

earthier process

becomes, relinquish-

continues. shows every ? e s o lt it u r, fnto that that & out of of

cannot

be reversed,

and practice in illu n

almost

es qu o a liq u i. d . f it , pe" illu m will will

pe r q u o d aliquid w hich which a thing a thing

ip s u m ? e s o L u it u n : b e d is s o lv e d t again

was made, it was made, it if we are with to

andbg

out

be dissolved. strongly

Now we do ininterlocked s o lv e n t s , salty or minerwithout salt-

deed see that

separate o r s a lt y

the

a 1 s, we must do it which petric, conclude I'tenstnua, with saltr they is will not

salt

a n d n it ro u s Menstnuum is

open. every

That every chymist. melt

known to since

From this or dissolve (of the

everyone in salt

can again or salty as) the aIsalt

that, they o!

minerals

must be consubstantial they would not

same substance Nor would

be conquered in a s a lt y

by it.

M i ne r a lia ready water is

meJ.t- into

a Liqu o r

Me n s t ru u m,

s u c h b e in g or

a Reduetio

ad pnimam, if dissolved it

they were not made of water into is true it. that If the remaining

and were again

wateriness it

drawn off some salt over

to one-third, or vitriol out

any ehymist distillations, were born

can turn

into driven

which, of this,

by repeated minerars

can be

the helm.

by various

preceditrg fn

transformations, Bumma, minerals

(a) are born of fermented, putrefied salt and

137

niter

turned acid,

which dissolves and sulphuric, And just

earth but is

into

itself

and thereby increasingly niter essence

the his-

becomes vitriolic fixed by degrees.

subsequently

as they are born of a spiritual into their

related final

and an acidified
by such . acidified tory of But not the birth

salt, they are reconverted

niteri of minerals serve the as will

first
in

be further to their

progressed reader

stage. it does neverhim, he

so as to to the

somewhat better, of minerals, so that, Lf it

although we wiII p le a s e s

pertain

genealogical here a l it t le

register mo re r read.

th e le ss does not

elaborate regret

reading

or having

Il am nepetita subsequent and their p e ter

plaeebunt . will

A n d in prove

o rd e r

to

c o n f irm of

it

by prior kingdoms of satt-

and

examplesrwe birth that of all

by the

origin

these

things

were generated seed. a watery

and born

a nd salt t ot That animals

a sa lt y of

are born

tained clearly dissolve trous

by watert knows. into

A-fike \-/ When then

growths they

like seed and are susA \-/ airT every philosopher and nitrous and decay, they watery, nitrous prove turn back and Di-

resist

water

and slime,

mucus and an all That it is indeed further

salty,

matter

and substance. proven before

and salty, below. d e w, e t c . , by fire

we have already

and will of n it ro u s

So , vegetables also of nitrous earth

are born

a n d s a lt y

ra in ,

and water,

and are again

dissolved

and turned back into

matter. Likewise,

full

of (D

and O

, their

primary

minerals

are born of nitrous through its

and salty

water which be-

runs to the center cause that salty

of the earth is

cracks and fissures,

water

strongly

heated by the central

heat and

r38

driven

uP to

the

circumference These vaPors the mount a in s , erosive

of

the

earth to

in rocks

the

forrn of

steam the This rewa-

as a Pure spirit. b o u n d in g ter, salt, cold of is

adhere

because of wa t e r. contains ). F o r if (b )?

and,eondense

in t o

however, namely,

and corrosive a n d mu ria t ic attack

because it a c id ( (E

a spiritual it were not

saltpeter it

co r r o sive, th is w ater

how courd dissorves by it into

a n d d is s o lv e s o ils ,

ro c k s

T h e re f o r e , a re a g a i n a v it r i o l i c

rocks salt ,

a n d s o ils . but not in

h o we v e r, but in t o

coa g u la ted saltr

a s b e f o re , one go. thus,

ds much as it And that which fatty

can c o n t a in water cannot

dissolve

it G UR.

crushes T h is vapors

into

su b tr e, ever is

greasv,

earth , by the that

g e n e ra lly successive it

c a rle d

Gur is titl it

further of it loses heat,

dissolved corrosive acquires, its

corrosive

so full

changes into it to

sulphur. b e c o me s . lapse of

For the more But such a time and the tunrs in

cor r o sive sulphur cen tr al into line

the mo re s u lf u ric owing

combustibility chang e s in t o latter is

the

and it

a rs e n ic . then vitriol. only

A rs e n ic , the That next

h o we v e r, substance is

marcasite, for

and the

becoming metal, can first S piritus

and not

sulphur

a pure

cor r o sive Aqu a Re gis, th a t is

be not ic e d

b y it s

s me 1 l: d o e s it

Mo re t h a n A q u a f o r t , in f e c t b y it s lu n g s , o le u m, so which

o? ole u m u it rio L i b re a t h e . under

a person

can hardly

rn a d d it io n , the bell

commonly distilled

both

from the

sulphur

and from and burns

common brirnstone. stones

Thirdly,

because it

calcines,

corrodes

and bones as effectively

as Iiquid

corrosives. u it n io L i a re d is s o lv e d or some other that is,

o n e can see that sulphur fixe d by imbibing earth, Ietting

?Leu n a n d S p i: rit u s some earth it with it,

such as chalk

smo k e in

a n o p e n f ire ,

s t ro n g ly ,

r 39

and watch

how it

ignites

and burns

like

sulphur. t ra c in g saltpeter

But that it s

sulphur (c). or

h a d b e e n saltpeter, That vitr i ol, they

I have re la t e d into

b e f o re ,

o rig in

dissolve in This

a fermented t h e o rig in a l be further

turned

,acidr

and this

turn will

in t o also

essence, explained

I have just below in its

been teaching. own chapter. From this gin the of things

the rightly

reader or

may decide not. Let

whether

I understand

the

oriin not

him go forward indeed

or backward

analysis

of minerals, But if else

and he wiII he were to than

see what he did I wish to

believe

before.

believe

that

teach them and

the world who wrote SaI are I do n ot Su lp h u r

something

our ancestors ago that metals, state,

and invalidate Mercurius,

so many thousand primal matter

years of all

Sulphur to

the

I would

reply that is

him that

wish

to do so.

That they orig in a l is best

h o we v e r, o f me t a ls , the basic

Me rc u r i u s , k no w n t o

and S al are the but it

ma t t e r

we I I

the modern wor1d, that not the they follow direction are to

known to

philosophers does to

Ue unaerstood me that Iet

as such. I only

Whoever, to

nevertheless, according

or believe of

desire

proceed

Nature,

him follow yet

others

and draw from them a be glad world. a n d s al t , alkawhich or the is that

better

foundation. the

There wiII fore

come some who wiII the

I have come to That cl ea r

and have become known to a re b o rn o f a b s o rb s

S ulphur

and Merc u riu s

s a lt p e t e r

indeed.

The more ea rt h

s a lt p e t e r If it

o r a c o rro s iv e is rendered epot,

an acidum - the more it l i ne kills or salty, however, or

becomes sulphuric. or g e t s the in t o it

a n a lk a lin e -s a lt y turns into

the

corrosive progeny.

sulphur, time

a Mercurius enough of

mercurial

For the

beingr

we have said

140

fir st peter this eent is

essence and origin and salt chapter the proof to

o f min e ra ls ,

that

they

c o n s is t

of those.

saltIf preit

and can again permitted, of it there both tiII

be transformed would

back into

be a great

inducement

to but

meehanically la t e r. s o f a r, it

and theoretically,

be tte r

save it

Fr om what has been s a id saltpeter and fixed, and mother, all the out things. casing or and salt are the

is

a s c le a r

as the

s un t h a t

seed of

the whole macrocosm and are volatire They both are father

depending active

on how they

are appried. the steel

and passive,

and magnet of Air,

each and

The visible the dwerling

Elements, place they of

however, these

Water and Earthr dlr and the matrix to everything. about

two essences birth

of which

and by which the reader

produce

and give draw his things,

Therefore, all generated, that in the of is

can easily

conclusions

corrupted everything a volatile volatile the

and regenerated is or generated, fixed

because he has destroyed herself and does. of

recognized regenerated Por of a r n in e r al; vegetable

sustained, ds Nature

mannerr

(D \l/ half-fixe d and of the ones. the

and e \-/ and h fixe

an animal

is born

instead

born; after

Therefore, derive

above-shown For if

general

principles, origin, the

we easily he also b e g in n i n g ,

the particular the

anyone knorrs the that is ,

r eco g n izes the middle

progression end.

a n d t h e p u rp o s e ,

and the

From this universal i nto the

we conclude

that

the

origin

of

arr

things

is

the itself (ou r fog

or watery

arapor which wa t e r,

regenerates that is ,

and transforms d e w, ra in , turns into etc. steam,

universal-chaotic reborn matter).

primordiar

For arl

water

14r

and vapor back into saltpeter spiritual tains, the

through water

heat

and fire,

and all

steam and vapor In this and in all

reverse waters and conthe

by their are is, fruits

condensation. contained.

and salt the water subtler

The more delicate, niter

volatile it

the more volatile it both forges. salts

and salt the

The thicker are therein,

water,

more corporeal the fruit they

and fixed produce. two,

the more fixed

Of these sublunar creatures veg e tab le vegetables

saltpete r - be they sustained, realms ,

a n d s a lt volatile

b e in g or

the

f irs t - all

ma t t e r sublunar - in the

of

all

creatures are born,

fixed

destroyed a lt h o u g h

and reborn a n ima ls , they,

animal, with

and mineral and minerals

,^

s imu lt a n e o u s ly draw the volatile

and more so than air by their

^/h, and 6-) f |) \-/ \l-l ing themselves

from the

breath,

sustaining food.

and nourish-

by thern as by a special however, increase

heavenly

Vegetables, by co n d ensed air. llineralsr

more by dew and rain

etc.

than

on the

other air the

hand, which, central

are born due to heat

of

a thick heat of

and acidic the of abyss, sub-

steam and subterranean limate ta in s wa ter , upwards out a nd there s altpeter Just as the both of

the

into of

the

bowels

the mouna ir and

become wat e r. and salt lie

I n a ll h id d e n

t h e m, min e ra ls ,

as a seed and sustained by

aforementioned

are born

composed of th e ir

""u e

, according to the difference

they are also destroyed again

in

volatility

and fixity,

by these

s e l f - s a me a cco rd i n g to th i s rebornl untll

differ ence,

hr olatility into

& fixity)

and afs o

the Creator burns everything be afforded

dust and ashes. theory or

Now the reader will

the most beautiful

L42

reflection, an extremely l eve ls.

if

he considers

how Nature the

first

descends

out

of

such

volatile

steErm through the

pertinent

most beautiful to those lev e l s the most t h is in

The more she descen d s , them acquires the fixed, volatile, and the level

c lo s e r fixity. the

she gets

and through vor a ti l e turn into into

increasing t h ls fixed to in t o

For she turns h a rf -v o la t ile ,

the

into

the rnost fixed. she again the f ix e d , ascends t h is

When now from level

she has descended to l eve l, turning the

from

level, in t o in t o water

the most f ix e d volatiIe, an d t h is air,

in t o

the halfAs stated earth she

fi xed , above,

then

t h e mo s t v o la t ile . and earth, to level, and of

she turns air

heaven into and heaven,

makes water, to an o ther.

from level

frorn one extreme

Sh e turns i nto ea r th. niter , th is into

the most vola t ile water,

h e a v e n in t o in t o the n it e r

the f ix e d in t o

v o la t ile

a ir,

this

th e half-fixed Or' this i nto earth, Th a t

a n d t h is

a n d mo s t -f ix e d t h e v o L a t ile wa t e ry airy niter,

the most volatile into the half-fix e d ealt

h e a v e n ly

c o rp o re a l t h is ,

a n d t a n g ib le in

the

earthy

o r a lk a li;

d e s c e n d in g

f u rt he r ,

stone salt is

and mineral. a fixed nit e r h a s b e e n s u f f ic ie n t ly and fixed. d e s e rip t io n p ro v e n ab o v e ,

also th is

how and in what way it th e disciple of the A rt of

becomes alkaline c a n s e e a g e n e ra l t h in g s . the is, of as is particular,

And in of the

u n ive r sa l

generation

nat u ra l

Now we will ally which

somewhat tackle artists, the that center

which of

is

occasionby

demanded by the we penetrate We are

an analysis Nature right, of all

things

into

and look with

at her naked.

therefore with the

beginning,

the main door destruction

to Nature,

Key and originator

generation,

143

and regeneration hardly of get to is the

of

everything, of

wihtout

which

we could

otherwise

ground

Nature,

and this

Key and main point

alchemy

putrefaction.

144

FOOTNOTES
( a)

See the Der gnosee Bauer, p. 27, of the Augsburg edition of 1753. fn what sense this corrosive is normally taken in our s c ho o l s i s sh o w n i n the Compaeeder llei.een, par t 3, Sect. I, F o r juet as base metals ar e gener ated i n the S/ 5 , p . 3 2 4 ff. subterranean crevices, our philosophic metals are generated pits, and produced in our artificial and whoever does not imitate this process of Nature in te works of the Art, will not reach the desired goal. Here he says something which is of far-reaching in one of the highest grades. usefulness

(b)

( c)

145

GHAPTER XVI
(}F AI{D THE I'IAJOR GATE THE KEY ORIGIITATOR T()I{ATURE, ()FI{ATURAL EVERY AI{D DISSOLUTIOII TIIINGS: GENERATIOI{

PUTREFACTION
and subtle But purity, if other the Elements. lfater also and Earth, to generate or destroy of God. or prior

Because of as changeabre Air with and from the

its

tenderness

Heaven is to

not the

as the there in to

he proceeds he putrefies

together the 1ower putre-

othere, which

order

hie

like

in

Elements fa cti on ,

do not

generate

anything

without

by special

disposit io n

Therefore, or fermentation either

without (be it in

putrefaction quick or

maceration,

digestion (sep-

slow) r Do true or L n S p e e if ie is

dismemberment

a r a ti on )

Uniuensalib u s

a n d , I n d io id u is

can be hoped for. For dew, rain, tinction, a sig n of producing it the is their snow, h a il a separation giving animars parts or off and hoar of the f ro s t fine p u t re f y from the wit h o u t coarse, a f a in t disand one.

a s me ll, very excess

a lt h o u g h easily, of very

o n ly

Like their p e ter ,

above,

putrefy their

and because of volatile salt-

many volatile they stink

intolerably . also putrefy easily because of their excegsive emelr as

Vegetables moisture, badly but

not

as quickly

as anLmals.

Neither

do they

as the Minerals

above-mentioned. also off putrefy and ferment as the that but, at least most of except them,

do not is

give

such a bad smell and acguires thenr turn

preceding, is

when iron with it.

being

macerated

which this

consubstantial advantage vegetables

From putrefaction, formation that minerals

w derive into

and transinto animals,

vegetables,

146

and these

turn in

back into a ring or

vegetables circle, turns

and minerals. the upside

Thus,

Nature

goes around downside nature, up, not

turning the

down and the into a general above, sphere, the

ys,

she also

three

realms

particularly the vapors of

belonging from the minerals,

to any realm. of the earth

As we said

she drives which earth, caying the air. is

center

- and water surface of

the

realm is the

and vapors

from the

which animals

plant three

kingdom, living

and vapors

from exhaling kincdoms them into

and deinto a unibut

the

and flourishing and turns

There which all

she renders is

thern chaotic animal

versality co m m o n to

now neither

nor vegetable a n d is , this a ll

nor mineral in aII.

things,

and w h ic h mu s t b e , will of believe

Few budding even fewer hearing before about it That earth again into turns the his of the

philosophers

before workers. with

an explanation, But after his own eyes spoken

common variety every

laboratory will

explanation, door,

farmer

see it

even before

he goes outsider

ds we have also

above. is why putrefaction water into air, is air, this that wonderful into blacksmith fire who turns and

water,

and air into

or heaven, into without into

heaven into effects

water,

and water

earth. stopa

Putrefaction ping

such transformations tiII

ceaselessly, melt

even one minute, lu np.

heaven and earth

together

gla ssy

r47

CHAPTER XVII
REALLY IS I{HAT PUTREFACTION
When God created the universal Spirit. b e in g , steam, he inplanted beginning, s t ill, stopping. about at an active this a ll Be he one times

being Sp ir it

into

it,

which

we call

From the never s t a n d in g without

has been a restless moving, acting

ceaselessly fixed

and working

or volatile,

he must forever in all

be busy,

bringing

change after be in gins oner again This starts for or in

another escapes another, is

creatures.

For even when he ceases to dt that rest of Eame moment he beone instant. aII change, and he this that, with

from dead bodies, so that

he does not

Spirit

the mover and originator putrefaction. the pure t ill

every

change vrith

Yfhen he has hatched from the the funpure. is After

some time,

he separates

h e b in d s, every fy, his is

coagulates

and c o n g e a ls In the

goal

a t t a in e d

individual.

same wdy, he begins the coagulated

once more to putrehe has attained it . T h is of all Spirit

dissolve, g o a l, the till

and separate he has again sustainer,

body after e ls e of

ma d e s o me t h in g destroyer

procreator, in the world.

and regenerator

thin g s

We cannot form, water in

see this then

Spirit

in

his

primordial in the

esaence, steam or

his the the

steam-

because he is and, in

completely so spiritual

hidden that from

additionr

he goes up into above into our

air

low heat.

But when he descends he is partly or

coarser becone After t ra ns he got heated

bodily

Elements,

retained rather,

and must willy-nilly assume such a one.

a visible, th is, parent

tangible to

bodyr us in

h e appears form, fT\

a wh it e ,

ic e -c o 1 d , within

c ry s t a llin e , that, if

v-/

r oDd yet

so fiery

148

and a large and his he would but

amount vrere accumulated, him,

in

the

center

of

the

earth that

enemy crme toward not only

he would stones,

become so enraged

blow up rocks, just

houses and buildings, shows us a proof or cold wife of did his not

the whole world'earthquakes.

as he often his

power in exist,

And if

brother

^4. madly in love and on , his Venus, with whom he falls H \-/ whom he becomes hooked - who alone can check and tame him - he

would

already

have harmed the in it. the

whole

world

long

ago. his

But when the brother his or

two clasp wife

each other permit

fiery

hellish

palace,

does not

She embraces him and grabs and extinguish elsewhere. in the his anger in

middle, and not embraced

so that

he should

cool it

love

eause damage through by his himself not izes only with Th is Venus and is so completely does not them, S pirit

And as soon as he is bonds of love,

enchained that

he forgets him, he

even if

his

enemies approach them to an eternal a ll his

harm them but were,

attracts forms in

love,

socialwith them. as

and as it is

alliance

distribut e d so that introduces creature s . is

a n d t h ro u g h

c re a t u re s , or exist

has been said him. He it is into

above, that all

none can live, all generation,

float

without and re-

destruction

g e n e r a ti on

Therefore, which loeks this it in

putrefaction Spirit

the

first palace

key and door of Nature

by means of

double

opens the grades.

to us and again

subsequent Spirit is

For this said This above, warmth

moving because he never his motion pores there of arises thingr

restsr

ds has been

and due to then

a warming quality. so that the in imorder

opens the

every

planted

Spirit

can pass and penetrate

through

everywhere

149

to generate he begins doing this

or either till

corrupt. to

As soon as he has permeated or to coagulate; penetrated p a rt s , heat is or

the members,

dissolve

and he continues and heated the body. b e g in t o

he has completely moist, vo la t ile the

Th e n the steam off that

tender,

the

V o la t ile ,

(according

to whether

strong the Spirit

or weak) and give is at work and

an odor

by which decays,

one can know that softens the

he opens,

body through to level

digestion till

or putre-

faction, his

and how he continues goals. thie spirit

from level

he has reached

i ntended originarly,

had been steam and vapor, and steam in the beginning, and with

and just he also

as makes

he himself all things

had been water out of

steam and water, he does nothing,

through

steam and water, for his

and without a cti on ,

water

because he needs water a s a ll t h in g s

mixture water.

and dissolut io n ,

h e ma k e s a re ea s i l y

mixed with

For he makes the they after obviously the consist

creatures of almost

of arl

the

animal

kingdom of water, parts, life, and

and

soft of

and watery the lamp of water.

evaporation into nud,

and extinction slime and water creatures p a rt s ,

he turns

them again In the o f wa ter y, and they thr o u g h

through of the

same wdY, the juicy and moist

vegetable not

kingdom consist

a lt h o u g h

a s mu c h a s a n im a l s , water with and

are water

again (a).

dissolved

and turned

back into

Thus Naturer dissolves

oE this into

Spirit, water

produces by waterr

minerals ds will

from water be explained

and be-

them again

Iow by severaL But it is

examples. not to be understood that such a waterr or creatures

rs0
transformed without gets all into water or plain and coagulated spring water, out out of water, of which but is the a water Spirit be-

powerr

Aninalia, all four

Vegetabilia Elements A are

and llineralia, in concordance,

a kind

of water there are

in which four

in which

parts,

Heaven or

, Air, A n in t wo a re everything is s o le ly is born, destroyed and reAIaccord-

ar e th r e e: AL e a L i, Nitnun bo r n ; though i ng to a

Conpus, S piritue, in which

V olatile;

and Sa1,; out V he is his

of which S pirit

in which called

a c t iv e

a n d o p e ra t iv e . and quintuple but

double,

triple,

guadruple h e is

fixity

or volatilit y , different

n e v e rt h e le s s d if f e rin g

one single F or w h e n

Spir it he i s Age n s, he is is

and only vo latile

because of c a lle d

h is

effect.

and 6team, h e is

He a v e n a n d A ir, h a lf -f ix e d

V o la t ile,

the rnE rn, etc. , A nim a . ca lled water, A eidum , E ar t h , above.

Wh e n h e is S p irit u s , F iru m, A n d t h is

a n d c o rp o r e a l , b u t wh e n h e wo ma n , m a g n e t , all

S u L p h u r, P a t ie n e , is

Nit n u m; A L e a L i,

fixe d ,

he is

called

C or p u s, things,

S aL, as said for in give

t h e wh o le k n o wle d g e of

whatever it

form and shape we meet something, distinguish it from other

\re soon For one

afterwards if there for For divided special ground, world things it in

a name to

objects.

were one single anotherr ES in

name for the

everythingr of

w would mistake

thing

confusion

Babylon. simple water its one the whole of aII that

had originally time, and in this they

been just division all

one single every part

received root, in thing

name, although one single

stem from one single as all separate the single that things first is

thing,

just

can again through

be turned reversal

back into

and dissolution,

- water.

rsl
Thus is explained movJ.ng, warming, donble and simple what water inflaming then:Edf.l Ls, namelyr eingle the implanted, in

heating, forn;

and eimtrlle Spirit,

a fighttng

Ael,dun and Ateati, Adidun, ALeaLi

wtrLch are two Ln on6 eaeenge, als<i three: l |e t e u n i u c ; S u l p h u n ,'S a l ;

Vohattte,

Spf.r itue, Anim a;' Cotpue

152

FOOTNOTE

(a)

TbiE ie aIEo t"he rea"on why they do not decqupse ag fast, as animal.s, since a moist Vehi,eulurn niust be used with sith the ,dry.wlea* bgf,ore puGrefactioq,-sets t!.re[, especially the latter cannot be brought about or happen within, because -I$hat thiE water .iar howeverr, out rnoietrue warmth. out and generation of which and by which the aforetnentloned in all three realms occurs, ie very well explained by hirn in the paragraphs. f,ollouing

1 s3

GHAPTER XVIII
OFPUTREFACTIOI{ ARE THE RESULTS TIHAT

IS ACCOI,IPLISHED BYIT. AiID THAT

In general, an acid' From this th i s putrefaction a n A l kali, results in turning a volatile into into a n ac i d. to be

i n to

and in r etur n,

an Alkali

a volatile

is produced, according either naturarly

to how the things or artificially. e will

transformed

are constituted the true

To present

effeet

of putrefactionr regenerated

take as an namely: Es

example rainnater, Collect ra i n w a te r,

the universal

chaotic

water,

a s h a s been said above ( a) in a clean vessel , the more the better, so that the generation Let it

much as you wish, universal for I44? Spirit

of the

can be observed more clearly.

stand covered will be gi n to foulr so

o r o n e mo n th .

As has been said above, it itself

Putrefy that

and break wLthin separation

- also to smell noticeably

a true

is nbticed.

Then one can see a muddy, spongy, clear, pure, crys-

floating

earth

and impure water in the previously water, whieh makes it

talline-tranaparent mation has occurred. Now, then, putrefaction intangible the longer separation longer it

obvious that

a transfor-

the eause of this

breaking

of the water and the which brings motion; some and the the

impurity warmth into he works, becomes.

is the implanted the rater the more it by his

Spirit

continuous

gets heated and the greater d"y, one will there find is, that

Then, day after

lasts,

the lrore impurity

or earth

in addition

to the smell or stench of putrefaction.

Now we will examine these rotten, watery bodies and inspect

154

their

parts We said above that Vo'Latile A fter parts: water liquid is quite volatile before.putrefaction completely in t o

and j.s a pure b y disti l l ation. thr e e Nitpun after ti ne n t essential

which

cair be drawn over h o we v e r, it

pu t re f a c t io n , '(1) salt, in t o

d iv id e s tt)

a v o la t ile still

wa t e r(? ) leaves

a n A e id u n , ( 3 ) a behind per-

and an alkaline their place. separation,

which

some earth in the

as has been reported it Feees. contains For V did

earlier

Ch.ymists ca ll

That can easily

this

decomposed water

a spirit

or

active

being,

be seen and inferred. come if active everybody is the factor

from where would not contain

a separation active by

or transformation to the cause it? This

something

or originator,

howeverr

w call

name known to That

- Spirit. in the V and warms the by the t7 , although or see,

such a Spirit

imperceptibly foul that in stench. the cold the

and intangibly, For one never causes a thing whole world not

can be noticed hearsr to rotr

putrefactive feel or

or does easily oF arouses

hear, a stench.

Even if but

winter

were covered smell anything wiII it.

and paved with of it. to

nothing

dead applesr become warm, so strongly By this heat be it that

w could and in that

But let rot

the weather foul,

one day they

begin

and srnell

no one could

take

one can clearly

see that

it is

not

the

cold drives of

but

the smell,

causes a stench or

and putrefaction, through the

and it pores

the

fragrant

foul,,tangibly

the body. that is,

Consequently, from warmth

putrefaction and not from

stems from the warming the cold. as well as the Iovely

Spirit,

The stench,

therefore,

fragrance,

is

155

caused by the warming tile b e ing which

of

the

volatile

parts, off part,

and these f ro m t h e in

are s p irit

a volaof

exhales, its

ris e s

a n d f lie s

the warmed rainwater, by the e ten ch w hich It nose. during has the This

most volatile

a way perceptibre urine ris e s stench and its f irs t, or sm e I l .

may clearly

be seen in

putrefied s a lt

distillation, sharpest,

wh e n it s fo u le s t , than

v o la t ile

mo s t p e n e t ra t in g its subsequent to

stinks

and smells CoaI t ot

rtorse the

more fixed coal a n d it s

spirit Al k a l i

an d oil.

Cap u t mo n t u u m" b u rn t

have almost This lo n g e r become. burning

no smell. wine, in c o ld especially c e lra rs , the of wine) in s me ll. When their sulphur ores are put hit with old wines. The th e y

we can see with rie to ripen

they

t h e mo re f ra g ra n t strong-smelling first

When they ethyr the

are distilled, (spirit p a rt s with the

volatile

arcohol following

goes over

and sur-

pa sse s all This in the

we can see also irmnediately

minerals.

fire,

volatile, spirit

and tbre Aeidun

our nose, maining tile that

and the

arsenical

makes our head funny. except the for

The rethe vola-

parts

have practically

no more smell, into them through

has been congealed

fire. at all,

The / eidum and IV zl trum h a v e lit t le just like salt or alka1i if they smell when it is

o r a lmo s t separated again

n o s me ll

from the by their

putrefied eontrania.

rainwater,

except this

were aroused

But that Spirit warmth effect,

stems from the motion provenr on whether following. his dDd that it

and the moving the motion causes

has been sufficiently and heat, is evident depending from the sees with

has a weak or

a strong

The blacksmith hands,

own eyes and grasps for a while, a cord

with iron

his upon a cord

when he vigorousry

forges

I55

anvil hot

with ' by this This is

his

cold

hanruner - he sees how the

iron

becomes red-

movement. what the knife-grinders experience water when they and with grind

an iron rotation

on a dry of the

grinding-stone, grinding-stone, wi.th it.

without and it

a rapid that

becomes so red-hot

and wood can be kindledt Take just or rub one over

a few cold the other

stones

and strike they

them together do not get

often,

and see if rub

warm by such and

a movement. yo u w i l l

rn addition,

two pieces (c ). into

of

wood together,

have the

same exp e rie n c e volatile turned in t o into

But how the a lka li, tile; into then or Earth,

an acid,

and this in t o l{ater,

into

an

again

an alka li

a n a c id r

rn d t h is into

a v ol a and this

how Heaven turns has already these three

Air,

and Air above.

been reported tenni.ni into

Here now we wirl and examine how such

transform

each other

a transformation

happens.

157

FOOTNOTES

(a) (b)

See above, Chapter X. What he here calls volatile water is nothing but the which is easily recognized by etheric mercurial Spirit, the speed with which it rises over, its small droplets, and the fact that there is no wateriness in the head. way in which the first This was the primitive until in later times nan discovered how a fire, it out of flint by means of steeL, and finally, through concentration of the rays of the sun in men kindled to unleash how to do it a focal point.

(c)

158

GHAPTER XIX
TURNS A]IACID, INT() THE VOLATITI HOII THE REAt{D ANALKALI, THE ACID Ii{TO TURNS INTO AN HOt{ THE ALKALI VERSE: A VILATIUAGAIN. THISINT() AIID ACID
In this must well this chapter there follows a curious point which all artists For in

take note of if point

they wish to progress

in the Art.

single

thousands make mistakes, dissolutions

beeause they do not undervolatilizations and

stand it fixations.

in their

and coagulations,

O n e th i n g

i s ce rta i n ,

the whole wor ld with

all

its

uniueneal i bue,

e p e e i - f i , e e s, a n d i n d i u i d u i s out the other, t h e o t h e r 's For, other, other.

is so or ganized that one cannot be w i thleader, one must be

because one must be the otherts

me d i u m a n d l i n k,

else no union oecur s and no separ ati on. the

aB eaid above, the elements cannot be one without with the other

because one must unite

means of the and b,1z

Thus, animals cannot be without not exist used either without minerals; minerals

vegetables,

and vegetables

can-

on the other

hand cannot be ' no extreme can must also

without

vegetables

and animals.

But just be united with

as I have sufficiently another without

said above, that Etatenent

a medium, this

here be well

heeded. without the medium of Air them. and

For Heaven cannot become earthly Yfater; likewiee, The creatures out the vegetable

Earth cannot becone heavenly without

of the animal kingdon cannot become mLneral withkingdom, and those of the stone kingdorn cannot bevegetables. Because the vegetable is the medium

come animal without

1s 9

between animals N ow then, their media for

and minerals. just their as thes e union, u n iv e n s a lia so every its a n d , s p e e if ie a in mu s t ha v e kingdom sus-

individual parts

every for

must have its taining

medium for

bringing

together,

and conserving

them. is generally wh ie h ts called by the newly intro-

Such a medium, however, du ce d term t-h.e A ci.dum or in all a c id ,

u n io e n s a lit e r, of the

e p e e if i . e e and its al-

and indiui.dualiter, entire kali, spread-out between the without

natural

produets

world

space a medium bet.ween the upper which and the the lower (or: not

volatile superior with

and the

the

and the the lower

inferior), (a) . f'or

upper will

unite

the

V olati.Le,.as lower, with the the is the

the h ig h ly fixed,

u p p e r, f ix e d . neither

is

h ig h ly

v o la t ile ,

and the

AL e a L i., as the unite di.rectly

T h e V o la t ile will the

wiL L n e v e r with the

volatile is of but the a ll in

ALeaZi without in ter m e diary, because it That is but is is

Aeidun. S equester, too

Th.e Aeidum, Co p u la t o r

however, a n d u n it e r fixed,

medium and t h in gs : the middle. It

neither is

volatile

nor too carrying with

why it true the

a hermaphrodi.ter

on both one eye at

shoulders, the Volatile the Volatile,

the

chymicat other it at

Janus who looks the lll,eali. but fn the that or

with

And when he gets if he gete

he u n ites joins with

with it the

insepara b ly ;

t h e / L e a L i,

he also get all

inseparably. unj.on is in

same wdy, when all rather elee than

three

together, three all stay three

so greaL the fire (b)

separating,

steadfast at the

they

gradually

vaporise,

6ame time.

r60
But one must here and fixed of components although they of understand a like even in that when the volatite, acid (and not

substance this

come together can also

an unlike, that

case they Re e . :

combine pre?L e u m

ci ge ly) , o itr i oli Ur in a e well

become in s e p a ra b le .

S p i, n it u m V i. n i, S p irit u n At they is

and S aL ficun, together, then

uri, n a e t o g e t h e rr, P o u r add , 1 le u n o ' i. t rio lt but

u i, n i a n d S a Z f irs t , they may

b y d ro p s . finally

strongly

resist

and effervesce, so that if the

calm down and drawn

csnbine off,

intimately,

wateriness any longer

etrbsequently would the

no spirit

of wine with

can be found

which

congeal of Art of and

up o n th e.dleali

the o il

o f v it rio l. union of

F ro m t h is , even in

lo v e r

can see the most beautiful unlike substances, is of which of

Nature

various

things

each comes from and quality

a different opposite to

kingdom, those of

consequently the o thers.

also

a nature

To continue verbosely, acid , we will

in

order,

however,

and not

to

express turns is ,

ourself into

too an

explain

in what way the

volatile

and this

then becqne s f ix e d r magnet, for

o r a n d lo a li. . T h a t the is, other into the

how one be-

comes the into the tity. itself

otherrs without

one attracts that

and changes it whichever one of quan-

any interruption, upper hand,

two which

has the

ancl exceeds

other.

NB: in

Therefore soon as the andl ignite, in its

hear3

as soon as rainwater spirit to (.lA ) begins

begins to

to putrefy,

or to

as heat for

imptanted it begins

cause the water

separate it fixed is

and become ever quite volatile. intermediate through warmer

more corporeal, as the volatile it

present

condition,

Just

always .aims at becoming if it is fixed, to

through

stages, precisely

desirest these in same its

become volatile, this spirit

again

stages. volatility

Ttrerefore, by its

becornes ever motion. This

and hotter

ceaseless

heat

makes it

perceptibly

161 sharp, we caIL however, cipitation dissolved, lution in so that it causes us to the notice acidity in its taste, which

Aeidum after the more it and reveals

conmon name. The more spirit earth, because of

becomes sharp, a pre-

produces by it

t-}:.e Aeidl.rn causes the earth which

a separation in

has been so-

and made fine the water. this to spirit This

and subtle then

the water reveals,

and had been in

t}.e Aeidun the more it

and the more acid the earth. Bt which the

and hotter But t,lre Aeidnn Aeidun like to

becomes, the earth itself

separates too

prevent

from becoming to death

abundant,

might its

even eat

and become alkalized, which it attracts it

takes

nourishment and transforms

frour the volatile, it into the its acid

a magnet,

own nature, attracts

ierturns

inthe

an Aei.dum. The more, becqnes hot earth, it

however,

the volatile, ferments, act a g a in .

more it it

and ferments; in whic h

and the more it

the more And the

disso lves

is mu s t s u b s e q u e n t ly

more earth gealed.

dissolves, earth

the more L}:.e Aeidum is is saturated is with to, for the

alkalized acid

and con-

l{hen now the

and the Aeidun

has dissolved attracted is

as much earth

as it as is

able

and has magnetically its action, the Aeidun but earth only (the aIto im-

as much volatile as strong position.

necessary acting

no longer a middle part)

as before ft is

and precipitating both with on the With it s the

holds kalin e find

saturated It

and the volatile . side will get

now stands upper hand. to

s c a le it

wa it i n g will

out which

the

that, lik e .

m e d ia tely For and is volatile, alkali cause it

associate, instance, if

and h e lp

g iv e

b irt h , or the also

the Alkali

earth

gains

the upper

hand the or be-

stronger

and more vigorous, the Aeidun Le in

as regards

quantity, the

than earth

because renders

the middle alkaline. earth,

position,

the Aei.dnn totally by the

The Acidum, attracts the

however,

has been overcome

volatile

and

L62
turns it completely as the also the into an l| cid.um. By hav:.ng become an acidum has gained and earthy, turns earth totalJ-y more and more the up to into upper at the it rock totand hand, if the

same time rnakes it eo that a lly i nto

earth

hand, of

alkaline

the most fixed an acid

kind

volatile

and subsequently o t h e rrs s t ron g upper

an alkali, magnet. the is too

and stone.

O n e is

the

incessant transforms volatile the turns il.e

Whichever, therefore, into its whole is

ruJ.es and has the nature. too litt1e volatile. on the earth,

others strong its into

contrary, it

and there

transforms however, volat!") the

acidum into the through rt alkali

nature

and makes it this

The acidum,

an acidun,.and the preponderant

acidum becomes pure of the the volatileJ1d u ring

and with

quantity a rl, in that the

must be said, acid into acts

onc e a n d f o r thus

e a rt h ,

time

when the

and works In turn, it s e lf

earth, the

absorbs

acidity

and changes it th e e a r th,

an alkali. it,

however, to is

acidum absorbs it , and is thus

dissolves

d e v o u rs fts ga in acid

d e a t h wit h

alkalized d,

an congealed. it will not

sharpness f u rt h e r does not it

thereby

sweetened and blunto r d is s o l v e . as much earth alkali, obtain-

so that While

g ro u n d , dissolve

c o rro d e

everything

nor absorb

as it it ing that

can at one tirne

so that

could

sudclenly become fully by it, in

nevertheless a visible

absorbs

enough earth form.

to becone coporeal

and tangible is

one can see tangibly thereby but not it

every

such an earth that to

dissolved

cornpletely.

"cia(d) Pour off then

the part set not it

has been dissolved and t h e should

and evaporate a c id wiI I shoot

to one third,

crystallize,

c ry s t a ls ,

wh 5 - c h w o u l d in is it it. The

happen othenpise earth which it,

tbere

have been too much earth by t}'e Aeidun, evaporate not

remaining dried.

has not it it very

been dissolved in water, in t h e a ir, of

to be to

Calcine

dissolve set

and again a n d it that will

o n e th ir d. whatsoever,

Thereupon, orr at

c ry s t a l l i z e of

best,

little

which

has remained

163 the acidum. The other, c r y s t a l l i zi n g r however, will settle on the bottom r.rithout

d s a sa l t,

which we call

Ateali. confirm it in

This then is the theory! our praxis, because a single

T{e musy rnechanically substantial proof

is stronger

than a

hundred mere postulates

Take therefore

or suppositions.
a n A e id u n a n d a d e a d e a rt h t ha t does

a V ola t ile

not contain
and yo u will
,-ttL

anything, learn the

and manipulate tru t h .

them in

the manner as folrows,

B /c. V ?
vinegar-four aguafortis ea r th that

w h i ch i g n i tes
parts; 9

powder - six par tsi

parts.

once distilled

w i ne
and the or other parts. into Let ret it

or -r1- (h-two then pour these

Pour the vinegar

together, does not

two upon COlogne chalk but tn. is V t o t a lly

contain it over,

a n y s a lt

v o id -t h re e Put all

When you have poured a n ale r n bic, it stand set it in

norr pour

upon it.

B aLn e o Ma ria ,

a d d a h e a d a n d a re c ip ie n t . or two days and nights, d e g re e o f off the from e a rt h heat. the

thus

one day and one night, in the the f irs t clear

dig e st it to

and dissolve cool

(o r s o ) liquid a n d le t

T h e n, that

allow is as

down, decant - very

earth

n o t yet litt1e b e r a te fi l te r

dissolved moisture it under

ge n t ly ,

stay

b e h in d

with

as possible. a muffle. it,

Dry this le a c h

earth it

even further d is t ille d

and reverra in wa t e r , s a lt s p irit which of in B . M . weak-

Then,

wit h

and coagulate into

an d y o u will out of

f in d the

s o me a lk a lin e of the

h a s co n geared vitr i ol to

an lleal i

a c id it y

and the

vinegar.

T h e c le a r

L ig u id , will part

h o we v e r, go over, it in

d is t ilr

an oily

consistency acid

and the volatile has congealed and a llo w it to

although

ened, "o il"

because the in a cool

of

itself.

Put the obtain

place

c ry s t a lliz e k in d of

a n d y o u will

a fi tn u m

or nitrous acid.

saltr

or another

s a lt p e t re parts,

and vitrj.ol VoL-

from another a ti l e,

Now we will

examine these o r A L e a L i.

namely the

the A ei,dun, and the

e a rt h

164
ently ly into proven that the volatile turns earth into is for its both an acid, the acid converse-

an alcali: it

because the

much stronger the earth to

and more active. be overcome and the

Consequently, totally earth

has been impossible by the acidum- into

transformed has the If, upper

nature. the

Therefore

hand and overcomes one takes the

above mentioned. but a lot of the earth

on the

contrary,

a little is

earth

Ae id u n will this

and

V olatile into

so th a t through in of that

e a rt h

t o t a lly

d is s o lv e d ,

turn acid,

an acid

l-.h'eAeidzm and VoLatile. quantity of and the

Add now to becomes a added. has the This power

a volatile on account the fact just

sufficient

acid

volatile is to due to

the that other

excess weight which into

the volatile in quantity or to

exceeds its

transform

this R/cz of V

own self \F -four

nature. six parts; eight

Therefore: to twelve parts

Cha1k-one part; ; take care in

doing

everything of) to

as indicated that above, you into

and you will namely, co h o b a te a Vola ti le. can put tha t into that

see a proof

complementary earth

(reverse into

you have changeil the severa l the ot h e r

an /eidum. is

And if

the volatile This is

t ime s ,

t h e A e id u n wh ic h

t ra n s f o rme d of his

e x p e rime n t

a lo v e r with

the Art own eyes

practice acts this natural

and can see and experience in ind iv id u a l t h in g s ,

ho w Nature fast B y this things, to

s h e a ls o t h e me lt in g

acts of

in the

general. earth's from

Sh e h o ld cr ust. general or p r im e do m in a tes

law e v e r

a n d u n t il

la w s h e ma k e s S p e e if ie a to the oroportion of of t h e ir

a n d f n d iu id u a their other

according

component parts c o mp o n e n t s One has

E ssentials, or is

as one o r a n o t h e r ac c o rd in g

inferior

t o ma t t e r

a n d q u a lit y . a t h ird in

to o m u ch V oLati.Le, in one too much, in to the

another another

t o o mu c h A L e a L i, too littler or

t o o mu c h A e i d u m , are balanced. they

some they

Acco r d in g

different

e x c e s s c o n s t it u e n t s

(o r d e f ic ie n t ),

assu m e a quality

and const it u t e

o r a s s u me a d if f e re n c e

f ro m t h e o t h e r :

15s
AII cr ea tures of differr ds sa id a lre a d y , a c id , a c c o rd in g to the excess or

d e fi ci en cy to

the volatile, or lesser

the v o la t ilit y

a n d t h e , 4 L e a li. r a n d f ix it y .

or according

th e greater But

someone might quaint

here

gbject

and say: things

why does he take

for

test

such very

and opposite

and Subjeeta test

from the plant rainwater,

and mineral

kingdoms?

Why does he not make the one r repry in that

with

as he had begun? enough inducement sent get test, a quick

To this and proof is

r have given with the rainwater. lover effect, of

him above The preshould every-

connection so that

however, assurance to put from into

suggested of the

the Art for not

promised the

natural

one wants Instead, grasp

practice test

aforementioned

theory

on rainwater. and into

such a quick how the

everyone turns into

can quickly an acid

recognize and further

tangibly

volatile

an ILe a li,

and vice

versa. beginner is not tied to the of above-mentioned nature viz

In addition, example. which

the

He can use all three

and sundry

subjects

the whole of within test

have the

original

substances

inherent that

them, will t h is

a n im a ls

and plants.

With min e ra ls , B ut if them eas ily

h o we v e r, over

be sometr e a t i s e ,

w ha t m o r e difficult. he w i l l Le t or ash, understand

h e t u rn s a s we ll. it s in

the

pages of

someone take of a thing get it. like

the v o la t ile , it

a c id

a n d A L e a L i,

i. e .

earth and

and prepare

the

above-mentioned

manner,

he w i l l

also

But one would may be all ad d vi ne gar? Aeidun, right Is to it

to

say further: several

To make a quick subjects. the alkaline

test,

it

put not

together

But why does he as the be there? Why

eno u g h t h a t V a s earth or

V o la t ile , V subject

and chalk

as a fixed

add vinegar? Here a very necessary and thorough discourse is not out of place'

165 which will ignite a no mean light for those lovers of the Art who

have hitherto mistakes

been stuck

in a mazet to correct This is a technique it correctly

Eo many thousands of which would save many in his alchemical work, Has

they have made.

a man who would know how to apply doing it it

it

in roundabout vrays, Et great

expense of money and time.

not become customary for

V , while not one in

every laboratory
of

worker to wash his hands

it is. They

a hundred

them knows what

sdlr

theV

must sweeten the corrosives

the whole but work

and purify

the

Sali,a, it

must

improve

and perfect

as the

most noble nueTeue: everybody

substance. " He re li e s looks at the his

Yes, they dog buried." work at that the

are right; Tell

NB . h ie does this? it to

Latet If

me why it he perceives

end,

be Eo ineffective although

and imperfect wasted desired powder, is this,

he wishes

he had never spirit vini

started,

he had indeed obtained it

so much expensive result. an d ye t a n d th e alter u m treme the

of wine

and yet

had not that the

the

The Sp'iritue it

had been so sharp effect. is in Wh a t is the is of

ignited It

had such a poor

re a s o n ?

cause of non datur

the mistak e transitue,

f o llo win g : n o d ire c t

A b u n o e x t ne m e a d p a s s a g e f ro m o n e e x substance, irs well

t h e re

end to

another. the salts,

The spirit the earth

wine

is

a most volatile naturer

aquafort,

are of

a more fixed

as the oils
salts

and Spiritua

of them, such as (D , e
a re a d v e rs e to with it at to the other

'

(E , O

and other
bThere-

a nd minerals, stand not in

and th e s e opposition unite

S p z lrit u e extrene

v in i , end.

cause they fore it will

the

easily

them and becorne like together, of

them without hear Lf

resistance. an adverse they hear is are it,

When they effect,

are poured the

one can irmnediately and the aquafort,

because they at

spirit

wine

strong, since being

first adverse

effervesce to

together,

so that

one can vinegar

they

are

each other. it is entitled

But when the

added,

t-h'e Aeidum to which

and whose nature

r 67
is appropriate, the Neither Spini,tus pini readily offer unites resistance that they without to the the least

resistance.

does vinegar

aquafort, like

because one can see by their water and water, without vini Eo that the

conjunction least

mix together

resistance. it in

The vinegar, the f rie n d lie s t and rather

however, way get a

a b so r b s with the

the.gpiritus aquafortr therefrom.

a n d t h e n u n it e s they lose all

sharpness

sweetness

But here in the first

someone night place, it would

make a further

objection

and say:

That,

be easy to make a volatile, the other; v a rio u s if

acidum and it with

alkali var io u s ki nd ,

by overcharging things and then of is

one with al s o win e ,

one overloads of

takes

s u b je c t s wh ic h cha1k, F irs t I is

a d if f e r e n t e ss e n c e ; subaccordits prohad

such as spirit which

a n d v in e g a r as is also

a p la n t

and aquafort j ects i ng to

mineral, pro d u c e

those soy,

contrary p ro c e e d in

m ust necessarily the law of in this let

a change.

Naturer treatise.

d s will

b e e x p la in e d

d if f e re n t ly way of

per place

To whomever this me for having

proceeding

been unknown, of conjunction,

him thank and let

learned

through take

me a means not of the

him now here

and everlmhere

most necessary wo r k, that N B.

and inevitable,

universally-known

axiom in

alchymical ei n e medio,

NB . Non transiri pass from

p o s g e a b u n o e x t n e mo a d a lt e ru m one extreme end to the other

one cannot

without

an in-

termediate. It d e tail. authentic cies true whieh light would here lead too far afield to explain this in a greater re a s on s and

A n artist, practices

however, than

b e n e f it s

mo re f ro m p h y s ic a l with countless

by being

presented for from

empty fan-

and hieroglyphic reason and praxis,

ambiguities,

a single other

once understood conclusions he can led ever

he can draw a thousand never observed. mental lights, With

he had previously for himself

such a light

many other

whereby he is

168 nearer to the goal of truth. are written, that also other theories, the reason but for

Many books of none or very ad d in g this

processes

few have been published or that to this is or that the is

indicate wh ic h

p ro c e s s ,

c a u s e s f ix at i o n f ac t o r , apprenuntil At this b e ca u s e h e would eluhe

a n d vo latilization, and why and by what tice stumbles over

which

c o a g u la t in g done.

o r d is s o lv in g an innocent

Power it

when then

such proeesses, big mistake at

he follows the end. at h is

them blindly Here he is: wit rs end, world true

becomes aware of m o m e n t he cannot cannot cidate ing in to fathom its the

his help

hims e lf why.

a n d h e is But if

reason

the

scholarly - also

books with

true

primal

principles

and accordbe, we would of other our fietds

the praxis, time with

no matter

how bad the

examples might a miraculous fertilizing

a short

amazement experience not

birth

youth,

who would to bring return

then

have so much trouble to it s h ig h e s t

in o r d e r

the A rt to the that

p o t e n t ia l. (e ) p o s le ab uno extnemo to the is

No w to a d a liu d other found

a x io m,

n o n t ra n s in e

sine

medio,

one cannot Let that

p a s s f ro m o n e e x t re me everyone not note that

without in the they

an intermediate. whole of Nature

no subject

would of

have its or to to

component parts, individual its t h e ir like nature. Homoge-

whether ff ever

be hidden lack

or visible,

a universal resort

one should

a component part, subje c t s wh ic h ,

nu u m r or

the universal Indiuidua.

a c c o rd in g they

capability, and can bein t o origin them, and disso-

ar e sp e cified com e like just all

Co n s e q u e n t ly , a ls o

a s s o c ia t e , t h e ms e lv e s to their

individualities , Indioidua

t ra n s f o rm in regard

as the

are universals

can be transformed lu ti on . If, Iack NB . then,

back into

such by their

extreme

or uLtimate

every its

thing

h a s it s

p rima l

Essences,

or

if

it

should

an ything,

deficien c y

c a n b e re p la c e d

b y a Ho mo g e n u um , a l l

r6 9
h a ve i ndeed 1clreAeidun N ow it such as the whether Aeid a burning unite. they a V olati,Le, is is an d A e i, d u m, a n d a n A L e a L i. in all A mo n g t h e s e things. to a li k e , intermingle Likewise u in ir the three,

the means or medi,un eonjegendi also certain saltsr anirnalr that lik e is

e a s ily

jo in e d

alkaline be in

no matter plant

which,

which

easily

or minera1

substances. T h e S p irit u e spirit which of is

a nd also spirit Likewise

the volatile of plants, their

c o n s t it u e n t s . and the volatile spirit, a lk a lis .

oE the readily vinette the ALun*

animals the plant

intermediate t h e ir

ga r a n d (animaf) f du m u e g etabi.Le, m in e r a l nis, acids,

r ds als o

A g a in ,

t h e lh

or wi t h

as a Homo g e n u u m, u n it e s such as aqu a f o rt , etc., likewis e S p irit u s f ix e d

wit h o u t Ni. t ri, s a lt s , at

re s is t a n c e S a lie

V it ro i. L i ,

Sulphuri,e On the

t h e ir

other another

handr which

Do thing is

standing

one extreme to the it at

end gets the other aninaLi.s inter-

along

with

opposite V in i wit h it s

and adverse or

extr em e o o la ti l i s m ed ia te acid s

end,e.g. the wLIL never acid spirit. or

S piri.tus unite

re e t if ie a t i s a lt it

S p in it u s it s

o r a lk a li does not

wit h o u t wit h

Cons e q u e n t ly , if so r in

c o n jo in

mineral

o r alkalis, very

a v e ry

d if f ic u lt

a n d d a n g e ro u s w a y , added to it, they are

and also

slowly.

But when its

medium is

soon and in they bind

one moment together together harm,

without so strongly by fire

any later that

separation, can never

because again

themselves without to

they

be separated n e e ti fica tum see its an alkali, both to or all union it

either

or by water. a n d y o u will these two. If

Add Aeetum imme d i a t e l y you give them

S piritue

v in i

re e t if ie a t o , of

without will

any resistance dissolved right

be nicely have their ui.ni

and unitedr

Bo that, If

provided you wished you would had prebecause

three

ratio

and weights.

separate

t}re Spi.ritun but

or vinegar insipid

from them per 8.M., they

aeparate viouely

nothing separated

a pure, the

phlegrma, even if the most stringent

form

phlegrna in

way,

170 the first substance, has congealed of the the essence or alkali the volatile through off salt of the spirit the

of wine

upon the

the vinegar

and with tou

astringency will find

vinegar. salt, fluid

After like

drawing

the waterinessr smoke.

a fixed uinithey

wax, without

Consequently, SaZ smoke. note of

t.lne Spini,tus Aleali But th e that

and the Aeeti flow in

have become so fixed like

by their

an open crucible theory through

wax, without take

so as to fo llowing. For the

elucidate

the

the praxis,

same reason,

I must here uncover make, namely the S p in it u m v in i

a major following:

mistake

which

nearly ch e n ists

all

common alchemists wish to sharpen the

When althey

n e e t i. f i. e a t ia s i. mi,

a r e a ccustomed to do this Now I ask a practitioner plumb-Iine follo win g , a fixed trary, extreme the of Nature in if

p e r S a L t a rt a n i, he believes way. that

o r T a rt a ? u m e a le i. na t u m . he is following the is the Ls con-

this

By no means! T h e a lk a li

The reason

as already body at the

men t io n e d lower

above: end.

o r . 9 a L t a rt a r i uinir at on the the

extreme essence,

The Spiritue

is

a most volatile to

conseguently

standing

upper as

end and adverse that

the

alka1i. thing

Here they is

can see straight because the stand over and

crow flies oini.

an interrnediate

miesing, but both

Sp in itue against tu s uin i

does not mix wit h as if they

t h e . d le a li,

each other will never waste

had never

belonged or if

together. sor

The Spirithat by upon the Herculean

conjoin

wit h

t h e / L c a li and time

s o s lo wl y although

a man would

too

much expense the

thereby;

many repeated ALe a L i. or labor ! Now, as I luctantly, that I look it for

cohobations

Spiri,tue

oi.ni. either

congeals

renders

the .4lealz l v o la t ile .

B u t wh a t a t e rrib le

see that is better, their

these

two do not to the

unite

or,

if of

sor very Nature

reherself,

according

direction they are

proper

medium which

lacking.

lilhen I

17I have this inseparably medium the so in union takes place very nicely and at oncer !s;

one instant.

Here everyone uini.

can see what trouble evaporated by so

he had previously many cohobations worker If aside form

when the Spiritue and that the

had often

much damage had been experienced weariness wit h of such tedious a n d is

by the labor. with

intolerable gets in together the

the S piritue it

uini

a n l{ L e a li

d riv e n its

fi r e,

escapes again the ILeaLi.

s e rf s a me we ig h t , b y t h is

a n d it

re a v e s v in i,

PhL e g n a with concentrated l eft be h ind.

T ru e ,

t } . e S p i. rit u e on account of

becomes

and sharper This In is the

and more fiery

the phlegma it u in i a le a l i s a t u s ds I will

then

s u p p o s e d t o b e a S p in it u s p ro c e e d searching wit h for - the

o r r ad ie a tue. explain Put it later.

same wa y t h e y are

v in e g a rr

You alchemists ALeaLi

a medium, and you things opposed to to get so a

between the at their

and the volatile ends. F irs t it

e a ch o ther

extreme

y o u a llo w

the ALeaLi go on, to

so intoxicated full of

by the medium that it staggers

can no longer from one side f u ll of it s

and is like

the medium that peasant. a lso

another $

d r u n ke n le t it

when now t h e A L e a L i, is wit h

it s

o r v in eg a r , that is, its

become intoxicat e d that it it

a s mu c h o f

-o -,

volatile be tte r .

spirit,

becomes even more drunk, wit h parts. its f ire b y f o rc e , this

and the more-n-the

W hen you drive with aII its of

t h e A L e a L i. wiL L r i s e again as much or it twice over

up complete

Add to

a s m u ch as it with i nto ( f) . the force

weighs of

v o la t ile

s p irit

a n d d riv e rleali.

q u ic k l y

fire. and this

Now |-}:reAei.dzm and the is then a ra d ic a t e d

have turned Volatile.

a Volati.Le,

a n d a lk a liz e d

But so that reveal the plant it in

one may understand to benefit that

me correctly, mistaken.

I will

honestly let animal' vo-

order

one who is all

Therefore in or the

pupil

know once again kingdoms

sublunar

creatures

and mineral

have their

own volatiler

a subtle

L7 2 Iati l e wise water, their each after its which There o wn s p e c ie s , is * is b e it lit t le rt o r mu ch , I i k e goes over spirit in after each Likewater

own acidity, Phlegrma. Nature which

or vinegar.

the volatile kingdon wise, of

an acid, the

vinegarlike of its is

retains

quality

own kingdom. lixiviated separated, with

each creature residiun

has its after the

own alkali, first in

which

from the ter it If him take

two essences the to ff fire. radicate the

are

and af-

has been reverberated now an alchenist its

wishes

a volatile--tlacks the

or -F one or of

, let another

own constituents. let him replac e or t h is

individual wit h

co n sti tu e nt, for example,

d e f ic ie n c y of its

lik e

another, of

a universal into

another

orsn kingdom. p a rt s of it s

Put part v in e g ar

the p u r e A LeaLi it an d distil weakly

a ret o rt . in

P o u r t h re e

upon

slowly like

as h o r B . M. even if it

T h e n t h e v in e g a r

will

go over

quite fo r t, in

Phlegna,

had been as sharp the pour s h a rp n e s s

as an aquait its

b ecause the

A LeaLi. h a s re t a in e d

a n d c o n g ea l e d parts of

itself.

When you have done thisr upon it and do as before, be rather parts is, to the of

once more three will again

own vinegar and the third before, te r . stands

and it fuIl its

go over

weakly,

ALeaLi, wiLL already pour again three that

and saturated. fresh this the vinegar is B . M.

For the upon it, the as bet-

time,

and the more, D raw it off

oftener in

repeated,

by degre e s and as the done until This

a n o il

No w t h e A L e a L i Such pouring as it time, with had if

dissolved is on.

drunken

staggering

peasant.

on of vinegar been poured

t'}l,e Aei,dum goes over the second, that with is, the third

as sharply or fourth

happens at

1che Aeidum is ma. oily, when then

sharp

and concentrated, united

not

diluted

Phleg-

t-h'e A,eidum is parts grasps it, it

ALeaLi

and has become may see

two constituent

are together. and holds the

There other

an alchemist

how one constituent What is alien to

firmly the

and convivially. water or

chases away, namely,

excessive

17 3 Phle g n a . as for r o ws acid. fresh If now you wish (next to ma k e a ra d ic a t e d A s lt it is , it is v o la t ile a lre a d y of it , proceed

paragraph).

a Ra d ic a t e d six the parts retort vinegar of into or

Nothing vinegar. after

has to with

be added to that,

except it over is

another through

you drive

a Liquon acid . If it with

few eohobations.

Then it

a radicated

now you wish eix parts of

to make a radicated its will own volatile unite

volatile

spirit

of

it,

mix

constituent a friendly

and drive

them over noise

together. or discord. fr e sh three tu r a l

Then they l{hen this

in quite

wEty, hrithout over,

(volatile)

has been driven d riv e is it a ls o

add once more a n d re p e a t to true or a this na-

Volati.Le times.

neeti.fieatieeimu m, Then the volatile-nb e c a lle d

o v e r,

radicated

according of

l aw and can rightly because a1l lower

a q u in t e s s e n c e a re t o g e t h e r the intermediate. because here

Na t u re ,

M a g ie ten ium, uPPer and the fore be called

c o n s t it u e n t s with

in o n e , whe r e t h e ft can therehas of pa r t s in this of

are united

an empowered substance, union with with the

the upper one part it four

entered ALe a L i calcined retort. crease continue

uPon a firm i mpregnated pebbles, First the fire

lower. v in e g a r

Some take and add to and drive

dis t it le d

mix them well give a gentle the the

together fire beat

them over

a glass in-

they

for

two hours. the

Then they

so that this until

flames

around

retort, with the

and they spirit of

with

SaL tantani a mis t or

goes over

w i ne vi negar

in

the

form of

s p irit . saying becomes true: naturam uin-

Here an alchemist Na tur a e it natuna gaudet, pnopriam her

may see in what way the natup a n a t u ra m a mp le e t it u r, " Na t u re Nature not take to

natuna in

& supenat

natu p a m. '

re jo ic e s

h e r o v rn na t u r e , her own the previous

Nature nature.

embraces I' If

own nature, did

conquers

and overcomes but to

now an artist together

as much Aeidun, contrary

put the

component parts

aceording

a weight

L7 4 process, so that salt the or fixed a fixed or ALcaLi. had the upper crystal which flows in hand, the he would fire like

make a fixed butter o n e is and is a fluid,

a coagulated volatile

or congealed f if t h essence. one into

quintessence Co n s e q u e n t ly , the other.

as the preceding he can do just

as he pleases, fn individual to the will regard

and can transform to the praxis,

however,

how the

constituents combined, the other lover or

of

all

things

must be separated into another, things in in will Part

and again follow fI, in

how one is on

be transformed

treatise of the Art

dismemberment of learn everything

where the

detail. on how to f lr I b . radicate P o u r o n it vinegarr Aeeti ds is I 1b . , vine-

Now follows co m m o n ly donet draw it gar. off Simply

and instruction Ree. S aL T a rt a ri. , and it is

again,

ready. is

Now you should anyhow not sharp,

examine this

distilled

vinegar

and as much sharpin itand salt

ne ss as it se1f.

hasr

ds much the

SaL ?antani goes over

re t a in s of

a n d c o n g e a ls true, ten

Thus a mere Phlegna vinegar; it will and if only

instead

sharpened times and it over is of

radicated of tile tartar, labor. in

they

dlstil

the vinegar weaker

become ever Sal Iantari turns v in e g a r or it,

and Less, the

a futhe

Instead, itself or

the

retains into

Bharpness salt t a rt a r which is

vinegar at

and thereby light. This

a liquid off

melts no w s u p of Thus It

a ca ndle

d is t ille d radicated they the will

posed to extractions they will fare then

be called they also

a sharpened can rnake with

vinegar. learn over

What kind themselves. sal ammoniac.

when they also In

draw off

vinegar the sal

go over it. of

weak,

Ieaving they is

anrmoniac behind help work

without themselves then goes as

diminishing by thinking

such cases

do not the

know how to why the

some remedy, and the Art

which are

reason at

down, philosophy fa lse and a lie.

laughed

and disgraced,

decried

175 Most artists and in gether is yet that with distil the the vinegar subtlest in an alembic * through the head, toit

way only

Spinitus

volati.Lie for all

goes over while is

t-h.e Phlegma. it

Some now use this proves its

works,

so weak that tongue. taste It

easily lik e

weakness when it except that it s t ill

tasted ha s a of the

on the slight vinegar. the of

tastes testifies drive

P h le g n a , that it

which

had retained however, but

something that is of

Should they smell. stench vinegdrr of

they obtain

more strongly, vinegar it

through oil and to taken

retort, a burnt

a stronger

stinking or the

They either by frequent it loses its

discard

entirely If at the

are obliged stench is

remove its from the it is

rectifications. sharpness

same time,

and then

again Tq help

no use. too to get some benefit and to obtain in sharp vineto tech-

those works,

gar

for

their

I wiII

show them some methods think of ever better

addition

which niques. gar

an artist

may himself

and shorter

The nobleEt

techniques one go,

by which sharp

one can distil fragrant public

such a vinein its own be-

immediately

and in one single This is

and clear, are not

wEllr and with long in public.

distillation, called the

and do not

one is

gift

of

God, Pandora,

whereby

the whole Art through help

revealed. from which

However,

a good instruction will

can be given

examples,

one who reflects

soon know how to

hirnself . Therefore, if you wish distillate, stinking vinegar to distil a very strong vinegar that but without would re-

getting tain the

a burned vinegar's

you must take oil will and let

a subject

go nothing clear a1l while

the vinegar's without previousSuch

sharpness, burningr Iy hardly ind

Then the

go over in only oil

at once, one could

much can be rectified and that retain the

one go, with

do one-fourth, however, that

great

difficulty.

subjects,

are numerous,

such as guicklime,

17 5 th e de a d-head of ( r ed ever you : quarts. po u r le ad), the sepa ra t e d wa t e r, the Co le h o t a n these V it n i, o |, i, s u b je c t s , will minium whichteach z

woodashes. yet rec.

T a k e t h e re f o re better and of than the

one of another, s t ro n g e s t

you wish, of this

one is r lb.,

experience win e v in e g a r

I or

Put the

powdered additive upon it, that will set go, it the in

into

a large,

proportionate a n d d is t il and the also to go.

retort, pen acid Thus, with

the vinegar

sand or ashes, time strongly, will

gnadus anything spiri,tns all at which oncer salts. it alr

last rather

rnakes the get B ut if clear

vi.negar vinegar b it

sharp,

]ou

which of

has then

be sharpened

va r io u s to o ,

a t in y

o ilin e s s

s h o u ld a n d it

have gone over is re a d y to be in comSalis,

p o ur

back and d is t ir This too winet distilled

o n c e a g a in , vinegar better

further

sharpened. and here dregs of

can now be made sharp than another, S p in it u s s h a rp e n it such as, n it r i , by such e f f ec t

many ways, m on salt, Vitr i oli th in g s ca n n o t If w hich which with

one way is B CL Lt a rt a rz l

and potash, to

or S ulphuris. can do it, and it

Wh o e v e r t h e n wis h e s w ilt then

h a v e g u c h a n e x c e lle n t

as

be described. someone wished full of oil,

(g). to sharpen such a vinegar g iv e will it with wine dregs, is salt said above,

a re will the

he mu s t a ls o

a n a d d it iv e r the volatile that

retain vinegar.

the o'o . This is

Then only

90 over the

the whoLe masterpiece

strengthens

vin e g a r . Wh oever wishes give an additive with its to tak e a S a L t a p t a ri, which the potash or X , mu st s i m p l y

by means of spiritus: tripoli,

vinegar " g lu e r'

can and must be imB o |. u s , b lo o d s t on e , ma k e a c o mp o u n d o f red such

pr e g n a ted i r on sa lts or e,

such as, etc.

Miniun, tartari

He ma y a ls o

as.9aL

and, S a L a mmo n i. a e u m, o t and then draw the vinegar

S a L , S a L t a rt a ri off vinegar quite dry. is

and SaL

ammone'Luntogether, Here I will

describe

another

sharpened

which

supposed

L77 to be better so m an y years sp ir i'tus sali,s than the so-called radicated t ime . vinegar generally t a n t a ri used for pant. s.,

and for pa"t.

such a lo n g 2., Aeeti

Re c . S a t ie G or the e of it

d i, s t i. L la t i put

r0 p a rt e s .

p ou r t h e in t o a retort,

Ae e tum and spi:ri-tum salie pour til to it it upon it over the quite of vinegar dry.

t o g e t h e r, with spiritus

S a L t a n t a rz l , set tartar it in

sand and disretort, retortr add poDr

Remove the alumr it ,

salt put

from the in the

two parts

calcined

back again d is t ill

th e dr a wn-off dus 4. effective

distillate

over

a n d a g a in

s t ro n g ly in

per g"d.-

Nord you have an Ac e t u n as a common acid retort, twice is

ra d . ie a t u m, in a hundred t h e re is

wh ic h wi1 l times.

o n e go b e a s caput in the well. it,

Remove the

m ottu u m from the cohobate it

a n d if

s t ilI

s o me S a Z t a n t a r i off, until v er y

once or

by pouring g o n e o v e r,

on and drawing

SaL tan tari (h). That right. sa r y which solve d to rf

has completely

a n d y o u h a v e d o n e it

I have thrown you know the you further than

together difference

acid

and alkaline

salts, two, it

f is

have done not neces-

between these T h e A e id a for *

give

in s t ru c t io n . the alkalis,

a re t h e S u b je e t a as much dis-

are

subtler in

da have not

earth

themselves are egual, lesser

a s t h e a lk a lis , and derived of f ix a t io n

wh ic h ma k e s t h e d iff e r e n c e . and one origin. ma k e s t h e

otherwise The g r e a ter d iffe r e n ce.

they or

from one mother

degr e e

o r v o la t o lis a t io n

By this fi xed ,

I wish spirit

to

show that is

to dissolve

fixed

things t h in g s , spirit

an earthy, however, is lik e needed. 1i k e s ds its

alkaline that of

re q u ire d .

F o r v o ra t ile a volatile gaudet

and those Take no te like. will

are not

bound so firmly, for s in ile

t-}l.e Honogeneum: and metals

a i, mili,

Minerals be said Vinegar

require

a mineral

homogeneous spiritr

below. is a weak plant subject. That is why it must be strength-

178 ened to strong used is gerous enable for it it in to its attack natural softens health with double force that which Ls too is

state.

The main reason corrosives well

why vinegar that

because it for man's

and sweetens all

are danwith aII their it. and

- otherwise S a lie , vinegar. it pleasant see that

one could

dispense d is s o lv e softens

Aqu a for t, sundry

S pi,.nitus Nit"i, without

V it rio li, , vinegar, for all

S u lp h u n is however, Nature. may well kingdoms. other plant

subjects

sharpness

and renders

One can again -t7volatile. but are still

also

mineral$ the like from other the the

have their Neither

volatile is it as

opposed to

But to make them also volatile or plant borrowed

kingdoms, kingdom

one gives nextis not being is any-

them something o f- ki n realmr the

as their

from a un iv e rs a l vinegar. will

s u b je c t .

Then the one from

a lc h e mis t

bound to un ive r sa ls,

He can take d o it too.

snow and rain,

and these in great

B u t b e c a u s e win e v in e g a r in order to

how produced m u ch fuss. Furtherr eo lve n t on its

guantityr

on can use that

avoid

\f, are here back (i),

reporting lik e wis e it it s in

that

each kingdom carries a n d if

its

own

o wn c o n s t it u e n t s , large quantity to all

one of

them was missing, which the associate

one can take with,

from the universals natures such as, one can get there s a lt were the

and become assimilated or rain,

chaotic

reborn --n- in

water

dew, snow, out Therefore, the

of which even if a c id ,

much volatile no +

case of presen t , If thes e

necessity. n it e r is

d um or A LeaLi a1kali.

u n iv e rs a l in S p iri. t u l, which

u n ive r sa l

a re d is t it le d

they is

re p r e s e n t

simultaneously assim ila ted to

an acid all

and an alkaline wh e n it is

spirit, a p p lie d .

immediately

creatures

But whoever understands, ab o ve ) , centre that but animals, are plant s

(as has been sufficiently a n d min e ra ls a re n o t

explained in their to

d if f e re n t in

essentially

one,

and are only

different

regard

L7 9 fermentation has no doubts its turns next into like from which in Nature. their If greater one thing By this into or lesser volatility please that him, the derives, he takes Volatile versa, a and and becomes

does not it is

and homogeneum.

proven

t-h'e Aei.dum, t-h'e Aeidun into the acid through

the ALeaLi; but

and vice

the ILeaLi. vola ti Te

t.he Aeidum, F o r o n e is

the Aoidum into ma g n e t ,

through

the volatire . by the

t h e o t h e rrs I take

one must be transformed little vola ti l e. acid, If the volatile now I

other.

If

much volatile the acid

overcomes the

acid:

thus

take m u c h a c id

a n d lit t le t u rn s

A L e a L i, , t -} re A e idu m o v e r in t o the a c id . I n s te a d , if

co m e s the /Lealir I ta ke so that much A LeaLi

so that

t h e / L e a liA e id u n ,

and littl e into

t h e A L e a L i o v e rc o me s t h e A e i d u m , In the BErme wdy, if I take so

t-he Aei,dam turns and little volatile

the Cleali. the the acid

much acid that the

volatile, turns into to

overcomes because the

the volatiler stronger

acid,

overcomes

and subjects and practically makes the vo la ti l e a n /Le a li wards the facti on

the weaker

itself. is

Now we have shown theoretically and produces, fixed, namely that that it turns it the

what putrefaction volatile an acid,

fixed into into prime

and the volatile and t h is in t o

a n . d L e a li; in t o of

andr on the a V o la t ile , things. f ix e d r

c on t r d r t r to-

an A eidum, matter

a n d t h is first

a g a in

d e s ti n e d

and the

origin

Because putrethe V ol a t i l e ,

has revealed

to us t h e v o la t it e w will

and the

Aei.du n and /Lealir the /L e a li are in

e x a min e wh a t t h e a n d in p a rt ic u la r.

V o la t i. L e ,

t . h ' e A e id u m a n d

general

r 80
FOOTNOTES ( a)

ilust ae this is the process which Nature observes in all her rorksr Bo we must also ernulate her Ln all our labors, aa our wise lrlasters, who are the true philosophere, have Eo often and repeatedly recorurended, andl without Buch obsenrance nothing good can ever be accompliEhed Bere our ingenuous Bqnerus has taught and disclosed nore in brief rcrds than hardly ten other philoeophere have done in all their writinge. Frqn my own experience, I must give a tesElffionial to the blessed manr That ire has firereby reiealed a secret aE essential as inportant and true. Whoever understands (and how understandably has he not revealed itl) will not encounter any dtfficulty in preparing, without hesitation, not only the genuLne Radiaal-Menettua, and through them the most excellent Specifica in all Kingdoms of Nature, for the infallible cure of the most dangerous and obetinate dieeases, but aIeo for aII kinds of our ao highly praised Quintessences and tinctures(Deo eonoedente). lfe are therefore recorunending to all beginners of true natural science, who are etudents of the Art, to take great and careful heed to thig entire chapterl If sonething is to become volatile, Beveral parts of the volatile muet alwaye be taken. In general, one reckons three or four parts of the volatile to one part of the fixed or the semi-fixed. But if ecmething is to becqne fixe4, there must be a larger quantity of the fixed, Bo as to eiEEiE it to change it (-the natter to be tranefornred) gradually Lnto its wn nature and to nake it fixedr BS the author is here showing us thoroughly, while at the aame time explaining ttre production of the rocklike bodiee tn such a clear way that no doubta can trnssibly renain. One can juet take an a1kali, for instance quicklime, salt of tartar, or lead, in whieh the alka1i haE the u1ryer hand, and Boon becqne aware of wtrat the author is here saying one will of earth, although much faster with the forrrer than with the lead because earth still contains various acid part6. This is an irrefutable grounded in our conform-totruth, Nature tenets, which will also cause those who do not know what we know, to recognize that the author has been a relative of our sacred fraternity. This is the foundation of the famous Menetrui uegetabilie, about which one nay read in the vrrrth Ve ra a mmT u n g e n e d e np. , 209 ff. r.ad.iealis of the

(b)

( c)

(d)

()

(f)

(g)

Here someone might believe that there ie Bome kind of contradiction in our worthy, in-God-reposing Brother Homerus, since above he rejects .9al tartani and nevertheless orders the vinegar here to be added to alkalis. But it is not so z SaL tantari. is a p e rfe ct-h i g h e r A L eaLi, pr oper to wine vinegar by natur e. rt takes to itself the acidity of fli . The products-indicated in this paragraph, however, are neither proper to wine vinegar nor

I8 1

pe r fect alkalis. They s t ill c o n t a in rn u c h F , wh ic h a b s or b n o thing but the o'o , but do not weaken the vinegar. Instead, they rather salt they still strengthen it on account of the volatile contain. But if one were to lixiviate salts reverbenandoi their per'f,ect turning them into alkalisr effect, there would be a similar almost as with tartar. This aLso explains the reason why he cornrnands us to add a spirit with the strengthof salt in connection quickline ening ofih . But because among all these additives con tains a strong A eidu n , it is e s p e c ia lly re la t e d . t o win e v i n e gar and is also capable of sharpening and purifying it on account of ite earthy properties. True, it looks as if our author were t h e b e s t I n g re d i e n s , h o lding back a gecret, b u t h e lis t s f irE t without namely the Caleem tioam, and then he teaches the treatment if it is reservei only, one has to take note that this vinegar, For extracting, to be used for sweetening, must not be sharpened. tri dissolving O and other like works, however, ttre -t( or theJ.rcan best be uE ed. (h) above, see Footnote The theory of this vinegar is explained (d). radicate and strengthen to There are Eeveral other ways following are anong which the both vinegar wine, and spirit of per V lbiv, Rc . e e o mm. p u rif . a lso described by our a u t h o r. put it into a lines retort, mix them together, Pour on it 5 lb. please. you Afterwards, whichever vinegai or of distilled V , -(}. or for several add thick fbi j, let it stand overnight red o'o it over in a wide Then distil it no longer ferments. hours until and you have t-h.e Aeetum radi,eatum. retort to complete dryness, Eo that it can dissolve the '-sl-l2ini rn this way one can Etrengthen g of e conm- and (D instead l( or NB. If one takes . O O fo r such a l'lenetr?tum, it t u rn s in t b a t rle n e t ru u m He n ma p h no d i t i e u n . in Bl'1. and ie drawn off therefrom a subject When it has dissolved a g neutnum stays behind which unites without to one-fourth, Prewith each, s e p a ra t e ly with an acid a n d a n a le a Z z l, . e it h e r cip itation Rec, i Maas # or both mixed together. , add bit by bit 2 lot@fi ceases' the fermentation After one after the other. and e B

'

distil i n a re to rt. N.B. You can aleo make it with V . These two menstruua inprove opium and all poisonous plants. From opium pain relievers very effective can be extracted for diseases involving much pain. Dose is 3, 5 up to 8 grains of the quintesBencer but if it is taken aB a tineture in the menstruum, the d o s e i s I to 2 sp o o n fuls. (i) Here he says something that must be well taken note of, and in which the main point in the separation of things is comprised. Foras long as one can still find the volatile and the fixed parts of a natural product in sufficient quantity, one does not need to resort to other ki,ngdoms. But if one does not find those in adequate abundance, one proceeds as the bLessed author has here very wisely put down.

182

GHAPTER XX
VOLATI|.I THE AIID PARTICULAR UITIVERSAL }IHAT IS THE

rGDUt N{D tt[tll

In the an acid , the reborn are. It We call se n ce i n dual first is it all known that this the it term volatile is means a transient essence. or espreceding into chapter we outlined how the volatile turns into i.e. these

and this

an a lk a li

in p a rt ic u la rs

a n d in u n iv e rs a l s , explain what

chaos or

rainwater.

Now however we will

terms

because

the most subtle in u n iv e rs a ls ,

and volagifs-J'rp a rt ic u la rs fire,

things

- equally in its dry

and indiviit is the

subjects, obtained

because before may be in we call

dismemberment by means of subsequent constituents. f o rm. (a ).

The subsequent

con sti tu e nts The next and brings

o r c o a g u la t e d

the / e id u n ,

b e c a u s e it

c o me s a f t e r sour

the

Vo l a t i l e and smell, it be benature fixed.

to our

tongue that it

and nose a simultaneous is the Nitnum in

taste

and we have proven coagulated

universals, it.

whether This Aeidun

or whether toor

a spirit

has been made of

comes elsewhere be tw ee n the Therefore, ob tain e d or natural

6n intermediate, and th e A L e a L i, part or

a hermaphrodite, b e t we e n t h e v o la t ile is ever

a middle

V olati.le

and the all

because this after the

constituent

and at

times subjects

volatile and thus of

a n d b e f o re stands in

the ALeaLi the niddle, It

in u n iv e rs a l it also

products

has the readily with And

quality

and property and also

the middle to

nature.

associates it is

th e vola tile without this

adhe re s naturer

t h e A le a li Do volatiJe

t o wh ic h

a d de d . or

NB. middle or fixed

becomes fixed wit h o u t it .

enduring,

a n d no a lkali an d ILe a li tion, also

can b e c o me v o la t ile n e c e s s a rily a third

The VolatiLe direc-

must and should be conjoined

b e e q u a lis e d party or

a n d g iv e n

through

an umpire,

and whoever

r83
omits this, will become wise through adversity. the AIkaIi
and is present

The next we call

the /\ all
A.

or fixed
the third

because it
and Last to us in

is steadier
constituent a coagulated effect

in
in or it is

than

the

preceding may also or dry alkaline it

things.

This liquid or

itself

spiritual, called over w i th chirf vid u a l

form. sa1t,

When it

has an alkaline it

Alkali into its

and even if

has already

been driven again

a spirit, like fixed.

can nevertheless

immediately a c id

become fixed a n d f ix e d

B ut wh a t t h e v o la t it e , cause all pre s e n t ly effects s h o w.

are as indi-

components, thingsr

which

in universal

and in

w will

In universal stones, p r e vio u s latile coarser the volatile

things, is,

s u c h a s d e w, ra in , in its disnemberment s u b t le , in b rig h t ,

s n o w, h a ilr

or hailafter vo-

and distiLlation c le a r

putrefaction, water, which is

a ve ry followed

a n d t a s t e le s s

continuing this water

distillations

by an ever its

and heavier that is

water. foll-owed

After

comes |-he Aei.dan with oil which T h e o il if it belongs is is a

Bour taste; to the acid,

by a thick,

stinking o il.

because the Ae id u m is oil

an extended

thickeire d, A,eid,um, and the an d disti lled follows, but out at of

can also o r c o lc o t h a r.

become an acid After a black the t h is '

mixed else to that

calxes bottom call

n o t h in g

the

there

remains

substance' "dead head".

burnt If

co a L , which is burnt to

chymists ash in

Ca p u t mo rt u u m o t it is separated

fire, and into

into

two parts, h o we v e r, is a ls o

into

a salt to

ca lle d

S aZ aleali

ashes."

The ash, substance

b e lo n g s

the ALeaLi., salt, of

because the

fireproof

made from ashes and part of every product

namely glass, The next creatures obtains very

and ash is most f ix e d of the

the most fixed is s a lt . kingdom, d is t ill-a t io n and a volatile

Na tur e. With

animal d u rin g spirit

after

their

putrefaction, v o la t ile, and with these

o n e u su ally stinking,

first

a s t ro n g , salt,

penetrating

18 4 a Ph L e gma. oil breaks the that Often through, a1so, if t h e re is is s t ro n g d is t illa t io n , of a volatile animals. By con-

which

called are

the volatile followed spirit or

tinuing after is part

distill-ation, a strongly by its bottom. acid

these

by a coaraer

Phlegna, which or alkaline

stinking oil.

animaL Aeidun, the coal

then

followed at the

stinking From it

Afterwards

stays

Sat aleali

and ashes are produced

by calcination. After a vola ti l e, That a fte r is the fermentation, burning volatile a sour, At the into spirit of the creatures it s of the plant kingdom produce a s u b t le oil. Phlegna This coal, is is

wit h

P h le g ma a n d o f t e n is followed

plants.

This

by a coarse t h ic k burnt o il. to

that

sharp v in e g a r bottom there

a n d a s t in k in g , stays some matter

th'e Aei.dun. which is

divided A LeaLi..

ashes and salt

by reverberation,

and this

the p la nt

The creatures of the mountain with

of

the mineral

kingdom, give

when they

first

come out

and are distilled, spirit. It is

a little

phlegrmatic-sweet v o la t ile . That is fol-

w ater

an acid

t h e min e ra l called is oil

lowed by an acid call the first this

vapor,

generally

by alchemists, other

(as they constituent.

one a spirit) oil and spirit in their

and that are both expressions

Aei,dum, the alchemists of the

Although

acid,

nevertheless their bottom it is different of various is di-

make a distinction properties. colors, vided After

on account back at

this, to the that

some earth kind is,

stays

according into

of mineral. into earth

By reverberation and salt, and that

two parts, part

the

alka lin e

of minerals. one can finally composed and how it outset, are of and into them, see of what the originated, what parts it are great world with all

From this its it parts had at is the

what original divided

beginnings and dif-

subsequentlyr into

how many there

and how they

differentiated

185 ferent ' kingdons, what they effect and intend, and effect Nory,we will to what descend to We will and end -

end, and this particular consider ie. its

Ln particular

and in general. things,

and individual their birth

from the big to the snall. together with their niddle

arrd origin,

of animalg, own chapter

plants

and,minerals. it

We will

assign to each kingdom to end.

and resea.rch

f rom begtnning

186

FOOTNOTES

(a)

mover constituent, This spiritual being the originator, and sustainer of all created things, is called by Hermeticists, the spirit o f wh ic h B a s iliu s of Mercuriu s , V a le n t in u s wr i t e s a s follows in his works, pa9 228 "AlI visible and tangible things are made out of the Spiritus Mercurii. N.B. who has precedence over all things in the world, and all things are made out of him, and have their in him, because in him everything is found, origin and who can do anything the Lover of the Art reguires. In hu" m a n beings, anirnals, p la n t s a n d o re s r 1 l s , in e v e ry s in g l e t h i n g , this spirit is the direct cause of their composition and multip lication. p. 21I. A n t h ro p o s o p h , S ee P hilale t h e s "The creator that and craftsman of all things, the beginning of every birth procedes out of the great Jehovah, and is created out of the who in Cla v . A rt . p . 3 . tr u e FIA T.T' Zoroaste r "The one Spirit According and the Inferior." Nature in the Superior constitutes to Sendivolious it is "the true World Soul by which everything vitae, without whom no man' works and lives the right llercurius an imal or plant can liv e . S e e a ls o t h e G ro s s e B a u e r, p . 7 . "This great craftsman of renewal and preof Nature, this true spirit inall creatures to their naturally servation, which penetrates because he connermost core, invigorates and animates everything jo ins with the natural lik e wa t e r wit h w a t e r , f lu id s o f c re a t u re s magn e t a n d a d v a n c e s it t o f e rt ilit y . d issolves their " After his in the uppermost up seat he took his from the chaos separation the "Water That is also why he is called circles of Shamasim. by t4oses however (Geneof Paradise" by Johann fsaacs of Holland; sis ll,ll) t h e o u t le t he is calle d " P is o n " wh ic h f lo ws ar o u n d t h e region and in which one finds is, our whole land "Hevila" that volatile g o ld - namely gold of t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs t h a t is , t h e ir constituent and excellent Mercurius. But since the said first place among aLI subhlnary bodies - espehas taken its dwetting Brother Homerus our worthy in-God-reposing cially in saltpeter, has also dealt with it at such length in the present chapter.

187

GHAPTER XXI
()FAI{II{ALS OF }II{AT CONSTITUENTS BTRTH AIID }IHAT IS THE DISSOLVED. THEY IIITO TIHAT AGAII{ THEY COI{SIST AI{D ARE

ttllillLls GEilEnlrl0tls IRB0B

In this perfect chapter we wiII only speak about perfect animals. A1I

animals

are engend"ered through motion by means of which the and allured out in the form of a viscorls, It r uns into its per tinent watery

seen is stinulated matter, Ii ke

sl i me o r mu c us.

m other r s forth

womb, where the female seed is also present its like. That seed now is a thick the animal guhr (ie.

in order

to bring

or coagulated V

and can rightly From this watery one can sub-

be called see that stances, the juicy it its

af,ter conception).

the animal kingdom is born out of Y and that it is bred in the likewise

or slimy

moist mother through As Boon as it transforms is born,

and watery nourishment of the blood. animal and plant blood, food, and it

feeds on moist own nature, it

these into

flesh,

ekin and bones, through

L1.,a Apeheua. miserable life

From that until earth watery its into

takes its

growth and the euetenance of its end, when it

predestined juice

dies and decompoaes in or upon the into a slippery

and slime,

mucus and mold, and turns creeps into the earth just

Eubstance.

That moisture

to the plants as before the

and becomes for ereatures

them again food and nourishment,

of the plant plants arise

kingdom had been the animalrs for the nourishment

food.

Out of that

again other again. its

of animals,

to feed then a plant by

The animal

ie so to speak totally

transformed

into

dissolution

and putrefaction

and in return into

the growtr which comes 88 has been

out of that sufficiently

is again transfornred shown above.

something animalr

18 8 As soon as the in the mother, is a very than like they seeds of the man and woman are coagulated skin on the exterior, within together which ysr a

form a tittle brig h t In

th e r e clearer Pe a r l' line After it

clearr

c ry s t a llin e this moisture

mo is t u re r a globule

s o c le a rr is

a crystal.

eoagulated,

a sma1l fisheye . and it gets turns flesh

T h is into

f e e d s mo re a n d mo re o n t h is

crystal-

moisture, this, to it

a lump,

a formed membranous body. n e rv e s . h a rd e n s the Thereupon t h is cartian

a n d v e in s , Wh e n it child

a n d lik e wis e is b o rn , it

b e g in s into

form cartilege. bones, into and the

Iege

hard this

grows into a n o ld

a boy,

boy into

a d o le sce nt, man. ( a). Th is formation, co n sti tu ti on is

a man , a f t e rwa rd s

ma n , a n d f in a lly

a dead

the

short

exp la n a t io n into another.

of

a n ima l In the

b irt h ,

d e s t ru c t io n ,

transthe

and rebirth of animals less is so is

dismemberment by fire, o f ma n y v o la t ile f ix e d parts.

sho ws t h a t acid not a n d s t ill only

they

c o n s is t

parts

an d Sa L uolatiLe, That oners this

le s s

ALeaLi or

shown by anatomy but liv e ly , This is

one can see with and mobile, their extremwith

or ntneyes that than

animals plants is

a re v o la t ile , and minerals. precisely

q u ic k , due to

and more mobile ely mobile spirit

which

the Vofatile. deal of it ,

In cornparison wh ic h is

p la n ts by th e ir ff

and minerals, agility animals

anima ls

h a v e a g re a t

proven

and guick

mo v e me n t s .

(b ). has the property of binding and ani-

had more Aei.dun, which plants

contracting

as may be seen in all

and subterranean but would stay

creatures, put

mals coul-d not move in just as plants binding stiff

directions stand

in one place, is subtle, 8s may be tortoises, all dirani-

and minerals

imnovable. e o n s t n in g e n s , a n ima ls , gait

For

ftdun

p u sh in g , see n i n

and contra c t in g ,

e o a g u la n s ,

people

and ha rd s h e lle d earry softer out

s u c h a s s n a ils , and movernents in

crustacea, ecti on s

which

cannot as other

their

as fast

a n ima ls .

T h e re f o re ,

b e c a u s e al l

189 mal creatures, also one more than than aII anotherr another, have a volatile spirit, birds, latter, crawling is, frail vital ds with one is

more mobile general

Ers may be Eeen with With the

fourfooted, the differ-

and in

animals in

and insects. to the their spirit

ence may be noticed on earth. is its life, which,

regard

creeping, of

and walking the weaker birds spirit. crows, and

The more volatile

an animal

and few are durabler blown at the by a faint spirit,

ES may be seen in breeze longer lose the their lifer

insects

The fixer, deer,

however,

the

human beings The cause of

and elephants. a short there life is lies little also in excessive but wateriness and

moisture, th e r e is

but

thwer

moisture is lif e

much spirit

and size, not water.

durable motion

life, is

bec a u s e s p irit advisable. everything It

a n d b a ls a m,

Therefore, tinuously tangible

warms tha whole visible

anatomy and conand invisible,

evaporates

superfluous,

and intangible. life all plants Likewise are helpful eat those is to eat that are of a dry

For a long and not ly dry, a rnoist

nature.

animals feathered

which game.

are constantIt has

in motion, pithy

such as grme - and better healthy creatures the vital at meat.

and therefore from that living kindles

As soon novr as life is no other it than

has gone a heavenly

and departed astral they ence. it with spirits m atte r . Le t doea, not the rots; fish light fall

- which spirit

and pushes

on to work with the a differSooner

down and die,

and begin

once to decay, an animal

but is, This

The fatter, a pithy,

softer, dry one, of

and more watery however, the water, not

so easily. they

may be seen

and creatures but

because quickly

have few vital to the primary

more moisture.

They rot

and return

reader

take

ca re f u l

note z

ft

ie

t h e S p irit the

that spirit

aets is

and in

the uaten.

The stronger

and more plentiful

190 an animal it. But if and the 1ees water, the more sprightly , it drowns however, and without right the and lively spirit we find ani-

an animal. has much ? and sleepy. everything in it is in

and the

mal becomes lazy of which thing not it brings it

spirit, about, the

must have water water it

by means

can do notoo much and not The , and

- but too little, the

must have it otherwise but of work

proportion, which

not

excessive, the plant

may be observed kingdoms. spirit and T visible

onJ'y in beginning and spirit invisibre

animal

also all in

and mineral but

and origin began to in

things V , to

was nothing accomplish of

everything his creator.

heaven and on earth

by order spirit

Consequently, animal bers tive of of

such an individual blood, makes it

makes everything and bone, according however, and all to

in

the memdirec-

by means of water: the the body, and it

flesh, hard or

ekin soft

the

Creator.

Precisely

this and into

spirit,

turns

everything through the the

to manure during V nin g . By this now' ; fina.l1y1

dissolution, however, into

a watery

substance Ets it

water

and spiritr

was in

begin-

the

reader

sees the it this is to

origin

out by its

of which

the

animal

kingdom was born

and into to

which in

returns chapter,

destruction. and necessary rapidity when an art no

The main point for an artist to

note

however, in

reflect in this it

upon, animal

have ever since in

mind the

of putrefactlon animal least dies, in the that

kingdom,

one can see,

begins

to putrefy smell

a few hours

and days, that

warm 6eason, with it

and to

badly

and so strongly his health.

man can stay of this

without

suffering is the

harm to abundant

The cause the

putrefaction, saIt.

however,

volatile

spirit,

ab u n d a n t volatile If from it

an alchemist and be able

ponders to

this

carefully, works,

he will for every

greatly alchemist

benefit is

speed up his

I9I aiming at becoming are not to get of a disnenberer here their going of all things. O Lord, how many who torture

thousands themselves

astray into

and making mistakes, putrefaction

subjects

and dissolution! not invent, and yet expenis that

What thousands they do not

Menstrua

and .5oLventi.a do they all mistakes are arise

succeed. in

From this vainr their with

afterwards, Here it cursing,

Bes are they pising liars. study with said it

incurred

tirne and matter heads, the start

lost,

start the

scratching Art together

wishing, saying it

and deslies Iet and him also is Now

artist,, to

is

all

Therefore, carefully his in in

whoever wishes the animal

avoid not

such annoyance, only with his

kingdom; it

head but it

hands must he prepare the Imperatioo, that

and work upon it. will come out

"Dissect" of the

and one thing no natural

other. putre-

has been said

anatomy can be done without re a s o n for

facti on . putrefaction. a wide which

Therefore,

see a n d e x a min e t h e this it. rot that

and cause of opportunity and those the T

aI1 and

Here in to work at on the If earth animals those

kingdom you have the If the four-footed those on the in which earth

best

field live

animals live stink in

quickly, live live

rot

even faster. can stay of the

badly, rot, fish

nobody because and craysea-

around

which

the water

when they rotten half

strong

stenchr

ds may be experienced often takes several

with months,

fish.

Many an artist

and whole

so n s to work h,j-s putrefaeti,o n e s the r e if is not even a first start re s u lt ,

a n d d is s o lu t io n s . dt le a s t not

l{ h e n h e h a s f i n i s h e d in min e ra ls . to the animal Therefore, kingdom. and as them

your

work does not see that they

putrefying, rot in

resort

Here you wiII they rot

animals also

a few hours things Here, to

and days, putrefy your of

quickly

cause other to Nature.

with

when they your

are used according for here is

take

eyes into al-

hands, Art,

a basic is

key and cornerstone to open the

the whole locks

chemical

a key which

able

strongest

of Na-

192 ture, tains which causes all of the sages. This is the reason why one has to ponder, wise sPent a year, him a month, will and hours. he now shortens it and where he has othermetals and stones to fly over the highest moun-

to a month, and what had cost into days

cost him a week, and the week is shortened this'kingdom (or very littLe) (without

But take note that anything

the plant

kingkingdom;

dom) does not eff,ect ys, it

in the rnineral

even acts adverseS.y'. the plant

This anirnal kingdom appears so insipid klngdoms that But together it does not provide the plant (c) Now let kingdom

without

or thE mineral srreetness.

any joy or al-chemical it effects

with

every pJ.easantness in the mineral- kingdom. point

Enough has-been said at thie us look into the plant kingdom.

concerning animals.

193

POOTNOTES

(a)

Here I am asking aII reasonable human beings to reflect whether this is not a healthier way of philosophizing than when I assert that the male Sperma is teaming with countless numbers of small particles resembling embryos, of which many thousands go down in the business of begetting, and to which the maternal receptacles do not give anything but quarters and warmth and instil nourishment. Certainly! One has to be very credulous or inclined innovations to paradoxical way, to in an extraordinary believe such an Absundun v.h,j.ch is grounded nowhere but in the brain of the newcomer who flutters about on the surface of things, g la s s . or in the quality of t h e ma g n if y in g T h e re f o re , it is so true what the famous Lord VeruLam says in the following beautiful wo rdsz Ingenium hum a n u m e u m a d e o lid a n o n s u f f i, e ia t , p le r u m q u e i n supervaeaneis se e re " e e ? e s o le t - Hu ma n in t e llig e n c e , since it i s not sufficient to c o n t e mp la t e v e ry b a s ic t h in g s , is ge n e r a l l y u sed to occupy itself a n d in s ig n if ic a n t wit h s u p e rf ic ia l ones. In the V ersammlu n g s re d e n , A ms t e rd a m L 7 7 9 , No . 8 , P a g e 2 8 7 ( c), an incomparable p a s s a g e f ro m F lu d d h a s b e e n g u o t e d , w h i c h according to the tenets of Pythaexplains this very wonderfully gorean philosophy, and which no one will regret reading over again a n d , P ro f e s s o ? e e Ph a r m a c i . a e If only so me me d ic a l d o c t o rs A ht of the VIIIth took note of this, Lf t h e y b u t s t u d ie d d ilig e n t ly the Rosicrucian V ens a mmlu n g s re d e n , A ms t e rd a m L 7 7 9 , No . 8 , a s w e l l in its directions as the present incomparable work, and followed Then they would not the working-out of their mineral medicines. into the body of poor need to push so much poison and corrosives patients. The manner in which this has to be done is taught so clearly below in the second part of this work, Chapter X, that basic tenets anybody can understand it who but knows the first of alchemy.

( b)

( c)

r94

CHAPTER XXII
OFI{HAT AND OFVEGETABTES BIRTH IS THE }IHAT

IIHAT II{T() THEY C()IISIST AI{D BEGTI{NINGS PRIIIE DISSOLVED. THEY AGAIII ARE
kingdom is the a realm sugared of wonders, as is thefi.rst, and it Although may in com-

This rightly parison But the into but the the fed

be called with the

and sweetened contains

kingdom. the

animal thingsr

kingdom it the

bitterest

fndizsidua. turn

bitterest

most harmful in

poisons

and corrosives this

augar not

and honey the

sweetness animal

a few hours because

by means of

realrn, with off

without N.B. realm;

kingdom,

one links

up and joins by and live

other. plant

The animal on the other

kingdom rnust be nourished hand, the plant kingdom

ie nranured and by the

by their Let

excrements an artist this

and dead bodiesr as well is but a true both, with

Bo one is as the

sustained

other.

mark this kingdorn

preceding

statements. and ilanus, which

Furthermore, is rfith it the neither animal

hermaphrodite and it the stands other or to

nor mineral to the

in

the

centre, and

one eye it

looks

animal,

the

mineral,

can become either process last, for of

animal

or mineral, It the

as Nature

the

Art with

undertakes the first and and

transformation. that it. is, with

associates and the

intimately mineral

and the is

animal

kingdoms, plants

longing

One can see with

one'a

olrn eyes that life thoee form. which aalted.

trees

become worms and thus many trees moetly plant of in turn the into

becorne another stone, first is

One can also stand and grow

see that in water, AIl influence which are

Bea, because it are engendered

very of

species the atars,

out

their

own seed or of

the grafts,

and also

imporperly

by propagation

already

opened and germinated. as the seed gets into the soil, which is moist,

AE eoon then

19 5 nitrous due to and salty the water by the and slimy of (a), or as has been proven or it will above, it will get moist and into

earthr it

be moistened

by rainwater,

dissolved a milky in

salts; traterr saltpeter

swells

up and springs

open and melts

dE may be seen when such a seed is a n d s a lt . turn into F irs t slime. it b e g in s to

soaked then the

a solution open,

s we ll , then ghur.

to break first This ent ate.

finally of

to

That mucous is the plant

direct plant in its

erement juice or

a prant is

and may be carled

ghur

now heated sun's into

and warmed by the warmth, the air and begins and the

heat to

inherevapor-

own center

and by the vanishes so volatile

The most volatile which into is not

Chaos; the other, nature, ten-

however, coagulates

and of the

a more contract5-ng cold air, of with

root

and stem through which is the first

subtle,

der and soft The more fixed

leaves, part

stage the the not

plant

generation. the stem; is and

becomes the the still leaves. fuII

root; But at

so fixed,

the more volatile, tender is of the the and young, plantrs earth the

outset

everything weak.

soft,

of moisture plant

and therefore (b) which out of plant the or

The root out

stomach and that and takes the it

magnet rain

draws food aj.r, tree.

approaching

bringing

food to Its tigations, earth the of the

plant

until

has become a strong proven earth in all

food, is

however, nothing the

as is the

dismemberments hidden from the in

and invesit. The of

but

and the water which rise

absorbs earth, the

eubterranean realm, to

vapors to the

center

universal

circumference gfater, But there must attract however,

and the however, is nore the

surface contains salt than

the

earth,

and from there eeeds, it is salt

the plants.

two universal because

and lVitnum.

saltpeter, moisture produced the

the magnet which Such salts,

nourishing

from below out of

and above.

are uninterruptedly rlo less also in from part,

dew, rain, air filled

gnow etc.r with

ds reported

abover but

surrounding

inuneasurable

atoms;

r 95
where man helps Nature, in their the from the manure which vineyards and gardensr he puts on the fields

and meadotds, also come and deposit Depending much or all other little

or where some cattle

excremente. the earth big gets or much or fruit. the litt1e, it bears now leave nutrient, other nu-

on whether - fat

or meager, and will pertaining those original

small about

We will universal

nutrients and the from

speak only niter

dew and rain trients back into spring

and salt, In

because the they

ones.

addition, into

are changed and salt, or the into earth nourto on afixed

them through

their

reversal, above.

namely

saltpeter however, is

as has been sufficiently part salt of the nutrient, precisely of is

proven

The salt,

the mother out the of

and rnagnet which as said This etc., putrefied then

turned

and fixed

saltpeter, heat.

above,

by the the birth

and the ishment saltpeter to it

reverberation and increases which it

solar

attracts

through to

dew and rain itself out of

and gives rain

takes heat of

and holds chase it

so that In this

the

the

sun and earth the tender

can no longer s a lt p e t e r. water, vapor then

wa y. root into

way salt those spirit

con g e a ls

T h e p la n t r s changes them into the etem and its growth enter

attracts a pure

two salts and vapor, pores,

dissolved and drives where the

by the that plant

leaves

through to its

narrow

continues do not dissolve

according the plant's earth ther

predestination. for subtle root its

The salts, but

however, they also

only the

nature

nourishment and a pure until the it

and make it refined Nature

satty

water.

Then it

can be fur-

by the gives

can ser:ve as a nutrient. of dispatching the food' where

animals

characteristic and tongue, further

crushed there is

and prepared a salty

by the juice

teeth

into refines

stomach,

bitter

which

such prepared then sends it the into natural

nutrients

and turns where

them into its best

a liquid juice is

substance, extracted.

the mesentery

Through

L97 heat parts or g a n s and by means of of the the small it channels is then or openings sent in into the which liver of are in all

body as pores,

and other t he liver

and distilled, organs,

whic h v a p o rs resolve again into

s e t t le

t h e v e s s e ls is

and other through o r g a n s, fection. shourd to the

rrrater and this in

dissolved and higher perNature upward the (c) the

heat

as vapor,

sublimated u n t il

or circulated it

other it s

and this

ceaselessly imagine

h a s re a c h e d that in

h ig h e s t

who could bring liver? the It

and understand nutriment, sink nutrient pores of

animals, is dense,

watery should But through if

and juicy rather the aIl

which

below and flow is the converted body like water it is in

out into

through a vapor

excretory which skin, moist fl esh ,

organs.

penetrates that vapor

sweat through its particular into

can likewise its

condense into until

places

through

thickening

coagulated

blood,

cartilege That this is

and bones t h ro u g h true, that Nature

c irc u la t io n . nourishes turns all the inner creatures $ from heat, with the valowest

poE, we can see by the centre it of the the earth

macrocosm, into

how it

by force heaven, into

steam by its

and drives and by its

up into

highest it turns

and there V and falls

makes it

again

thick earth

heavyr

so that

back upon the

own weight. This may be seen in child all anirnals, indeed from the toes to being after children of the macroNature stomach its

cosm, because the drives to the the moisture

takes

father

and mother. depth of the

as vapor

innermost

outermost it

skin

between the

and fingers, V , which the the is plant

and through we call in of

thickening

resolves

and condenses is still

perspiration. the mines the earth,

One can aee - what and mountains and of Nature are

more - that to it

vapors bowels

abundant. are

They adhere NB. in If the

them the wiII

ores

born.

so in

both

kingdoms, Since it is

not make an exception

kingdom.

198 proven that all creatures growth send food aa vapors into all rightly the organs, imitate theretheir

by obtaining origin. vapor

their

and preservation, sprung water the out

they of

They have all or Chaos, which must rightly vapor, in and are

and sundry turned also into follow

universal-general Therefore, originainto This

by condensation. Just by it,

minerals ted in

greater.

as they they turn

nourished and this another of product that vapor, they its

and sustained is

water vapor poreal

decomposition, enters kind

changed into product it

vapor

by heat.

thereupon after the

natural

and again lodges.

becomes cor-

in which

No one must imagine although No! If it in the form of

plants

absorb

their their

watery

food

raw, thereby.

and receive should absorb most of last

nourishment which

were so that with all

the water the plants

was ori-

ginally all

vapor

essence, not

would become excessive be grown thus: the clear-

watery

and soft, the

and would to

long,

because the would

water

arouses

spirit begin

action,

and a plant On the finest

hardly it is

up when it The roots est purest the

would of

to decompose. only the

contrary,

plants

absorb which is

volatile into the

spirits,

rf,ater, pores,

quickly

penetrates there

stem and leaves by the air, and and intheir one go But and act Pores

through thus the

condensed of

and coagulated grow,

particles In

(cells)

the plant were to

and are enlarged water of the with earth all in

creased. parts, that

addition, would would

Lf plants

absorb out

they Nature is

draw so much nourishment have not in here enough time all too. things, to

prepare

enough food. look

as there like than

a difference Bo it is

and one does not has wider

anotherr another. their

One plant

or narrower moisture;

willows health

and elms absorb is not steady

more and stronger suffer This if they is

therefore ficiencies cess of

and they

from various

de-

and always the absorbed

produce moisture,

mold and rot. especially

caused by an exnear water,

stand

I9 9 rivers vine, and humid boggy praces the juniper pores subtlest, they of tree, that the they fir and ditches. tree, littte the the on the other hand, the

oak and the coarse water

larch

have such

contracted only the

absorb with

or phlegma but spirit. as -

together lead arl

tenderest

and most abundant l-ife,

Therefore, one may first that of the it they the

a durable, Eee in in winter the

healthy fir tree,

and more fulfilled the juniper virtue

and others

are

green kingdom

and sununer, which and enter is, the

many creatures because and lively

plant

lose

inunediately a thing

putrefabtion:

dryer is. But

and more spiritual,

more durable

someone might moisture in

say:

rf

such plants how then

as the is it

fir

tree

etc. that

do they

not

absorb

abundance, may not

pos6ible in

grovt so tall? the earth WeIl, in it high, flows

Then there

be eo much spirit

rain,

dew and

to make them so strong? the stony, reader dry should take note that such plants Even if of its there slope, off into generally grohT

places

and mountains. on account

comes rain, and simultainto the the big ri-

away from sweeps the

the mountain O and Q

neously

r 8s much as it it in

can gt, torrents

depressions vers back pure which into vapor

and ditches, flow the on into of

and carries the the into earth, sea. earth, the out

This, where bowels

although the of V

salty' is

penetrates into heavy, The the

centre

converted

which

arises to the is,

the the it

earth. minerals rises

What is grow.

attaches Iighter roots of

itself

of which the higher

such a vapor plants But

however, it is

and reaches it

by which still

collected, and volatile absorbed

and whose nourishment vapors break through ri.se water. in out

becomes. the

more subtLe

during breath, air in

daytime. also again

These are partly feed give on them. birth to

by animale they

their the

and they order to

Partly,

however,

the Chaos or

chaotic

200 Now mark how wonderfully themselves. rainwater vaPors lia g e I have said earthy that @ the the and Q fir tree and its like must feed of plants the is

general

nourishment with

and dew,

, together of

subterranean fallen fo-

and other of

accidental

excrements

animaLs,

and the

each plant. the food, fir tree because is too stands it little on stony off mountains, rainwater the and Q steep will bring

If it poor

runs

at once from for @

mountain. swept the

Dew, however, away by the fir tree

by itself, this is

are mostly that

rainwater.

Since

knownr w must adrnit subsist on the

and other

mountain

plants rising

mostly vapors the in a ll

subterranean there From born,

or mineral, is this

uninterruptedly in that

and on dew, of which Eubterranean it s s iz e , vapors. is mo s t ly

however little w e conclude

comparison the f ir out not

with

t re e , of the

brought Th a t of (d) is

up and nourished also plains, why it is

subterranean as other

vapors ju ic y ,

of minerals. ma rs h y p l a n t s or very slowly.

s o p e ris h a b le mineraLs that the fir

the

because there, how it is

decompose little tree can obtain

But to

learn

subterranean etand ati.Ll

sp ir its fo n arise so that with

and moisture,

mark t h e

f o llo win g z

Na t u re

doee not

on e moment but from the earth

eontinue e

u o rk in g

e e a le le s e ly . They turn into

We s e e t h a t clouds

vapors

continually.

ceaselessly, air is filled

we do not But still

see as many clear if many vapors in the

days as days when the into the air,

clouds.

break earth,

many more must they is would not acporous animals is

necessarily cumulate

be stuck clouds. Iike

otherwise earth

so much in

And because the the bodies like of of

thoroughly and all

Bpongy and honeycombed, that vapor it. breaks Like out the

human beings

everyrvhere vital epirit for

man's perspiration the thing great world, it

when there

much of all is

goes through and no thing do not

wood, earth closed to this

and stone, spirit,

every

has its

pores,

even if

our vision

and intelligence

20r
always understand the fir it. tree (e) stands on mountains on which there is all

Well, sand, gravel

and stones.

They are nagnets

and a t t ra c t in g Through roots is it,

subjects, vapors of the fir soft, so

and a coagulat"d condense and turn tree

which absorbs such vapors. into water.

That water which the

absorb and from which they thus take their and strong, And just for as the air is fuII

g ro wt h ,

q ui t e

spiritual

of vapors to rain
into

and clouds, the

is the earth. air,

as such vapors turn

and dew in water

the mineral

vapors adhering to stones turn

which

plants

thereafter
That dig that in under the the

consume.
vapors the turn into water on stones, is clear. are is One has only one will or river All to see

earth

one foot

deep,

where there although

stonesi no well

stones

are always This

moist, is

there min e ra l

neighborhood. do is take

due to'the pebble

mo is t put it

v a p o rs . in

one has to cellar, a lr e a d yr moister it

a heated in

or marble, it

a humid on it the

and one will ds if it

a few hours

see that and the

has got it

drops

were per s p irin g :

lo n g e r

stays

t he r e ,

becomes. I said rock. a lie. that the pebble or rock is a coagulated and say3 h o we v e r, salt or a

Before salt th is

made into is surely

Here some will It is easy to

be surprised h e lp those,

I'taster' t h rou g h he

laboratory Iike s, will ag a in , melt fin d

demonstration. it, pour it off ,

Let

someone take it

some salt' f ilt e r

whichever it ' s a lt , a g a in the be'

d is s o lv e o r g re y it ,

in wa t e r,

and you melt find salt, Iike it

some gross it but off, this

black dissolv e time

e a rt h . it ,

Co a g u la t e

the

pour

f ilt e r

a n d y o u will you melt earth will melt

some earth, the

white.

The more often whiter a glass made of the

more earth Take this

you will earth,

find put it

and the into

snorf,.

vessel, salt.

everything melt-

together,

and you will

have a stone

The frequent

202 ing causes the into this salt spirit to evanesce, but in (f). dealings. Where I as part it will be con-

gealed

earth

and be transformed. says factory

But now someone will would Nature say that the salt take a glass

Those are peculiar or crucible in

the mountains? similar.

myself.

But Nature

probably

has something

Just and

had previously bY a natural

been vapor

and has now become corporeal has been able The more earth to do this is for

fixed, time -

change - Nature does the other.

a long salt

so she also

added to the aid,

the

and the more earthy earthy thick the juice salt

and rnineral

satt-spirits the help

come to it

the more into a

becomes, with is it neither turns

of water,

congeals

which until

volatile in t o

nor becomes volatile c le a r, is t ra n s p a re n t or impure, here.

but

ever

m or e fixed, or pebble, It would

a f ix e d , the juice

crystal (g). Yet a proven now

depending take too

on whether to

pure

long also

add such secondary thereby. grohr.

matters

natural

scientist

learns

We have therefore

how and in

what manner plants to the

Now back again te a ch in g r further or at least

goal.

To show that will, to

there in

is

a perfect we will without and that mark

a perf e c t plants is that for

be found @

Na t u re , as food

say that

after

have used the such a great the purpose

and Q is

interruption, there th e is

how it

quantity of growth.

produced Therefore,

no short-coming

fo llowing: It has been proven above that there is some @ and some Q in

every soil,
also

which is where plants

abode in from below the

grord, because mineral O

soil layer. above; things Nitre from and Q

and Q
are conti-

have a special engendered vfater

nual.ly and air, animals are

and from

above by dew, rain made by they always

and various during

accidental putrefaction.

and discharges

and plants

From below, vapors

however, which

engendered

by the

mineral

and subterranean

are

203 breathing Salt out toward the Burface. is the magnet, (D the steel
into its nature, and central obtain naturally the steel,

which is attracted
into salt,

by the salt
reverbera_ this is

and transformed tion earth of

or also heat,

by the

the htarm solar

because in than

lixiviating

one can generally be more salt quantity than

more salt as the

saltpeter,

and there

bound to greater

magnet must be stronger it could not attract

and in it, etc

othenrvise

But how the @ and $ are engendered by rain, dew, snow and other waters, has been proven above. There is less saltpeter in Nature than salt, however, and less of If
it is engendered. The reason for it can be

proved experirnentally.
the salt too into Niter attract

there

ie nore @ tfran salt,

it is into its

Niter

converts
Nitre, the athas at-

and transforms but actsr it

own nature. Xhe SaL is eagerly it

however, Pati'ens. tract rained tract inch than

does not All earth or

the Agene -

growths

are attractive,

because they

Nitrum,

the earth

universal after

seed - as one may see, sunshine, of the rain if that that there plants they

after

upon the the volatile

long out

so eagerly often

saltpeter one night. rrould attract take timer this

grow one

and more in salt' they

Therefore, it into by force

were more saltpeter grow thereby the in sperma

and would in

general' of the

and they earth in

would

themselves nothing

one go aII barrenness

a short If

so that

but

would

follow food,

afterwards. they would die

were to occur, And just to the

and plants as they a x io mt

had no more they eito a very

have to wither. fast, ac e o rd in g

grow fast, f it ,

w ou ld have to pe r it subtle, through they spirit -

Q u o d e it o " S a lt p e t e r

"What is spiritually their

made quic k ly , penetrating SaIt,

p e ris h e s salt

q u ic k ly . plants

is

which is

can quickly and gross, salt

digest which and its

rootE.

however,

more fixed In

must digest

more slowly which

and subtly. sustain

addition,

are balsamie,

everything.

Saltpeter,

on the

con-

20 4 tr ar y, is a vol-atiIe, oners it in corru p t in g , eyeE. c o rro s iv e , p u t re f a c t iv e saltpeter this that s a lt, which

may be seen with salt; pear dissolve tree

Take aome pure Sprinkle bear

has no - or that if

some rainwater. and it wiII

on an apple fruit other

frequently, so much that for the tree fruit

the most beautiful On the

same yearr you wait Yes, if

you will the

be surprised. yearr

hand, any.

following stand in

1lou will it

hardly witl

get

the

does not

good earth,

gradually melt this

start L Part. in

withering. of saltpeter

Instead,

however, of

as has been reported together,

above, dissolve it,

and 2 Pant. pour it

conmon salt tree in the or

rainwater, obtain and that in th e

upon the

soak Eome eeed in quFntity is watered

you will any damage, or three times

good,

magnificent year, (h). for the

fruit

large tree

without twice

every spring.

provided

The reason ly, SaIt, that plants

quick saltpeter

fertility very

has been indicated eagerly and in great of its

above, quantity. fixity.

nELme

absorb they

however,

cannot salt

absorb

so fast with the

on account the earth in

Therefore, hand over into but solar

because the saltpeter, by its the It salt

together turns

have the upper the rain this or dew in part, and its

the

salt

Volati.Le Plants

saltpeter in part heat.

attractive congeals it

power. into salt

absorb earthy the it

by the

central of

thereby

increases and its

and rejuvenates guality, so that

excess

magnetic increasing placed

attractiveness

incurs

constant is again re-

and diminishing. below and above. not aII

What the plant

has absorbed,

from

But

so that

saltpeter

turns first

into

salt, after

Nature long too rain,

frequently when Then which it.

sends down the the there the earthy salt

volatile or

dew and rain, already the

sunshine strongly. out of

Spenma is

reverberated namely saltpeter

comes a good amount of salt very eagerly absorbs

volatile,

the volatile

and congeals

205 But because the prants have been very much dried this @ and thus tear is partly out by the sun, they the (p forcefully away

are also eager to attract from the Q robbed of it, til .

Thereby the salt and thus it

Lncreased but also partly cycle, un-

goes without

stop in a perpetual

the Creator

changes his Law. would dominate - which is the right in view of their fixity - it inhas

As soon as the ALeaLi or salt primordial constituent of all

minerals

would produce nothing stead of plants.

but minerals, this

stones,

sand and sterility

To prevent to it.

from happening, the volatile

been put in opposition

So meone will makes Q o r r a in , that fixed aay:

He c o n t ra d ic t s it into in t o

h ims e lf , salt; then

because he says that comes the volatile Above he had said an intermediate,

and turns the

and it

turns

. 4 le a li act

s a lt p e t e r. without

one extreme

does not

upon another etc. without a ll the

an d he r e he contradicts Answer: con g e a le d tains heres its to The earth it is

hims e lf , is never

Niter,

and although T h e re f o re of

it it

is readsalt'

by salt,

no t

c o n g e a le d so that a n d t h is as I

at once. volatile to

intermediate the corporeal

statusr Nite r, mag n e t ,

the Niter

a d h e re s above. plant

t h e A L e a L i, or

a n d o n e is

the otherrs the

s a id

From this as much of to get it

reader

can now see the in this let teIl

birth

and its

growth,

as can be said

treatise. him look h im a b o u t the

But whoever would wish for it it with schoLars and in king-

a more perfect B otaniei.s.

explanation, The y will the but

an d M essrs. partieular. dom is fore born its

in g e n e ra l of

Consequently, water, By this and is

seed of a slimy

creatures

the plant

a coagulated ghur. water

one in

dissolution,

and thereis gets death

a plant out of

one can further returned into

see that water. the

everything Everything its

again

growth

and sustenance

from water

and at

srme time

206 a n d d ying, This ment, tl e tile , tion in g it as is is is only found clearly a short that d e s c rib e d report in the other birth. t re a t is e During d e An a t o n i a . dismemberand litth e VoLa-

on plant

they

are constituted Y e t t h e ir mo re a c id or

of much volatile

acid,

still

less

A LcaL i. . is

wh o le c o n s t it u t io n , s t rin g e n t than

Aeidun of

and l4Leali., which

the constituvolatile Their burnacid

animals, which

may be felt got

and noticed

by their

spir it

has alway s

a L it t le

e t ri, n g e n t

effeet.

o r vi ne gar, eu id e n tl y That a cid r is bu t

however, contracting, this is they sor

does n o t while is

re q u ire t h e l{ L c a li

a n y p ro o f , is a lmo s t

b e e a u a e i. t i s lik e a n in a l

self

ALeaLi.. than which acid,

obvious. not

They must have more volatile s o q u ic k ly , h ig h a n d bi g , the

or else their

could

g ro w t a ll

then

motion. is excess, earth provided but it or

Because the volatile also (in f o rm) could a c id ic . not thus

must overbalance If the a s t rin g e n t

the volatile be in to the

acid stay kingis some-

vtere to closer d o m is

plants

grow up and would since (i), the mineral a c id it y which

even become minerals, with a t ro n g a c id it y

often

p la n t

what less by the strongly, ten hardly fact

sour that

strongly contracts

astringent

and vigorous,

may be seen so

and coagulates

many trees and tough

and plants that

and also

makes them so hardwooded iron and fire.

one can of-

subdue them with notice that

One can also are attached tility

they

have a strong to the earth,

Aei,dun because they for if their they volawould be volatile the

so firmly

and immobile acidity,

were to

overcome their

as with zoophites. not

animals, fn

much more mobiler has much the inmrobile But upper

Ers may be seen with hand and is already

them the

as contractive Aeidum. fact

as with

plants, that

which

have a strongly

astringent

they

do have motion

may be seen by the in length, different

that

they and size. motion

grow from day to Increasing

d"y,

from week to week, is motion, although

thickness

and growing

from animal

207 by many degrees. Pl ant ehoern in plant. th e se the pa r t' A LeaLi is fixed, not c o n t ra c t iv e , the a s in a n ima ls . parts This of is

dismemberment. Although they is,

These nobr are have still the s u b t le oil others,

more noble others wit h acid;

every with

these

are counted the volatile, and the

three,

that

P h le g n a t o g e t h e r together with the

grosser

phlegm and the or

third

ho wever, Further,

Caput mo rt u u m, a n d a s h e s t o g e t h e r should than le s s take note just that

wit h

t h e IL e a l i . has more es-

tn'e reader parts more or

one plant

sential or l ess

and nobler volatile,

another, A e id u n

as animals

have each more to their

a n d / L e a li,

a c c o rd in g

de sti ny. Again, an im a ls the reader into should also note or that in t o out. almost the he can change plants and

altogether

a V o la t ile ,

a p u re A e i. d u m o r C L e a l i , If he distills them withhas only subject. But if the more difference or befixed, are not aII too volait is

depending out

on what processing fermentation, smell,

he carries he obtains to

previous fleeting th is,

aLI Phlegma which quality of the

a very After it it l i es is is

according

natural in the

much A eidunr

the A L e a L i there reader f ix e d ,

stays wiII

Ca p u t mo rt u u m .

fermented processed. in

and putrefied, Againr the

be the more volatile that the

can see by this the a c id

the volatile vo1ati.le quite different is called

and th e and the volatile. but the it is

a n d t h e A L e a L i, can be guite constituents If it is

tween the and the

fixed.

The volatile these so. a lit t le c a lle d

fixed

Therefore a c c id e n t a lly if it it is

esse n ti ally tile , calle d derives and the it

o n ly

V ola t iL e i

mo re f ix e d , A L e a L i. volatile

Aei,dun; if

quJ . t e f ix e d ,

is

Everything chaotic water

from one root indwelling

and stem, spirit

namely from the which forms, is

volatile into

transformed like

by putrefaction according

and fermentation to which it is

many thoueand ealled

a Proteuet

also

by different

nErmes.

20 8 Th is other for if chapter is gettin g f a irly although man, they lo n g , they help because I are not that, a lwa y s mi x i n without usefulness:

works with they

ny subject, help this

do not

and many are glad my goal, to take r wilr note of

when they relate the

find

a doubt of

resorved. this

But so as to

reach is

some virtues

kingdom, point: it for

and everyone namely, a long

following

as a principal-

many alchemists time,

have en-

deavored, realm by the for its

and quarrelled

about the

to make the mineral it might be absorbed

homogeneous with latter food pleasantly,

animal nicely to

kingdom,

so that

and sweetly, cure and heal its

without its

any corrosive, They becomes they to the

and sustenance, kingdom,

infirmities.

see that qu ite

the mineral pungent, is directly

after

dismemberment by fire, Co n s e q u e n t ly , h ig h ly h a rmf u l they d ig e s t e d wo rk .

sharp, it

corro s iv e , op p o s it e

a n d p o is o n o u s . a n d a lie n , now into s p irit s etc. a ls o

see tha t animal kep t to

kingdom. the

To change this and alk a liz e d disti lle d , effort

pleasantness, wh ic h they

have always over it,

burning decanted,

ci r cula ted,

a n d mu c h s imila r expense.

Yet there so I

has been endless as to will

tedious

and great

Now, howeverr felt (k),

open my heart give

and to make my loyalty and sweat both at least

to my neighbor

here my toil

theoretically one hundred

and practically, times more pleasure

so that than

everyone

may obtain

he had before. To make a greater dis t in c t io n , of h o we v e r, alchemists they believe I will f irs t d e al with

the

usual

and conrmon practice corrosives, namely, of

- how they that they

generally have reached improvement

sweeten the their goal:

whereby

the most frequently all corrosives s io e over t ime s r the

used sweetenlng, today

and edulcoration Sp in i,tu culated tio n , uini it

has until a le a L ie a t o . corrosives

been done with and cirprecipita6, 7 , or 9

neetifieatieei,no for a long it time

T h e y d ig e s t e d or corrosive it

distilled

several

o r e ls e

they

re c t if ie d

20 9 times. But the people will Then it effect with was said has proven that that it was now sweetened and improved they gave this the improved medicine etc. to I doing

trembling

and awareness of

danger. with the

Now, however, reasons for

here put

down my method of why the without taught Spzlritua

sweetening, uini

so and the singre tr e a ti se

proof

can never

properly

sweeten a this posBe

corrosive often

an intermediate.

Namery,

r have in

and e x p la in e d s in e without well me d io

|-. h re A a io n a z "that

No n t ra n e in i

a b un o eatreme ad alterum extreme alchemist he wishes AII heart, In this end to the other point

one cannot

p a s s fr o m o n e let every if

an intermediate." and let useful ete. him ponder in alchemical it

Indeed,

heed this to achieve

day and night, works. A rio ma b y

something B aeeala u re i. they full of

P hiloeophi in

p ro b a b ly

k n o w t h is

but

practice is find.

nevertheless e rro r, wh ic h

do not is yet

know what is so easy to

a medium. re c o g n i z e

the world easy to artist of fixed

a n d a lso

Every a cter isti c thin g flies pr o o f rosive a sp ir it N i tr i, th r o u g h s.rme with artist in is

should thing,

be weII a n d it

acquainted is a ls o

with

the

nature

and charsee if some-

every

easy for (f irs t over

h im t o

or volatile. weak fire highest

T h e v o la t ile the At

t h e S p iri, t u e the head' the

oini) which is

away in of its

through

alembic,

volatilit y . it, although in

s u c h a d e g re e o f have already f o rm, t h e ir

f ire

no corinto

will

rise

with

they

been turned

and driven Salis,

over

a v o la t ile or if

s u c h a s A q u a f o rt , These do not g re a t

Spiritus rise The an kind Conits oplack-

V itnioli,

S u lp h u ris or

1'6 . wit h

such a high strong A

alembic r through learn the

s o r o n ly or

d if f ic u lt y. From this

a low alembic that these spirits

a retort. are of

should

again with

a more fixed p i. n i . at

com p arison

high e s t to

v o la t ilit y Spiri,tue t-,t:re

of

the uini.

S p in it u a and stand that

seguently, posite end.

they

are adverse

From this

one can see and conclude

a medium is

21 0 ing, which the the artist should seek. It is indeed easy to find if one

considers

homogeneous natures and in

more carefully. a corrosive streamlets, rises the over and, uini is

See how slow1y on the runs a big Re c. tr io li., on it but contraryr the

heavy drops indeed in

how guickly, Wellr

Spinitue that

into

recipient. difference

drl artist

must perceive two,

there

and mighty Some well

between these a q u a f o rt , o ils . to

as practice Nit n i, , these, degree, danger. V in i not

proves. S a lis , Vi-

dephlegmatiz e d ete. of or t h e ir

S p irit u n

S ulphuris, some spirit

Take one of the highest to

and pour or alkalized

wine

rectified

gently, fi res

so that

you do not

expose yourself the

For two wona n d th e )Leun

drous

come together, Y ou will

e s p e c ia lly

S p z irit u e V i. n i will like

Vi .tr i oli.. but the

see ho w t h e

S p iri, t u s other

at

a ll

conjoin, whistle conjoin, walr

two will together

stand like

one above the add e rs

water

and oil, s h o u ld

a n d sin g they

a n d we a s e ls . for

A n d if a long

they in .

must be digested the corrosive by the

and circulated wiII said not readily

time

a tedious This

and yet

accept

the V

anyone

can experj.ence Then let wine dregs, such a fixed

experiment. himself at the Spinitus of wine or Because for the

a man see,

and look

what a contrary acid a like

"personality"it

has assumed! and not

Aeidum must be taken,

inmediately

most potent, p
all gr o ss

Now distil
the

the burning
of

spirit

of wine together
t h is which

with

P hlegma to obtain than spirit its

th ic k n e s s

honey.

Driv e

per Retortam, is already

and you will m o r e fixed corrosive pour

a very

sharp vinegar S p irit u e . their

of Aeidun T h is

precedin g

A e id u n

now pour upon a Afterwards, union. of him,

and then watch vini on it

quick again taking I will

conjunction. their wine teachr lovely

t-}re Spiri.tue Since not

and watch to risk

everybody only

wants

to make vinegar ds a favor which is to

it,

and getting

a small

amount,

how to make good vinegar

quickly

and in

quantity,

anyhow also

2LI described in the Plant take in chapter, namely z grapes Ree. In the fall or somepouDd

what earlier, them to a glazed quite juice

some unripe mortar. in the it

with

stalks juice

and everythingr into a glass and let it

a stone set it

Put that sun or is

bowl or become

vessel,

a warm stove, dry.

dead and dryr this the juice juice

so that

absorutely

you may make as discard the stalks up juice

much of but pour dry the

as you wiEh. together wine: sourest off. way: with

But you must not the stalks.

Upon that

dried

following

Reei'pe the an d disti l cask in the all

worst, it"V

wine.

Pour it re s t

into

a burning-kettle d rie d g ra p es in a

Pour the

upon the

following

Have a small q u a r ts. Pour the the off sun, FiIl it

cask made of completely

oak or

birch,

containing g ra p e s r cask in in of, at

ten

or twenty ha1f. or it in run You as and

wit h

t h e d rie d Bet the quite

le a s t

distilled

wine upon them, smells

a warm spot let

and when the wine the kind bung, of

sour

a few days,

through

and pour more such distilled on and pouring off for

wine upon it. everr Els long

may do this you live,

pouring

and you need no other ferment,

new vineyards.

They form a mother into vinegar. the (I).

become an eternal llany people fa ctur e vi ne g a r and in of is part

and soon turn but they do not

the wine know the of

make vinegar, vinegar. in part it

cause of

manuinto heat, re-

The ca u s e , that its

h o we v e r,

t h e win e ' s

t u rn in g the aE it

S p in it u a

t s o la t iL i. s 6nd f

e s c a p e s wit h ed. to As long enable

that

becomes congealed results. a double

mains unchanged, vinegar distil a lso quickly

no vinegar and to obtain

Therefore, benefit,

you to make you to

I have taught be lost.

tllie Spi,ritun u se it. many.

Vini,

which giv e

would otherwise for t h e A rt :

Then you can

Therefore, Now to vinegar

thanks

b e c a u s e a go o d t r i c k the lover of the

can help Art

the or t$

point. of wine

From the is

above-said

sees that

an intermediate

nature

between

2L2 the spirit

ing upon.

of wine and the corrosive,

Neither the have I read it,

which very few are yet reflect_ nor heart it anlmhere. thing and

nor seen it, united

When then

corrosive

is first

to the intermediate will

subsequently
a sweetness to

to the V

, the lover
so that it

of the Art
is it already there

immediately

notice

and mildnessr than

much more agreeable remains quite a liguidr nieely, Voand

human nature

before, spirit

and with which

latile

and pleasant it, it

can be distilled

by distitling fin e d . Although make them lose by far it here not to

eonjoins

and is

more and more sweetened and re-

there their

is

stitl

another ways,

method to it is not

kill

the

corrosives, and

to

corroding

as sweet and nice I wilt also

as good as the show the

above-mentioned

manner.

describe

difference. that is , the s a lt of that win e is lix iv ia t e d p u re , wh it e out of the

R ec. A LeaL'i, oini, de a d he ad, such asP

or an o t h e r

l{ lc a li.

and clear.

Put it
much. and the

into

an alembic,
into it

pour on it t(
by drops

te"" imum, three or six times as

whichever until you wish, is a 1t no more a tastehowcoris

Then pour two will

a corrosive, Do this

effervesce Then draw o f f

together. a ll n""

there It the is

e ffe r ve scence. Iess ever, rosiver by far reader Phlegna, You will so that not

mo is t u re congealed

p e n B . lt . etc. At

because the V find it aome salt

bottom, the

which

has kilted without

and congealed but this

can be swallowed

harm, spiritual

method Here the

so good as the

above-mentioned joining the

way.

again

sees a medium for alkalis. But it is

corrosives ts

and acids

sweet-

ened by the their great

somewhat violentr as nice as the

may be seen by one,

F

effervescence,

and not

previous

when

they unite cally its

like

water with to the spirit

water - quite of wine, prove that

deliciously.

ror tst] is basibecause and

related

likewise it

to the corrosive,
homogeneity

sharpness and acidity

has a mineral

2r3
acidity' separation, the spirit This is the medium which follows for we count the phlegmatic for its in the wake of trre V as superfluous, in

parts action

because

uses them only as a tool

and does not absorb dB may be seen in

Sore of them than is necessary for t h e r e c ti fi ca ti o n o f th e par ts. Ree.

assistancer

Therefore rnark z pantes ii'i. '

Sharp and strongly is,

distilled it

wine-vinegar will this sweeten. four

The sharper it

the sooner and better then carefully

Contoai'ue part o r s i x pa rt. conjunction

i - Pour together,

pour into

sp i ri tu s

zsi ni r eetifieatissini,

and you will

see a nobl e h/ay one First,

when they get together corrosive it,

very peacefully. ates and calcined

rn this products.

can also sweeten all Pour two-thirds later only theV

killed

of *uPon .

-= draw it from that

and the* this until

off

from it

twioe or three times, And if the corrosi-ve

Draw off

as werl.
or \7 it is

were not fresh

sufficiently, and repeat

had been too weak, pour enough. tne if= ana p do this but not are, the

one upon it, Mark this well.

The sharper sweeten. it,

and stronger Indeed, they enter

sooner fectly, with

and faster far, far

they from

as perand union

as when they as will

on a friendship be revealed in

the animal

kingdom,

truthfully

the for

second the

bo o k of my P raxi

de Cotnup t i, o n e and the poor

? e ? u m s e u A n a t o mia sick people. and cannout of in using

Na t u ra e

sake of my neighbor

r must here make another that ( i 'e' which give take all physicians are in the

point, habit

avo-d

it

as r selr

lihe Meraunizm d,uleen d e s p e ra t e Here, they diseases, r r.rilr

ca lomel!)

as a great

me d ic in e

a l. mo s t a lr at times.

can become exceedingly thern an excellent trris -il=

dangerous

however,

improvenent, specially

upon which

can rely. du1eif,ieation book. with

Namely: of this off

and .9pz):ritun, teach in

preparedrttre of another filter it

which'r dissolve

will

a special

chapter

th'e I'leneunium duloem completely,

and draw it

214 i n B . M . , very slowryr ts much as you can. pour once more three parts filter
. After parts pa rt s rf

of+
hain

upon it,
Ln B.M. into

dissolve,
an o'. four

and coagulate
that, take the

@n1 it
p off

each time a_
in in the

inaicated very gentry

aame chapter, 8.M ,, this again for the it

pour

upon it, of f re s h ,

draw it d ra w it Daf

pour on four third tine.

off it

a g a in ,

and do or wiII

you wishr salt

lou

leave of

as oir, one grain Sueess witl

coagulate work better te a ch

down to and is

a sweet to

or powder, the

which, ten.

safer

use than

forrner

you this. rn conclusion,

(n) r advise like every to true and earnestry my secret and sour, against note of to into the (or: honestry) to be on name and and rich

seeking his

artist

who would

learn life

directive, honor, the

guard, his of like

as much as he loves temporal this and eternal

his

fame,

salvation, take

great

godless but while are

world, bees,

who do not

sirnple

and lowly, the honey, who have

unto are

everlzwhere searching trying to put so long but poison

suck out the

they

actually

heart,

promise allured have got faith

vast the it,

golden

mountains, of

and so much, until persecuted

they

sweat out they them.

an honest hold in

man. And when they in get how much good

no longer That is

esteem the

one who acted that they

with in

why it

aerives thenr right and also love with learn the to Art

cheated effort should hearts

a multitude

of ways, in

understand has to

and Eweat a man deeply perceive it and feel see that it,

suffer.They eat their a

and avarice man a peasantr

and envy should

out when they in their

or a man considered more of the

simpleton Art that than the

wanton

eyes,

knows and understands vain and yapping should

such high unmoving

and mighty, forests

braggart,

who imagines

and mountains presence.

bow down to him and a

abase themselves

in

his

Therefore,

you who have gleaned

21s
technique in these writings, in the coal the big until raugh up your fear sleeve the and enjoy senrice it of in your

Peace and quietness neighbor, get and let in

of God and for go - so that that

blowhards they

they the the

may bravety as weII vainand

blackened

recognize

peasant greatest

as they glory worries what is ar ti st sun". en jo y he w i l l give,

themselves

have

sprung with

from (XIB God. For the greatest

must be intertwined as their

misery,

by troubles must recognize

meditun, so that is

vaingloriousness forced hurnility.

the mediun and what s uffer in every will

Therefore,

Iet

an the to

way s P o e t n u b ila provide

phoebze, "after enable

t h e ra in , the artist

God Himself the Lord's

enough means to he does not

blessings. receive it in whils t his

A n d if

d o s o d u rin g

the day, to

surely he gives

s le e p in g . That is

T o wh o ms o e v e r G o d wis he s

sleep.

what happened to me, a poor e g o (De o s in t h in e in d e Laudes) uLtina

Pe r se cu ted h u m ilis

husbandman and p e a s a n t : aLtas ian ti d e o

qui

nyniea

e e d ro s ,

o mn i o e n t o

eo n q u a ti .endoe. But back to our purpose. should add the f have also for promised to show how a stuck in

poor worried his fore, work. if

artist

search

a medium when he gets to conclude this

So I will I were

following

chapter. they

There-

to put readily, hand.

two things I would If they its

together look

and saw that

do not of sub-

mix or conjoin jects I look I have in in that

and consider of the

what kind animal if

are

creatures

kingdom, I have a but it has

kingdom for a V olatile r would But

own medium. For h o rn s

instance, a n d c la ws , it with

su b je ct Aeidun

lacking and /Leali

such as bones, therefor like to

supply this of

a homoask

geneous VoLatile. the subject, ff bone,

from where am I to or claw,

take

from? WeII, animal its it

horn

from what kind it,

has been or

taken!

you know the

animal

and can obtain

take

urine

2t6
m ea t, excrement or fat, pu t re f y a n d d is t ilt it s V o la t iT , e missing see in cannot Ln B.M. part. which But ani-

and you have already if you cannot is get the

replaeed

ttre medium or the Iook around If it to

Euch an animal, same virtue in which that all is,

mal there take the

and quality. animal virtue

be found, together centre help

subject

and power are

concentrated the power of if

as one, aIL

in man, who has hidden and excrement

j-n his

animals,

whose urine in

can be of

eve r lm h ere But if

you are

lack in g

a V o la t iL e , of

a n A e i. d u m, o r a n A L e a L i . these, return to univer-

you still where all

do not animal, Join

have sufficient plant up wittr

sality,

and mineral aII

powers are concentrated, creatures in a homoAeidum,

and whose strbjects ge n e o u a wdy, and ILeaLi. refy tr ain , per the

and eundry

such as rain, With that,

d e w a n d s n o w. T h e y h a v e a Y o L a t iL e , every deficiency. with

you can replaee off P h le g n a all

Then, put-

rainwater, it of

distill its

moisture

a distillation a h ig h a le mb ic as

rectify

in E . I U. t h ro u g h all

usual.

From the

remainder,

draw off

PhLegna to

a consistency

similar

to honey. From that

yet

thickneee,

distill

a lF

ana out of the

Caput Montuum extract As it iE with

some salt Bo it

or ALcaZi. plants. wine In this kingdom, constituthe end,

animalsr

iB with

when one come6 acrosa ents, because in that

an obetacle, all to plant the

one takes are

and its In

poners universals In alun all

containedt as indicated instance, all

however,

one ean resort with

above. white But minerif

Similarly als

minerals.

for

are concentrated,

and J.n (},

red ones and aaf,raa.

these are not sufficient universals, water; +-@ euch ae --rL' will

or are inadequate, O and e lis;

run to the more fixed from rainan,4Z c aZ ?:nz t" . in alchem-

take ttre volatile and - JL for lis

q i ve you the r oidzn,

Consequently, ical w o r ks.

you have here a wide field

excercising

2L7 Every kingdom, however, has its qualities' qualities allow their so that forge they differ own properties and special these

among themselves and through

bottr extreme and moderate things,

whereby the must a homogeneous

heterogeneous nature

to be changed into are extreurely

one. For exam5rle, animals another, If mineral principle eral but the plant now the animal realm, it

opposed to one (n) kingdom is in between (them). kingdom is to become homogeneous with be done except through the plant its the

and minerals

cannot easily is,

uniting the min-

or medium, that

kingdom. Likewise

kingdom can not be made homogeneous trith plants. Therefore, an alchemist, intelligence if

the animal kingdom

without

he wishes to succeed

in his work, must use his erals but first

and not mix animals with minNor should he mix ALeaLi but mix

mix them with

the rnedium, plants. the plant

the rrolatile like with

of the animal kingdom with th e V o l a ti le

meaning that

l i ke ,

anim aLe and VoTatiLe vegetabiLe s houl d

he should mix the f animale wii.lln

be put

together,

tn.

r!

do oegetabiLi..
and not

l{hen theee are conjoined,

pour these united

he must once again

volatile the suffer things V o L a ti L e . totaL loss. into way

use reason

irnmediately

upon Ateali
Then he will

but first
get a true

the f

, a n d o n ly othenrise however, in

a f t e r: wa rd s he witl

product, eees, order in

From this another in the

the

artist

hos one thing a confused but in or

dovetails confognded with the

perfect

and not the Art),

Cas many stunble fundamental For from gold the with the

and faII

conformity

causes

and appropriate I wish to dissolve

means. gold and will that, try ttrey to dissolve it

instance, highest

to

the

loweet,

!r[,any imagine it

can dissolve water it (to as

without,B diesolvent various

corrosiverand onlyrwithout mercurial

I believe corrosive.

can be tlone with they tornrent

(I9B) rf it

first a salt)

additives

and render

crystalline

2L8 it ean be directly They do not its origin, dissolved understand Likewise with spring water is, without any corrounderstand what a corro(o) leaves see

sives.

what gold they

and they understand with

even less sive is

do not treated it of

and why ninerals dissolve the

are usually g o ld . I d iv id e @.ngold.

corrosives. f in e s t I

N ow I will and pour that attack it upon it

in t o the

t h e v e ry

volatile the

animal

kingdom. it again

does not it. f pour

attack upon it

I acld I AnimaTe that artist

r and still it is

does not too weak. it still things

the Aeidun

f p o u r upon it does not are not 'an d i ts out attack

the A eetum V e g e t a b ile , it. In this way the

is ,

1 -} : e a e id u m,

can see that

these

homogeneous, but of the nature of

distant. g o ld .

For

a medium is

lacking,

grrown of being a1t

So f go to pour it it

t h e min e ra l g o ld ,

k in g d on , then boil its

o wn. I

f,6ls-rL This too

or ooo @. , does not

upon the only

together. leaving r ea so n m in e r a l that regard m in e r a l tist

attack

but

draws out but

color, is the and is in

the

O all

white. of

Now many a man might this ? He h a s in d e e d he has not U is also $

think,

what

behind

u s e d a ll

a n ima l,

plant

Menstn a and yet or Oleum O O

a c h ie v e d

a n y t h in g . distant

The reason or extreme in the

the Jrto

something

. For-ru 6 while truth O of

tt. or is , the

rr;e is

the most volatile

kingdom,

h o we v e r,

t h e mo s t f ix e d .

No w a n a r t -

can see the

s a y in g z E c t t e mu m n o n p o s s e e o n j u n g i , that is , " o p p o s it e t h in g s cannot be

e u m altero u n ited

estnemo eine

me d io ,

without

a medium". inspected between O mountain and O, red is stars. but mines will q? Seeing The first say: that 'what O, is

Now anyone who has not kind the of first a medium is matter indeed of there all

subterannean This

and last a medi.

matter

love

each other!

true,

not without

um. Now I will there is

show you clearly O and G,

what a great . Are you well

and wide difference aware that O is smelt-

between

2L9 ed out of the earth, of ore, and how a small likewise quantity is extracted is brief from a out? interG of O O , HowIn be-

hundredweight If

how great reveal

a quantity to you in

thrown what Count

you know this, there

I will

honestly

mediates or +

are between first matter

@u ancl @ of O

. Namely these:

as the do not

, and for , but the

the most distant Q lar body) .

(r here ever,

mean Ctr or Q (D as the last matter

consider are @

and also after through (o r:

the most extreme. O or +

tw ee n there Understand, its is

these midd le turns into

t h in g s :

c o me s Ar s e n i c . + loses it

sulphur;

long

digestion

co m bustibility not yet T his fixed, arsenic however, finally kind, sulphur then,

and sen s it iv it y but turns

d e lic a c y ),

n e v e rt h e le s s ,

iirt:o a volatile, in t o a ma rc a s it e of

mercurial t h ro u g h t h e me t a l

and hearry ard ige s t i o n . For maraccording of a metal. The more stonier

se n ic.

turns is the

f u rt h e r o r g o ld .

M ar ca site, ca site to th e ir is

n e x t ma t t e r in t o a me t a lr

digested

ds aII

ma rc a s it e s g ra in

one more tha n a n o t h e r, and arsenic bodies

h a v e a f ix e d in t o

Instea d , fi xed ,

e v a n e s c e a n d t u rn

d ro s s . the

these

b e c o me , o r t h e mo re a lk a liz e d , becomes, g o ld cannot to the a s it nobler is

the Acidum or vitriol allic it

and sulphur

and more mett h e mo s t f i x e d Uy a n y * to death asd

becomes, as may b e s e e n wit h body, and so den s e t h a t acidum is before lover with of it

a lka lize d Th is l ose is a ll

be attacked eat it s e lf (p ) so far have to vitriol over s o u r,

because the its virtues the O

mo re lik e 1 y wo u ld

g o ld

s u rre n d e r. in

From this, wish into a tely but to dissolve

the Art

sees that

as he should turn would the O

gh" --r- @ Then the and the

, he would spirit of

marcasite, its not like

or vitriol. radically

inunedi-

s p irit @

d ra ws it in

in t o

a liquor, ' its

othen^risewaters, it

A nd alt h o u g h can yet

a it " o lv e s from

a rk a riz e d , to

strong

be separated

them and reduced

220 former But, will if state O as it is had been previously, bac k a g a in below, that in t o it s namely into f irs t a fixed gold. ds gold

turned

@, Z t e ma t te r r into vapor. a liquor, This

be discusseed reached in the

further its form origin, of

and from there is, If a mineral now the

has again riEes thus over far

liquor

a vapor.

gold into

has been processed his body, it

and aomeone wished to him, the

to have it is nature 6 t ill

absorbed

w ou ld be adverse imilate for plant feeds this into

a s it

a min e n a l body),

e o rro a iv e .

To asslook the

animal the

(the

he must again This but is

a medium between kingdom.

animal

and mineral

kingdoms.

Because man cannot from the animal n a t u re

consume any mineral, and plant a n d t h is kingdoms, v e g a t a b ile

largely

on substances O into

he must mu s t a f t e r kingdom, for by

cha n g e the

a pLan t into

wards be transformed means of appropriate the

an anima1,e. Thus the mineral becomes pleasant

intermediaries,

and homo-

g e n e o u s with

animale

d s I h a v e s u f f ic ie n t ly anotherr with Dp to the

s h o wn . O n e m u s t a I - , , highest, and not at will I pre-

Irrays go frorn one medium to once take repel pare w hich the most volatile will

the most fixed. when they

My teachings learn it that with

many and they the is gold very the with little

be astonished

arsenic. diffe re n t

But w:hen they f ro m a rs e n ic r of aII V

prepare o r wit h

oioum, H s u lp h u r o t $ * ,

or w i th poisons, weaker phur is

strongest do not

corro s iv e s har-m man at arsenic, void it of (g)

they to

a re t o t h e m n o " t e . rt h o s e is so they think! Perhaps * I know that although it it is sharper. Sul-

them than totally

although arsenic, and arsenic and mild

also

always of it.

has some The corrothe yet a-

arsenic sives are

surrounding likewise these are

comes out they

so sweet all the clear

that

cannot

attack put

sto m a ch: nother the

si mp le lover eyes.

p re p a ra t io n s . of the Artr to

S c i' L : enable that

f will him to gold

plan

before with

look is

thrur of

darkness

I have mentioned

born

22L
vi tr io l, into with Gsulphur, in the arsenic. propei these way, rf n o \ r, s o me o n e wis h e s it to c h a n g e go l d (degrade it)

he must drive

back again the gold

precisely

same constituents la b o rio u s

by which e f f o rt o t h e rs .

has grown, I wi l l not

o the r wise

he will

have a v e ry

a n d wo rk . E a c h will

use the gold's to find the as it of

own prime ones.

e s s e n t ia ls , Let

but

know how

correct ls

someone but

consider in t o

l-he Lapidem Aneeno n e ma s s fr o m e stone, gentry gold take but into into will let the a brittle become any one

i 'ea le n , qu a l

called

w h ic h arse n ic gold.

h a s b e e n me lt e d and Mert 6 the n io .

pa rts

sulphur,

O f t h is very

dram to half the gold heat

an ounce of to glowing will often

stone

rapidly. mix

Pour the at

glowing

molten

mass and they ff it is

together

once and turn s u lp h u r, it

sub stan ce. qu ite so r t

re v e rb e ra t e d a f t e rwa rd s

wit h

oP en, like of acid.

iron,

and is

e a s ily

d is s o lv e d

wit h

No w let

everyone is

examin e t h e s e ma rc a s it e

p a rt s ,

s u lp h u r, it s

a rs e n ic o re will Let

arra S show in this

Fo r an ti monium the te st,

a noble

G )b " . " rr" " or s ilv e r. to

each timer

oD g ra in three

o f g o ld

h im g ive

mass,

composed of

these

constituents

an animal and then

(now everyone see just half a how

kn o ws that m uch it

antimonium

and a rs e n ic a n ima l

a re p o is o n s ! ) e v e n if

actually

harms tha t dran. the

g iv e

a dose of

dram or a whole Sulphur a m an h rere to m etals, the or if

removes all reflect

poison t ru e

from

arsenic o rig in s

and antimonium. of g o ld and other is one with it s learns

rf

on t h e take

p rlme

he were to

t -l: , eMin e ra m S o lie , c h a n g e it Frorn this its

wh ic h

o ther

metals, -nof

he coulil (En, ZZ or arsenic, into

imme d ia t e ly O nis.

b a c k in t o the reader

prime of

matter the thus

through

properties it is

how quickly a better

poison

can be removed and

transformed

substance.

The same can be done

222 with?: ameliorated safety . rf it is refined (or: burnt) that it with sulphur, its far poison is greater are improvnie, ete ete.

to such an extent It

can be used with

than ever before.

is the same when such poisons ( Et' 7;, & @U, this, +

e d w i t h w e t sp i ri ts, We will

su e h as: - r t-

conclude this

long chapter with which is a true

and thus the plant and. Janue kingdom, and, viee

kingdorn has been described;

hermaphrodite the plant

between ttre animal and rnLneral domains. Without the mineral can never become homogeneous with i s n o t in his r ight m ind if

the ani:nal he tr ies

o e ? a a . A n a rti st cine fit without for

to mak e a m edi -

human beings and animals by utilizing or usinE plant more wibl materialg without

rnineral materials animal things. But,

plants

enough of this,

follor,v. Let us now turn be greater surprises

to the mineral

kingdom, wtrere there will in the previous kingdons.

given than was given

223
FOOTNOTES

( a)

This nitrous-salty spe cial technical tetm. P. 277 ff. V ersammlungereden,

e a rt h n o is t u re is c a lle d L o f f a s by a S e e Ro s ic ru c ia n V e rs a mmT u n g a n e de n , X I , XI, P. 280 ff.

(b) (c)

From where the said vapor took its origin and that it had contained the prirnordial constituents of all created things, has been shown in the XIth of our Vensammlungeneden, which we can read up on there. plants, Whoever would deny that the mineral vapors penetrate conferring upon those that stand on mountains not only greater strength and durability but also bestow upon some of them a medicinal and on others a poisonous power, let him but take a look at the fpoeaeuaneha. This is because it grows on West Indian mountains and obtains from the rising arsenical spirits its emepower, which is well known. tic or vomit-inducing The good Homepus takes a great deal of trouble to prove the growth of fir and other trees on high mountains, but presumably the sucking-in vessels of the bark and leaves and reconducting of trees, which Bonner and Hales have so well proven, hrere unknown As many leaves a tree has, as many to him. The former says: Since, tongues it has to take its nourishment out of the air. of food paraccording own system, the air is full to the author's to the leaves of trees all the more ticles, they can be supplied without in such high places like mounhindrance and frequently ta in s,'which are very mu c h e x p o le d t o t h e o p e n -a ir This is an incomp a ra b le e x p e rie n c e , which everyone can do himself. wh ic h is re lia b le and

(d)

(e)

( f) (g)

Elmong This has even been recognized by some modern authors, min er a l ogis ma ll in h is notes others, c/. F. Henkel, wh o rig h t ly link t h e c o n n e c t in g t h a t ca l writings, Dresden 1 7 5 6 . 8 . P . 4 7 3 , a in connecting consisting in stones is a very tender saltiness wit h h i s . l i t qu a lity per B . Howev e r, h e a g a in s p o ils e v e ry t h in g c o nn e c t i o n t h is c a u s e h is o p in io n , tl e "blr-bed hooks", wh ic h , in which without consist, to are supposed and of which the salts anything of conceive cannot scientists natural these excellent Salt I wis h t o d e f in e s a lt a n d I s a y : for instance , e 1 se. If, pyramidal, triangular, of cubic, is a dense body which consists prismatic particles equipped with small barbed hooks that etc., and cause the solidity embraCe each other, lock into each other, understand what I mind will of sound man to the said bodiesr Do since in my brain, I am insane that believe wish to say but rather when things. all created to propeity attributed be this can Ptt as a body which is supptied to all bodies by th9 air, I descriU" 6 into after it hal come from the upper spheres and been coagulated engendered in the sea' from but is chiefly a magnet by the air,

224

there it is conducted into the earth by certain springs and is made serviceable for all living creatures by means of certain mechanical manipulationsr so that it should serve them as food, balsam and the preservation of their constituents, and is necessarily found in aII bodies and can be extracted from them by means of the separation as the last (thing) in them and the sticky moisparts of aII created things ture by means of which the constituent are so to speak kept together as with a band, and linked. Then they understand. If o n e sa ys i n a d ditlon that it ie of a tr anepanent, e" As tal l i ne f o n m, e o l u b l e i .n u a ter , etc., ever y r easonable man can under s tand. Commonsalt is the foundation and basis of all salts in general, ttrerefore also in particular that of Ni.ter, of which llelli,ng , Pa r t I, C h a p te r 2 , P ar . 9, P. 5I, wr ites so beautifully. Otheryise, our Brother Homerus's reasoning is very thorough Take and of great importance, as will be seen subsequently. note of all words and apply them in due course, the benefit will not fail to come.
(h) Damerion, about A e t ra l pouder L n P lu n e n o e k , P. 25L.

(i)

This is again a hard nut to crack for the and those who do not wigh to adrnit that sicists of one kingdom can be transformed into those of although our author indeed proves the contrary t h i s Go l d e n C h a i n .

corpuscular phythe constituents another kingdom, in many places of

(k)

The whole Aurea Catena of our blessed Brother Homerus is an fruit proof of his kindheartednss. It is a fertile irrefutable what a glorious light this exof Christ. of the true Imitation cellent book would not have shed among God-loving and Art-loving truth seekers in aII nations, if the chil,dren of darkness' less clever than they think they are, were not blind with seeing eyes They consider the author too patriarand deaf with hearing ears! also - quite naturand therefore chal, verbose, incomprehensible, ally - too tiresome. His praxis is too laboriousr too tedious' opposed and unusual. In short, the whole work is dianetrically to the taste of the greatest scholars of our so very enlightened century. We will here not examine how far our age is rnore or less Your proud self-conceit, But, you foolt enlightened than others. or your own imagined wisdom, does not change the Just, immutable' These our unforgettable ways of Nature. truthful and infa.llib1e Homerus has ingenuously taught, not counting on our thanks, with without roguery, of dealing eincerely, the honourable intention with the talent entrusted to him by the Heavenly Father, accordBut as the ing to the sweet law of pure love of Jesus Christ. his teachings must ways of Nature are aE old as the rcrld itself ' your taste, that isr.moalio be patriarchal and cannot be after dern. Consequently, the cauae of ttre disgust uith which you look upon them is not their eubstance or the style of the author - for avenues, even if who would not rather leave the most beautiful joy pleasure toward the eyer and they smiled nothing but order, can discover knows he he quite on which for a natural sidewalk your alas! corrupted in outn, but goods and treasures? essential deeply hidden as which is not truth holy taste which resists the

22s from you and all ( f) worldly-wise ones as it is hated.

This is a beautiful a n d u s e f u l wa y o f ma k in g v in e g a r. If it is aftenrards concentrated over quicklime according to the method (d), beautiful, described above in Chapter XfX, Footnote sweetenin g vinegar is obtaine d . T h e me t a llic a n d min e ra l s u b je ct s c a n (metals) are turned also be sweetened i.n another way, if the first into Cn , and the 6 put into ai'alembic and made into a tincture by the fol_lowing Menstruo. p o u r t h e -3, V upon trre SaL Rc. eP P .I.V f t is s . P . v iij. , tan tani, then pour up o n it P . iv . + f t will v in i. not effervesee much, and when fermentation gradually is finished, add to itl F P . iv. Let it d ig e s t , t h e n d ra w it o v e r p e r Re t o rta m , a n d you will have a medicine an{ somewhat sweet Mensttuum, to be put into the alembic with the nii. But with the said Menstruo 6 a littte @ y Caput mo t t u u m s t a y s b e b in d . Dis s o lv e it wit h t h e Menstruo ana-diglst it for seve-raL /2 . Then distil, and everygo over. th ing will No w y o u h a v e a ra d ic a l a n d e x c e lle n t Mensp ro v e . tr uum, which experienc e will T h is is a ls o c o n f irm e d b y our author, and he reasons about it thus: vinegar is "Distilled jugt the right of medium by which p has entry to the tincture v e ry n ic e ly d is s o lv e d - T h e wh o le A r t c o n O nii., whereby it-is a re b ro ug h t t o sists in this-that 6 (a n d a ll min e ra l p ro d u c t s ) (E u Then a ci d . s a lt a n d d is t ille d by means of t h e v o la t ile e or by V and essence and a tincture it can be turned into a liquid no t otherwise. " This is qF$te an incomparable way to improve, to sweeten and g duTe.qu it e to render h a rmle s s r B o t h a t it c a n b e u s ed s a f e ly and to gre'at advantage. What dreadful poison is H+ , but Ba eiliue V aTentinue n e v e rt h e le s s ma k e s a n e x c e lle n t T a ls a m ior wounds with this horrible corrosive and with An?fMAW. yet, hidden in t-h.e Butnym there is still povrer and media far greater cine for thg.severest internal and external diseases, and it is th e right vitae o f P a n a o e L e u e s o t h a t t h is me d ic in e alone r Q ju stifies thb lniunpha n t Ch a ri. o t . B u t t h is is h o r it is do n e : Rc. 6tuj., t b iij, e a c h g ro u n d t o a p o wd e r se p a r a t e S+ Iy, then mixed well-tog e t h e r a n d p u t in t o a we ll-lin e d , wide necked retort, and moistened with .:l' or JL Distill it O tri. in '.'.-' with a recipient, through aII four degrees (of fire) until everything you must also put some burning has gone over. Finally, coal on the retort. Tlhen everything has gone over and has cooled,l J\ pour lE' of the strongest off , gradually O r so that everything dissolves into a beautiful red and is turned into a bloodr ed juice..This must t h e n b e c irc u la t e d t o a n ic e g we e t n es s w i t h sufficient upi,,noeue by frequently pouring and on fresh---o9 drawing it off again. If t-h.e upinoaue goes over weakly and the sweetness does not come on properly, . When it is take fresh.-oquite sweet. everything in the retort must be driven over pe? se two or three times with a eubtle degree of fire, in sand, very gently and slowly, in a wide recipient, can be so that everything

(m)

226

( o) contrd. and all marcasites and metatlic ores that have not yet experienced A , they aII give off an acid (E, ie O tnous vapor and Aeidun in a strong fire. Since it is a true statement that, according to Nature, everrything must be dissotved into that in which it originated and from which it had Bprung, we can easily understand why rninerals yield so readilv to acid solvents such as.-r\ O l|e, and aor O Ot Li, 4- nis, , {l} , V? , Jlnie, etc., because they can easily be brought by therir into a salty, vitriolic, nit ro u s -wa t e ry state. But suspect and poisonous are all these strong waters (so the unwise bellow with all their night), because they are all corrosive and the worst enemies of human nature. This is the reason why many alchemists solvents look for nothing but insipid with they wish to deal with metals. in his unBut our author, p ublished writings, t h e t ru e i d o l s c a lls t h o s e , v e ry p o lit e ly , gods, who allure of EBRON and their subordinate the seekers away f,rom SILO until source they are forced to return to the right o f Nature. It is ind e e d we ll k n o wn ^ t o u s t h a t O , by means of its mere amalgamation with corrnon H. - provided it ii often repeated - can be dissolved to such a-n extent that it can be transformed into volatile 6 in distilled vinegar and \/ , and that it can almost be completely spirit driven over into a volatile by means of a retort. in the This process is clearly described G erman K eeleno Rediuit s o , F ra n k f u rt , l7 I 3 , ft is a in 8 . , P . 3 6 f f . tr ue fact that Rupee e ie s a t h in k s of go1d. it is t h e t ru e s o lu t io n It is therefore not wrorig to ask how this effect comes about since even GLauber ca lls it h is wh it e p o t a b le g . o ld ! S u r e l y , from nothing elsil'i[FEhe mineral acid, covered in V more thin in all otherg yith little earth, which is very subtle and is introduced by in a penetrating way. P But to return First, one has to know to the corrosives. what a corrosive is, o r a n y / c i, d u m. f t is a s u b s t a n c e , a n i t r o u s e ssence mingled with o o o o r g re a s in e s s : which has a d is s o lv e d O been turned into a liquid or moisture, universal or the specified j uice of salt. fn a rlo rd : t h e t ru e , u n iv e rs a l made Uo n ld S p ir i t , visible in all three kingdoms, the animal, the plant and tangible and the mineral, Just consider the vast immeasurable space between heaven and earth, and investigate to see tf it does not contain salt; which c a n b e p ro v e n wit h c e rt a in ma g n e t s . T h u s , what need is there for great elaboration? In Hungary, around Lake Neustadt on the Austrian border, not far from Wienerisch Neustadt, there are villages where the farmers, there, early in the morning, or at sunrl-se, gathe r p e c k s (a p e c k = 3 . 4 4 lit re s l. of e congealed by the air and th e e a rt h . T h e y c a ll it a rild e a lt p e t e r and sell tt guite cheaply. This is a true air-salt, whlch is daily made corporeal and presents itself visibly by means of an earthy convenierit magnet. gfhen this is distiLled, it turns into a L rA eorrosive spirit. Co n s id e r me t e o rs (ra in , s n o w, d e w a n d h a i l , e t e l . Doesnrt one find a fine sulphureous salt during their dismemberpu t re f a c t io n ? m ent, after thelr I t is t e n e in imu m O tni O which, however, is surrounded by and wrapped ln much excessive

227

( m ) co n t'd. well joined together. In this wdyr one obtains one of the most exceLlent medicines a n d t h e t ru e f , rrrlrg s t f . it e wit h a ll i t s it in the AneEfD7XES and in his Povters as PARICEISUS describes C Laui of the tenth bo o k . f t s d o e s is : I rZ , 3 rG rg rl0 d ro p s i n w aterr or any other ue h t e u L o T h is n e d ic in e p a s s e s t h ro u g h t h e en tire structure of t h e b o c ly a n c l d is s o lv e s lrr. G . e . b ir n s o ff aII tbe dross! - E ilN) untnosus: 3r, 9? pour it oyer two Lots one quart; V (one rotrc:-o 777'is equar to a-harf-oirnce) of t( and as much.$az llartati. Dra w it o v e r 'J u s t t o t h e p o in t o f dr y ness and it will b e re a d y . There is stil. l a n o t h e r S f irit rf S in e wh ic h a ls o d i s solves quite well, is ma d e f o llo ws : a s f , r: g B and F +! cnud. aa two r.ots, $( one guart, rectify this two or three times, but not guite to the point of dryness. w i th also Th is just the corrosiv e + g (o rip me n t ) h e a n d a u rip ig n e n t makes a Menetruum t o wh ic h h e a s c rib e s v e ry g ie a t v i r t u e s . is to be made as f o L lo ws : Take aunipr)gment ana$.*.t6 +bj ie ci +bB . Each is to be made separately into a ? . Mix them together rapidly and place into a re t o rt t o _ wh ic h c o n n e c t a re c ip ie n t . With half a guart of-thp. best I distilt it ec anena very gently until att the h a s g o n e o v e r. T h is is a n e l c 6 f l e n t rii E """ Menstnuum, especially if it is s t re n g t h e n e d wit h --r1 - I J i s . , about one fouith. Then it will dissolve common O into ooa , and when it is drawn off by B.I,t. and some -tt- v2f,ni is poured upon it, it dissol v e s t h e @. t o a h ig h re d a n d s we et - t o - t h e tongue substance. L ik e wis e A E n is a n d a ll f in e me t a l f i c 4 (n) This our Sons of llisdom know perfectly welI, because - when they are asked: Wttich are the noblest creatures of all Nature? They reply: !tan, ltine and Gold! If asked further: Of what use is Ifine? They answer: gold potalrle As a nedirn for nakiry and for transfoming it into a nedicine! Among most authors there exists a perpetual controversy as to what homogeneous solvent of should be added to the creatures to the animal kingdom, to make them acceptable the subterannean with human nature , imki'ngdom, so that they nringle internally and can be unipowers and virtues' part to it all their effects, kingdom takes harm. Now, however, the mineral Led with i't without arsulPhurous, aluminous, vitriolic, in a contractive, i'ts origin Des c o n c u r in t h is ' (s e e : Not only d o a rl writ e rs se nical acid' Salomonie, Augsburg 1n1qee Bauen, under ttre heading ?hiLosophia p examin a t io n a lio s h o ws t t ra t t h is k in g d o m i s h e l d Zi., l 7b 3, B , y9Y dist-l for-if by nothing but $nall aci{ic together Parts, -@ M. B ; s mu t h i' ' c o b a l t ili , the , A rs e n ie lt m, 5 , , O d

(o)

228

( o ) co ntn'd. water. Therefore it is the will of our great EERI.IBS in his ithat Enenqld Table'!, the superior" should be re-born "into g ine body, to make it fixed ffiEeiffi E that is, into a and remain A proof r and to make this bodly, soul and spirit eternally together as a glorified body. This body can therefore penetrate al} bodies and places without harm, and it can act in them as well in A as in the cold. ft is the most beautifull symbol of all the faithfulr ds after death the soul will again assume its body and will be able to penetrate everlmhere with such a glorified body. Everything of a saline nature can again be condensed into a fixed, fireproof body, even if it has become a volatile spirit. For example: Consider the most volatile El e i how it can be instantaneously be made corporeal by- a pleasant an d highly volatile a c id , s u c h a s , a mo n g o t h e rs , , an d c a n V( increasingly approach fixity. Consider all aeids, how much they ys, and ar e in love with the v o la t ile a n d f ix e d a lk a lin e s a lt s , in themr so as to become corporeal how eagerly they penetrate them. (p) The first a n d me t a ls i s a r cons t it u e n t o f a ll ma re a s it e s fn what mineral exsenic. or metal can we find common quick D y o u will cept very rarely fnstead, f in d A n s e n i and a c c id e n t a lly ? e u m and + in each o f t h e a f o re me n t io n e d , b e it lit t le or much, bu t usually in quanti t y . de in P o p p . Nu re mb u rg 1 6 8 I , 4 , P . I I , I r . S ee .fo. A grieola Ar eenteo, P . 997, whe re it is writ t e n : a re a s o n , o n e " l{ it h o u t should not be suprised t h a t t h is min e ia l is s o c L o s e ly r e l a t e d but in their to they are almost sprung from one spring, that , 4 effeits When sulphur they are almost opposites. is drawn from g o od and pure pyrites o r g o t d is h min e n a , it is n o t p o is o n o u s . powAneenteum, however, is in'its whole substance and exceedingly poisonr so strong that almost no antidote can be found for erful when it it in the whole world. However, it is a lRLng of tledicine (when properly prepared-HldMl is corrected., one graln or less of it It is peneh a s the most salutory d is e a s e s . effect in c o u n t le s s that so intensely trating and tinges spirit the blood and vital it becomes capable of dispersing enemy even the most pernicious from the body; which other medicinesrlacking this pohterr :cdn you find never accomplish. Therefore, must search in every way;Eo $ lh e re d o e s o u t how its poisonous n a t u re L a n b e a lla y e d . 6'" harmful effect and its emetic nature come fromr- except from the ree xcess of arsenice it c o n t a in s ? Ne v e rt h e l-e s s , e r so closely poiIated to it in the sideline, d all being the tnre corlector scrlcf,is properties l(irydos, haE the por'ver to take in the t[ree from it all harmfulness mediit into a curative and to transform cine. This may be seen in the Lapte de Tribus which can be g5.ven to cattle in a rather any harm, but strong dose, not only without to great advantage, Not only in the mineral, but also in the animal Kingdom does A wield its power by removing the poison fron aII poisoneach ous anlmals and transforming it into curative medicines,

( q)

229

(e)

cont I d.

according to its kind. spread + upon a very poisonous toad in a p o t w i th a l i d . P l - ace a stone- atop the lid, so that the toad, if it is alive, does not escape being driven by pain. Let thus the toad be burnt by the surphur, and it will turn into coar. Powder the eoal, add to it again one fourth of A r then let it again gently burn into ashes. Now draw the e oEt wittr s7 , filter and coagulate it. Give four to six grains te a man suffering from dropsy or who has trouble urinating, and you wilt see t h a t i t i s h a rml e ss, and, you will at the same time r ealiz e that eorunon A can also ameliorate animal poisons. f

(r )

This mineral, which is not without good reason hetd in high esteem in our sacred brotherhood, is called a worder animal by EaetliutY alent'btue, wh o s a y s : T h a t it s h o u rd b e c o n s id e r e d o n e of the eeven wqrders of the world, since not a single man had been found before him who had fl.nally learned all about its virtues, its powers, its operation and its effect, and had fathomed its capability. S ee his i ? t f u n p h a n t Ch a t io t o f A n t t n o n y ' , wit h ? h e o d o r Ke r kringiuat annotatl,on s , Nu re mb u rg , L 7 2 4 , 8 . , p . 4 0 f f . Al t h o u g h this i's not quite conformed to truthr ES in our school of wisdom the powers of th-ls superb creature have been known for several thousand years, yes, already by the ancient Egyptians shortly after the Flood, tt is neverthel.ess no true that in our circle one had gone so far irr Jts dlsmemberment as just the Philosophica l B enedictine. B ut ju s t a s o n e s in g le ma n c a n n o t s u rv ey e v e r y th ing, and can easily a d d s o me t h in g t o a lre a d y d is c o v e re d t h i n g s , there have been vari'ous scholarly men who have added something to the preparati'ons here and there, some of them, taking improving the praiseworthy troubl,e to elaborate on them with new explanatio ns. A nnong these men a re l e s p e c ia lly , A le n a n d e n o o n S u e h t e n , ,fohann Agrieola and fheodon Ketkringize who have discovered variprocesses. ous not unsuitabte Notwhithstanding all this, no one surpasses our worthy in-God-reposing Brother Eomenue. Therefore then, ln order to show the world how desirous rre are to actively help its poor sufferlng inhabitants, as much as can be done without breaki'ng our sacred yords, the best of these processes will follow here: Some golvents which can be used to advantage in dismember(f), in Chapter XIX, Footnote ment have already been printed (m). , (n ). T o t h e m ma y b e a d d e d t h e C hapter X X fI, Footnote and

f oll o w i n s :

per gnadus also as is them ln a retort as per- custom, and distiL will but a pure Liquon. Keep Then be no Butytum custonary. there in an alembic. Pour thi's, and set t-he Caput Montuum to dissolve the disti'llate draw it over once again, and this is back upon lt, to be done frequently, the Caput ldortuum flow in always letttng the cell.ar, b a c k o v e r it in t he r e t o r t . and pouring t h e d is t illa t e go over ffnally, Thus, the entt're srrbstance will and it is a direct tineturelessence and Menetnum. NB: ff it comes into a sweetthen half of it ness ufth I or circulati'on, tllrough cohobation which is is left has to be drawn off - or evetythipg together for the o i+ a e o f P a t a e e l& t s , better. sti l l Thus one h a s t h e f i_

p-rr- Q

p .r v- *

p .vr .

o % @ - zt' p , r v . ni x

230 (r) contrd. cure of many diseases, of which something has already been reported above in footnote (n) . True , Ketkni.ng in his conunents on 1cbe lniunphaT, Chaniot, Page 132 (s) , uses strarpened wine vinegar on which he placep much hope in ttre extraction of the redness from the vitro YeL all 6 nii. that does not compare with the llenstnrie whi.ch our author teaches, among which, is--the use of

(c) P E A LA JA. ASA . (f) The vinegar The vinegar from it. from

"-ttoogetreous a powerful fat and and unctuous unctuous ltenstnn. ltenstnu, vi.qr ol of its sulphurous sulohurou in vi.qr vi.gr.r sulphurousoily acid, which shourd not only disiolve but the 6 also distil it. Now however, the folrowing points require speciar consideration (a) The glass frcn anti.mony, (b) in connection with:
(d ) T h e re d J lo n e rs o f a n t i. n o n y . (e)

orpiment and E+ powerful

.J

r"rie"[l-i;r-ts

requires

The A The from 6 from fixatic f ixation. and a n d it its s rig right ht (g) The true purification purification (hl phil5sophic of tT'e Stqn tl-e Stgnetstay. from the regulus of antimony. (i) The LtrpIS IGUIS. k) B a si l i u s V a Lentiuue teaches the said Vi.tr un t nni qui te clearly and wlthout any reserve. But one can arso make it in another way and epeeify it as one wishes, with whatever additive one li'kes. Concerntng that, the following two methods are e sp e ci 'a l l y w o rth y of consider ation: T a ke fo u r p a r ts of R n*: er ud., one par t of ca put M ontun of 5r Let the nr f I ow to, co 'l cothar 0r r ed calcined A. g e th e r, th e n pour them out into a Q - basin, war m ed and g re a se d w i th some suet. Thus one ob- tains a beauti ful bl ac k b l a ck-b ro w n Vitr un wher e the sgul of O" is conjoi ned too. If th i s V i trum is m elted with;; Bor ax, it will bec om e sti l l mo re b eautiful and fixed, so nuch so that i t m el ts I i ke w a x a t the light of a candle. Rc 6 e n u d . lb.i, Let it flow. Gr adually add 6 ed c or a l s, cra b s e yes, gr ated or bur nt har tshor nr cil.cnn y i y an, ca l a mi 'n e , S teatite, calcined 6) sigiLL., bl oods tone , ? e tc e tc. 0 f these, take ,.4I b. or f our Lot ( two ounc es) ; me l t i t, a n d you will obtain of each a special V i tnun. N B i 0 n l y o n e of these is taken for each kind one w i s hes to make . (;.. i l Oon' t ni x a I I of them! ) (b ) Wh a t th e A S A of Baailiue VaTenttnue is that it i s an ex ce l l e n t re n e d y for all exter nal diseases, just as his P E A L A J A is for internaL infirmities, has been known for a long time. But since not everyone can sueceed in his preparations, the public will be grateful to us for indicating a short, easy and sure way to prepare themr is also their correct useage. R c S e n u d .. P.IV., Caput M or tuum ea r R. P.I . , oF , i ns tead C i l ce n vi vu , which is excellent for exter nal injur i es . l ,l i x th e m to g ether and nelt them in a cr ucible unti l i t me l ts l i ke w ater . They will tur n into a black- r ed Vi tr um a fte r b e i n g pour ed into a heated pan or mar tar . Pow der that V i 'tru m w l 'th six times as m uch SaZ ?antati or potas h. l - l elt i t a g a i n l i ke water , pour it out, and it will turn to a ye l I o w i sh mass. Powder thr t and mlx i t wi th oi u. P. IV. I
..L

+?

?31
(r) co n t'd. Cement it very h o t in a c ru c ib le s e v e ra l E , t h en l i x i vate it with ho t V f ilt e r a n d b o il it it , down gently , to a g in an iro n p a n . P u t it in a h u mid p la c e or - i n a cellar, togethe r wit h t h e p ih , a n d it will b e c o me a r e d dish balsam, Liq u o r o r 3 o K e e p it in a n a le mb ic , a n d the A s A is re a d y . Of such Liquor, one Lot (L ounce) and 10-12 Lot of fleabaner or plantainr o r S e h a a y (? ), o E t iu " z e Z (c a n o t s or roots), pimpernel, conmon celandine, scarlet or heathen anthyllis ! , or also only lime\ , that is, only one of these r.raters must be mixed with the Liquor. With this, one washes wounds, injuries, eancer, t u mo rs , d ry a n d mo is t g a n g re n e , s e v e r a l t i m e s a day. It is injecte d in t o f is t u la s and one also a n d c a v it ie s , puts a doubl.e cloth moistened with it over the injury. By repeating this often, b e a u t if u l a n d wo n d e rf u l e f f e c t s can be seen. But if this treatrnent should burn or stingr or hurt too much, it can be softened with more of these waters until it no pain longer causes a burning sensation when an injury comes or into contact with it . Of the said Liquc, a very excellent ointment can be made with olive and other o ils a n d f a t s ; and of that, a p rec i o u s poultice for washcurative can be made by adding wax. The V ing the wound, the ointment for assuaging and removing the pain and heat, the poultic e f o r h e a lin g . (e) It in the is the same with P E A L A J A which can be improved following ma n n e r; 4 Lot *., 4 Lot cnemor 6 n ii p u T o e v ie a t i, B c: 4 Lot (Cream of Tartar), ri. Gr i n d a n d o f L o t O F E 4 t o a p o wd e r. P u t it a ll i n t o a n mix everything in t o g e t h e r " i, alembic, pour o n it o n e q u a rt o f s t ro n re d win e v i n e g a r . Let it stand for o n e mo n t h in a wa rm p la c e o r in th e O , stoppered with p a p e r, a n d s h a k e n we ll e v e ry d a y . T h e n a d d h ig h l y r e c to it ong-quart o f s t ro n g b ra n d y o r o f n o t -t o o \y tified , an d le t it s t a n d a g a in f o r o n e mo n t h i n a it a n d it i s r e a d y . warm place bu t NO T in t h e s u n . F ilt e r The Dose: 6,8,10,20, 3 0 d ro p s in e o n u e n i. e n t e v e h ie u lo . P E A L A J A c a n a ls o b e ma d e v o la t ile , thus:

Me l t 6 p .t. with or +C eo fi.co P.vI. and 'i t O F "t w i l l tu rn i n to a cinnamon- color ed mass..Pissolve that i n good# it, distill it to an 6- 0 ; disso l v e thi s , fi l ter i g a i n fo r th e thir d and four th tim es yith fr esh V , deThen also pr oc eed ca n ti n g i t -e a c h time in BIr or u ad dc Mix Finally, dr aw off the V to oilines s . th u s w j tn rl ( th i s o i w i i i renr a si.giLlata T h e n d i sti l l i t per gr adue i T h e re su l t w i 'l I be a yel I ow If d e si re d , th is can be fur l g re a te st sw e e tness, and thet i n e ss. N o w o n e has the r ight medicince, flawless, the v i r tu e s o f w h i ch ar e descr ibed by BasiLius VaLentinus . N B: T h a t w h i ch h a s been dr awn off is also a kind of r a di c ated Me n stru u m a n d has Vir tutee r adieatee. These two pr epar a-

{P

232 ( r ) c o n trd . ti o n s d e se rve car eful consi der ati on, because the Sal ts b e i n g th e b e s t Aper atioa and fneidenti.a ar e conta i ned w i th i n th e m. (d) The Red Plorrers of Antimony - Although Baaili.us Valenti .n u e a l so te a checl how to pr oduce them , the f ol I owi ng pr oce ss i s mu ch mo re vigor ous and is done thus: dp.i.i., o Flos. R c: 6 p .i i ., P.I. ( Linatun lr ie them P.t:i) t' tix them well together and * e ru d . P .i .v, ,f o n ce , tw i ce or four tim es, and the fLones will r i s e dar k on cri mso n . l {o w let these flow into a Liquor in a c el l ar , a g l a ss p l a te . This l,iquor is tur ned into a tinctul e w i th th 6 a f o rb n re nti oned \7 - , ( ttr at i s , the so- cal l ed / ur i no e n e , se e F o otnote ( n) above) . It has unbelievabl e pow er s for fo r p u ri fyi n g the blood, for abcesses, ulcer ations , i n te rn a l o b str uctions of the glands and the ner v es , c ata rrh s, co l d feet, infectuous ipotted fever s ( or : ty phus ) , th e p l a g u e , etc etc. I' then these FLor ea ar e separated fr om th e * w i th .qz , they ar e panacean. They no I o nger c aus e vo mi ti n g b e cause their ar senic has been amelior at ed by the fl .crre rs o f sultr r tr ur , but im per ceptibly pur ify the bl ood and th e w h o l e b o dy by their subtle evapor ations, and they hav e th e yi rtu e s which Baeilius VaLentinus acr ibes to hi s fi x ed 6 D o se: 2,3,6,8,10 gr ains in eonveni,ente oehi euLo. (e) To make # from anti.uony, many have troubled in vain, or else they have been unable to accomplish it according to their d e si re . B u t i t can easily be m ade in the following way : R c: T a ke Mi n . Er yng. O ni,i lb.io., @v aung.,l b . ts i i i ., ni, if you like. Pound ( gr ind) and m i x o r a l so fi a e e h. I putting the mixtur e into a lined l etor t and th e m to g e th e r, - r bceivei se t i t i i tn a into .' .: f or twenty four E r. Drive i t w i th th e f i r st a nd second degr ee A. , and the 6 w i 'l 1 so me w h a t o p e n by means of its own sulphur ic acid and that o f th e a d d e d 6, Let i t coo' l down, and if somethi ng has and ri se n i n to the r eceiver , pour it back into the r etor t, p o u r o n i t six ( 6) quar ts of *i Let it digest for one qui te ttre mo n th , o r l q ss,- in a flar m r oom. Then, distili fi g e n tl y i n .'-' you wi sh, Jou can di sti I I the v er y If now i tro n g .-rr-@u t- nto this- - lhi and 6 , which caus es no !3r i m gives you at all, but even mor e llenattuum' and a l l i s O you i ze d . B u t i f do NOT wish to do this, then keep the vi n e g a r se p a r lte, add another r eceiler or iust the s am e bi g w i th o n e , a n d cb l l ect the - .r r - ( Ev and ^ 6 "nZsipar atel y ( Er l y di s o' o u s ual l o w of ar e a o r stro ng A and as - aex T hen has be finished. ever yt!ing t.- o ti l l e d . In 2 48 lV x and c oagul ate with fr om the tra ct th e e , filter g l a ss its tw i c e or it in a dish. Rectify distilled - ath re e ti me s over the salts, after digesting it p r ev i ous l y e a ch ti me . T hen the vinegar is r eady. Now use it as Bas i l i u a te a ch e s.

233 (r) c o n trd . (f) fn re g a rd to the $ of 6 , Baei|ius m akes it wi th a sharp lye. Yet, it is made more frequently, and more faster in the following way: + R c: 6 e tu d . P. I . , potash P .io. oel ui. Gr i nd them tog e th e r, th e n me' lt it in a cr ucible to a V consis tenc y , th e n p o u r i t out into an ir on pdh, and you will hav e a ci n n a mo n -re d mass. Now gr ind it to a powder , bo' iI i t up in V i n a n ir on Fdh, and the O in the lye will di s so 'l ve . F i l te r it Lnd pr ecipitate it with + ' h or a ny other a ci d , d o d th e 4 A ir i t t ial I to the bottom. Sw eeten i t w i th V u n ti l eJl the saltiness is gone. Now dr y i t, and yo u h a ve th e $ O in quantity. Filter and coagu l ate th e T - e d l ye and you will get an impr egnated e , w hos e d o se : 2 -6 g ra ins, is to be mixed with the opening m edi c i nes a s a l so a mo n g the Enemata for the har dest constipati on. Not everyone knows the technique of making this fixedr Ers + B a e i 'L i ,u s V a l e n ti .n za obser ves. W e wilI, ther efor e, indic ate here the following method which is reliable: Oe o mm. and A R .i aa 4 Lots. ltlix it well, let i t f l ow i h th e -cru ci b l e like \7 Gr adually add the afor em enti on'n i i , well dr ied, to the flow,3 Lots. Let i t al l e d +6 fl o w 'to g e th e r dur ing tim e of two or thr ee Patenthe r ye1) the s al ts . n o e te rs a n d e uLs. Then p6ur it off and lixiviate (T h e Ge rma n teat aeem s to indicate that a TAe is m ade i n th e p n o ce ss o f uaehing auau the salts. - HnNEdulc or ate the su l p h u r l yi n g at- - Ehe Sottom with v until all its s al ti pour n e ss i s w a sh ed away. Dr y it and put it into a r eto r t, i' o n i t tw i ce i ts weight sf Jr - Ou 7i, and dr aw it off stro n g l y u n ti l it is quite dr y. Take the dr yied s ul phur o u t, i a l ci n e it well in a cr ucible and look at its c ol or . In me d i ci n e i t i s a PA\IA?EA,better than the com m ondi ap h o re ti c re medi es . Dose: 6,10 l5 gr ai ns wi th or wi thout a ' , wine, soup, etq. But i t S p e e i fi e o , to be taken in water if i t i s d b e s h o t a l w a ys cause noticeable per spir ation u se d i n o th e r diseases. (g ) Wh a t th e S i g n atstar is, Basilius Valentinus him se l f ex pl a i n s i n h i s T ri u mphant Char iot. Although its pr epar ati on as and clear' one or another taught therein is very beautiful u se fu l th i n g s ca n , never theless, be added to it. For ex am pl e: br oupht tialis.' R c: T a ke o n e par t of pur ifi ed ReguLi E d t; i ts g re a te bt whitehess by O , and thr ee par ts of tf S u b l i me th e m together wi th the - * , mix i t wi th f our p- gr ts o f tU o i va , r ale s.5.S., calcine it gently for - thr ee tr ' and gently c oaguth e n -l e t i t cool. Boil it down, filter tol a te i t i n to a salt, using an ir on pan. Put this O g e th e r w i th the pan in a ce' llar and let it flow. In thi s r'ra y yo u w i l l obtain a vr r lnar y balsan ( balm for wounds ) for and a wonder ful r emedy for bur nsi ow i ng to a l l i n j u ri e s, Dr y the boiled- dow n th e rn i i a cu l o u s cur ative q - salt.

234
(r) contrd.

Ma se q , g ri n cl it to a powder , it can then be spr in k l ed on w o u n d s su ch as: cor r osive inJur ies and open canc er s . It i s a n e xce l l e nt r emedy for impr oving, subduing and dr y i n g a l l th e acidity and cor r osiveness of the inju r y . C om b i n e th i s w i th the A s A descr ibed in footnote (b) abov e. p ro ce s s exists for the b of 6 thus: Saeeh. b nii., eomm . - o- o q.p. !q t R e .g uLl . 6 nii, l ,l i x a n d g r i nd together wi th hal f thi s weight of f i ni r l y p o w d e re d soap. Fir st wor k it gently in a cr uc i bl e unti l th e so a p i s bur nt, then m or e str ongly and fi na1l y i t w i l l b e melted clear and can be pour ed out.In thi s w ay o n e w i l l discover a m aleable Cor pus. If it wer e not su ffi ci e n tl y maleable, melt it sLver al tim es w i th s oap u n ti I i t Lefptngs ma' leable. Ikr kning teaches i ts us e i n h i s comrnetF6T-the Tni,unphant chalniot, pg . zg 1 . Among aII the medicines that are made from 6 there is none to su rp a ss th e the Stone IGifIS. This is why Basilius Val entinue h,as added an entire treatise on this stone to his work, ? *tu mp h a n t C h a n i ot of AntinonA, in which he not only des c r i bes i n d e ta i l i ts p repar ation, but also its effects. How ev er , there exists, nevertheJ-ess, some shortcuts and improvements o n i ts ma n u fa ctu re. These follow her e: A S H IR T E RwAy to tur n the Vi,tnum E nii into the s-toEE-ffirf The l,tin. 6 iE-ilEion-'ated accord i ng to the me th o d o f aasiTi.us Vafenti.nus. To I b. i of th i s M i .n. a re a d d e d 4 Lots of 5 er ud gr ind ever ything together ve ry w e l l and then melt it so that it flows lik e V a n d e ve rything goes faster . rO E Y T R A CT and COAGULATE W hen al l + and. e BET?ER.. th e ye l l o w or r ed color .or 4 and tinctur e hav e been d ra w n o u t of the vttno 6 , e black substance r em ai ns b e h i n d . D r y this and m ix it with half as m uch F L. +ni e. B u rn th i s on a flat Cup1, then again m ix the four th p a rt o f F Lon. + r is with it and let it bur n onc e m or e. A fte r th i s is done, extr act the e aeid.with di s ti 'l l ed vi n e g a r o r another qonvenient Menstr uo. This i s now p u ri fi e d by dissolving and coagulating it, an d i t w i l l fi n a l l y crystallize. If some Y r emains, it c an agai n b e tre a te d with com m on e , os befor e and thu s one c an o b ta i n su fficient f ? . A S T ILL FASIERVAI: Rc! Pulver ized r r l. 6 ni i ov I n i i - e ru d ., one par t, an,d 5lx par ts of potash. Gr i nd al I to g e th e r melt it like unto water and pour it off. After i t h a s co oled down, g.r ind it to powder and bo i l thi s p o w d e r w i th r V in an ir on po,f,, boil it well. F i l ter i t a n d :F i re it as befor e with any kind of acid, and y ou g e t th e sul phur whi,ch stays behi nd i n the 1i Ltr o and i n th e p a n . Dr y and nelt it with 2 or 3 par ts of potas h and l e t i t fl u x again into a water y consistency. Then s epa,as befor e and m elt what is still ra te th e + i n the (h ) A fi n e

235 (r) cont I d. F i l tn o a n d in the pan with ;e potash, so will y ou al s o h a ve th e sulphur . Dr aw its O out ( in the mea nti m e, w h i l e yo u ar e m aking the salt, you can m ake the ti nc tu re ), a n d in m aking O , you ilitt get a good am ount of + n i s O r ati ther eby.- For the imalleit c hi td as w e l l a s th e lar ger child, it is a tnr e pAilACEA w hen th e i r sto machs ar e filled with or over loaded wi th m uc us . It i s e q u a lly effective in com batting wor ms. Dos e: l , 3 , l 0 g ra i ns ta ken wi th sugar . I t i nduces gentl e v om .i ti n g , e sp e ci al ly i n chi I dr en . B a si ,T i ys V alentinue extr acts the above menti oned 4 fro m 6 w ith vinegar ( of which ther e is a fine de!cri p ti o n g i ven in footnote ( e) above) . He dr aw s that d o w n a n d e xtr acts is again with \} , then unites i t w i th h i s e , I Lots. l,lhen the extr act weighs l b. j , h e ci rcu l a te s it for som e tim e, then he abstr ac ts i t to a d ry p o wder , out of which he then dr ives the o'o bel o n g i n g to the Stone fcnr s with a str ong A But thi s i s n o t a s good as when it is only dr awn off to oi l i nes s , ml xe d q u i te dr y w- ith 5r sigi,LL., and dr iven in a r eto rt i n a n open A . Then you will obtain the abov e me n ti o n e d oil per fectly pur e and ver y beautiful. In a d d i tJo n , i t is im pr egnated with the power s sf qr ' ei gi l . A s fa r a s his H fr om antimony is concelned, upon- w hi c h a fte r i t h as beEn v ed with ihe r ight oooqE- Li 4 t1" , th e sa i d congeals and thus the famous stone i s ac co mp l i sh e d . Also, ther e ar e m any other pr epar at i ons kn o w n fro m it, but it seems that the one used by the a u th o r o f ?r iumphant Char i.ot i s the one pr efer red to he unites ( as indi c ated a l l o th e rs. |,|ith this +- ate a b o ve ) th e afor esaid ot d nii and congeals it i nto a powder . Although thi s fi xe d a n d impalpable ( or : liquid) i s a b so l u tely tr ue, one can also pr oceed in the fol l ow i n g h ,a y: One takes the t= , dissolves it in di s ti l l ed w i n e vi n e gar and then cr ystalizes it. The cr ys tal s p ro mp tl y u nite with the c' . This m ixtur e is p ut i nto a n a l e mb i c with a head a a r eceiver is luted to i t. It i s se t to digest gently unti I i t coagulates and c ong e a l s i n to a soft, wax- l i ke, fi r epr oof stone. Thi s i s a cco mp l i sh ed thr ough the evapor ation of the exces s mo i stu re w hi ch dr i ps, I i ttl e- by- I i ttl e, i nto th e r ece i ve r. Here some stubborn alchemists, who assert that the entire Eumidum must be dried up without the least wastage, wi.I1 prick their ears up mightily. Howeverr w need not concern ourselves ove r th i s, b e ca u se Panaeelsus, clear ly indicates this pr oc es s i n addition to our Annulo Platonieo, t eac h that an d E o l l a n d u e , the moisture can be drawn off, otherwise much time and expense would be lost-fn olr L}.e Vitrum vessel might even coagulatirg, burst, because NB only the saltiness can come into t}:e Coaguwith one body will r etur n to one L u m. F o r a l l sa l t spir its extent that they contain volatile body or g the namely to , to dr y uP or w i l l do sa 1 t. T h e e xe e ss water will be difficult so very slowly.

236
( r ) c o n trd . B e ca u se B a si l l u e Valentinua has described the right ooo OLi. d tts for the + tion of the Q nii 6 nii., it can be done very well in the following way:
Dissolv-e, as m a n y a s y o u wis h , c le a n ly lra s h e d s t e el f i l i n g s in good -tt- (b' Li, and d is t ille d bJhen win e v in e g a r mix e d lo g e t he r . g ra d u a lly a ll or most of it is d is s o lv e d , wit h \ 7 iF E lo s o u n t i l , th e solution turns rub y re d a n d n o Dc rre , NB o t h e rwis e t h e c o r p o r eal besiE OT t will lo s e i t s r e d a n d t h e s o lu t io n dt will co 'lor and turn gre-en. llh e n t h e s o lu t io n is a h ig h re d a n d i s fil t e r a n d d is t il I it u n t il sonewhat strong, a t h in s k in f o r m s . Alternateiy, it can b e le f t t o g e n t ly e v a p o ra t e u n t il this thin Rc : I' l h e n y o u skin forms. Following s e t it t o c ry s t a lliz e . t h js , (E , p u t it in t o a re t o rt , pour on it h a ve one- pound of this (o r: c o h o b a t e ) . f o r 2 4 8 str ong a'o. G, Li, ,-4lb . , le t it c o n jo in Af ter thi s, di sti 1 'l i t t h ro u g h t h e d e g re e s o u t o f ^ t h e . ' . ' . a n d y o u p h it o s o p h ic will have a very fine, ro b le l t ru ly @. ' c ,.sweel o n the tongue, which is u s e d t s 5 = t h e a b o v e me n t io n e d \ 1 , and . s a p ie n L i s a t . ca n also become a mo s t p le a s a n t me d ic in e wit h I Wtroever wiehes to dtain let him take ttris LAPIS A faster, tri Lst or 2nd ButAtum 6 nii wLLt. the Jr- O the above mentioned in the manner sweetened V e , (See above note 'n'') add his p r escribed it u n t il the a n d c irc u la t e by B aeiLiue Y a le n t in u e , sa lt is dissolved in it . T h e n . le t h im d ra w o f f t h e V to oilinii according to the above inness. add the crystals of g 6 in a n d f ix a t io n , f t t h ro u g h d ig e s t io n d icated weight, coagu la t e previously, with a head in an alembic fitted the way described liq u id -lik e - w a x a n d a receiver, it t u rn s in t o a b e a u t if u l until sto ne. In this way on e c a n d e lig h t o n e ' s min d mu c h f a s t e r ! work with As an extra, I will set down a very excellent If the said Butyrum, the above mentioned Butryum of Antimony. rrhich has been made with g6s -r'L O tni., united or not united ei, with I in the same weight with .'o ,e , is conjoined (which has been congealed with quick $l and dissoLved per deliquiem ) and is mixed until dry with brick and coal dust, and is L iq u o n g o e s in a r e t o rt in a n o p e n A the n distilled r d rl a c id ic over. This is both a me d ic in e a n d a Me n s t n u u m wh ic h d is s ol v e s th e O fulninans. t{h e n it is d ra wn o f f t o d ry n e s s in B .l f l . a n d q bloodred solution tiesimo, t,,lneReeiduum is sweetened with 9f is le f t behind. a wh it e an d O potabile is ob t a in e d a f t e r X Me n s t ? u u m , is d ra wn wit h t h e ju s t -me n t io n e d Ou t of this, the O the^red man united with its red A , and thus one has conjoined nii. with his ntrite wife.The same process is used for Vitro 6 B y this elaborate , b u t v e ry u s e f u l, a n n o t a t io n , the kind reader can judge how ready we are, in so far as our sacred duties of the order permit, but al+ to serve not only our dear Brothers, public, so the entire with our talent bestohred upon us by Divine Tilisdom. Truly an I convinced that some physicians and apothecaries in love with their methods, will have little old tired thanks for our unselfish However, I love of mankind. also know that the conscientious ones among them - of whom there are still many, praise be to GO ALUIGETI! ! - will gratefully and recognize our efforts will benefit from our we ll-me a n t in s t ru c t io n s .

237

GHAPTER XXIIT
()F}ITI{ERALS THE BIRTH CONTITU. IS, AI{D OF TIHAT I{HAT
THff COIISIST, THEY EI{TS AND I}ISSOLVED. IIITO ARE I{HAT

TRB||R SETERITIOTIS UEGETIBILII

That not + I here do not but discuss it is the usual prirne beginnings that s p irit , they should ares H , surprise an d 9 air,

anyone, ; the

here understood s o u l,

volatile,

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and body;

he a ve n ,

water, the in

and e a rt h . birth of minerals, objectioris I know in advance that at the many

Describing a man will However, throw after

some big

inunediately of

start.

he has obtained and end, he will more.

aome knowledge nevertheless For the reader

Nature,

her origin, and think

development, the matter correctly one inch. for ing it. also the

become pensive believes in order, mineral

over that

a bit r follow

and reasons not giving in

Nature

and proceed their

tlany authors benefit of

have published

descriptions dependunderstand have

the world,

Bone clearly, could but

Bome obscurely, make the each. world

on their I do not derived

conception hold

and how they contempt, from them,

any in

praise

f myself

much benefit otherwise done to

and have received Because the over the

many a light writing coal of or even so

when I would books is to for reject the not

have become stuck. haul this or that

author

him. best of stick

No, but the

each and all atthough to t h is of

who have written Lt does not or that follow

books did that v ie ws .

world,

one must Instead,

n e ce sd a rily if one puts to

stubborn ly the the

a u t h o r' s

together

views

learned and basic

men, one can occasionally understanding, which had

learn

recognize

intention

239

cauaed doubts Indeed, not occur to

for

many years. are elected to another. to the Senate, for what does to-

many senators one' will

occur better did

Likewise,

many authors

gether his job

explain well, or think mind.

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one has done aII the

know everything, as every minute

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Consequently, and this the goal. lik e it

what has been omitted one or that one explains himself also

by one is it,

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upon his previously wr iti ng s. and there ted on.

reader Let

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unattained If will ff

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another worth in teach the

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everything,

perhaps

I am giving that

good practical

some good technique

may become useful Before continuing, usually

to many. however, describe f must here say that a great in the many follow-

philosophers ing words: Vapors clefts this of tur ns

the origin

of minerals

rise

from

the

center into

of V

the .

earth,

adhere

to

the

cold

mountains into boiled the

and turn

In dissolving stone

the n a t u re r

earth, or the that are is

a vitriolic-s a 1 t y down into earth , do not sulphur etc.,

o r a lu min o u s and metals, etc.

afterwards var ie ty vapors or what of rise, is

according

to

subtle they origin

T h e y writ e

c o rre c t ly these

but their

explain

what kind

of vapors

and property. a young student can still not derive

From such descriptions

239

much benefit, but how far

because they differ

such vapors from those

also that

rise

up to us into in into the the earth

the is

air;

remain looking

known by all of the great

those

who have practiced Therefore, about it, if

entrails wish to

Demiurge.

your

kind

reader, the all

obtain

some knowledge

mark and consider seed of not only

following, things in was this spirit but

as I have mentioned V also and.rrin the of in the

above:

The universal This is

beginning. Chaos,

proven

regenerated invisibility. This

and we have shown how this same way everything turned into

comes out out

rn the Nothing,

has sprung or V ,

of Nothing. the

however, out first one. waterr and kinds center,

vapor plants,

in which erars Iatter, In V ent

lay hidden, -rgrew subseguentry, the however, the from a fixed

of which

anirnars,

and minthe

two from a volatire

seed,

chaotic in all

primordial waters

ds well of

as in

the

regenerated two differworld

r ds also salts in

earthr visible

tr find or

their

innermost as well

the

tangible

spiritr

or male, is,

as the

female

corporeal

seed of that

the gracrothis is

cosm, that the first of are

saltpeter

and salt. not yet

W have confirmed specified with that and not the

universal, aII all sublunar in allr

though

separated, Chaos in

matter both

things. irs it

Together

regenerated are found to also

has been proven a n d f ix e d , subsequent that is

they

e a ch an d alL ence in that their

subjects, digestion. in itself

volat ile This

a c c o rd in g test will

t h e di f f e r confirm in It with all,

they

are all in

all. the

A thing nature

and should of all

be aII things.

must contain must also

and property copulate

be able

to unite

and combine,

and conjoin

240

aL1 things the se

indiscriminately. niter that yet

In the

general

view but

of t h is

alchemists is the not earth so. in

two salts, fact

and s a lt , they

a re min e ra r, in

Because the mountains eince the they

are dug out, that the they sea,

and under

does not are also in it the would test

prove in

must therefore in lakes in the

be mineral, waters on

found

and other animar

earth,

plant also

kingdom and also follow result all that they

rearm. No! three

Otherwise But,

are animal are

or plant. in aII

as the

and its as in in all

shows, they

found

ki ng d o m s as well fore rightly Againr eral kingdom all

u n iv e rs a l

s u b je c t s , are or found

and they in in all.

a re th e r e -

because they find any salt

w do not that in

subject the

the whole minor plant Saltpeter animals, can

would their

be homogeneous with transformation, but

animal two. in

kingdom, and salt

exceot do not

these

cause any substantial the plants.

change either Man and all

human beingsr take saltpeter

or most of and salt

animals

as food.

Plants

can tolerate harm, except

saltpeter that litt1e their and

and salt, weight not

likewise

minerals,

each without into

and measure must be taken the are right

aecount.

Not too These sa1ts,

too much, is

measure and aim. great

saltpeter

and common sa1t, ing th e power; but

an exceedingly

fertilizing

and sustainthey are

as soon as they of all thing s .

assume an adverse (a ).

guality,

de stroyers Against

them one should so-called latter

put

vitriol salts.

and alum, Like

which

are both man

counted cannot in his

among the consume the bodyr

mineral without

the

former,

displeasure

and a great

change

65 littte

as he can consume mercurial

or arsenical

24L

subjects. If of we give (hr,

Even plants to an animal,

do not

desire

thenr

ES they but one or

die

of

them.

a dog or a cat, it will throw

two scruples great or plant throws

we will In it the

see that

up or

change with on a tree once again

disgust. and see if light aII their nature, by which That first out

same wdy, pour perish.

such a solution Therefore, and salt this

does not fact that

upon the sublunary nature;

saltpeter

are homogeneous with the is same as of their

creatursr and they

and what is consist by it; is

homogeneous is that of

and grow of and that that in the is of

which

and are they of

sustained sustained they

which they is

they

grow and

are

which

have emerged. indeed their of

which

sprang first

beginning the

matter,

and the

matter every la s t ,

beginning returns

and origin to it,

everything. the fir st will

In dissolution become the both in salts,

creature la s t

so that the set in first. to rocks be

and the

o n c e a g a in are

However, w or k differently and mountains. uniform. cated in

Saltpeter

and common salt, d if f e re n t ly disposition, and plants

aminals

a n d p la n t s ,

a g a in they

Tf they

had one single of

would

The natural their proper

guality chapters, that

animals but

has been indidescribe the origi-

here we will a re n o o t h e rr vaporr and @

also or

disp o siti on nated in in

of minerals, anything but

they or

have not

an acid

corrosive (f,

or more precisely, , together the earth with is salts is

a strongly finely

fermented dissolved acid is,

and acidified by the latter.

earth

The subtler earthier

made by these become (that the metal

juices,

and the

and more fixed the all earth, the

the purer

such Aeida they produce.

become) through It is

which

known to

natural

scientists

242

tha t

not

only

animals, the to air

plan t s , sarts

a n d min e ra ls

a re

s a lt y

in

t h e ir

interior fixed

and that according the

are either

more volatile of it the each, is but

or more it is arso sea

t-he genenie is nitrous it is the is

& epeei.ei and saltyr known that

known that and all !s

known that is salty will

the

are

salty; this of

earth scientist at

within con-

and without. cede that ence, sa lti er , and mostly at the least earth of in is life litt1e the

Since parts

true,

a natural

macrocosm are the center of the of

salty

their

circumferstill s a lt s of the

or mush; that

the rnacrocosm is a s p ro v e n ,

since the

from the vap o rs fixed

c e n t e r, often

ones - are also Now someone will spring,

engendered admit that

and born center but

part.

also into

the

no crystal-clear flows,

which

nothing

w ater

becaus e o n e c a n s e e t h e wh ic h v a rio u s

e h a s ma t a t e v ra ru m of ru b b is h f lo w fn

as w ell in to the get pool th e

as aqua?um, through center, just

k in d s

as in ma n rs a n d o t h e r pure and impure, This

a n ima l' s

s t o ma c h . foodstuffs foul salts. and the

same way, various into the roots of

sweet and sour mixture help of or the

plants.

chaotic the

cessThe

causes a great the center

fermentation is fermenting,

with the

stronger steam will

stronger

the

vapors to

be.

These vapors through the

are carried of the

from the e a rt h . vapors water. of the

center At the

cir cu m ference the of thickest rocks,

in t e rio r

s u rf ac e ' the walls is more roots the

and strongest and stones rises to

or most fixed and turn the is into

adhere

to

earth

That which earth into

volatile, of air

however,

surface s t ill

the

the plants, and reaches

and that the

wh ic h

mo re v o la t ile The most volatile

b re a k s rises

int o high

animal

kingdom.

243

up into r ain ,

the

air,

forms

fog

and elouds,

and these

in

turn

produce

d ew, etc. r tc. Such vapors are saltv, because the the sarts, center is salty, by the and by rain, the re-

its rise

fermentation in the the

and heating vapor.

dissolved these

form of sharper are from

The nearer

vapors

are to

center,

and more caustic it, the sweeter

they

are.

The further they

moved they they lose

or milder

become, because of is it, while it

most of the

their

eorrosive

and most fixed Sinee that

part

permeating attacks fi r st

earth

and rocks. it

corrosive

sharp,

any earth dissolves by the

and rocks

may meetr

Do matter u n t il they

which,

and always away or cor-

the

open o n e s a lit t le , that salt rise

a re e a t e n

dissolved rosive it ea ts

vapors

up incessantly. or -..n- O

When now the attacks v it rio lic , the

as a volatile itself to

acid death

spirit

earth,

an d b e c o me s c o rp o re a l, earth is. On the

or alumithe the earth ea r t h is made

nous, is

depending

on how the is

other

hand, of

d isso lvedr the

ds the.-c-

c o a g u la t e d . to

T h e p o rt io n disscilve

which su b tl e, gu h r r the

corrosive

has been unable in p a rt . o f me t a ls , to is

completely, c a ll so, it

dirty, or the

and greasy first matter

A lc h e mis t s but

a me t a l l i c is

wro n g ly

because it

first

and nearest

matter then

sulphur the very

and arsenic. nearest matter

When arsenic to metals, from this or dirty and is guhr submore

becomes marcasite, because metals which stance is is only

that

spring the

directly matter

from marcasite of metals. rising

and not This guhr

distant finer

made ever

by the

corrosive

vapors

and more dissolved. congeals the corrosive

And the more it within itself,

becomee subtle, and that

the more it eulphurous

makes it

244

and arsenical. si te ,

This

arsenic in

is t u rn to

increasingly in t o me t a L .

ripened s u c h is

into

marca-

a nd the marcasite which

t h e p ro g r e s s

of metals,

we intend rise

show ever more clearly. the cracks and crevices of the (whire intermingled alchemists and and

when the vapors rocksl they turn into

into

water

because of This which in

their V

condensation contains is the

more and more rise spirit to of salt

unceasingly).

and saltpeter, Here,

spirit the

kno$rn by all it is

be corrosive.

hoyfever, and water. corrode

center,

eurrounded to rocks

diluted earth t1 e ,

by much Phlegna by their sharpness, sticky,

Such spirits and dissolve

adhere them, then

make them subin t o a moist

sw ollen, lies

grea s y

a n d d irt y , rocks

a n d t u rn

guhr which with bacon. to

between the it

and the

earth"like due to

meat interlarded the swelling and The vaout runs the con-

But often the wallsr

penetrates

outside

adheres

ds may be seen in such dissolved

o1d galleries earth

and mines.

more dissolved pors the and salty remaining the This

and refined spirits, moisture

becomes through and driving this moisture of

the more it by this elsewhere

swells, In

pressing turn,

swelling. into other

back to earth. tinually adhere

center

or

corners

and holes

swol"len earth

or guhr

now has no peace, are attacking the earth; it

because the ever more,

rising to it,

and subsequent congeal'and vapors

vapors

coagulate

with

and the more the earth and lasts.

such corrosive becomes.

follow,

the more fiery, it becomes, the

sulphurous higher drier it the

The more sulghurous it drives off,

swell-s, longer it

more moisture The drier part loees it

and becomes the the more the

becomes,

trowever,

sulphurous the

component name of mer-

its.combustibility

and thereby

acquires

245

cury, acid ity. latility,

or

rightry, It

arsenic,

which but

has originated is s t it l

in

the

sulphurous This heat so that earthy but vobeit

no longer is

bur n s , gradually

v o la t ile .

(b ). central

however, stones, into

more bound by the congealed If the

tween the is

and thereby

and coagulated, digestion in t o or

transformed is strong, it

a marcasite. is is

central if it

he a t is

the marcas it e what it

c o n g e a le d

a me t a l;

weak,

remains or pyrite.

or becomes a marcasite

or arsenic

choke-damp,

Now one must know that made A + or arsenic,

when Nature

has got the swell

so far crevices that admit

that

she had

she has already

filled to

and chasms crevices

and dissolved are full to

and caused so much earth the brim. Then the no lon g e r in earth

the

does not

any more vapors the desic-

or m oisture, ca ti on , n a tur e su r e s

and is

d is s o lu t io n .

No w b e g in s to

fixation or fixity.

and coagu la t io n , This fil t in g of

a n d p a s s e s f ro m t h e re e a rt h c a v e rn s , c e lls the

a metallic a nd f i s hon-

c re v ic e s wit h

a ppears they

to me like are fuII of

b e e s f illin g it .

t h e ir

a lit t 1 e

e y un ti l Nature

Then they another,

c lo s e

c e 1 ls .

L ik e w i s e ,

sends one vapor to swell. with that to their a third the here to it,

after This

whereby f u ll of

she causes more and a n d is a re in c r e a s so much

m or e e a rth i ng ly fi lled

e a rt h

is

a c id it y

so th a t

t h e A e id u m a n d t h e really see what they The acidity differs

e a rt h

intermingled in regard into indeed that are

one cannot primal

had been before, earth have first.

matter. which

and the

formed It is

substance this

altogether thg

from the

same with it is

birth that

as with more fixed, works in

animal

and plant,

except subjects

planned

harder the

and stonier as those:

be made.

But Nature

sErmeorder

246

for

she first

forms ever

soft

parts

from

soft

and moist them into or tree

vapors,

until just

she advances as the subtle'

further juicy

and even hardens young oak shoot as stone. First, rf they it

a stone,

soft,

hardens more in mineral they they

and more into creatures, gat much or becomes ever solid. If

wood as hard is this:

The difference

however, little

depends on whether get much corrosive, little, they

corrosive. rf

they get

more fluid. get the pure

become and stay subtler make. they And less

they

subtle

earth the

or

rock, is that

and the they etc.

can make these, again, they ing the work it,

more noble the is, earth render the metal and central

metal

grosser it, that baser

the it

corrosive ever

spirits

and the

subtler

and nobler

by dissolv-

the the

is

they heat

make. is, they

Again, the less

the more inadethey stuck are dried, and turn into

quate

digestion

coagulated marcasites, ores. ta1lic and too volatile, th e r to

and congealed. pyrites, if

Therefore

remain

arsenical, digestion if the the is

antimonial, strong, it

biernuthic produces

and suchlike stable and me-

Instead, ore. strong

Again, at

digestion the fixed T h is is

and central is indeed

heat

are uneven but not

outset,

earth

dissolved

and is a metallic

inunediately nature.

and coagulated c a lle d

and advances furs u lp h u ra r etc., the such etc. earth get in-

E n b ry o n a t a

ASr Bolu s, If the

bloodstone, is are

eme ry r t h e ma g n e t t T u t ia , start, however, vapors

c a la min e so that

digestion

weak from the soon filled

and her caverns side, degree open, they of

and the

can no longer get

go elsewhere. the central (E fire,

Because the it pyrite, stays

earth as it

does not started,

a stronger and above.

volatile

such as,

, iron

etc.,

as has been reported

247

But

if

Nature

provides of

the the

same grade year,

of

heat

throughout metals ,X, the

the with I.

four the From

Beasons or divisions

6he makes nobler suchas,@ ,D wit h in

h e lp o fth emoderatecorrosives, th isr they Elrl artist says can "judge

t h e d if f e re n c e

h u ma n rac e . , ' a s all human beings, Each can

lllany heads' not one like

many minds. another, in this

Although

we are in

we are yet

especially

our minds.

eee Godrs greatest so many millions millions three Just in of

miracl.e

human race, and yet like to there

how he had created are hardly in one, two among two or

human beings,

and millions let

who are totally alone in regard

another whole ra c e ,

ways even, a s Nature

their in t h is

body organism. s h e a ls o does

makes great "race". It

d if f e re n c e s would

the mineral

be impossible

to describe

every-

thing

- let

everyone contemplate
one marcasite the difference depending

it

himself.

One @,
not 1ike

one arsenic, sider of itg only

and one metal_ is in O ; how it is

, one + another.

, Connuances

found

in various

color,

on whether

it

is created pure or impure by than another; the same for C ,

Na tur e .

Thus also,

otr. )

is finer

d,

+,

, afs o S
minerals. earth

-one

is f in e r t h a n a n o t h e r r

a n d lik ew i se

among the Just the ve ssel, vapor or

baser as the of is

and rock in wh ic h their

are the f o s s il food.

mother ore A,

and foundation, are mader so

or

minerals O

bodies

-n-

t.t.s is

or vitriol.ic

Auhr is

the root,
metals,

A '1.
the

and arsenic
seed, the

the stemr rnaf,caSite the flower

birth and offspring.

or blossom,

completed

That guhr, if it

G,
is

is first
lixiviated,

born of

and arsenic

can be proven by
Then one finds

f ilt e re d

a n d c o a g u la t e d .

248

a vi tr io lic'salt I do not bought eall it

after (D

the , not

k in d that

of it

e a rt h is

that

h a d b e e n d is s o lv ed . Q, can be "" or alumi-

common green

from

shopkeepers,

but

beeause it

has a vitriolic

no u s ta ste. That metals, orr if A + or b arsenic , )f originate and L of it , in yellow this way (because in 4 t" the white

such as sor very

burning

seldom found and alu-

litt1e ),

b u t mo re o f t e n

wh it e

a rs e n ic

minous @, or O d u n or followed ti l e the

can be seen during is d riv e n of by A,

dismemberment. , it the d is t ills arsenic,

When ttre Aeif irs t . then rt the is vola-

sour vapor flowers

by the

sulphur, ma rc a s it e arsenic,

then

m a rcasite. is

The fixed made from

f lo ws

in t o

a re g u lu s be Been in flowers nature

and slag. dismemare quite

That marcasite berment, arsenical of a r se n ic. That metal be seeir by the grain of perfect

can again driven

because bismuth and volatile,

and antimony and, also

into

have the

total

and guality

is fact or

made from marcasite that almost every in

by a tedious marcasite the

fixation, off

can

gives

a fixed

imperfect of the Art

metal

assay. Nature advances from to

Thus the gloriously one extreme

lover

sees once more that intermediate volatile

and beautifully to another, but

through

stages vapor of with

and not its kind

from the nature. is

an ever more and more fixed and animal taught that vapors, is is the the this guhr root

In comparison True'

the plant have

vapor

fixed. matter of

many authors

or prime and mother error

of metal. but

Some have also because they did

added that

metals;

not make any distinction,

and confusion

have arisen

from those

249

statements, every if

of

which

the

lover

of

the to

Art

knows no rray out. the mines,

Not and even have ore

alchemist go into of

has the one of them. the

opportunity them, not

go into of

he did

one out

a hundred

would

any knowledge and the metal. rocks, Further

He may well ore is black

see the mountain and white and it off after what is is and is also

walls, this

the or

that

that to puts

he cannot But

penetrate, if he breaks one thing and judge if t h e re

impossible ore,

do by mere rooking. it in the fire

a specimen of another, they are

and sublimes those parts

he can then and of it is what acid, + and smell. is ar-

further the y

examine

co mprise.

rn generar, if

E o me rig u id , it is

vitr i olic, arsenic. A +

sulphuric; is bit

t h e re

a re f lo re s ,

g e n e ra lly and acrid

recognized of arsenic quickly

by its to give

combustibility rf it

Give a little senical.

a dog:

t h ro ws butter

up,

it

Thereupon

him a lump of

and mithri-

date mixed together. Marcasite but th a t is known by the part fact that it or MeIt does not & I these rise tat, as high, has risen porreguwirl The

a volatile

su c h a s c in n a b a r feces.

above the more fixedl tions lin e turn latter wise and the m a ss. in part feces is

- oVr the together,

sublimed

and you will

obtain

a brittre, b o we v e r, is mixed.

This into

the ma rc a s it e . with of which the

T h e mo re f ix e d , the stone-mother

slag

causes a good part turned into srag slag, it,

dead head and the metal The dead head, (fixed) is however,

to be likewhich metaland

and glass. is partly

settles Lic. In

among the refining remains.

marcasite, off

partly

the ma rc a s it e

d riv e n

t h e me t a l,

the metal

250

That many writers

fm e tal

have carred

the root if kinds.

or prime matter

a
6

is not totatly

wrong, especiarly

they understood under other*rise, however, rn

the marcasites is a marcasite

vtay a lover always higher of

or the marcasiticaL which got stuck for

alchemy can sooner the fire,

rack of more ripening.

reach his goal:

this

because the part fol-

volatile Iows at

goes ahead in heat. that metars salt.

and the more fixed

Above we said tual vaPor or

are born

of

vapor,

of

a salty,

spiri-

spiritual for

We added that as r did is born above, of to salt

such is

a corrosive. remind the and the salts

Now r wilr reader that all that

take all

granted,

and again

and everything will

and saltpeter, and salt say that in

and everything dissolution. mixed into in

be reduced is the

niter

u lti m ate also

B eca u s e t h is the center vapor of

k n o wn , f earth. central should

these

reside

They are fermented flre. very Because this nearly wa t e r, it call but f it

and driven vapor

a volatile of saltpeter

by the I

consists

and salt, ro y a l

Aq u a n e gis will likes: leave

maenoeoemi, the the naming to it

min e ra l alchemist.

p rimo rd ia l Let

every

him call vapor:

what he salt

Some call

the mercurial

and sulphuric

the

they call

, and O
there is

sulphur, etc.
a hitch, dissolved namely, corrosive screams the that I eaid that is Nature a point al-

But here ferments against chemists thing

and produces which the

salts. contrary. but

This

whole world to

In general want

do not

wish

know of

any corrosive are

to have everythis

sweet of

and nice; the

and yet

there

so very

few who possess It is

treasure

sweetening

and t-h'e Modum duleifieandi.

this

25L

that

the whole world contradicts.

But how can I prove this itr

against

general opinion, never find according oratory

since the whole world is against in and on earth in a natural and that

and they wiII form, that is

a corrosive to their

way of understanding Answer:

of the common 1abthe salty water

workers!

I have proven above that

vaPors rise

again from the center

to the bowels of the mountains, it, coagulate guhr.

adhere to the earth

and eat themselves to death with whereby they turn into

and congeal themselves, fhe Aeidzn dissolves Vfhen an artist that s uch sa l t

a greasy turbid coagulates

the earth, admits that

and the earth salty

l.,treAcidun.

vapors rise, AII

he must confess suc h a di s -

i s a d i ssolved O tts or
of

salt. tr i,
or tt"

alchem ists call of salt

s o l v e d sa l t.;\
ff. then admit cially it is

O
salt O

a spir it
saltpeter, and Q tnl

or saltpe ter .
they say and espe-

a spirit that--flspirits

whichever, are

themselves if those

corrosives, from separated

are

separated

and rectified spirits they are arei

aJ-I Phlegna from wa-

and excessive teriness, ness there the is,

earth.

The more those

more corrosive the less the

and caustic corrosive is

the more wateriLet someone pour

noticed.

one lb of

-trthe corrosive said spirits

o O

into

a pait

of water and then see how much of one swallows a few drops of the Vehieulun, one can

he can sense. in a spoonful

Even if

of water or any other is milder.

already

see that

the corrosive

Why then should the great

mass of water corrosives the pail

in the earth

not dampen and hide the sharpness of those that it cannot be noticed? Instead, if

to such an extent

of water which contains of the water,

the corrosive will

is concentrated become ever greater

through and

evaporation

the corrosive

252

sharper. Consequently, insensiblethe guantity of the water renders the corrosive

This blinds

Messrs the doubting Thomas-brothers so reason and main foundation,

much and detracts that they will Therefore, or rocks,

them from the real

never get behind the true prime beginnings of Nature. as 6oon as these corrosive vapors reach the earth the earth by dissolving it.

they adhere to them and attack they turn it into a vitrioLic

rn so doing,

or aluminous sa1t, which whichever you like, which the corro-

can be Proven by manual r*ork. -no or e , or \i(

Take a corrosive, it

; throw into

some earth

sive can attack. it; the earth will if

The sharpness will be dissolved the moisture T h en tt

the itself earth.

eirter the earth and adhere to coagulated. one

and the corrosive

learns of this

is evaporated to one-third will cr ystalize into

and the

r e s t p u t i n a ce l l a r.
salt or crystal like

a vitr iolic
the it.

By this with

@r, one can see that the earth still in the by dissolving contains best

corrosive The artist wateriness When the the

has eaten will after corrosive through also it

to death the

see that

corrosive

excessive way. into water. have

has been dephlegnratized has dissolved the head, little the earth,

possible

distil get

the moisture sweet insipid

receiver there

and you will earth

OE, if

had been too more, first

and the

corrosive

could but

been dissolved weaker than the

a corrosive that it is

may well almost all

al-so go over pure water.

so much

That this O and e

(8" or guhr is made by the universal , and not by the corporeal

is shown by the O,

corrosive

of and

salts

but by spiritual
Let an artist treat

dissolved

ones,

itseft.

253

earth wiII but the

with not

BaIt it

that into

is

not

spirit

but

body,

whatever in

he does, alL eternity; sa1t, sulphurr t h is is

he

turn

such a vitriolic any kind of

substance acid or

he could salty ysr

do so by using of saltpeter rectif ie d guhr the is

dissolved vitriol, That

or oE

spirit

and comrnon salt, p la n t made of matter. it v in e g a r. corrosives Distil

a lu m ,

any sharp

tr u e , by

and that its

the mineral into it,

must be proven that guhr or (9"

restoration from For in

prime if

Iixiviated water. disso lve d o itun . sto r e d

and look

does not into f it ,

give that in

you some corrosive it must again ? u rs u s be

what anything

originated,

and restoresz Minerals

E c q u o a liq u id

a llu d

resolrepy r i t e s , Li q u o r ,

are engen d e re d o f Let

c o rro s iv e s ,

a n d a re a g a in iro n

into

corrosives. or other litt1e. ore

s o me o n e d is t il a lwa y s

ma rc a s it e , o b t a in to

a lu m e a rth be i t parts th e y

- h e will If a n a rt is t

a c o rro s iv e know the inspect p rimo rd ia l

m uch or or prime are in

wis h e s

c o mp o n e n t them when substance

beginnings state,

of metals, s in c e

he must not t h e ir

a molten

mo s t o f fire.

has been separated If mountains the he considers

from the

them by the ninerals

and ores

when they fire, he is

come out sure to iron

of

the

and have not Let

yet

passed through take

learn py-

difference. ores copper, fire. But the it of

hirn just

such guhr a lu m, a n d le t f in d

or marcasite, Iead, it t in , wit h

r i te s, go ld ,

arsenie, silverr

orp ime n t , o! me rc u ry , ev e rlmh e re

a n t imo n y , h im d is t il lit t le is

iron, the

str o n g e st water.

He will

o r mu c h c o rro s i v e to the a ll guhr, the

more open and nearer becaus e f ix a t io n oresr so that

a metar d riv e s they

m o r e w ater moisture

gives, of those

n e a rly

excessive and

out

become fire

resistant

254

almost irrdestructible. durabre it is,

The ress moisture

a metal has, the more which has to be As long as that the can

because the excessive moisture, is a tool of the l{orld the spirit,

separated from it' moisture spirit

Spirit. it

is in the metal with since it

keeps on rousing as it

to action,

cannot operate in dry matters

in moisture. in a state

This is the reaaon why anirnals and plants of alteration and instability

are forever exces-

- because of their

sive moisture. destruction. moisture.

As they grour, they simultaneously The sErme applies

move toward their contain

to those ores which still than plants

Yet they are much more durable

and animals,

f or ins t a n c e , d ,
This all species felt is the of

9,
reason

b,

( E,

O .
ancient die philosophers, so quickly, vital seeing that than some quicker

why the and plants to }ook find

animals

others, spirit, centrated whatever w or ld

compelled did

for it

a balsamic in minerals stoner

and universal is con-

and they in

indeed

where it

guantity. is in

Each and aIlr every of ore, lif e . is

skin

and boner and and fixed, the

there or

found (c ).

coagulated

spirit

spirit

But because they and not durable, they

saw that

al,so among minerals which they

some are

instable

chose those

considered

the most

durable,
precious

such as O
stones

ana !

and almost all

in snall

precious
quantities,

stones since
they stayed

are only

available

with
Iife.

and D

and prepared

from thern medicines

for

lengthening

But every can discard

lover

of

the

Art

should of

mark that themselves

just in

as minerals a natural wdtr

their

excessive

moisture

255

he has the only

power

to but

separate also in

it

even more by the plants, and purifies P h le g n a

Art,

and not universals. he

in minerals artist

animals, divides e x c e s s iv e the spirit,

including

l{hen the

dismembers, how all

such subjects, ? e e o la e e u m is thickens, so hard doser

can see for separated trates cannot d e scr ib e therefore, serving not wish

himself

easily concen-

by rectification; sharper. It

however,

and gets

tan

aIEo be pressed in smallest

that

it

be consumed with in my other a reader and also to but

harm,

except

ds I will If preif he does and

book in A n a t o mia has to prepare his

& e o n n u p t i. o n e ? e ? u m. sustaining,

a remedy for life,

lengthening to

he has no reason, or earth

do sor

run to mine galleries run to himself. His with for very

growths

animals,

he should

own urine

and excre-

ments are powerful medicine spirit for himself

enough to prepare and his and D neighbor,

them the most glorious they contain the world itself. the in But pure B.M., for

as truly separate

as O the

and the moisture is s t ill

carbuncle

you must

excessive W h e n it the bottom

from mo is t ,

them and put d ra w it off

co n sti tu e nts and you will your health. That in the

together. find at

a treasure

above all

treasures

against

all

objec t io n s r

B t r e f f e c t iv e in

c o rro s iv e It

is

found

earth,

can be seen by everybody me t a ls , sharpness. bite lungsr

sulphur.

corrodes, I b ac k i n t o in

dr ive s their the not

and chases imperfect prime matter by its not the

e s p e c ia lly Is not its

Qf,ana smell

as sharp

nose,

and does it attack out

as sharply so that

as a corrosive? man can hardly

Does it

violently it

sweeten it

and drive

by long

coughing

and much saliva

and slabbering?

256

Is it guid?

not a nuch subtler By this

corrostve

in a dry state

than while

li-

may tre seen the difference ooo of vitriol? that to it. but a corrosive? rt

between its

own acid and

character penetrating special

and that acidity

has such a dericate it unless

one eaRnot berieve

one pays

attention

w'bat else and corrode all

ig arsenic metals

Does it O

not eat through and 2 ?

and does it that

not ven spqre the subterraRean

Can one not eee clearly caustj.c unless in some places that

vapors are so

they {rive If

the miners from the mines, there clothes is no corrosive in

they are reedy to suffocate?

the earth'

why then are many a minerrs them in F

so eaten away as if a

he had marinated certain If epot?

r as 6oon as he but leans against

one considers

the nature

of the subtertranean waters and a good.amount of them through disdlurn; vitriol, and

exannines them, and concentrates til-lation saltpeter, corrosives? a little, injure

- such as the warm baths of eulphurl Likewise And if the warm acidic eprings,

are they not extended and heat them just not

soneone wre to concentrate them a dead chicken, together

then put into and peel off

would the golution the skin

the feathers water.as

with

and flesh? would

Sweet, and also, salt never do 'this.

they are,

on and above the earth'

One can indeed see it in euch waters, he often they attack

in the raw: his nature

When someone bathes too much and skin violently, peels. Acidic so that waters df-

Looks quite

horrible

and his,ekin one drinks

cause a similar

reactj,on if

too much of them, since,

257

ter

the

death that

of

a patient his muscles like

who used the were guite

aeidic loose

waters, and eo soft

it

has often as if he them

been found

had been marinated f rom the

poultry, a scal.pel, several

and one could

have detached

body without

By concentrating can see how little while of

guarts

or tubs active

of

those

waters, they

one contain,

such a powerful water

substance is still

even such an amount of

nevertheless

so strongly

e ffe cti ve. Chemists totle of the cannot understand, that it far this less the squared gas-bag Aris-

Peripatatics, speaks about it, or if

corrosive

can hide has until-

(especially now written is , as

as no miner a n ythin g

and no historian v e ry of lit t le ). wa t e r, (3) is

about (l)

h e d id ,

T h e re a s o n (2 1 t h e e a rt h ,

f ha ve said, absorbs never the

tUe great the but,

q u a n t it y corrosive, insteadr

which can by

and coagulates as vapor

because no corrosive This is proven

be felt

water.

following

experiment:

rake
e tc.

Of that,

"?

(hz; or tr" +
pour of is etc.) this this not lbj. in t o without noticeable.

, orrL
a bucket harm,

or

oor O

tt"r
s t ir

or
it

tri.
A

o f wa t e r,

we 1 l .

man can drink the corrosive ( rocks N ow take Let taste them boil the

and thereby it

one can see that is contained in the

Likewise, a ls o . in t o it j. or

e a r th

insensibly water, pour then

ij. off

lb from

p o wd e re d c h a l k ; the chalk This and salt

together,

pour

the

water it

chalk. the it

You will corrosive has stayed

find which in

that the

has become salty. had absorbed Let it

comes from but part of

chalk

and congealed, and crys-

the water.

evaporate

258

tallize,

and you will by it.

find

vitriol

produced it is

by the

dissolved in the it

chalk earth. cannot is its it so

and congealed (4) If the

ConEeguently, is diluted except

contained

corrosive by the

by water

and evaporated, sulphur,

be noticed a pure oil etc.

nose,

(common burning) Take \F open dishr or \R set it

which

concentrated Put in it into

corrosive. a small and it

t -J7- CDttl. or over A, r let

evaporate

a room,

will fill

cause tremendous a whole room with his

vapor vapor

to riser

much so that This vapor

one dram will can be inhaled B ut if

and steam. the ot ii. least quint-

by anyone without to

noticing j.

sh a r p n e ss. L e in i n worrying

one were t o g iv e tongu e , might

a P e rs o n ju s t

Li,quido on his that the fire

o n e wo u ld

s e e h o w h e wo u ld ju mp a b o u t , him. the air as vapor,

penetrate is

through

The higher the more it by'the air's gets

such a corrosive intermingled salt. careful air or but into

driven the air the the

up into

with

and sweetened and chaotized lo v e r fact of t h e A rt again cir-

volatile take the

F ro m t h is note of

sees - and should culation into of the animal not only

- that

through things

each and all chaotic but V also for

dissolved . This is

return only true

prime

matterr

not

and plant

evaporationsr in V

of mineral

ones,

and those

which

are dissolved water

or vaPor,

example,

animals

and plants

by fire, dissolved time fire like the also while

and earth. partly

How many animals by cooking them,

and plants

are everyday dt which them by

in water, vaPors

them for

human food, by consuming through the

emanate from when thick fire, flue.

and partly

cooking, In

smoke escaPes burn

chimney

clouds.

that the

cooks often Just

animal

bones and drive and lard if

snoke through

as they

use butter

259

the

fire

does not

burn weII. Nature

From what has been said cannot make a metal without

abover

can see clearly If Nature

that

a corrosive. salt-water or

had to make metals water - which might

frorn a raw and corporeal be feasibre, since all

saltpeter solved ture

rightry - but

disas Na-

earths

can easily work

be altered at at it

by warm saltwater a hundred years,

must previously here

them for least attacks

she would If salt not is dis-

probably spiritual solved, AII dissolve small

be busy for

a thousand twenty

years.

and dissolved, even if it

times

more than

has only do is

been dissolved a corrosive digestion salt into

in water. - or in out water sal-t made spirituaL, a sand cupet, of whieh the in a

one has to it in

take

some earth Now take

through the

alembic.

corporeal Put it set

aforeit, pour

mentioned it over

corrosive

was made.

to dissolve immediately

an egual

amount of find

earth,

them both

to dis-

so lve ,

and you will When now both

the

d if f e re n c e . one will salt you will obtain get a bitter, nothing of

have been dissolved, But with corporeal

astringent th is qu ality. Qu id? poreal or salt

O"

Dissolve into

a met a l

(a ) a s q u ic k ly mineral @,

wit h , either

d ry

o r we t co r it, dif-

such a truly

by melting b e a g re a t

i n w ater,

and (b) use a c o rro s iv e . will a fixed inunediately e

T h e re wilL begin to

ference. it into G,

A corrosive . with

attack get

it

and turn the

, you will one derived to doubt

never

a (E, of corrosive. it is not

aane strength But that if

and taste someone were

as the still

from the

and say that

true him

Nature

makes minerals

through

corrosives.

Then I

say to

260

(1) he should meanwhile not believe through many mistakes and errors, tile and much weaker species, to give i.e.

it

until

he is forced to do so hirn to the more volaThere enough sharpness kingdom by

(21 I refer animals.

can be found thereby

testinony

to the mineral

means of comparieon from the lesser If man had no sharpness in his

to the greater. stomach to attack fast the food, how

could he achieve such a hiqhly-amazing, ing a Person is given some easily

Is it not true that to t-he Menetruum it?

putrefaction? sueh as d
it in to

supposand Q
the him, stoit

soLuble metal,
irrunediately

attacks is it that

mach in

order

dissolve

But because it stomach discards

adverse again

causes a convulsion Consequently, sary is for every greater strongest Plants, earth,

and the everyone

by vomiting. is necesit

can see clearly If the

sharpness

dissolution. in plants, digestion,

sharpness

in man is

great,

still

and greatest

in minerals, must boil their (i. e .

which rnust the raw fixed a

have the earth. ten d e r animals,

because they require lo n g

on the putrefied

contrary, alre a d y

for

constitution s o il).

b e f o re

lt e n a n d tenderest their stomach.

however, plants

have to digest by means of is calle d

and boil the acidity

down the very present c a u s t ic , b e c a u s e it it in

and juiciest

Such sharpness e tc., ject,

a d is s o lv in g ,

a c id attacks

s u b st a n c e t he sub-

m enetruum eornosiDum a e o rn o d e n d o , crushes, powders, dissolves call in its

and renders the strongest

subtle rectified

and f,inely V and tt tonic

divided. a corrosive,

Do not

alchemists is yet

which

expanded form of all natural

an excellent forces.

and medicine can aee that

and an invigoration although these

Thus we

animal

and plant

spirits

are consumed

26L

by everybody tremely tionr there a great sarily earth? that is' sharp so that is

when diluted in their

and dilated, or the

they

are

nevertheless

ex-

concentration in

contraction

and rectificarf then such

they

must be taken and the then

smaLLest dose. animals that in

within

ourselves

other doubt

and plants

sharpness, have three I

who would times that

minerals to

must necesthe raw

more sharpness

order

dissolve

have said the

t-}:'e Aeidum or mineral acid salty guhr vapors together

Menstruum eoynosiuum the earth, which

subterranean into

dissolve with the

thereby guhr is

turning

a greasy or

earth,

now vitriolic guhr is

aluminous-acidic fermented, and acid salt,

and styptic. coagulated

The more by by

now this the the ever

dissolved, caustic

and congealed vapors, or

following

or J\-ual-sa1ty

colatilized

vaporous V

the more and more it u n a b le spiritual in the guhr,

becomes sulphuric that earth

an d a lca1i and to turn

(S imple it into

or p h le g ma is without

t o d is s o lv e satrt). and the

a metal

Since Aeidum,

t-}:e Aeidun

accumulates guhr is stage. closest closest gets

guhr

in

the

the more the Thus this stage is are to

Aeidum,

the more it

becomes sulphuric and conturns + into

and liquid. gealed from

gradually It

more and more digested and this just as

becomes arsenic, matter matter to metal,

marcasite latile

which

the the

and vohowever,

arsenic

to marcasite;

the guhr,

or its vitrioric
t t i . u o , i .e .,

constitution

is the crosest matter to

and H

a rse n i c. up by the acidity, that when \f or

When (h, or guhr is overwhelmed and dried it -r'rturns o. into $ .

This nay be seen by the fact over conmon G,

is often

distilled

at the third

degree of

252

A then

, over put

the

still the

head, +

lt

becomes drier irmnediately

each time. be pereeptibre

rf to

it

is the

on heat, smell. +

wilr

sense of

When now together O of in ric or or

and arsenic ( + acid), is

are digested born

into

marcasite, the

either of length

alone ty

sooner

due to

accumulation by the

the marcasite

becomes a metdl and fixationr

the digestion accordance with

and maturation, thd digestion

coagulation

and this envir-

and accidental

(geological)

onment. This' lie b ir th, then, is the beginning and end of the mineral and metalwrite our

described about it not

after the

t h e o re t ic a l

p rin c ip le s .

No w we will and confirm

anatomically theory, so that

praxis,

as much as possible, been sufficiently better our Art to

although it could

has already be revealed enter

shown elsewhere, disciple. f wiLL say

a well-instructed simpletons,

Since many honest the following: Thus,

men dare

like

Rc. some ore,

as it

comes out

of

the mountains,

that

is,

before

it

has undergone any smelting,

such

""

, t

, 4

, d,

Vfash these clean of all mountain earthr or etc. , O or ) I Porrder Ieave the mountain earth with them - it does not matter. them small like lie together millet-seed, and not into and thiekly dust, because it would

too strongly

and would congeal more than vapors would become stifled. in the oPen fire, add the reover

dissolver Put this cipient first

ds the emerging or rising powder into a strong retort

and apply heat by degrees. a very little bit of water,

"Then you will

see rise

which is the excessive moisture;

263

after It

this

comes a strong in the receivers rise

vapor,

which

is

the mineral into

corrosive. water. first, by the

settles

and condenses but not

a corrosive

Thereupon

vapors

once again, always

as volatile

as the followed the

because the more fixed instead, the the ter the ver y neck. retort, this, retort, volatile if

volatile parts. the

comes first riEe but is

and always little into rhey

Such vapors neck of the

recipient; first in

retort

rong,

settre to the ever in the

The subsequent while the

ones are more confined can etand parts the fire

stomach of better. bottom of Af-

following resistant

the more fire many or or few,

are

left the

dependinE

on whether

subject

had been

fixed. everything at the that bottom, has gone over and you will mix e d wit h s a lt y or the and risen, find in the also that

Now examine which

has remained ( f) the

recipient: whi c h is as a

excessive or vitriolic,

mo is t u re

c o rro s iv e , mu c h o r stronEly

a su lp h urous the ore

s h a rp , coagulated

L iq u o r, congealed

lit t le , or only

had been dried,

little,

in one wordr d J'r- (L or +

(2) You will find flowers retort at the the ( i.e. jo in s

P
or beginning T h e f irs t like if of are and the

entrance re c e iv e r). If they

n e ck quite smell burn

where the Test

volatile. like but

them on coal: are called

burn but

sulphur do not

sulphur, flow

they

sulphur; smell

they called

and have an araenical

they

are

a volatile

a r se n ic.

(3) nearest

Above half

the neck (i.e.

that

half

of the arm of the retort flowers that are

the body of the retort)

you will

again find

somewhat more fixed

than the first.

They are a fixed

arsenic.

264

(4) firmament flowers

At the (i.e.

beginning the upper

of part

the of

stomach of the body of stirl

the the

retort retort)

or

its other than

have become distirled. These are called arsenic; lose their for

They are a volatile

more fixed

the previous. e iti cal fixed

marcasite s u lp h u r

or a marcaare, chang-

t h e mo re f ix e d

a n d a rs e n ic (D"

the more they ing form is is

first sulphur, metal.

nErme and acguire arsenie is then this

another. called

then then

ca1led called

marcasite, by be-

and this

They acquire

difference

coming every At ( 5) metallic (6) casite the

more fixed. bottom of the retort there remains a threefold is c lo s e s t mass. to the

First, nature

the more f ix e d and which turns

ma rc a s it e , directly which

wh ic h into

metal. from the mar-

Second,

the metal

grain,

has spnrng

(regulus). (7) Third, the stone-mother, matrix as in in t o (Eangue) in which the s la g great the

metal vesse l

had grown and was congealed, or glass. furnace. this part It there is s t ill This mat rix t u rn s

philosophical in a big

o r g la s s

smelting In w i th

a f ix e d

s a lt ,

wh ic h A L e a L i,

is

lix iv iat e d had

w ater.

can be cons id e re d and congealed only a little,

t h e min e ra l by the but fire of

wh ic h

been concentrated spirit, although subject

the

risen

vitriolic the afore-

according less moist. bottom

to whether

mentioned

had been more or last part

Now remove this wash the with salt out fire with

from the and dry leave to

of

the

retrot. this

First, powder slag

water will

a powder.

lrlelt

a strong

and it

a regulus,

and (a eecond)

265

wiII

be on top.

Now boil

the

deacl head with and you will

t find

and refine the metallic in the

it

as grain. refinery

metals But the than of its

are generally dead head, preceding force of the

refined, although parts, fire. partr it

has greater

resistance finaliy

must nevertheless This or the * is

fLee arday because marcasite and

the

the more fixed

mercurial acid, metals

aLkalized is

congealed matter

and alkalized of the metal,

sulphuric out of which

and this are born

the

first,

direct

directly

by long does not ore. of

fixation. at all apply to all in metals the but mostheat,

Yet this fy to O , ) to

practice and I the grade acid

These can be refined their fixity and strong

greatest

according

alkalinization, the more it that not the is least re-

becasue sulphuric congealed bit fi ne d not with again trous

becomes the more alkalized with it. I caII the the It earth is the

and mixed

so thoroughly about wh ic h

of Aeidun to the

can be noticed highest degre e ,

sErmewith

gold

a lk a liz e d alkalized ALeaLi,

b e c a u s e it gold is

can-

be overcome by any acid, its

unless or

aroused can then or ni-

hornogeneous marcasitical into an Aeidun and not f through

salty

which vitriolic

turn

the

sulphuric,

acidity From what

othenrise. above, the reader In the can see the structure

have said metals

and dismemberment of carry since parts out his

and ores. and not the vitriolic, and life also stages,

same wdy, he should use mere fire, and arsenical of the ores.

investigations then drive the Art

inunediately sulphuric giving

he would

away, which The lover of

are the

vital will

spirits

eee how Nature both in the

proceeds animal

so beauthe

tifully

through

intermediate

and in

265

prant

kingdoms,

from

the

watery

volatile

parts

ever dry

more to

the

more fixedr Now let forcibly separated in

up to

the most fixed consider

and hardest the metal it the

parts.

hirn also

which is in

has been clrawn out comparison part, with the is of with

so many ways,

how little is the only things

remainder.

Metal that

ninth

and this

such a smalJ quantity it tle previously, gold

which

had been associated

exceed it

a hundredfold. of

One can indeed gold the and silver excess that if

see how litore furnishes smoke

and silver

a hundredweight rnstead, Now let metal her from

hardry

a few ounces. as slag.

much of him reflect the

goes up in Nature kinds, if

and remains

must prohow long it

duce some inferior must take with her with ones. fixation to

aforementioned Iet of alone

slow digesting, the lover

she is

at work

perfect of

From this from the the

the Art or

can see how many auhr and only Each and salt,

degrees

volatile more fixed let of alone s a lt r

vapors

the vitriolic nature, birth. a d o u b le

are required, after all that for

get

to

marcasitical for the best

the metallic,

a r e nevertheless

born o n ly

o rf a c t u a lly

and e,

that
Nature

ie,

(h, (a) of their

the

spirits

and rocks.
the other

Through
in lawful

such stages order, First, to its in

goes from as well softest, bone s ,

renotest these

end to creatures

everything

as in then

and Indioiduis. more and more up a s it has been

she makes the perfection in

she hardens

this

wo o d , me t a ls

a n d ro c k s ,

su f f icie ntly I should

explained. probabty from relate what I here the constitution everyone of each metal in

particular, self

but

have said If

can exErmine them himgeneral constitution,

and muster

up his

brains.

he knows the

267

he wiII

probably

also determine the particular. recognize or not, naturer

Yet I will

here

teach him how he can inunediately whether it fixed has excessive moisture

any metal or mineral, that is, if it is highly

or has a middle

or acidic

ot which metal is acid and simultaneously. or a piece of metallic and an

O , or

which alkaline, So, let rock etc.,

alkaline

and which has both natures him take some ore, a universal

whichever he wants, and add an acid corrosive

corrosive. We recommend most and in general -ru.

\f or V

and --"r- O Lie. , You nay infer

f f then something is dissolved that Lte Aeidun is

)

by the -n-

(D

still

open and not congealed

, for like if it dissolves cannot the be

and alkalizedr

iB may be aeen with

and b

like.

But consider
by such *

a metal
but

to

be alkaline an dLeali,

and fixed mixed

dissolved

with

together

with

acid. totally

Judge by this al,kalized

that

t-}re Aeidun in such a metal or mineral so that it

is

or congealed,

must be awakened by its so that, its own (e),

homogeneous spiritual after it

ALeaLi. and acquire

the acid naturer it into

is opened, the Aeidun can also transform it . o re s and m etals that into its first vitriolic

nature and return euch as O and +

nature and matter

As a g a i n st as well

th i s,

can be dissolves

by ac i ds

as alkalis

are called or fixed

hermaphrodites.

These had begun to so that they are fixed to and ,

become alkalized and not fixed, especially 9 it ,

but remained stuckr Therefore

alkali

and acid. and dissolved

they can be joined

attacked

by both solvents.

They are d

, )( might also be counted among theser but ALeaLi dissolves H it more easily. also dissolves in -t'l-O or !R , but in !F 5

268

even dissolves

into

water. says So r am to acid, recognize while they b and 2 as mer-

But now someone will eulphuric, curial; they and because O and + )f is

eonsidered

are yet

are to

be considered reply: brain

mercuriar, Be satisfied will sooner to

arthough with what

are mostly

sulphurl.c? your eyes, only

To him I which

you can see with But leave that

your

believe. to worry mind. Re-

which tire

depends

on speculation until o re s they

others

about

and to

their times,

reasoning NB . a ll

change their

m em b e r this eotrosit:o, e xsicca ti on. in a short

at

all

o rig in a t e alkalized

in l4 e id o u n iu e r s a L i o through fixation and

which Try time

becomes increasingly to unders t a n d more t h a n will

s u c h A e id u n a ll

a n d . 4 L e a li,

a n d y ou w i l l safoot-

learn

me rc u ria lis t s , to k n o w. After

s u lp h u ris t s , F o llo w that, in the

l i nistsr steps of

oE vitriolists Nature go of

ever get

and reflect other ll-ke

upor.r her ways.

name them, of all things.

and 1et But the if

the

names which my opinion,

cause the I do not

confusion

you do not

wish

to deter

you from

other. Some will say, however: If metals them, into do not how then those that into c o n s is t consist of H , +

and g again tuentsr

, and have not into

grown from

can we change them primordial constiof. begin-

them and drive old

thern back

ds all

philosophers

admitted

they

consist prime

Answer: nin g s, to the f

That metals confess; direct find

can be returned but that they

those of

readily

t h e m a c c o rd i n g I do not in its find own SaIt

rule For I it

and the do not would

universal common H

law of in

Nature,

true. ore,

any mine except its

which

penetrate

and i-mpregnate with

aetro.

269

and sulphur sulphurr sart

I find

in most ores but no cormlon salt,

nor conmon

BS their

slzmbols show, but vitriolic-sulphuric-aluminous intermingred with arsenic and marcasite etc.

and pyrite Few artists

understand the secret meaning of the prime begin: because the patriarchs understood things Do sulphur,
ar e rii

S differently

ninSs

, +

and I

from the calculations AII things

of

of the modern srnart alecks.

they not say:

and salt? also is

are made and composed of mercury,

they are to composed, into that

And that If

which

they

dissolved? to

you now wish

conclude:

The symbol of the far burning

supposed the

be conmon mercury, - you will U ;F in

and sulphur go nrong the animal

H sulphur,

and salt earth.

common salt

above heaven and kingdom,

(t

Who can find

conmon

or plant

since

their
wiIl saIt,

volatile
find in

part
those

is precisely
kingdoms

designated
yellow

by the symbol g
sulphurr

who

burning

or common kitchen

which are precisely

Can you no\il see from

designated by the symbols

this how the world is

and

mistaken

and how which

the world's is not then

reasoning

sometimes followed

interprets

a thing

wrongly, The oId

immediately it

by many thousands? they

sages did

understand

thus:

For even if

designated

common mercury

by the

H same applies

symbol, it

is by far

not the general mercuEy, and the and salt. And although commonmer-

to common sulphur it

cury can be made of metals, of the natural turn composition

happens by chance and not by virtue If that were true, oilr I could o or

of metals.

into V , * r or iF H C o n s e q u e n tl y, mu st I co n sider Y
-.r-. the prime beginnings of

or G, or sa1t, ,V ,:
out of

ErndJloil,

, ( } ,,
which

ealt,
Nature

Nature,

forged

270 the metars? the natural dental No, far action frorn, truer and such a man will the order of Nature, confusion in no lvay upset with his acci-

of Nature,

practice,

tnrt indeed bring

to the whole of Nature: running around in And as they do are

rnde mundue e??ovum plenue. circl-es, Dever turning it, their

They are forever

eyes to the center. teach others, all fal}

and describe

they also

and thus the brind together into

Ieading the blind' one follows truth. potable

and aftemards

the pit, the

the other,

and among a thousand,

not one learns

That is why so many expenses are incurred netals and rrineral medicinesr let

on account of

alone alchemy, because solvents from the

they treat anirnal,

minerals

and metals with kingdoms.

ineffective

plant,

and mineral

Arld whil.e they use a right they believe the minerar or

and homogeneouE Menstruum to do it, metal should inunediately they are terribly good. mineral (f). change into

a sweet sugary oil, that the Art

in which is no that the be

mistaken

and then proclai:n

For no one has ever reflected totally

upon the fact

kingdom is by nature if it is to dissolve metals. imagined

acid and must necesearily digest

corr,osive and boil for

raw rocks and earth,

them

them into

None of them has thought that

about this,

they wrongly

they had to add the mineral-corroThey did not consider evident

sive medicine that

directly

to the anirnal nature.

Nature herEelf and curtain g[g: plant

hae indeed put up and hung up a self between aninals and minerals.

barrier that is,

This barrier, has ever with it so

kingdomr ds Bn intermediate they did uee it, with

nature,

been evaded by themr or if contrariwise that

they dealt

they were blind

seeing eyes.

They did not

27L

notice did not

when they unite. their but

tried

combining

heterogeneous was missirg, That is

things, which they

and they cannot find

An intermediate pecuriar brindness. medieinesr

due to nothing with

why they

have prepared and powders, they know

caustic

or

empty precipitates achieve

miserable

results.

But what they

thereby,

themselves. Now back I m e n ti oned here of to our acid that purpose. is it In the chapter s t y p t ic , To avoid on the plant kingdom but guilty

that

a s t rin g e n t , liguifies. f will to but

a n d b lo c k in g : being proven

I have said

con tr adiction,

however,

a L s o e la b o ra t e a large

o n t h is earth,

p o in t. vre can things,

Where Nature see that it

has added Aeidun produces nothing

amount of

contractive

and styptic

a s i s e vi d e n t
o xid e s) , acid geals is too

in Cl,

, bloodstone,
b o le , that etc. earth

r ed ear th

( hydr ated ir on
s ma ll it, a mo un t o f it conheat

magnetite,

emery, to

Because the and dissolves ores heat

adheres

so strongly it into

and dries strong Aetdun

hard-to-dissolve But where the is a little

when the is not it

central to

and sudden. or corrosive and metals;

aII

strong some-

and the

stronger, is

produces

what liquid acidity tion,

ores

and where there or stronger openr

an abundance of and fixaare not very

and absence of the ores

a longer

exsiccation they

and minerals

remain

so that

durable, such as Cf
Wherer oD the quid minerals

"rra C
there

contrary'

as an abundance of acidity,
by manual work.

liRc.

are produced,

as may be proven

C ha lk o r quicklime: their acid caustic

pour u p o n it
'oils". Dis t il

some --.r- O,
it a g a in

(L,

+,
to

O ot
c o mp le t e

s t ro n g ly

272

dryness, crucible, solid.

then

carcine will

it turn

on a cuper, into

under

the muffel,

or

in

and it since it

a stlptic it is with

and become an infusible now far the more so, so that

was styptic

before,

1lhe Aeidum can be heated Now pour carcine little it

and congealed

chalk. strongly. become a over it

some more Aeidum on this and you will before. it wilt If

earth

and distil it wilr

as previousry, than it, salt. this

see that yet

more liquid it with like

you pour

more acid liguid

and congeal fi na lly flow

become increasingly

and will

To enphasize I say that

point know that

and to the

remind stronger it is

the

artist

of

it

often, in the

he should oftener

tt:.e Acidam works exsiccated

earth, b y the

and the heat,

and stronger A e id u n e is

and congealed and fi x e d light

the more that First just as it is

a lk a liz e d , , then +

c o n c e n t ra t e d , , a n d f in a lly

m ad e h e avy. g vaporr Acid u n it

lr

c a lle d

For so it is

had previously been a volatile H becomes fixed and very heavy afterwards. or the mo re it P irst, it is g o e s d o wn in t o c a L le d that v a p o r,

and very

The more this the more then

alkalizedr name:

f ix it y , then g u h r,

ch a n g es its O,, then +

, then

ars e n ic , + turns

after into

ma rc a s it e ,

a n d f in a l l y

metal.

The fireproof It

marcasites. it with not is rightly an acid, en o ugh -+ A

can now be shown in Q T tus. into If

r ds may be seen witt H "tt powder, and form of a fixed the common mercury is precipitated and as it has

called it also

turns

such a sPongy powder, f ix e d a rs e n ic , it

, acidity That + glass

a n d f u s ib le then

b e c o me s g l a s s metal, the An

by reduction. best tinging

contains Aeidun

the most fixed

, whose fusible

has gone and escaPed.

273

archemist

shourd take careful day and night: i .e ., a

found.

note of this,

and a Metallurgue these two, (l) an

ponder over it arsenical

How can he join on" liguid S rF

su b j e ct,

one, ( 21 a Ptaeeip i tans ,

to consider 3 . to to Is

such as they it not

are easily with H the

One has only it not the

saturated

, and is fixed

noblest are

subject

reduce reduce? it ( is

and metallize But too its q

powders

which

otherwise more, g la s s .

hard

must be strengthened

etill

otherwise Lead

a lt

"influxible" into melts

r E S ma y b e s e e n b y it s such a liquid like wax at Vitno

) must be turned H additive that it also

by a homogeneous Nearly 9e D, bodies every-

candlelight. $ $ and == fine but

body knows r':lnePraeeipi,tans. D - 'i f -91 == refuse. the other this and it s s b . D =i

For &

5:is

r ds al-so a na ) but their with of

s @ and{

r B S a rs o the

. However one must not take I t The fine bodies do not 6= in the bodies is? is to Let not which they

flux

intermingle

have been added. ponder over it. all It

But what kind can easily is be even

refuse foundr thrown th e m .

everyone only sold

or rnade in Pick

shops but things out

away as useless (g) .

in mines.

those

and acquire

But and the stages to just is take

someone will genealogical

Eays register

You may weLl of metals,

write

about

metallurgy proceeds if in

how Nature but

in

order

to produce

metals

and minerals,

you were in it and or

these

component

parts

and produce probably

a metal

or mineral Answer: If vapors of

these true or that

stages, Nature

you would forges

hesitate. from

metals

solely does not

corrosive

earth

rocks,

Bhe nevertheless

use one kind

earth

274

stone,

nor one kind different aim to

of

heat

and suehlike and metals; , the

obstacles and although

whereby she Nature has

produces as her other

minerals make O

final forms.

intervening

obstacres

produce form that describe

And just as it

as Nature

cannot earth or

make a specific rocks, r wiLr

she pIans,

depends on the as a favor or a rock

such an experiment metal from is earth the

to you, is

and teach metal

you to make a what kind one.

- which

- no matter

of metal

result,

because I do not pebbre. it

promise Heat it turns

you a specific often

Therefore, it der. in or it E $ otf always in --tr-

Rc. A pure water I or O

and srake into its powweight ,

r so that a grass of \F

completery put upon it of -crof in A the

Put this

powder into one part it in

alembic,

, made of ri.e. to its obtain

and three

parts

Digest

sand at Le t t h is

a low degree c ry s t a lriz e partly G, .

fo (D"t , then draw an d spongy in i or to drybe

oiliness. partJ.y

c e lra r,

you witr earth. in the

G,

or guhr

crystals, and the the

some subtre, Set this again \R of f

Thus you have the fire, take so that brittle it will in the and freguently that it like out melts of

sand

draw off the \F

abovemention"6 @t+, draw it stone is

better, nessr very co a l, set it

and -r1into

together

a liquid If it

which

will

sulphur

when cold.

thrown

upon burning 6 not volait,

burn and leav e sand in

a s u lp h u ric again

stench. porr S

T a k e t h is , upon it, but

an alembic, it.

much, only tile of f into

enough to dissolve above the it

Otherwise the form in of

you will a Liquon. third

make it

and rise

head in witl stone,

Drarrr ttre \R degree

as before r so that stone. RerTlov thls

melt

the

and for.lrth it into

porvder it,

put

an alernbic,

275

Pour distilled and let will of it

rainwater for

upon it,

set

it

into

rnoderate digestion, metallic +

stand at

one month. and it will

Then a glistening increase k in d

settle

bottom, fine

more and more and be a rs e n ic is admixed. pebwill

a m arcasitical, V into

gr a n u la r

t o wh ic h

Put this b le s, finally boit fi nd it

a crucible

between calcined t so that it open,

and pulverized the c ru c ib t e

cement iE per glow in strongly.

Gnadus n o t a t io n ie Then break t .

remove the Massam and it, and you will lit t le use if that try it cupels,

a cupel of

with or

Thereupon refine but it this will

a grain

gold for

si lv e r,

be of

you are you will

looking lose

wealth

through

process. time.

I warrant One can only

house and home in gnatia. Y ou s a y : etc.

a short Na t u re

eu n io sitatis ale m b ics, will br ing in

h a s n o f u rn a c e s , c e n t ra l B rin g

sand, A

crucibles,

A n s we r:

G iv e me t h e for it .

, and I central

you a vessel large guantity,

ma d e o f

stone

me t h e

vapors

and I will wa it for

al-so arrange a h u n d re d y e a rs , a rt is t

such a performance and you will does not fi-

an d g e n eration. na lly another Nature so that th e a lso hatch

B ut your something .

A n in t e llig e n t

rep r o a c h imitate

with to

such an impossibility, for either he will will bu t not

because the Art do it obtain faster their

can never

a hair,

or much more slowly, object according to

a thousand

artists

like ness

of Nature,

s o me t h in g

s imila r

L n s imilib u s

P ri , n e i p i i s

ho m o g e n eis. But other someone might say: Why do you take make metals vessel pebbles and not some I would and in-

earth?

Does Nature that

really

from pebbles? for making metals

have thought not

Etone would To him I

be the

the matter.

reply:

There

are very

few alchemists

276

deed who know flint. Flint

If

they did,

they might sooner learn the Art. because it is a sticky , m er -

i s n e a re st to l e a d , also to gold,

c u r i a l - a l ka l i ze d A . rt

su b sta n ce, a gluten miner aZe which stands eve r y be ca1led the U .T
It o r,

co u l d ri g h tl y

of m etals, which la c k s
is the f ig e n s caII it it , f id is ei m u m . in + and totally mo re , it you

n o thin g Ju st

bul. A eidum to the flint

become me t a llic : c o lo r

give

a metallic

as they it

fusion, co lo r s will find

and you will i ts body with

see how very it. If

eagerly it

accepts

y o u g iv e

mo re , Driv in g

a n d s t ill t h is

fi nally the If grain

make a Regulun A n t imo n ii. which to it has produced use it in b y it s

one off,

during

congealing. one would it have

one wished its

the Art, lik e , in c re a s e

however, for it s

to aII

in cr e ase too

fusibility A .

o t h e rwis e f u s ib ilit y so that sa1t. to it

wo u ld n e e d wit h slight1y

strong

There f o re

m or e lig u id th e m to guite have taken things on ly,

Homogeneis and s u c h lik e a liquid step con d it io n , forward in

t h in g s r I ik e its liq u id ability

can fuse with wil-I

T h e n it congeal

a great

volatile

and to it is

change dry in

powders into wit h

a metallic the f lin t :

nature

and kind. eum

said

connec t io n

f n me t a llis , " in

m e tallis, with

pen netalla by metals

& eoru m g e n e ? a f i. u n t and t h e ir pick s p e c ie s

me t a lla

me t a l s ,

m etals, Let

me t a ls or

a re ma d e r" e t c . and examine it middle and

someone just

up some mineral and consider

ore

in

the

above-mentioned He will indeed

manner, find

the

first,

l ast.

d if f e re n t f u s ib le according

s u b je c t s ,

we t a n d d ry ,

v ol a t i l e ones' inorei

a n d fi xed and easily stan ce , 'ts )

things, fusible and

likewise ones, {

a n d n o n f u s ib le to the mineral than

o r re f ra c t o ry taken. d "tta For C

ores

are more fusib}e

277

silver ble of

and gold

ores

are

in

the middle,

they

are neither consider

too

fusi-

nor too fu sio n in that

refractory. flint. is rf

The artist it is too

must weII re f ra c t o ry ,

the degrees it too a re-

h e mu s t a d d t o If is it is B t ill

su b je ct fr a ctor y, fusib le , find

more fusible work, fusion Hetmetie the but

b y o n e d e g re e . one that for h is

for until

his the

he mu s t g iv e is s u it a b le

e v e r mo re e as i l y Then he will heaven from not only the

wo rk .

t-lr.e Sigillun out shut is In a ll into in,

which

prevents

the volatile Sigi.Llun ie

breaking lock to

abyss, also the

because that band to which bind

the volatile. elevates above O of in its

Plint fi xi ty. ty of

a noble

subject it is

Nature

addition,

t h e b a s is It in is

a n d b e g in n in g

t h e d ur a b i l i of durability

precious

stones. ds it melt s

a p u re wa t e r, s t ro n g e s t in the

a wa t e r f ire lik e

a n d pe r manentia, tib le Nature oil.

the it

n o n -c o m b u s b e ca u s e goes of

Nature

has elev a t e d

h ig h e s t

d e g re e , but to

does not Just

go beyond stoniness as the it Art cannot

and glassiness go further than the

rather

backward. g la ss; after Let something the of of crystal, a ll

the

making

that,

must a g a in

go back to to the

f irs t . to achieve

flint in

be highly a hurry. which is In

reconmended it and its

man who wishes ability, lies of its Just

adhering flint, in the is acts

as in

a transparent

there g ro wt h not in

the main agent a ll min er a l s but is

durability. flint is

W e can s e e t h is the mother, preparations. but

which after

this It

raw state when it differently is

only

various when it is

differently and oil, when it

raw than again tor y

has been changed.into a salt, and again gla s s .

water

when it o r easily

differently

a refrac-

fusible

278

Whoever understands independently. fixed, in like

this

stage fixed

of Nature, volatile,

will

be able

to work

He can make the Nature years, herself the

and the volatile What Nature achieves ysr

but much faster. artist can do in the

a thousand

a thousand correctly, arsenic vapor

daysr

even faster. the metal the latter into into

Whoever understands marcasite, A, or else , the

origin into

can return and sulphur, or into the G, and and

the marcasite G, itrto

a corrosive

prime the finally fi na l

matteri (h,ittto

he can change such a vaDor back into sulphur a metal, namely , in t o into arsenic, this into into

sulphur, into

marcasite, the extremity

marcasite

and that g la s s explain that is

metal or in

aim of Nature, As food for

stone. somewhat greater refined, smelting, that is, detail. and

thought, to turn brittle add to

I will metal parts it

Thus:

If

I wish from its

already

molten into in

separated site, order

by frequent has lost, it that

marcathe very

r must again in which refined of it

what it

had grown and in which metal turns again into

has lost which it

those

parts.

Then the it

was, and how Lost marcato out

came out

the mountain. sulphur, into or

During

smelting e s -J l- Q ,

the metal u. it its rf

si te ,

a r senic,

and v it rio l marcasite, one.

r n o w wis h

change the metal of its mountain in

I must give And just

own marcasite exceeded

a similar

as marcasite also

the metal and thus M etal gether.

weight

and guantity, take everything

I must here into

add more marcasite Therefore, a n d me lt G,Z; or its Rc. t h em t o O nis,

one has to it

aceount.

- Add to

marcasite are

o r Re g u lu m ma n e a e it u m, give -Jrit -nor ooo @nis

When they is

joined,

as the metal

red or white.

G, or

with

excessive

279

quantity ning, the (h as it

will

agaJ.n return Q, .

it

into

what it

had been in the begin-

namely, into

And when it

has been processed thus far, water, and

can be totally

ehanged into

pure vapor or corrosive is the first,

had been in the beginning.

Thus, the last

the lowest has become the uppermost, i,nferius And thus it of this is done: ort of (D i" *

faetum est eupevius. he can make @, out of that metal, the metal with in an turn , out

- aEBeDic, out of that

- mareasite,

and out of metal - glass. its sulphur, arsenic

In brief:

You must alloy then add its

and I'larcasite;

stony matrix and it will

overabundant into g l a ss.

or equal. guantity,

melt them together,

But now Iet artist

everyone

take

note

of

this of

main Point: parts

Just to

as the me-

always takes

a Larger

quantity

volatile

turn

ta1 into (h,

must here of the of not take

snfl --ri-, a larger

because it quantity of

has to the not

become volatile, and a emaller If I wish

so he quantity to make

fixed

the volatile species

- otherwise

he wiII

succeed. them with

fixed,

f must hot Instead, the if

overload I wish but

abundant

quantities I must

the volatile. take

to make them vol,atile, the volatile,

so mueh of congealed this

fixed

much of

otherwise

more is In little taken metals,

than made volatile. volatile or fixedr ot else

way one must make things Just

is

achieved.

see the peculiar to congeal or

alchemical

additives with perfect eight,

by those

who intend

comrnon mercury they take

when without

reason

reflection

aeven,

nints and .up to twelve o r p e r f ect me ta l .

parts

of volatile
then not

rii it

to one part is against

fixed Nature

Do they

see that

280

and all do the O +

her. rures? contrary

rf

a man wishes twelve parts

to congear, of is the f ix e d ,

he should

rather of in-

and take

fixed it

and one part will in t ime

r i.i . or in

the volatile. so that

Wh e n t h is

crease witl those eyes: m e tal, notice cause

quantity, be of

he may add more of But first

the volatile, patience. front H of

which But

then

benefit. workers

he must take some fog although in the

laboratory

have still see that in t in e

their to the should be-

Because they it does not

do not conjoin

adheres

& p e r min ima . That, they

B y t h is look O a llo y

they for,

that is

a medium is a volatile

missing.

should metal .

H a r e a lso

and rnore concentrated wiI I

and 2 wit h

metals. without

Howeverr Do me t a l their intermediates, and take it,

f o rm a t ru e are taken

another the

which or is

from them in

foundries. This is the

Go there reason

something so fuII of

similar. such mistakes, and the most

why the world

since fixe d

they

put

together

the most volatile

as ettnemum, wis h work the

as the

aLtenum estnem u m, a n d t h e y but then Let O . they see in their take

t o ma k e a c o n ju n c ti o n that they have gone and put and But if

imrnediatIy,

wrong everywhere. it together with

a man just Then set fly

volatile into the

sulphur the fire,

them together

he will he took me1t, should

see the the

sulphur

away nithout like turn with arsenic the its of O like.

harm to

gold.

intermediates immediately

and marcasite, into dust.

and let From this

them they

he would learn

to make like there for

Indeed,

are plenty the

such intermediates a ls o the y e I lo w

at

hand.

Does

not

(h

exist

red A s t rie ,

a n d re d a rs en i c , wh it e a rs e n i c ,

an d gold

marcasite?

F o r t h e wh it e

A e t rie

a lu m,

281

bismuth?

From the

above,

everyone

can become wise. mineral concerning kingdorn is to in kingdom its the and enand

We have now explained deavored to indicate

somewhat the

a few main points in this

origin

completion.

But the main point to congeal the

following: and

Whoever undertakes thicken something,

and make fixed, best shortcuts the

coagulate

finds

this

kingdom but, stages the and not to the

as f everywhere directly highest na m e ly, its

admonish, highest

through to the

intermediate nor from

from the level,

lowest,

lowest

although

one need not

pay too much attention b e c a u s e e v e ry be shown in the

to this,

the punctum estrem a e congealing agentr to

f in a t io n ie , ds will

k in g d o m h a s dismembertake the O n Iy i n though than in the

adequate If

ment.

someone wishes

congeal

something, but

he must not t h e v o la t ile , g ra d e s .

m ost volatile fixe d , that

and the most f ix e d tha t is ,

t o g e t h e r, the

and most fixed, way and in no other

in t e rme d ia t e

can the desired through

end be obtained,

everyttring alien,

sooner

and better ones.

homogeneous things no other appear. f irs t the p a rt

through desired

heterogenous

Thus and in Quintessence t h is about follows one for

way does the

harmony of We wiLl with the

a concentrated therefore

con c lu d e part

a n d b e g in

and deal

subsequent natural

other

destruction generation,

and dismemberin order to

ment of set it

things, the

which

their g re a t e r follows

against

preceding

c la rif ic a t io n , in the wake of

because, genera-

destruction ti on .

and finally

regeneration

End of

the

First

PArt

RERUM. DE GENERATIONE

282

FOOTNOTES

(a)

In the fo und on this AIso SaLt") spect. E lias

Compass der matter.

lteieen much useful II, p a r. 3,

information Sect. 7 (g ). of in the

is

S e b p a rt G e h e in n is

A ntista're in

ttom SaLz, much of

(" S e c re t value

Published

L770 containe

this

re-

(b) really

Here he says is the true

something

so remarkable Mercurius. this

and shows what The ancient with the fo1-

metal-making directed c o n s is t

Greeks had already l owing riddle: 'I

us to of n in e

matter

le t t e rs the first

and four three in

s y lI a b l e s ,

understand

me correctly. the

Each of

syllables such a vray The numeight When you and ignorand

has two letters, that ber in of the the tenths whole whole

remaining five

have the

others; are or

word

mute letters two hundreds

found.

contains

centuries,

three

or decades, who I

and geven ones or units. not be inexperienced in me."

understand ant the of that

dmr you will lies

wisdom which "argenikon"

hidden

In dismemberment have unhe who of

Greek word

emerges which but that

some scholars is not it

derstood is

common r\in

ed arsenic; our natural lle ie e n , to

- but

incorporated the

and artificial P a rt 2., P a r. 1,

electrum, 2,

w hich

Compass de r

3, and its in the sacred

eammentator, brotherhood, alchemists (c) It is

(who thanks is bound to to

the

grade

he obtained than all in

know better him)

those detail. that

pseudo-

who dare

criticize truth

deals in

an age-old

founded

Nature,

the

PHI-

283

LOSOPHERST STONE, the ginated all in the

age-old primal

magical

UNMRSAL

STONE, orimatter of In

universal is

substance

or prime

metals.

That

why the o e e u lt u s

COSIiIOPOLITsays est" qui eet

somewhere:

eauernia colone the

metallorun

L a p is

v e n e n a bi l i s , that is , "In

splendi,dus, of

me n s s u b lin i. s is

& ma n e p a t e n s , he who is s p irit ,

caverns of

the metals c o lo r,

hidden

the Venerable a n d a n o pe n s e a . " to the philin our in the But first

Stone,

a splendid

a s u b lime impute it

Here some who are o sophers th e will

so eager to

contradictions is e x p lic it ly I, P. 2 4 4 f f ' r, not

object S atunn is the earth,

and say that (I h e a t r.

writ t en t h at

B ook of which of

e h e m. V o l.

Stone, caverns th ere

ITERCURIUS OF THE WISE, is being no other than

found

the

body and spirit. h e re ; for in the

is

not the

the

sligh t e s t

c o n t ra d ic t io n speaks of latter the he is

in stance it is

Cosmopo lit while in

t ru e

substance

f ro m w h i c h

drawn,

the

considered

when he has

a lready which

become a doub le occurs only after

H the

(Me re u riu s union

d . u p |. e rl b y p ro c e s s i n g ,

of man and woman has been S in c e a la rg e numall

a ccomplished b er of metalsr specified in the

(S ee "G v o s s e B a u e ? ' t , P . 3 1 ) . natu ra l s c ie n t is t s they t h is

scholarly rlo matter products

in d is c rimin a t e ly have, and only

re j e c t

what natures of Na t u re , B u t a ll

keep to non-

d o e s in d e e d

c a u s e c on f u s i o n ma k e a c l e a r n a gi e i will

inexperienced.

o n e h a s t o d o is

differentiation o perie narimi

and n o t mix |-} : . eL a p id e m u n i-o e rs a lis with other t in c t u re s , ' u n iu e re a lis s i' n a is and the d if f ic u lt y

soon be resolved. The ?inetura

ma d e f ro m a n a s t ra l

Sub-

284

ieeto, + ther,

in which , and the

the -a-- mund,i as hunidu n the a a t n a le as

H e

, the

heaventy

.A

as togea

a re c o n c e n t ra t e d perfection, is

by means of

pure primordial a rt is t .

through c a lle d

second separation

by t h e

T h e ma t t e r

as t n a -

L ie or uniuersaliseima. Instead, indeed whiJ-e the matter for the universal with tincture has uni-

a homogeneous origin astrali, of 4 artist it

or beginning

t-}re Materia n a t u re after that

ve?aaLissina exhalation a specified -? perienced

o b t a in e d lig h t

a d e t e rmin e d A from

the pure s t . It

by the

o f Na t u re , its curse

is,

can be cleansed in our

by an exto And of its

instructed in still the

schools,

and be brought Creator.

superperfection th is ? matter is

kingdon

specified s t ilL

by the

a I 1 g re e n in g , seed,

in p o s s e s s io n generate it s -a H
-F

and multiplying of all species

and can still t h ro u g h

many living tt. has init has alassigned it has to has

be ings

a n d k in d s for in

Finally, deed also ready to it its

the matter beginning

the

Particular

tincture

the great and end of the

SHAMASIN, but the destination A

received by the already

the rniddle Creator

through

Nature body, Therefore

r so that

really

become a specified by the H '-t.

whose substance it is

been abandoned animate its

impossibre

multiplying spirit, to its

seed without and such matter

renewed assistance is everything by Nature, that

from has

a tife-giving been brought

perfection

destined

specified

by +
(d)

through
This sign

and consealed by A
the universal

.
(h, of the philosophers,

indicates

285

or the

prime

matter

of

all

created these

things, things & mutare salium

from which may be took their beginnings. sua, alias to nihil alter a

6een from what

constituents alterare

(e)
oportet faciet, bodies salty will
(f)

Qui vult ut

corpora,

ea a natura

reducar

ea ad naturam ea - that nature,

& aluminum,

deinde out of

solvat their

is:

"Whoever wishes bring

must first

them back into them, or else he

and alum nature, not In accompliE h another

thereafter

dissolve

a n y t h in g . " his unpublished which writingsr our authones gods

paasage of

or

Eays:

The insipida the true

menatrua, idols ln

aome scrupulous

demand, are who entice to return

Ebnonand and the you will

secondary

you away from Si.Lo until to the the right reader source of

again

be forced

Nature. not let his thoughts digress on

(e)

So that and lose specific advantage, that which, the V

should

himself objects,

too much over

this

page but together that

concentrate

keep them narrowly explain hereby

and use them to understands with of

we would

the Author of the

excretion

or discharge which

from the are

body out in

which, bowels this

and through by Nature. to to infer the

they

produced of

But what kind the mineral Author's

a discharge Nature

must be, others seeds

hre learn according of the

kingdom of

from the

principles. kingdoms,

Everybody

knows the they the

animal from

and plant their is

and we know that The chaotic seed of

are disuniverit con-

charges sal

own bodies. of aII

kingdom

a discharge

four

elements

of which it

sists,

and we have also

already

seen where vte can find

un-

286

specified

and in particurar.

consequentlyr rlkewise

the seed of the from our

bodies of the minerar them. sincere consider rt is precisely

kingdom is this

a discharge discharge

and no other

that

Homerue wants us to understa.nd here. and keep it

But we must well it

deeply enbedded in our memories that seed in common parlance

is not the body whieh we call active-Jrthat begins,

but the

continues in its

and accomplishes the natura]

business of generation real aense.

own way, which is the seed in the arsenical, or sulphurous spirit kingdom, engenpertain to it, in which

Just ad a mercu,rial,

accompliehes this dering all

business in the entire

mineral

the bodies and kindE of mountalns that

so the author orders us here to take Just that this:rhas collected most abundantly

discharge

and is still this

to be found discharge this

most open. isi

But what ktnd of natural

products

is expl.ained thoroughly

and at length

J.n precisely

chapter.

287

GOLDEN CHAIN OF HOMER

PART
INTROD UC TI O N
Ju st the of as the of first part d e a ls o n t h e wh o le following a n d in part g e n e ra l with

generation things is

thingsr

so in

the

the destruction from which wit h h in the eaclh

described conclusions If all to

on the in

whole and in

general,

m a y dr a w his so I tr a n smit. th e g ive r n a lly of

p a rt ic u la r. to g a in t o me .

A s I d id f ro m it , Let le t

my o wn h a n d s , b e g ra t e f ul s a me t ime to eter-

anyone is

gifts

and n o t

h im a t

e n deavor

practice, of his

a s id e f ro m t h e neighbor, inherit without this

p re c e d in g , giving

t h e h ig h e st to friend of myholy the it . Iet sinBut him

commandment, love or self foe. but

offense

Because I did received it

not

from myself

and out

from the it

Supreme and his as my inherited to t ry h is

ever-present talent lu c k his to

guardians,

f am transmitting hoping

ce r e ly- se r iously should he incur

ind iv id u a l, should

wit h goal,

damager or I cannot heart

he not

attain

excuse me because let him not lose

manipulate

with

him personally; before its

however, time and can-

because no fruit a man: likewise, Therefore

ripens

no child not

can represent

a beginning it is saidz

alchemist

be a perfect

philosopher. per turn

Ennando diswe

e 'im u s, t inpenfeeti, learn and in time

temp u s p e rf e e t i from imperfect

e f f ie in u n , pupils into

b y mis t a k e s perfect

masters.

28 8

I
RETURI{S THE ALTERED I{ATURE TIAY IN IIHAT FIRST T()THEIR BEGI}IIIIIIGS PR.I}IE CHA()TIC TURNS THEI AGAIN IIITO THAT IS, HSISHE VAPOUR
Just as we have proven age-old and then above, reborn Nature Chaos existence air to generates rain out the everything

IS o ttHICH coilsTlTuTroN,

AND e

out

of

the

or dew and sno\ilof it, be it or still

water volatile

- and everything as it comes to

comes into

us from the which

earthr the

already saltfixed

somewhat fixed p e ter is and salti

and corporeal so, in

can be seen in b e it

form of or

rev e rs e ,

e v e ry t h in g and corrupted

v o la t ile that it

again

destroyed,

dissolved into it s

by just f ro m wh ic h

chaotic had origi-

w ater ,

and returned

f irs t

n a t u re

nally

s p ru n g , n a me l y, i n to
, and into the said vapors.

saltpeter
Nature to

and salt,

\7
from to the

these into V

and

achieves her

her births

by ascending Then,

prime

beginnings and again

specific

perfection. in

however,

she reverses beginning.

destroys

everything

descending

prime

But how Nature and salt into water

dissolves and then shown in

again

those

fixed

seeds of into

saltpeter steam, we

transforms the first

that part,

water in the with is of not the

heave sufficiently the effluence the of

chapter other

about species, to the

the

earth,

and in

connection so that the it

especially repeat air in here the

birth

of minerals, break out etc. of

necessary earth into

how they form of thingsr

center

steam,

Having begin to their

completed with first the

our next

inetruction animal ephere, into

on universal how its

w therefore return

various

products

nature

and again

de str ucti on.

289

CHAPTER ll
DESTROYS AI{I]'IALS I{ATURE IIAY IN }IHAT
Aninals rot, turn into worms and maggots, these into flies, in accordance with the goal set to them, into (lower plate nature, after of transit), that into

and these dissolve, the first that is,

nature of the universal into a salty-nitrous

limbus

or chaotic

water and steam, from which spring highly volatile Nitrum and salt

dew and ralh,

in which again a

are generated. nature and kind, fuII

Animals are of a very moist and juicy o f v o l a t i le spirit sa l t.

C o n se q uentlyr ds soon as their th ey go into putr efaction, A

balsamic vita l ewell up an d be-

h a s vo l a ti l i ze d ,

gin to smell bad.

the air with a foul

For the volatite

stench. sake of

Everything

breathes out and spoils

becomes slippery, t o in s t ill moist d is g u s t . ex-

a n d w et. into plain the ever at

For the

b re v it y stop

and so as not with this

an honest better same.

man, I will of the

kingdom and instead it Iet lies is almost him just and look he cares after if to.

that

vegetables, to

because more,

one and go wheneveryday Itlaggots they are

But whoever desires to a place it

learn

he wishes

where a dead animal

the

changes in in

- and he will

see more than

ar e cr ee ping well takes fattened,

the mass, wh ic h are changed into maggots, sets the with

s t in k s gnats

h o rrib ly $ h e s e , and flies. For

someone them

well-fattened meat,

Iocks glass

them into in

a glass

and feeds in

aome stinking the glass

lukewarm air, of of perforated gnats or

a weak sun - he will grows out

must be closed

a piece

paper flies

see in of

a few days

and hours

how a race race the is

the maggots and how this This is partly due to

changed. part; the more fixed part,

volatile

290 however, which is not so rrolatile, from which saltpeter parts, utnost saltpeter, reduction, and saLt, turns into water and earth These left-over starts in its

can be extracted. When it

are in every subject. the volatile

smokes, breathes and disapPears its chaotic origin. earth (being and water' i.e. vegetables
in descend-

in the air coagulated

.^.

as vapor and thus into there) The fixed-part, its

however, enters first

to be there also changed into and f-).

\-/ grow againr

seed-nature

again, parts,

Out of these reduced animal constituent

so that the animal kingdom becomes

vegetable

ing,

as yras taught But because occupied them also dealing with

in the with into

the legs

first in

part animals

of

this

work. hard period and coagulated, until she the

are

very

Nature can turn section

is

them for

a much longer as will

mold and earth, growths-

be nOted in

ligneous

29r

III CHAPTER
DESTROYS VEGETABLES }IATURE }IAY IN TIHAT
Vegetables can be observed faII off with after arouses somewhat more pleasure they the are withered inherent wdill * and hot, the than because they by rain and are , that partly is, beor dew, which It

animals, wetted makes it cause of so la r

volatile. the inherent

becomes lukewarmr spirit, partly e x h a le s

because of a n d ra d ia t e s

supervening frorn

and central Iike

heat whic h the

c o n s t a n t ly

below upwards, we ll fee l

sun does from above downwards, wa rmt h in the c e lla rs

as one can This up or and be and hard c re e p inand salt-

such terrestrial

in win t e r. and stirs t h e a ir

roused he a ts there part to

passes through tlne ponos of the plants * th e volatiler so that it will e v a p o ra t e in t o transformed into by it, its chaotic in t o in nature. s lime to

The more fixed a n d ju ic e await wh ic h

is

softened earth

turn e d it,

the

and mix with into

order

there

a rebirth

thereby p e ter

be transformed and salt.

the more fixed

chaotic

seed-nature,

If of plants

the

heat

does not into

d ry

it

out

t o o mu c h , t h e

v o la t ile into

part gnats

also

turns is

worms and maggots, that T h is the

and then

and flies, at

which

an indication or volatile . when the now whole flying

vegetable

kingdom aims the still to

be co ming animal trees out

c a n a ls o exuding

b e a e e n in juice

green putrefy, beetles ti on

and plants, of which

excess nests of

begins

worms arise, This

and from these destruc-

and various the smaller

other

insects.

typifiesthe

of l{ith

vegetable s . plants, return such as trees, tree however, into the Nature had a matter

the bigger to

harder

struggle

a withered

primary

292

or a chaotic it decays into

water.

For a tree

lasts

long

and many years deal

before them?

rnold and dust. manner: treers

But how does Nature

with

fn the

following

Fi r st, withers. it loses

when the rts root

g ro wt h -c a u s in g draws juice gives

s p irit as food

h a s d ie d , for:the to the

it but and leaves with parts.

no longer power, the fine

tree, tree the in s id e its

its

absorbing

no more food coarse. t re e is

can no more separate fall foul o ff, because, which

from the

Therefore f ille d soften it s

through begin to

h is

po?os the

vapors

decompose and gradually ro o t mo is t u re in t o the

As sa id

before,

they

change it s spirit

e o n t ra n ium . its primordial through

For as soron as the components act their reverse in

balsamic an opposite

has left that is, tree

tree,

wdy,

toward

dissolution its

destination. power to attack drive tree

Because the out what is

has lost

nourishits and the

ment and the n a tur e , mold, they

injurious affect it

and opposed to wit h d ry core ro t to

the inside

a lt o g e t h e r,

and make it bark.

quite

spongy and soft it is

from the

outermost

Outside,

however, the

attacked

by heat

and cold, so that moisture

sun and rain. it often bursts it

The sun heats open with the

tree

through

and through, sustaining

heat

because its

ha s l eft

and has turned rain

in t o

a e o n t ra ri. u m. it it - and because the absorbs the moisture enters tree is

When the heated and this p o ? o s, parted heats making

comes and wets up by the sun -

and dried is to its

avidly, through the

own doom, since insider

the moisture is the

p utrefies poner the of

B S n o re s is t a n c e Afterwards thus to opening

o f f e re d

b y t h e n ow d e and again tree and the

preservation. thoroughly, decomposition

sun returns of the

tree

t.}:.e poros it

room for

penetrate

completely

through

293

oPened poros, again, timer

thereby

causing

it

to rot

totally. for

When it

now rains the first

the way had already so that tree the next time

been cleared it can take This in t o

penetration leap inside

a big is

and infect and humidity. it quickly

the whole

with

putrefaction. still f u rt h e r

done by heat for

C oId pushes it attacks it through

d e s t ru c t io n , inherent tree, the

and through

as its

warmth has gone. cold in melts the into t re e ' s b ritt r e , finally mere mold ani-

For when the wa ter heart rotten the in the

sun shines penetrated begins

and warms the poro s , a n d t h is

wa t e r

s it s t re e

and core,

to p u t re f y , is

ma k e s t h e

t u rg id , until into

and moldy;

and this

continued and at last

by Nature collapses c a lc in a t io n .

tree

decomposes altogether and this is then the

a n d d u st,

v e g e t a b le in

In the

mal kingdom it thing happens. it

may be observed But this

bones and legs, occur in one go, No ! lasts

where the so that takes the

same we might

does not

pe r ce ive slowlyr three

with

our eyes in

a s h o rt

t ime .

It

p la c e lives is

very of al-

so that

such a calcination when it a little

often is that

through

men and even longer and again

hard wood, because there disappears in of the tree.

rtays a little

We see a faster which frequently but

example,

however,

water-willows of their

and elms excessive in t o mold,

produce when the the

such mold on account tre e is c a lc in a t e d

m o istur e ; it

a n d h a s t u rn e d into its prime

decomposes all

faster

and returns

nature,

namely O
Gardeners, But or just so ft is if

""U O
therefore, the tree

, and indeed often in a few months and weeks.

like is to use mold as they into sawdust with would use dung, and hands, it rots the a tree,

turned

by manrs art foul rainwater,

otherwise as fast pa rts of

chopped up and wetted is

and wh4t

more interestingr p la n t s . If

eyen faster

than

the vegetable

one takes

s a wd u s t o f

294

moistens it gets

it

with

foul putrid, Unless

rainwater

and lets

it

stand

in

lukewarm air, turns into

quickly water.

bad smelring, it is prevented,

slimy it

and finally will

a thick

become full

of worms

and maggots, earthy woods. with the

finally

flies,

and when these

have flown with

away, a smarr and

rnoisture rf that

remainsr is

ds I have experienced however, or the the

some plants

prevented,

gardens parts or

can be manured can be separated calcination and

decomposed growths And such is of the

component

chYmically. transposition

natural into their

separation prime

vegetables

nature. rainwater for this and

But someone might what it ponent reply: generated destroyed fermenting m ix it with is part First, out in in the

ask why I use rotten that assists

rainwater

putrefactionr

oE what comTo hirn I will is born and be

rainwater just of

cauaes this

putrefaetion. that everything

as r have proven chaotic

and with with of

waterr because it although

so everything is indeed

must also the identical not

again

and by it, all things,

ferment leaven

many chymists

unjustly

or brew e r' s

o r win e y e a s t . component is, ALeaLi is however, the

Secondly: reader stroys

What the

putrefying follo win g :

may know from the is the volatile than in

b a ls a mic ,

e?go what deis more is

and the fixed it.

sour.. Since there is

rainwater

apparently also

a more volatile Aeid u n the

matter, ft

conseguently

than A LeaLi

f o llo ws

t -h a t t h e v o la t ile

a n d s ou r

putrefying Just

component. juicy parts of the animals juicy putrefy quickly also and the hard

as the

and dry and the

parts hard

more slowly,

vegetables

decay faster more

ones more slow1y; than

likewise, all the

minerals pieceding.

decay still

sJ.ow1y and are more durable

For everything

295 that is of a juiey and noist naturer spirit; putref,ies faster after the

death of ite thiek, longer,

bal,sanic vital

but whatever to labo:

ie of a finn' harder and beSpi.rit

hard and dry and that

nature I causes Nature

owtng to the direct

cor,utand of the Creator, of the all-a-cting

cause water for

and nroisture

are an inEtrument

putrefaction, all

and putrefaction and everything

is the principal

ke1' f,or opening

and Locking

in Nature.

296

CHAPTERIV
I}ESTROYS AI{D I{ATURE }IAY IN THAT I,II}IERALS TRAI{SFORI'IS AI{D CORRUPTS
Each and all in heaven and earth is made of water , and it proper t h e re is and spirit, is these vessel visible two

and this that in

water

has two prS.ncipl.O hammer or tongs in

and (3 their

forge

without

mother

the w hole world, all are

each and a ll, animals,

wh a t e v e r

n a t u ra l,

a n d in visible, For if breath these

v e g e t a b le s , in the air,

min e ra ls they

a n d u n iv e rs a ls . by man's they the be-

spiritual into

are attracted and thus of

and transforned If,

his they into

nature faII

and seed,

come animal.

however, they turn

upon the

surface If,

earth reach

as dew and rain, the depth holes all peter of

vegetables. the

however, cracks

they

by means of water, the is, earth, they

through

crevices, and the

and airamong

generate

minerals,

difference t wo , but if s a lt -

the se

as often are,

said:

T h e mo re v o la t ile produce

these

and salt,

the more they

animals;

they the more

are between fixed fixed they

and volatile,

they

produce

vegetables; minerals. of

become, however, have a stony

the more they nature due to

produce the effect

The ores

both

seeds,

will

"f Oand

of
break

through the intermediary of the water. O,

a stone pe r B e , a n d c ru s h iron? it a n d t u rn it

How then
in t o way: dust,

Na ture

ashes and water

without

a hammer or

In the

following

Nature has two main tools

thing .

with

which she rnakes and breaks everyone is the heat, it the is the

other

One is

fire

and air, the

the other water and earth; . one is the inner Fier y, central

, the other

t h e i n n e r ce n tra l

Jl

T\

w a ter .

hot is theQfor

297

Pure concentrated and offspringr in its action, contrary, or

sunbeam and the a eoagulated it

essence of

the is

sun,

its

child fiery

Bun, because it iee-cold. mo t h e r of

totalry

although is salt,

may look the t ru e

cold

and watery, ;tD off-

o n th e

a t t ra c t io n r

ild
husband for a perfect

of the

begetting,.

Without her

,fri"h intensely desires .n.

him she dare earthly spiritual to not give

O
birth

""
to

body because of two,

fixed-watery

property. generation t h in e s , is to

Through these a n d d e struction, be expected This According or inner

therefore,

and corporeal in a ll

according

t h e d if f e re n c e

and hoped for. saidr to the w will nour see what kind of quarrymen has a Z\ the Nature , the rocks,

above understanding, heat. This fire

Nature

n
-

has. ( . ) \-/ stones One

.^.

eentral through to the touch

warms and heats they often the

and earth has only shine back. in

and throughr a stone or

so that iron

almost

glow.

upon which he will

sun can directly his hand stones,

dog days,

and f believe

soon take the

Water or cold and cold the the

follows now meet, stones heated

such heat causing

and wets

heated

where heat heat water ately; it is

a eontnarium,

because the cold

has heated runs but driven over

through stones, cannot

and through. the heat tries

When then to

escape immedithe stone,

because the toward the

heat cold,

escape so fast cold in s id e two, toward the

through the heat,

and the the of heat these

because

the co ld is

resists

and drive s struggle By that, into

stone. the

Thus a force stone to

generated into

by the pieces.

causing

break the

water

and fire

become one,

because

fiery

stone that

falls

the water, so that fire

and the water and water

becomes warm each

through

fiery

stoner

are within

298

other. and the so as to

Through fire

the

opening in which

of

the

stone, l.}l.e pori

the of

water the

becomes rdarm stone are opened, to fire

cold,

action

prepare in the

and allow future. rn the

even better

and more admittance

and water

For exampre: heats ston e into it strongly. and is pieces, of

summer the

sun shines that off

upon a rock wets in it.

and

Then follows cleft although a s u n d e r, not

some rain it at p e e ls

Thus the and breaks BS in the

bursts smalr

s c a le s

all

once but

by and byr

destruction These small r ain , finally this

trees.

Therefore

understand,

Nature

moves very

slowIy. and

pieces the

are again slates scaled, b u rs t

heated, in t o

and again s t ill

wetted

by moisture a n d ar e

so that

s ma lle r

p ie c e s

exploded, continued with

crushed This

and powdered into dust or to or former

sand and dust is again it s

by

occurrence. and finally It

stone

heated,

w ette d ing

rain,

b e g in s

decay because of nitrous and }ike

ab s o r b -

much rainwater. its own innate

becomes salty . -nFor its

salanunoniac t=

through aroused And the th e ir

own coagulated to act against

salty_(l_ its

by the stone

rainwater goes to

and moisture own ruin

own subject. go to

its

as vegetables

and minerals

d e ath. L a ter, the salt of the ra in e a rt h is added and then Wh e n it it the s p e rma u o l a pass that ac-

ti l e the quire

d u p lieatum stone

from the

a n d d e w. salty,

h a s c o me t o

has become dust nature, it; these

and is

has already For now plants

begun to

another of

namely, plants

vegetable. and trees and these

and trees and then they

grow out

decay in into

turn,

change into pillars. is

worms and maggots, Or animals another

flies, this

gnats

and caterstone

feed on such growths, time, that is, into

and in

way the

transformed

a vegetabLe,

and from there

299

into

an animal.

This watery, chaotic

animal

putrefies

and dissolves nature.

into Now the

a chaotic, stone is

salty-nitrous' again the prime

vaporous, matter.

hylealic

Now you see how Nature rn the

goes back step-by-step, without not with using

albeit

slowry. but or beat-

same way she goes forward without but If in much noise,

much force,

gracefully' ing fire

hammers and axesr through

and pushing, and water.

she accomplishes Nature could

everything

and with with One can

have the salia act

as frequently as we.

her as we uP here see this br e a ks dust. since on the off smalr

our Art,

she would

as fast daily

highest stones, notices

mountains, a ls o this b ig

where Nature p ie c e s , than

and continually sand and his stove, and no sure

s o me t ime s a ls o a doctor

The farmer

sooner

behind

such an action

and production

must be ascribed and no four-footed

to Nature animal, are

to no one erse. matter no t to how heavy, continually

For no human being can get break their so high off

up,

and the weak birds I0, if

stones

we ig h in g But

2 O , a n d 3 0 po u n d s could pour

and powder plenty tur n of

them with salt or salt

weak feet.

Nature stones,

water

upon such heated s ma ll in h ilI s .

she would

th e biggest Fo r if

mountains

in t o

we balcine the

a stone stone

o u r A rt into to

and quench pieces,

(o r:

c h ill ) it were as

it b ig

in

saltwater,

crumbles

even if a n d c h ill the

as a house and it on e like tines, it that). it will

were p o s s ib le If

c a lc in e

sueh a one stone

(or:

n o w we c a lc in e

a n d c h ill

c n rmb le d

several ys,

become ever turn into

smaLler

the more often which is

we do it; clearly

finally the

will

slime

and water,

shown in ff

infallible

praxis. th e s e s a lt s in t o s p irit s a n d d is s o lv e stones

then we distill

300
with that them, the they suddenly stone Nature become aII water. into long Thus the water years reader Art she matter water can sees in a

calcined while her end.

can be changed has to work lvdlr the for

by the before its

few hours, achieves

In this a salty

stone

reaches nature,

prine which

much sooner, again into

namely,

nitrous

watery and this

become steam by distillation, water. From this

steam can again

turn and every-

we can see the different generation into air, salt

difference of

between Nature and the Art of earth them, all

thg Art,

and from these both the

levels and the

Nature

one can learn If

destruction

things.

now such stones

turned the

are mixed with grorr out of

and are as said

commended to above. Nature She heats wa ter s, attacks or r ustr dissolves But metals, cannot

heaven or

plants

does likewise

with

the

su.bterranean water b e it

creatures in whichr mu c h o r

or metals. ds in lit t le . it into she \J

V

them and bursts

them open with lie s as its h id d e n ,

all It slate

a salty

seed-essen c e or metal gradua lly into the say:

the mineral so that in time it

offspring

and turns a n d c ro c u s , and finally for stones;

b e c o me s ru s t of a salt,

wh ic h into but

nature

someone will which are

That may be true

as to Nature

such tough,

compact and finely 6

ftade bodies,

do mueh, especially Iet alone

since

by the Art, crimination. ficia l Naturers ones.

by Nature. speak of

v4
f

are hard to destroy I "rra say, speak and teach with disthings, me t a ls I do not that speak of artiin

Iilhen I

natural

In regard that

t o min e ra ls . a n d is, in the their fire

a re lo c k ed

workshop, yet

mother,

in nrountains

and rocks,

and have never mountain,

been in

nor been separated, together, Nature

where goes one way

atones

and metals

are etill

301

with

stones,

for

she now works She destroys around to

backwards those doing

where previously

she had stones,

worked forwards. whenever salt

minerals it,

much aooner than they

she can get Nature

because water

have an open in order to

which

need only

arouse with

and salt

work backwards. But as far prepared, Nature as the metals in the fire are concerned and finely them. it, that are artificially say that moisture,

separated

made, I myself excessive

has to

do more work with may have had of , however for

For their

as much as they the tremendous[

has gone away and escaped due to one than a long from another. It is

more from

therefore to their

necessary prime

her to work for because the within latter

time

to return

them intaken and hand,

matter,

has been almost totally from tneO \-/ On the other rust and

altay - and partly

loeked

and concentrated and narcasite. V

{\ r ES well as sulphur, a) Nature can sooner destroy

arsenic tn ef"tra \,J,

crocus,
\\ 4-

because they still

have excessive moisture verdigris and rust.

, turn

them into

in them, are open Likewise +

)

and are very easily

and
I

changed into
into white

hr61sh turn it earth

lead . that we know that salty gold and silver of the that

Isn't under the

by experience are aroused

buried

when the

moisture

earth is why of

awakensthe sour spirits

one has found only their

of ft

eleetna

\-/

ana J)

<J

trrao action;
Bome dust

or even only

instead

f,)

\-/
places

f) "r,a J)

when therefore

gold and silver

have been put in

evaporate, they are

where many arsenical

or marcasitical

vapors

sooner destroyed by Nature. necessarily arsenic follow

we can Eee this

in the Art,

which must

Nature in just together

these steps,

when we melt sulphur, then put glowt"n O

and marcasite

and let

them flow,

302

into

it,

so that

the

gold

turns

into or

all

powder which vaEors is that with or all is

is

then

inunediately and reduced When they they it, like

dissolved to its

by the

salts

salty

spirits things: their without until the own,

first

nature. or

Thus it

meet naturally it for their

artificially

which

acquire however, of it or

preservation their nature

or destruction; for a long time

they

retain

comes along later.

- as it

does not never

remain still

outside but

- be it

sooner out the

For Nature

stands breaks

works withtill

intermission. end set ff this

She makes one, is

another,

and that

by God himself field did not

reached. f would impress upon of

become too wide, carries remain as it out the

everybody thingsr

how Nature

herself

transformation how this

so that

no doubt

would

as to

transformation now and b e inf e r r e d in-

can change one into th e n in this in and the

another, first

just t ra c t a t e ,

has been inserted c a n a ls o

a n d a s it Elements Air

from it to into also cisely of

no vague way.

For

if into

the

can be transformed Water, their they and Water

each other, Earth,

Heaven or Fire versa, into it

Air, certain

into

and vice

is

that

offspring spring only in

can

be transforrned those

one another, and their

because

from prethe way

Elements,

difference

exists

fi xation

and volatilizati o n . no one believe a devil into that I am here teaching into that one can or take and

On1y, let also that the transform we wish things

an angelr of

or an angel nothing. them into

a devil, we only parts,

to make somethj-ng out by Nature, together

No, but certain

produced parts

divide

we put

those

again

as Nature well

herself write

serves about

as our such

model and shows us examples.

I could

here

303

transformations,

from W
into ever,

_ n+

but

not

about metallic

ones,

how to make gold

ot

vegetabres, if

fJ

'

only such as Nature does by changing minerals

and these is worth into it, animals. for future r am saying publication it that, in wit h that hovranother h is hands.

the world so that

tr a ctater

everybo d y

c a n s e e it like to

a n d g ra s p

Here a peripatetic turn into a donkey, a eow. o!

would

see me prove

a cow can and a the a

an ox into

a man, a man into the love

an ox,

donkey into scholarly

To help

him and for

and honor of If then

world

and our Art,

f must solve could oE the

this

knot. be done if cohr.

donkey were to become a cow, it vtere to the take a donkey for foodr

easily

the cow But since king-

donkey the

cow's

and donkeyrs

nourishment

comes from the

vegetable

d o m , we must first and then cow rot them. these. will give

transfo rm the other

the donkey or the for food. Let the

c o w in t o the

a DegetabiLe

one to

donkey or the be manured by the other eat

dead under Out of In that it

fresh

earthr will

so that grow. after

earth

vegetables way the

Have one or being made into

donkey, c o w' s

a vegetable the

be changed by the a donkey,

a n e h a e u s in t o also

a e o w, a n d lik e wise peripatetic. - we do not so that

cow into

and likewise into

even the

How an ox turns beef everyday

a human being, it into

however

eat the

and transform within

our human essence, of

wh o le ox discards and is slightest did not totally trace discard

u s it s into For if

s p e c if ic a t io n human nature, the

a head of

cattle the

transformed of its our an ox.

without

retaining

ox were to would

remain all

an ox and become the

forme w human beings continual eating ff of

have to

oxen,

owing to other

beef.

And such is also to

also

case with

transformations.

man is

become an ox,

304 he must rot I n that in the earth and become a plant into
say:

which the ox must eat.

way man is transformed

peripatetic thus turn will

an ox.
"Alchemists do not but in t o ores, that only understand their

But the transformation tin ctur e This they

by means of all unlik e

intermediates, d ire c t of

by means of

me t a ls the is

g o ld else

a n d s ilv e r . " he would cure judge the

one does not For as it

understand tincture

nature

otherwise. whole metal part which

the

a medicine but

does not its purest

grows in

the mines, of its

mercurial fire. ore from

has been cleansed know that

dross

by much and strong do not but take that the

For all

scholars

the

philosophers tincture

the mountains separate sulphur

and throw ore its

their

upon it,

they by fire,

first then take

from the

excessive

corrosive

moisture

and arsenic, metal blast

afterwards which

marcasite.

Only then do they out of

the malleable For in and the to the the big

must be separated the vanish The rest, excessive in

so many parts. A

furnace

moisture,

, arsenic air, into up inslag

volatile universal into

marcasite Chaos. a regulus. they slag, purify until

smoke and into turns

the partly

however,

and partly In they That better This

turn, call

the

regulus

from the more fixed the

also is

they

have extracted and transform namely,

C, \-/ pure metal

which grain.

what the with their

philosophers overripe

take

into gold of

something and silver. t h e me t a l l i c

tincture,

into

tr ansformation

can rig h t ly

b e c a lle d

a h e a lin g

For metals Legs.

seem to me to

be no different his

from

the

marrow infected

in with

I{hen a man has melancholia,

marrow is

also

305

it, Iegs

and a doctor or the other flesh.

applies For

his if

medicine

to

the marrovr and not

to

the althe

he can heal

marrow,

he can certainly

ao heal

sicknesses, It

because marrow is medicine

the most remote of that to circulates

whole body.

must be penetrating and places the of

through since the in

so many digestions m ajo r ity, the third especially or in the

digestion

the marrow, mo s t ly get

v e g e t a b le digestion and a g a in can either

me d ic in e s , and their

stuck

fourth

poyrer is the

changed and e mu n e t o r i a . the marrow. pure man's complexions,

dissip a ted

the veins none of as all it

e s c a p e s t h ro u g h penetrate or

Consequently, And just own seed, pr o p e r ti es, have sprung

reach

men are descended from a perfect assume different by chancer seed, so, shapes, a lt h o u g h

who nevertheless diseases, etc.

a ll

h u ma n b e i n g s one and seed, and

from a single

one can nonetheless perfectly are all in born his

see that constitution

man by no means resembles mentality. the universal In the t|!

another

same way metals , but hatched

from a single complexions

into

different

shapes or do not chance. which differ is

forms

by different their

mother

vessels

(wombs), and therefore their substance seed, but but by that

acquire

differences metals

because of

They are all accidental

and born

from a metallic

distinguishes in regard

one from anotherr to what is For one is

Els hurnan beings and not in

one from another of a third their

accidental melancholic.

consideration san g u in ic,

substance.

another has

phlegrma t ic ,

a f o u rt h

c h o le rie ,

a n d a f if t h

too much of this

or that.

Thus \

is melancholic,

T'\

phlegrmatic,

Q-"noleric,
ciner is, so that elevated

?
they

sansuinic.

rnJ"rot.
by it

they need
into a solar of

"

#n"rins
substance, their

medithat

may be brought into

by the Art

a perfect

condition

nature.

306 This the philosophers do by their medicine, and they cure the puri-

fied metale and not the oree of A

Just best other the as there in are the is to different very

\-/

"ro

T\

lJ

.
in the legs, the The of

kindE of

of marrow the is

marrow being marrow, cavity is or

center

medullary at the

cavity. outer layer

which

not

quite

as good, o!

adjacent on its

the bonesr becuring

on the

porous

leg

bone.

That,

however, porous ilege

way to leg

the

perfect by hard which way,

marrow.Such cartilege. synovial

a spongy, This fluid of try cartis the to

sievel.ike the

bone ie capsule in

covered into

covers

synovial is,

the

secreted. cartilege cure lege, water or

This

fluid

a certain

the

prirne matter does not or but the the hard best

and the marrow. on the knee of leg his

Therefore, the synovial

the

physician

capsule, marrow, the

cartimarrow. it it. will Yet,

the

sievelike if

bone and its

For he knows that also it heal

medicine

penetrates

best

marrovr,

the weaker partsm does not into turn

as much as their marrow, but

nature only

requires

still

them into one.

changes the malign

character

a benific with netals the

Likerrise not intend it

or minerals: arsenice

The medicine or marcasite,

or

tincture but

does

to heal

sulphur,

the metalr& it would or deficbest

A,

even if not lunar iency turn

were thrown them into Just pure

upon sulphur, gold

arsenic but is

or marcasite, into a pure

and eilver,

solar

nature, into

as the

baEe marror

transformed and finally

from its into the

a better

and healthier

nature

narrow by digestion areenic gestion and marcaeite

and maturation.

Therefore,

such a solarizea by

can also be made into but not into and melting,

gold or eilver

+ di-

Z)

and maturation, by casting

pure gold and silver etc.

as metals

are transnuted l{e wiII

now descend from the destruction

or putrefaction

to

- dill ttrtn'bd: x.n"elrnsftar.

,"*

'.{

308
FOOTNOTES

(a!

This Ls alro the reaeon why warmth ehanges tlrese retaLs lnto the rald nature and not only freeg thsr fron tlreir inbut algo rataes ttrem to thei.r superperherent lnvalldttl.ea fectl.sn whleh ttren heala all these direasee at the rbot.

309

V CHAPTER
AND REGENEMTIOiI REUNION SEPARATIO}I, THE DISi,IEI'IBERI,IENT,
I{ATURE. CHAOTIC INTO I{ATER A FIFTH OFTHE
In the first part we have explained was born of water, the beginning and origin or of the the

of

Nature,

how everything vapor prime this the or chaotic

gfater and spirit, into

universar universal regenerate command of all

and was divided and also

four four by seed of and

beginnings divided

or E1ements,

how these

Chaos hourly, it a ll

without into

intermiesion, the universal v e g e t a b le s

Supreme, and fashion for the b irt h of

m u n dane things

a n ima ls ,

m i ne r a ls. Now we will in orderr C ha o ti c will w will Water or here consider wit h dismemberment the re g e n e ra t io n in of general, and to be

begin rain,

t h e u n iv e rs a l We art

6s a mirro r it it is into its

a n d mo d e l o f wh a t f o 1 lo ws . parts, to in t o examine it fathon it s a n d f ix it by the

divine

and separate and (because

of Vulcan an a lyse ,

impossible it

completely) f ix e d separated can

dissolve,

melt

an d s e p a ra t e jo in ,

v o la t ile , these

an d h a lf-fixed parts againr

parts, Bo that

then

c o a g u la t e

everybody The fixed

can see how the most volatile can be made volatile, in t o the

be made stone-fixed. i nto Ea rth, E arth in into

Heaven turned sour and AIcaIi, Quinta ex-

Hea v e n , t h e v o la t ile or d e r,

an d l i kewise Ee se n ti a anple all

reveree

wh e re b y a Ha rmo n ia e o n e e n t ra t e , re e u lt . A c c o rd in g follow the their to t hi s

or Magieterium subseguent ds animalE , I foT.louing

Un i, o e n a i will

must follow plants thie

as children f o llo w

mother, (See of

na m e lyr ap p e n d ia

a n d min e ra ls ehapter fon

u n iv e rs a l.

a mo ? e mo d e rn L a b t e c h n i q u e

3r0
o e p a ta ti o n o f th e u a te re Er lN .)

()RRAINWATER DISI'IB'IBERI'IENT GEPARATTON) OF THE REGENERATED CHAOS

Take, therefore, This water ls, and it then, rainwater or snowwater, whichever seed or epe"ma of alr colrect it you wish. things; in a new no is not a cloth about point the univerEal

is nothing

else but water and spirit. it into various set it

wooden vessel coarse dirt

and filter

containers

so that

or matter

gets l-nto it. but, into rather, it.

in a prace that with

too warm nor too cold, Eo no impurity a month and tt it is ready for can fall wilL

lukewarm. Cover it it

Allow

to stand thus,

for

andl becqne foul-s:ne11ing. ("1 the separati,or,.

putrefy

At this

CI0,1) FINT SEPARATI0N

Now stir copper alembic, subtle water this affix $ thoroughly with a stick, put it into a one

a head and a receiver. after another until

Slowly distill half and Air

Celenentl off

of ttre liquid tAl with This then

renrains. Now you have separated Heaven tAl their sr.rbtle waters from their casing

(house) or shell. Cor the l{ater

is the volatile. stay behind.

The aeiilwt

and a Leali

and Earth)

(N0,2) SEC0ND SEPAMTION

Now take that it further into which rsaains receiver in the copper alembic and distill until. what is left is thick as

a dl,fferent

honey. That which comes over is the element$r

the plentifulrcoarse

311

Phlegma which goes over before rows after the volatire. After

t-hreAeido and the ALeaLi, and folafter the voratile comes the

That is,

erement water.

the water cones the acid and arcari.

THIRD 0{0.3) SEPAMTI()N

Further' put wilr it into remove the a retort, honey thick gradually. a sharp material fire in like .t. this from the the alembic, and first That to is the give then

sand,

come a Phlegmar This is

epirit

vinegar. which

the Aeidum. Aeido.

followed

by a thick oil, but

belongs

T}:re Aeiduin is

an extended

one is

a concentraand partly The and neith-

ted Aei.dum. the elemental for

These may partly waters, is the that ottrer.. to their

be cal}ed also

the

essential

and partly Water

the volatile are onry always

Earth. together

reason elr is differ and dry

this

and Earth also

without in

They are volatility

one matter or

and only liguid be called

regard

and fixity, these parts

their

consistency.

Consequently,

may also

the more fixed ted above in

Heaven and Airr the first thie the part. whole liquid

dE I have sufficiently Let idea. parts * coal, have been drawn off in the retort, is the reader

differentiaand get

go back there

good advice

about

When now aII (in steps) there

pen gradus, coal

remains like all

a black other

a real

which Ea r th

can be lit ox A LeaLi.

and it

a virgin

macrocosmic

Now we have the lilater into and Earth, a very or

Chaos divided into the

into

four

partsi

Heaven, Air, or

volatile, a coarse

the Aeid water,

and the Aleali, spirit

volatile

l{ater,

a sour

or vine-

312

9&r r Lin e

a thick salt is

bad-smelling hidden. these parts

o il,

and the

coal

in wh ic h

t h e a lk a -

Collect cial is, Element. into of Just four parts,

and keep each part

separate, seed of

as a spethe whole the

Thus everybody beginnings things .

can see what the it can be divided,

what prime all natural

and what is

o r ig in

as the those

one and simple four parts

Chaos is

divided

and separated into into several three

into parts parts

can again can again

be divided be divided

or degrees, by the

namely, the next.

eaeh part subtler

subtle,

and the

subtlest

rectification,

as will

b e e xp la ined

()FTHE RECTIFICATION PARTS OFHEAVEN

F I RS T RE CT I F I CA T I O N To d o this, pu t put it into take the firs t d is t illa t e re t o rt , the (f ro n s e p a ra t io n set it No . I ) , in B . M . , the third That is

a long on,

non-cut- o f f distil

add a head, first

a receiver

through b rig h t , finest

and second to Wa t e r will in

de g r e e A is

, and a clear, the

v o la t ile Air.

g o o v e r. the the retort f irst

Heaven mixed with A ir. is

What remains a g a in ;

the co a r ser r e cti fica tion

K eep the s e done.

t wo s e p a ra t e

then,

S E C O NDRE CT I F I CA T I O N Take that fo r e , before, and distil Heaven and re c t if y half of it. it a s e c o n d t ime s t ill in B . F l. , s u b t le r as bethan

T h e n t h e Wa t e r is

and you have now made Heaven still

subtler

and rnore volatile.

313

T H IRD RECTIFICATION Take again that subtilized Heaven and distit and it it anew to half. dia-

Now you have rendered Heaven most subtle mond-like sparkle, that

has a great

Regapding the half til it also once over,

has remained in the distillation, separate with

disits

and keep each Di,sti,Llatun

l a b e 1 o r n :rme . C a l l e u b t i T i e ai .n u n ; call

th e most r ectified

Heaven Coelum eeu Vo'Lati l e of the fi r s t,

th e n e xt e ner which had r emained as half aubtili,us; the thir d, subtile.

C o e l u m a e u V o l a ti l e ca l l

which r em ained after Thus you have di v i ded

t h e l a t t e r, Heaven into

C o e l u m seu Volatile

three parts.

RECTIFICATION OF AIR
Now take the rectification in the coareer and pour the Air it which was left into the of over from Heaven during Element of Water No.2). distilled

w hich w ent over Put these four, r ise in

B ep a ra t io n

the

Ch a o s (i. e .

s e p a ra t ion

two into Air

a retort, wiII rise in

Eet them in over.

B.M. and distjJvfater but

pen Gradus easily do so

and the in 8.M.,

. The coarse re t o rt ,

does not it will

especially

s u c h a h ig h

ashes and in

a low retort. the-Air parts in B . M. out like of the Water. is, a ls o That must three wit h times, labels,

Now you have dietilled also be separated dietilled CaII into to threg hal f

Heavenr that

ea ch ti me Ii ke

T h e n ma rk t h e s e A ir the tbeir

H eaven. the

the mos t re c t if ie d

A Ure m a e u V o la t ile t h ird proper after place. the

subti.AUrem

Lise d n u mt aubtilem,

next. A Urem eu b t ilio n e m; thenr in order in

f irst

end put

314

RECTIFICATION OF TIATER
Now take b,trt not distil su b tl e it too the Water left with or from the Air, put it into set a cut-off it is ashes,

low retort first rise. the of

a head and a receiver, the second degree t h is of it the of heat

by the

and the most f irs t part.

Water will again degree the

Co I I e c t other part

d is t ilf a t e the also thircl the water

as the from the

Then distil the part heat, third of

second to the third of

heat

and put

separate. to

Distit

coarsest

9flater from

th.e fourth

degree

and then first third

you have also water

rectified

Water. the other

Now name the A q u a m e u bt i next to the re-

sub tl est

A quam s u b t ili. s e in a n , and put I it

Lo r e m , the separated maining

A quam subt ile m, Air. to the

in

o rd e r

and rectified liquid parts

Although

should

ascribe

the

Element Water because they I count them with

are moist the Earth,

and watery, since they

nobody will are easily

blame me if made earthy

or coagulated.

RECTIFICATION OFFJIRTH
Therefore, Elements, it also after you have separated and Water, take and rectified the the three Heaven, Air into three now also thus: of Earth and divide

parts in its

by rectification, the initial

Take the products the Chaos, namely into into tn" tF a

of No. 3 separation .F coal. retort, or A ei,durn with Pulverize pour the the the

separation t h e o il, the oil

P h le g n a , and stir

a n d t h e ma s s b u rn t into it. Put it

coal

Sour upon it, sand by the the lifr

add a receiver, first into degree of

and distil heat, glass until

or Aeidum in oily drops.

you see Af-

Now eut

a seParate

container.

315

ter

that,

collect

also

the

oil give

specially the fourth

and put degree

it of

into heat

its for

own two

glass hours, the

container. then let, from

Finally, the the flre

go out

and the out

furnace the

cool or the

down. |il

Remove

retort

furnace the I*

and take into its

coal CalI

, and you Aeidun

have aleo

rectified

parts.

acid

Ten n a m eubtilissimam, Tenndm eubtiZem Now the

the o il it in

I e rn a m a u b t ili. o t e m, order next to

A n d t h e c o al

and put

the Water. and rectified, and has i. e.

ChaoE is

completely

separated

p a se e d through diseolution. and thus Ar oa n u m .

putrefaction, It

B e p a ra t io n

a n d re c t if ic a t io n , coagulation nature

must now pass through rebirth into a fifth

and fixation, and

through

or Magieterium

Here someone might the coal which is usually

perhaps

agk me what

intend

to

do with to

calcined

and reverberated - otherwise To hirn I pages,

or burnt the coal

ashes, be of

and the no use

goluble their

ealt

extracted thinking). fol.lowing way.

would Let tell him him

(in

way of the this

reply:

be patient

until

he reads do it

when I will

why I was moved to

OFTHE CHAOTIC WATER FIXATION AIID REGENEMTION CC|AGULATION, ARCANUil. }IAGESTERIUII OR NATURE, INTO A FIFTH
Now you have first separated pnomi.eeue four parts out of the you have of with E ChAotic Water by separation, extracted twelve parts and out of these four parts

by rectification,

namely, three parts V ), rnix it

eaeh in order. its (i.e. e u b tl e r acid), V

Take then the ioal (i .e . oil)

(the eubtle add its

in a r etor tr

ver y subtlest

and you have united

the earthy

parts.

Put them in

316

B.M. through etronger explained add a etill over into fire

three

degrees

of

heat

for

four

days and nights degrees fourth of

giving are heat, goes in-

one day after Then from

another the

(N.8. to if

the the

heat of it

below).

third so that the

grade rises,

head and a receiver the receiver.

something

Fleanwhite will sprout

earthy place: glass is

body or Maeea will the is sign lifted indicating from the

termingle it is that

and a conjunction crystals in that will

take

when the

B.It{. and put it is a sign

a cellari

or when there

no more smell. of

acidity,

the mass coagulates retort in ashes

and becomes fixed. (the retort off or should

When this be cut off it rise.

has happened, and not be too

Bet the high) dry,

and draw the moisture but that its of sour vapors heat very in the

gentlyr the oil

so that do not

becomes quite Therefore,

keep the

degree

gentle. grades a lover matter, up with of the of fire and now may not dis-

llany alchemists do too much, now too risk close te r s' any mishaps this to or

are mistaken little.

But so that in this

the Art I will

have any doubts Set all your

also six

him.

furnaces

four

or

regisvalves, close

a nd when you begin the matter but this to

d is t illin g ,

o p e n f irs t gets g o in g . grade.

t wo o r t h re e Wh e n it does,

so th a t

be d is t ille d

two valves te r g o in

leave

one open as the a s it

first go, it

Now let it

the mat-

grade as lon g other of valve its

will

a n d if

d o e s n ot g o again. the Let it

any more, also fifth not

open the it

so that own.

gets

going

go until

etops

Do the

same with and if the

fourth, does and

and sixth, resume within is

and when you open a valve one or one and a half the first

process

hours, one again

open another, until it

when it

in motion,

block

becomes

3r7

once more necesaary to open it. Therefore, the Earth, back again. so that

In this

way one cannot go wrong. the moisture from

as I have said before,

draw off

and if

any of the Sour or the oil because if

were to rise,

pour it

But take good care, rises, it will

you give a strong fire and you will therefore, of the go over

the oil

coat the whole retort

Iose a noble liguid

part

of your Earth. Now take ngte,

Watch carefully, the noblest and it will part let

the degree of the fire. Chaotic Water will in distilling artists

coagulate

and congeal, it

what is too much for

or what is

in excess, which Nature does not coagulation fixed and

should remember aE a very necessary point.

take more in one go than she reguiresr and fixation, dried and if the matter

&s here during

has once been coagulated, again, and when that

completely,

she needs moisture

is given

to her,

she again takes of it

as much as she requires note of this'

and relinquishand he saves

es the rest. himself

Let everybody take careful deal of effort, time,

a great

work and expensg. on the coal and nothing and strength, go of it dis-

!{hen now the Aeidun and oil rises but aome tasteless water,

coagulate

water without

acidity has let

card this cess. that

because Nature herself

as an exSo dry.

lilhen this the matter

has been done, give a somewhat Stronger firer can well dry out in the glass salcination and become quite

This is the philosophical be done- freguently in this

and reverberation

which must con-

wdY, whereby the Earth The dryer for and thirstier

coagulates, it is'

geals and becomes thirsty. it desires its it own rnoiEture: cannot viably

the more

H.eaven must moisten

the dry Earth,

or otherwise

bear fruit.

31 8

Therefore, Water, right for they

take are

the

three

rectified Earth. into in

parts

of

Heaven, Air in

and the wiII

to wet the the

Pour them together them, the and thus

weight,

sprinkle Coagulate

Earth V

the Earth

be dissolved. Rc.

the

following

nay: s u b t ili s I

C oe1i subtilissimi Pour them aII into

3 p a rt e s , three the

s u b t ilio re s into just

2 p a rt e s , a glass

partem.

together other,

vessel, in

and one the in of first the its

Heaven has descended part that the subtlest in

as it caught

was said

Heaven is the Air, it finally is

always

and congealed in the course Els wiLl

thicker. descentr pla in e d tes, also is

Likewise w see that here.

Water and Earth becomes quite take A E ris

earthyr

be ex3 par-

When this

done,

P . c . A ris s u b t ilis

s u b t ilis s imi I p a rt e m.

AEres subtilioris to g ether.

2 p a rt e s ,

Pour these

Take norrr aq u a s u b t ilis s lmi Aqua subtilis again united, 1 part, take and pour

3 p a rt e s ,

Aqua subtiliorWhen now and

2 partes, is

them together. it

each part then

the Water and add to

the Air it is

Heaven.

When Heaven, Air, the Drink our

and Water are together, of the Gods, which

the

Ambrosial an d vivify

Nectar t ot

must rejuvenate

or regenerate pour

a g in g p ro c e s s . this water stir it it on your well dry Earth, so that

Therefore, it first

enough of like on it,

becomes thick

honey, so that

with

a wooden stick, thinly for heat, Earth a g a in set it melted the let time it

then pour more water honey, be in g . digest w ell and it will

becomes like for f irs t its

have enough moisture in B . M. in the

growth

S et the in it for

retort

d e g re e o f so that the

two days and two nightsr T h e n d is t il

becomes in 8.M., in ashes

softened

and clissolved . will

t h e rn o ie t u re degrees,

and when nothing

go any longer

by these

31 9

and do as before, dry and thirsty it might burst a t fi rst, When it

Bo that by slowly

the Earth may once more become guite increasing

arid,

the degrees of heatr 1ls, that dryness. quite However, do not over-

open or cleave with b e ca u se i t is still giv it

do it

volatile. V as before and disti l l i ng, this imbi-

is dry again,

once more fresh

p r o c e e d i n e ve ryth i n g drylng and gentle

a s befor e with water ing, in ashes. is well

digesting,

reverberiting until

Continue with

bing and coagulating Air and Watei,

the .$

impregnated by Heaven,

which may be seen by the following: that the Earth has absorbed much of Heaven,

When you believe Air

and Water, pour one hanclts width of the separated water upon it, i n B .M. d a y a n d n i ght, then let it let it dissolve, and distil it to one-

set it third; If it

cool dorrin anil put it

in the cell-ar to crystallize. can coagu-

has grown many crystals, of the volatile subtle i t.

and has taken as much as it

Iate

Heaven, Air - if it

and Water, and has also made the signr 8s it will Eoon do, it

Earth quite

shows this

i s t i m e to fi x Af t e r th i s,

ta ke th e r etor t,

ttistil

all

the moistur e

in B.M .

in asires, dry the Earth well up, give a somewhat stronger and finally .and lt will reverberdte at the bottom of the retort and will fire, become trrown or red with a t i n g w il l 'b e retort, (mortar) fi n i sh e d mixed colors. This drying up and reverberr emov e the

i n one day ( 12 hour s) . out with

At night,

carve the matter grind it well

a piece of wood on a grindstone, very gently, and put it back into enough

together,

the retort. to make it

Pour itE th i ck l i ke

sepdrated water upon it, h o ney, set it

or fresh water,

in 8.M ., dr aw off

the m ois tur e,

320

then

coagulate they

and exsiccate reverberate the the

the

ash,

give a color

a somewhat stronger as before. it its again

fire

so that it it cool

and acquire Earth out,

Then let put as

down, take

and grind with B . M, ,

together. noisture

once more into into a thick

retort, set it ,

wet it it etc. the in

separated in

be for e

honey,

then

ashes,

coagurate,

exsicca te

and reverberate this

Continue during ate the with off the

work until reverberation, When this fine, put

Earth

is

attogether it

of

one color tolerfrom it

gentle

because then happens, it

can already

a stronger r etort, i ts

fire. it

remove the Earth the re t o rt , F irs t g e n t ly

again

grind

b a c k in t o it in

mo is t e n

drawn off then

water coagulate

and set

ashes.

d ra w t h e m o i s t u r e - a n d f in a l l y ac-

ge n tly,

g ra d u a lly

- a lwa y s than before.

reverberate quj-res the fine is

somewhat more strongly color at is in the the cold,

Thus the Earth

a more fixed out.

bottomr

ds you may see when you take retort, It grind is the Earth and it and

retort again

When it

remove the

and continue that

everything Earth

as before.

work,

now important

be reverberated thereby

more strongly

once more acquire to fire. Thie until

one single

color,

becoming more resistant must be rein the

imbibing, Earth

coagulating gradually

and reverberating

peated

the strong in

becomes fiery-red for then it

and fixed

ash due to r e ve r b e r ated tha t it

calcination, the sand p e r

can be even more strongly it is f in a lly is so fixed f in is h e d . into the

G ra d u s , u n t i. l

can stand

the open f ire : however,

T h e n t -h e Ma g is t e n iu m not but to to rush it inmrediately before in

You must remember, open fire (dull from the in

sand-grade, the fourth

set

hammer scale has stood

red heat)

and fifth

grades,

and when it

321

this, fire very it

Iock

it

into

two crucibles four bours.

and let

it

go in it outr

the

reverberating

pen Gnadue for subtlest l{ater

Then take into

Bnd Heaven and the and fixed e lt , atone, and

have turned after Ita He rme s :

a eorporeal in t e g n a

can now be said in terram,

V ie e ju e when it

s i. De ? s a into

fueri,t Ear th.

power is

total

has been transformed

This. is 6 grains root, sp ir itn

now the

universal

chief

medicine will

of which heal all

1,

2,

3 up to at the

(English

pharmaceut,

measure)

diseases animal (b ).

being

the.radical produee general vapor

moisture,

and the

natural, lif e .

and vital

which

the wh o le a o ima l example the has turned lover into

b a lm o f of

By this volatile

the Art

can aee how the most stony body, anC how

water

a moet fixed

ttre invisible, Let vegetables faction,

intangible

has become vieible good note it: of this

and tangible. example, for all animals putrefixed com-

now the

:reader take

and mineral-s

foLlow

They must first rectified and again body,

go through coagulated,

then must be separated, aB a transparent

and be reborn ponents in

glorified BS will

each by equivalent

eech of ..theEe kingdornsr horrevern *"ny because; the

be ehown later. this.work appears to

Ferhaps, be very

a man will 1) It is

say that very of a ll long

venturesome against

and tiresome;

2) rt He may

go e s dir ectly well

b a s ic

ru le s

p h ilo s o p h e rs .

speak of, putrefaction, coagulation, the Ioaked let philsophers then in

separation, f ix a t io n united

distillation,

rectification, but after in the

co n ju n cti on, separation, measure, any air,

a n d re g e n e ra t io n t the first it

Beginnings thoroughly boiled

a certain

a phial from

and luted escaping,

to prevent it to per-

alone

water,

and they

322

fection in

in

a stove, nithout

in

a glass, it

and by a regimen further. This

of one

the

fire,

arso howagain

a vessel,

touching Join to the

(Homenrs), them,

ever, to

eonmands ue to to dry glass, up,

parts

and always reverberate, to imbibe, this in

to distil to dry sand, which

inbibe,

coagurate, again

remove the mass up, coagulate in and

from the

to powder it, in it

reverberate, sca1e, single dicate dirt

from B.M.

ashes, in

from

then

hammer a inand

afterwards one of anything the

to put

the

open fire,

methods not he does not leaves fat

philosophers the

has taught. of the the

At that, feces but

about

separation which rid ofr

and everiything order poison never

together, us to into the one this get

philosophers the

most ernphatically sooner say that

and strictly turn into

oE else

work would also

than let

medicine. heat go outr

The philosophers ds'otherwise the

one should spoiled

the work would be heating I incessantly. myself, procan

- and this That

(Homerus) interrupts work it is here long

Answer: and I have not ceed in very lity sire ta ke this, this

and tedious,

admit

described

to make the

reader

necessarily Water

way but

so that

he may see how the into of its grades of

Chaotic fineness

conveniently as well to it direct

be divided those

and volatiNor do f de-

as into

corporeality this the

and fixity. if

anyone to

follow

wdy, except sake of

he wishes

to underfrom will

euni,ositatis there exist

gratia shorter

- for

c u rio s it y .

A s id e

and more amusing ways,

some of which

be shovrn later. Now the the great reader will remember that I said in the four first parts, part, into subdivided that

primordial

Chaos had been divided These four

into parts

Heaven, Air,

Water and Earth.

were again

323

and separated coarseness, ences of of the the to

within

themselves

into

their 9 of

grades Liber

of

fineness the the

and "efflulover so

as may be aeen in Chapter earth". By the prbvioue rifine

I about we wiehed these

processr

Art

understand

how to the is finer

and condense rises

grades,

as to make hirn see that before then solely of itg, with her the by the to let coarser, coarsest. everyone

always

and can be separated by the way of coarse, and

which I

inrmediately

followed this in

have herG deecribed sorks

proceeding by means

gee how Nature namely, of the

lawful

order

leve1s

and grades, the lover

by incessant Art might

ascending cognize

and descendand grasp

and so that his Just

better

haads the as young that

work of Nature. students is, the have their levels of comparison, the the Nature

a lso

h a s llersr

the mo s t e u b t le ' a n d subtle and volatile. the

v o la t ile , Again,

subtler and Na-

and more volatile, fixed, ture into Lnto the thicker

thick

and more fixed, (in fixed, into to fix

thickest to

and most fixed.

ascends

in volatilization, and the the'volatile in order the this flxed. fLxed

order from

transform to

the most fixed the fixed into

the more fixed the volatile,

there

transform

the more volat,iler Eomething volatile, changing the

and this

the most volatile) descends J.n precisely

and she also into

eame ori:ler, a volatile,

rnost volatile into the

the more volatile, this tile dle irito into stages. If it is then a most the

into

the volatile desire to the turn

a fixed,

She does not direct but

most volanid-

most

through

aforenrentLoned

someone wiehes him,

to work this it into

procese

eunioeitatie

gratis, not

up to

and he ean dlvide

sueh parts;

trut he is

324

forced If ruLes, ing lover at

to do so. the reader tell of were to think that I act f against am not the philsophical particularly philosopher of Nature, aimor and

I would the of

him thisr the

6s above: but I in

secret

sages,

am a natural the footsteps

the

fire-artr so will to

who follows I also

as Nature from Her,

worksr neither

work. nor to

And I do not the leftr

deviate

one inch what the I

the and I

right

Do matter well.

sagea have written, do not sure heed theirs, they said are

know their them, with

ways full but the follow laws

But because

Dor despise in accordance

my own, and am also of Nature, I do not

that

want it but ever

that leading like

I have led them to it

anyone away from ponder

the

philosophers'r"y, my own path. Who-

am only

eomewhat over again at the

does not

may withdraw because the moist

threshold,

so that

he does not

go astray encloEe the

of ny way. and the dry in a phial and fix up and all according such in of it to conturns whom reaches

I do not the stant into usual

way of

philosophers,

and coagulate until it dries

digestion earth in

and circulation a steady despises fire. or

This holds in

has been taught low estimation;

me by Nature, but whoever work. to

no philosopher the natural Nature, forth their the the

way and purpose in order to

has won and has shortened the Elenents the (Water form

his

cause

and Earth) of water

bring above, growth,

fruits, earth

provides takes

the

eeed in

from for

of which driving vapor

and retains water

as much as it back into warmth, the the

requires air

remaining the

excessive lower

as steam and is, the it subturns

by means of central

and the

upper heat of

that

terranean

and the

overhead

Bun.

There

325

into the

water earth

again, absorbs

farring

and dripping requires the

back upon the for growth, steam,

earth. the rest

Again, being

as much as it the air in

again an d it Witt this world,

driven c arries

up into on this

form of

vapor

and fog;

perp e t u a l

c irc u la r

c o u rs e in

u n t il a fixed

t h e Cr e a t o r r s stone. is, to the its by with great

coagulates impregnation all the

and fixes

everything of

together the

and distillation of the earth

macrocosm,

that

fruits

now grow, is dried

each according

characteristics. the After sun,

For when the

earth

up and reverberated it with rain

heaven provides the the

moisture

again

and wets

and dew. and re-

that,

sun comes back and once more dries, earth, so that it becomes thirsty

coagulates

verberates m oistur e . This l ati ng for thing lets

and again

attracts

action

of

Nature every

should a rt is t , in

serve ju s t the as it

as the

best

model for the

coagu-

and fixing

for

a s h e le a rn e d f irs t p a rt ,

best model 9. Every rt

dissolving takes go of

and volatilizin g as much fire

Ch a p t e r

and water it

reguires, it

and no more. this time, and

the not

rest

because (c) .

wds too much for

th e r e for e

needed.

Such laboratory dared coagulate

work has emptied all of

the

purse of his in

of many a man who intended a d d it io n , the product, he often cracked and

and fix

the moisture coal in

he bu r n t made the and his fear

many cartloads subject treasure bubble flowed

s o d o in g ;

by too much heatr into the ash.

so that

glass

Thereafter

he was overcome by

and grief O miserable

and gave up the life and time!

ghost If

from melancholy. the poor human beings works daily but under observed their

and learned

from Nature's

course,

who indeed

326

noses and labors philosophers hold it

incessantly

and presents forerunner! first

herself

to

a1l

natural r cannot f could taught

as an exemplar'and anyone,

To be sure, r also but believed the result

against

because at

achieve me the of

everything contrary, copying

by relying untir r hit

on my brains; upon this that, it

way and grasped

the method

solely

Nature.

After

lny eyes were somewhat more and as r have proceeded, so

illuminated, I also le t that find

and as r have received it.

communicate this

Whoever then wishes He will find in yet

to go the way of Nature, get s o me s a t is f a c t io n , And if he were to and

him follow is,

tractate .

as much as he hopes to point too

others. let re f le c t

one or another

difficult, f ie ld to

him run on.

to Nature

r e fl ect.

There he has a w id e many will c a ll:

O f course, Yes, y s, it of is

B a c k t o Na t u re ! truly

B a c k t o Na t u r e ! There a ll are many, Yes, most

show me someone who ever a thousand tr ue, they Nature-write rs ,

examines Nature!

wh o wa n t t o d e s c rib e s h a re ; skins but v e ry

t h in g s . is ,

have done t h e ir only the the

ma n y , t h a t and not the

them, the

have described exterior

and hulls

kernel,

only they tray they

and not

innermost,

and through

those

writings as-

have - although many thousand explained the

innocently individuals author's it to

and unknowingly who followed their

- ruined tenets, now that

and let because way, thinking.

meaning now this according describe to to their

wdlr

and

arranged If details, for it

and understood someone wished it would turn

own way of with in that aII

everything

the

intricate concept' to

be impossible into a folio

summarise it f admit

a brief

would

volume. take

I am unable

do so.

For who would

presume to

upon himself

such an indescri-

327

bable

work

of

all

things?

But permits,

in

this

book I

am showing

lovers

of

wisdom as much as Nature according to the works return, of

and I have arranged so that'a to me alone a point, by practice. goal.

my exposition

Naturer only

man on the wrong path but also to Nature direct and his find

may immediately her works. reflection the right

not

When he has understood further path and confirm the it

he may then

Then he will

and reach

desired

One can indeed subject they to the stage

see how long of solution Iet alone

many have been busy getting - how much time, how long Liquidun a single t ime they into subject is expense

their

and power until since they some

consume and burn, and fix their

have worked a powder, to oblige f a ri

coagulate wait

conjoined for

whole months and years etc.),

them (by an d n o -

co a g u la ting thin g If a g u la ted ( stuff then

and whe n t h e

c o me s , it

L a ri

and nonsense) . such a man is he should and parts is to be helped and his subject is h is to be cos u bj e c t ,

faster,

h ims e lf it

c a re f u lly that water

c o n s id e r is, in

what constituents Whether or not lated This tionr dried an oil take the or spirit

contains, in the

water the it form

and spirit. of a salt it does

concealed

a delicate than It water lets

powder or of it reguires go of the

whatever to rest form

form

may be,

more water

a body or the

become coaguthe fire.

and fixed. excessive ds Nature up earth.

through from to the the

power of

must also

be taken water

spirit thirsty,

by distillaparched and

shows us in Of that, is

giving earth

the

absorbs by the

as much as it sun and the not

reguires. heat. This

The rest, an artist

however, should

drawn off note,

again but

carefully

he should

draw the moisture

328

o ff

with

a strong

fire,

on ry wit h the

a g e n t re

f ire ,

in

8 . M. ,

and he Now

should it

cohobate

this

until

earth for it

can stand

greater

heat.

no longer

requireb to

moisture,

must increasingry

accept excesthereby into

dryness sive after

and proceed part

coagulation up and out, faster. This

and fixation. and the process very

Then the spirit

useless

rises ever

seed or is

coagulates

always

hindered

t}:e Aqua recolaeae, e a r th. some will in the water since r myserf note of

which

can only

slowly

be transformed

say however: attaches itself

"How do r recognize to the fixed body,

that

the

spirit and conr admit But

coagulates on?,,

geals, that take

as much water have found the following: a vehicle hidden it

goea over hard to

as r have poured acquire that

knowledge.

Wa ter being spir it all or

a n d a v is ib le in v is ib ly , it s e lf , in is

t a n g ib le the s o le

b o d y in wh ic h me a n s o f

the

seed lies by joining

u ni t i n g liqu i d the dry

th in gs

them wit h

b e c a u s e a 1 l mo is t , their itself, power, innermost in than

things ones. sible

can more easily This wdy, water the

be conjoined

has contained

within

a hidden is

and invia Vehide-

spirit

and seed and its Thos e wa t e rs they

and water E u b t le

e u lu m of pending and the

the

spirit.

a re e it h e r

o r c o a rs e, or thickened, to those

on whether seed or

have been extended, is volatile its or fixed. from

refined

spirit

According the seed,

differences, a cts

water in I

takes

character wa t e rs .

and the

seed

differently For example:

differen t is

a wa t e r, volatile

v in e g a r is

is

a ls o but

a wa t e r, of like

o il

is

also

a water,

everything

a water,

quality

329

a s the coagulated or dissolved in

spirit.

The way the spirit differ ently

acid

works di f-

v
It

, it
in is the

w o rks d i ffe re ntly

salt, of and differently obvious liquidity

in vinegar ,
in the

in oil,

ferently

corrosives. they are dissolved great amount and aIus e l e s s

course of

in

such waters

that

and in

state If

and still

have a rather they would

of moisture. che n ists caLl

they

were coagulated, " d ry

be dry, t h e ir

t,he eoagulat a , moisture

t h in g s " . from or

T h e re f o re

and excessive that in is, in

must be taken the spirit

them Uy aistillation, the sharpness the rest contained but quite Phleginstanre-

such a way that reeolaeeo

such a hunido

does not

go over

with

mains and coagulates. empty, insipid

The Humidum, however, any taste, In the that artist times like

must go over

or without

an empty tasteless seed coagulates by it to truth

ntctt without taneously times

any sharpness. and so fast that

way the is

overjoyed more eager

a thousand up and him-

and also the

becomes a thousand Art,

take

practice self

alchemical by it through learn to those Waterr but alone

because he perceives contemplation. this point

and is

guided

further

Therefore, and prefer in part ter another in is it

here

and ponder would

very

carefully, this Art

which or

derive

advantage is

from

way:

the

useless or

part, the

by no means the main in the wa-

coagulation, that its which

the

spirit

Eeed contained and gets

coagulates,

concentrates means that or

fixed coaguThe themre-

through lates

own intermediaries. fixed through its the

This

the Volatile part. off

and gets

own acid useless

alkaline

essential selves

components discard for their

excessive nothing

water but

and retain

constitution

what they

330

quire

to

form or Preserve

a body of

an incorruptible

constituent

m oistur e. They retain se lve s Iike such an attracted that smoke. moisture they rt f lo w Hunidun wit h it so firmly s t e a d it y s ilic a out that heat within in a ll themf ir e s that,

and together

wax, without excessive retain highest

ma y b e s e e n in has been driven they require, of

a n d g ra s s

when the most, in

by them to the utthey like flow oil, r{ith without p u s he d b a c k it

they

no more than

the very of

and strongest or f ix it y r the the Art. Art

degree E S lo n g

a n y l oss again

stability or of

as they

a re n o t

by Nature Let a lover

consider

this

- that as for

it

would be an inherself to Jnit the so. a in in

surmountable coa g u la te di,piduun all

task

for

an artistr all

Ers weII

Nature

water'or into

e x c e s s iv e dry it

mo is t u re , oowder or

a s mu c h a s e v e r y a stone - although of time for

contains, but

earth, that the

can be done, Iover Yes, phial half the

so slowly

would

be a waste

of wisdom and that let someone just it to try

greatest

age would

be short

in doing in but

and shut

some rain

- or find }ittle

springwater some earth,

and set a year guantity or

coagulate. year or

He may well notice

a whole the

he will its

or no decrease

of

water

coagulation. Nature animals which in the animal kingdom

Therefore, does not an im a ls gin o sa e lse This turn all

we rightly moisture give off

follow into

or animal

parts;

otherwise mueilaor etc. in

would not

a n y E o e re me n t a u n in o la , mo is t u re stay

sudotoea, wit h p ie e a ,

and etereorola.

No r d o e s a ll

p la n t s, aquosa, esPecially

they would not may be seen in

have a n y E n e n e n e n t a re s in o s a , the larger growths,

such as trees,

331

the

spring,

when their Humidun drips

barks out

open because of in d if f e re n t and stones

the

excess, L ik e wis e , their

and the n ot all other-

e xce ssive moisture wise tions the tains l ar Iy, or else not

f o rms . during

remains

with

minerals

growth,

so many rivers, flow of the out of

fountains

and springs If they all

of various all

composi-

would growth would not the

the mountains. creatures,

remained with in the mounSimi-

subterranean into rock

the water reach

turn all

and ore,

and none would is for the

us.

rain,

dew, s n o v r e t c . , terrestrial heat

g ro wt h could

of

c re a t u r e s , subliare everydews, rain that, how-

central

and the or

sun,

not

mate and attract day producing

any Vapones, vapors such abundant vapors,

steams,

while

they

and form

such abundant earth. With

and snow, and again ever, tion Nature that wants

precipitate to

them upon the

show us by macrocosmic give their in

impregnation that

and cohobacreatures constantly NaunderInimpregearth can

she does not it until

one go so much moisture perfeetion. No, but

have enough of cohobating ture take

she is

a little, this

by constant rul.e, our

impregnation also

and desiccation. observe it and not water. after the

observes to

and we should earth the

coagulate n should as Nature

to-be-dried gently distil

inundated excess

with it

steadr nation take for tio n it

only

from

herself

does,

and cohobate

thus

until

stronger

heat.

Then it

no longer

reguires etate

any more moisture, coagula-

must increasingly an d greatest By this fixation.

assume a dry

and move toward

everybody

sees clearly see d o r part ),

that

water

is

only

a cover

or

a sta-

casin g ted

of

the universal the first

s p irit that

(a s h a s b e e n s u f f ic ie n t ly wa t e r it e e lf ie n o t the

a b o ve in

but

seed

332

or

spirit.

-water

can therefore that part of

not the desire

be arl water

coaguratedr which is the

but spirit

the itand

earth self. if of

demands only Nature

herself buckets the

doee not of water

more than be poured

she requires, upon half

a hundred earth, al-l

were to

an ounce be reyet the

volatile

water

and Hunidzn would

yrould indeed remain. needs to

moved by distillation earth and it tained e q u a l. Th us it p e "sa lib us fixe d , it is with uould not

and the in

earth itself

alone it

coagulate go of fixed the

more than But if

retain, conas its

wourd let earth or

rest. it

the water with

had arso the earth

parts,

would

remain

the

s e e d o r u n iv e rs a l a n d in d i. u id u ie . s p irit of it s it

s p irit r If t h is

B S we ll s p irit

Ln uniis to made itself, how-

as Ln epeeifieee takes a volatile its like

k in d too.

a n d d ra ws it It in will

so as to make it ever, spir it a s th e natura joices another almost the

and congeal

d is c a rd ,

same amount of

excessive jo in s

water lik e ,

which

the volatile a t t ra c t s n a tu r a Nature repels relike,

had been hidden. saying gaudet goes.

T h u s lik e

a n d lik e

Natur a

n a t u ra m a n b it

a n d a mp le e i" t u n , her, thing

- Nature In

embraces Nature the

and surrounds

in Nature. if

sErmeway one disagreeable is \| to be made thereof. is present, in the

an enduring as the

unity

As long not be rightly

tastelees

seed or

spirit will the

canbe no easily

or permanently

united

a body, This

and there

immortal corruptible exce ss of it to the

unionr

pErlldnence and fixity. animals

may be seen in which

and dissoluble A qua ?eoolaeea, highest degree.

and plants,

have a great not rid of

a n d e v e n min e ra ls As long as the

a re lik e wiE e reeolaeea

or the excessive

333

tastless ject plants cess

moisture

is

not

separated

from

them,

they

are always Animals

suband

to mortarity

or decay,

dissolution due to

and change. their

decay and easily (of water) which is

putrefy a curse,

accumulating if they In the

an exit

especially etc.

get more of same way, less

from outside, minerals

such as rain, because in

snow, water, is

decay,

such moisture and is that or the

everywhere added in ?ecolaeea

more or other is

admixed already Let or anvil to the of

the mineral recognize spirit

also \/

ways. hammer it is

reader the

the

implanted because it

seed, rest But

by means of in if the water the is s p irit

which but

roused var io u s

act,

can never a n o t h e r. excessive

causes

changes,

one after and its

coagulates taken from

and becomes fixed, it and dried stones, up,

moisture

thereby

as may be seen in minerals, etc. , in which by the it it is lu lI e d ,

metals, c o n t ra c t e d

Btones and prea n d b ro u g h t to

cio u s its it to

glasses, poteDCy, aroused

highest is again

stays

stable

and incorruptible this, it

until

same moisture. body back into its

After first it

endeavors Then it gene"else out

resolve to

its its

coagulated workshop

nature.

returns ato of into it.

and its it

tool,

by which

changes the something

a eo"?uptum,

until

once more generates

Someone might the pels bodies of

here

reproach plants

me that

the

excrements which Nature

expelled herself way, but

from exare

animals,

and minerals, her

and discharges

by means of or a thing full the of

appropriate power or the

secretory substance, spirit. of trees

nolc Aqua ?eeolaeea those urine waters of are

without the

that

still

seed or

Such are the and the var-

human beings,

Gummata and resins

334

ious

mineral

waters

from (1)

the minerals. found them superfluous to of expel the them. for (2) Be-

So r reply: maintaining cause Nature, yet intend the in

Because Nature body, with

generated

she wished the will

accordance the

Creator, the Fifth

does not Essence, di-

to undertake able

transformation the Art. discharges

into

as man is rects to for o n ly h is his its

to do through outflowing

And (3) (urine

Because Nature etc.) without

man to body, bodyr

the

damage of like but as the

and to diligently so that

s e e k t h e re in need to a s f u lL

the attack of

n e c e s s a rie s the

he does not is ju s t

body itself

discharge,

which

p o we r a n d v irt u e

bo d y itself. In w hich the animal realm Nature has given a ls o the the body the discharges and mucus, In the

ar e especially

urine saliva

and feces, the tears of

p e rs p ira t io n eyes,

stomach and lung, pla n t se e d s, m aI's tioned r eaLm, the l eaves entire

and earwax. the to

trickling

out

G u mma t a a n d . L iq u o ? e a , is not n e c e s s a ry ro o t ,

f lo we r s , an ani-

and stalks. body or to contain dig

A n d it

take the

u p a p la n t rs the

s in c e

a b o v e- m e n -

discharges In the

just

same powers as the ma n d if f e re n t metals, g o ld , the

roots. me t a ls f or dif-

same wdy, Nature and out great of

h a s g iv e n the less

ferent can still wo r ke r s go ld like which emery, courage

purposes, derive

expensive of

Poor people la b o ra t or y th e

bene f it s . marca s it e s , B S we ll

Instead g o ld lik e +

have goldlike iron pyritesr in

v it rio ls ;

f u rt h e r

a s f ix e d fn addition, - all

a n d a n u p rip e btoodstone share in

v o lat i l e

are

found

antimony.

(hematite) the heart, and

Iodestone

(Magnetite) solar

of which

strengthening

essence.

33s

Thus it alty ' s ta r')

i s w i th 6

all

r ed Astnie, :

( the wor d Astr is metallic and likewise +

means li ter bodiesr on with D

and Q

instead of their and hybrids;

should take their and all white

offsprings

Astris.

Just as 6

contains

embryonatum vola-

ti,Le eolis

(th e vo l a ti l e

em br yo of the sun) , bisnuth contains ( the volatile also contain embr yo of the m oon) . the fixed lunar +
pro-

e m b r y o na tu m L u n a n o o l a ti l e Ga1mey (calamine), and tutia

r s not

a 2

nar @a
the lover of the Art sees that Nature of has not one subject for ones, for the preservation human naContake

Therefore, vided ture us with but with it

only

many different is not

and more than u s - u n le s s with

we require. to - to

se q u e n tl y, the subjects but

neces s a ry bodies

we wis h roots

and their their

together

their

and everyif only the

thin g ,

discharges

offer

u s mo re t h a n Where Nature the e x c e s s iv e us with

e n o u g h h e lp , stops,

we know how to use them properly. a r ti st s hould begin and driv e off

however,

Hu mid u mr d s N a t u r e examples of permanenee. how we There be conor even

shows us in can attain She herself sumedr or by fir e . from his if

the mountains the Quintessence

and presents

and incorruptible bodies, either s h o u ld

forges

the most durable very s1ow1y, a rt is t

which

cannot and airr h e a rt ,

so then is

by water take to

This

what the

a n d le a r n have up to

grandmother

(Nature) how to ask , the re of

Herself,

trhom most people and healthy

now have neglected,

achieve

a long

life. a re t o be

No w someone might disti l l ed or if they off, are whether

b e c a u s e t h e A q u a s ? e e o la e e a s is the n o p u rp o s e spiritrs in Na t u re rs

h a v in g that

them' they

so devoid

power and virtue

336

cannot

be used for also turn

anything. into

Further, or

whether

the

spirit

or

seed seed. nec-

d o e s not

a ? e c o la e e o r briefry and is

t ' } re n e e o la e e u m in t o is not rearly

To answer these essary a useful tally would spirit. to that sp ir it for

questions

- because it

the main point I

more a speculative t-}:reAqua ?ecolaeea or seed and in

amusement than can never be toit the seed

discourse

say that spirit at hand, least it

separated no longer On the

from the contain other

such a hray that or rays of or

some hidden is impossible from

powers for the

spirit

be separated no matter or

so totally

and perfectly

t-}re Aqua teeoT,aeea it of be, it (tfre

how stone-fixed at all

and dry-coagulated t in e s re t a in said a t ra c e abover

seed) will

t h e wa t e r . the minuare altogef ill e d

Water and spirit test the r with If V droplet fi l led. water. is of with \/

are oner and the ju s t

ds I

so that dust

infinitesimal as the say: there s p irit

mote of is is

spirit,

a lt o g e t h e r

Now someone will altogether water is spirit, is

But that is indeed or

a contradiction. disto t a l and

no superfluous the s p irit That is is sor

ch a r g e , ly water, is

and if water as it

alt o g e t h e r nothing

s p irit , but aII

indeed

seed.

th a t

must be. enough above, t e n mi. n i. In you must understand Wa t e r a n d s p irit its essence sPirit the

Look now, as I have said d iffe r e n ce single at all

and E lre Distine t i. o n e n matter issued

ar e o n e is not

primary different spiritr

from God.

from vrater. they

Consequently'

water

cannot

be separated be they

from in

but or is

are one and remain form, they

one always one.

and ever;

a liquid This

a dry the

are altogether and the

then

difference

confusion

which man has made

337

for

himself: to

that

we have divided according countless but

this to

subject power,

or matter and these

into two into

two,

according four,

name and not four into

and these

separate thinq

things, and, to

arr

of which above,

are nevertheless

nothing

one single only in

as said the

the whore difference fixation water is or volatility. becomes, the given its its

consisting

regard

degree of spirit after or it such ES

The more fixed power to to in in act act the

and coagulated it acquires in ). If it

greater

(i.e.

a g a in

an aqueous v e h ic le dissolution, coagulation

possessed

power in it has in

extreme extreme

form of or in

dew and rainr the that philosophers is , or

gold

ston e ,

r ainwater

would

be a u n iv e rs a l toil into to the that resolve F if t h

me d ic in e , the

a ra w o n e , coagulated But

and men would

no longer it

inditsi.dua

see d an d transform since r ain ee t, it bu t si does not only

E s s e n c e o r Ma g is t e riu m. in the form of V is e ju e total wh e n it

possess

porrrer while is

dew or i. n t eg r a is trans-

when Hermes' in

s a y in g fts

f u lf ille d : p o h re r is spirit

ue?aa fuerit into earth,

terra m; the

formed

therefore

diluted

and water

must be & for-

concentrated, ti tu d in e n str en g th That cor d in g according ing thing Iess power. is in of to

coagulated

and fixed. tha t is , it s

Then it total

has u?:n integram

fontissimam, of all

p o we r a n d t h e

s t ro n ge s t

strengths. this inner, V but a " e e o la e e u m a c c o rd in g t o to it is it s not to b e u n d e rs t o o d p a rt , to that its is, indwellThis useis of ac-

I call its to

outer

the

nErmegiven

and not of

according words,

When names have the no use to me.

value it is

many say: be altogether it

Should if it

therefore of

everything?

No, but

no use to you,

338

use to 'ble for

someone else. something else,

If

it jus t

is

not

s u it a b le

for

t h is , that

it

is

suita-

a s t h e c o rn e rs t o n e stone and the wh ic h , it s e lf

wa s re je c t e d for it is the catled and if

finally bu ild in g . a u se le ss is it the is

became the most useful LikeiY ise, the V

foundation a lt h o u g h t h is

? e e o la e e a wit h in

P hlegma, yt

con t a in s

p o we r t o a c t

concentrated injected again into

spirit's a sick

o n n v e h ie u lu m, body, the

b y me a n s o f wh ic h , spirit

concentrated

or euintesthe sick reader

sence is

awakened and joins the latter

with

and strengthens its enemy. try to

Aneheus so that must understand con tr ad ictions, This, r e co la ce am

can drive

out

But the

my view

and not

inunediately

change me with

however, from the in the

is

the

true

reason is

why we separate a s p irit ma t t e r, or

this

Aquam emyet

rest, hyle

b e c a u s e it of

s e e d s t ill has not

b e d d e d deeply

t h e o rig in a l

wh ic h

become specified tati on . Saltiness the first in is the

enough or

become salty

by putrefaction

and fermen-

the earth

beginning

and cause of into of

all

coagulation stones. it

and

to be transformed wat e r is d e v o id v e ry

precious

The r e for e, co a g u la ted has a salty ti l e it be,

because this

s a lt in e s s ,

cannot

be

and made earthyr

o r o n ly

s lo wly .

S p irit , No matter

however, how volapo-

and spermatic-coagulating it

nature.

can much so o n e r b e c o a g u la t e d But when the behave just latter lik e the also

than

t h e u s e le s s ,

werless tati on ,

water. it will

becomes salty

by fermenT h e re f or e ,

s e e d a n d s p irit . incredibly

because it parate it

cannot in order

be coagulated to hasten

or only

slowly,

we seit

and shorten

our work by distilling

339

off

- not

that

we reject

it

as useless

but

because

it

hinders,

retards

and delays

our work. created to the his smallest honor we call speck of dust and beneto be

The Creator the fit smallest of all

has also of

droplet his in for

water

and glory

and the is

creatures. the sense that

But that they

them useless

understood unsuitable because it understand

are

superfluous must well useless

and therefore grasp this discourse,

our work. contain

The reader a single

does not

word.

What he does not he understands will it. turn

immediately,

he must reflect also ask whether

upon until

Noht someone might in to in se ed, the or the

t-he Aqua ?eeolaeea T h e s e e d is tecolaceum

seed int o for

A q u a re e o la e e a . the seed and the

d is s o l v e d but

aqua recolacea,

are one,

we hu m an beings But to this is sor allow

separate a lover only the which V

t h e m c z n t e rn in i. of the the Art sharp to

e o mp o e it io n e see with his

n u lt ip li e a t a . own eyes that

and that and not

and salty let

seed can be guickly note of the

coagulated following can n o t water), Iy alike

recolaceum,

him take with his

example see with as its in

will

make hi:n grasp the h y le a lic watery

hands what he s u b je c t all (i.e. total-

his

eyes in

o r c h a o t ic parts

separated

volatile

are nearly there is

taste

and smell. by which from take is its ripe

In wine however, notice or

a considertastespirit. it

able less

difference, water differs

he can well palatable

how the

powerless

the

sharply of will

perceptible them, then

Therefore, ferment wine. better. - which Or take Put

grapes,

make a juice - and it

and let turn into

putrefaction that

Bome wine it,

has already

been made, the older into an alenbic

the and

some of

as rnuch as you like,

340

draw the ignite

burning

spirit

of

wine over.

Rectify

itr

so that

it

can

gunpowder, After this, with

and you have separated continue d is t illin g to

the Volatile. the the t h ic k n e s s fine in the dust of h o n ey . be mix-

ltix

this

brick

powder, faIls it

from which to the

must well This

washed off, ture

and which

bottom

water. a ball

must be dryr Then put the it

so that into

can be formed in .i:

into

between one's and disP h le g n a ,

hands. ti l

a retort Y o u will

, add a receiver o b t a in a c o a rs e is

thr ough

grades. Iike

f irs t

tha n a sour-r'L-, vi ne g a r . This of is fire. the is In

win e v in e g a r,

and that

t h e A e id u n or t h e

followed the retort part. it

by a t h ic k , there Take it into

s t in k in g a I

o il

in

the open degree into coal, which

remains out

burnt it

alkaline

and rub

to powder between and throw but the the coal anC the

your

hands.

Now put it.

a deep dish powder sinks

in water to the

powder into will

The brick

bottom, with

swim above upon the but salt filter of

water.

Remove the the water

coal

a feather find

keep it; a lka lin e

and coagulate tartar. and coal them.

and you will

Take that bad-smelling oil

salt into

powder, Then put

both well it B.t!. into for

dried, a retort,

and stir pour

the the

Aeid u n or vinegar After adding

upon it,

set

it

in

one day and one night. or the Reeogo. Discard

a head and a receiver, in B .Fl. - gra d u a lly , head and pour on again

draw the moisture e v e ry t h in g tne V that uPon it, slowly and the will or

L a e e u m over that, put then the

open the

the Volatile, in B.M. A pure the

head and receiver go overr

and distil

Ph le g n a wiII

or a n A q u a ? e e o la e e a ,

g h a rP n e s s o f

341

\V

r e ma i n s w i th th e se ed or the Aeido & ALcaLii or r go over with it will the water, the V

if

some never-

sharpness should stirl theless fore, \9 be so weak that

wilr

never again ignite

gunpowder as be-

and the reason is that as it

By this

the earth

has absorbed so much of the

needed, and it
work the artist

lets

go of the r est.
how the seed or salty the supervolatile and have realms, , the coagu-

can perceive and how it

-flfl uo u s

is

coagulated useless

and congealed

relinquishes o r ra in

matter.

Th e u n iv e rs a l identical qua lit y in or

wa t e r

a n d it s

comPonents are almost n o no ti ceable i .e ., \7 l ates sweet, it the specific

smell,

taste lik e

and color the

s h a rp n e s s

s p e c if ie d [1

animal,

vegetable

a n d min e ra l

k in g d o ms . sharpness S o u r,

T h e -c t -

and the -oupon its without that

(h, have a noticeable lleali taste there is the by m e a n s o f or smeLl, like the

which, the

when it re s t

Ieaves

empty,

common well special which

water. about its

From this sharpbind-

follows

must be sonething spirit or seed,

ness, ing

and that

has taken

a salty

nature

through

putrefaction artist

and fermentation. the t! and the let V upon the him only

When now the coal think and the of salt,

has coagulated

and has drawn off

t-h.e Reeolaeeum, or

how much Reeolaeei from his distilled the

and how much sharpness wine; seed in and he will quantity. so as to fixed parts find Let ignite

seed he has the Reeo-

obtained

that

Laeeum by far weigh the \/

exceeds which it

him previously gunpowder, and the then

he rectifies upon his

when he has poured R ee o la e eum, let

and has drawn off a n d h e will

him weigh t h e

Re e o la e e u m a g a in

342

aee holr much sharPness eeum, although Phlegna find that that its the artist

or

seed had been contained believes that the V is

in

this

Reeolaof ar1

now rid

because it the q)sharpness

ignited

gunponder.

Then he will

nevertheless weighs, itself to and be

has armost is a very

as heavy a phlegma as' it small part that allows

coagulated Bu t to

and congealed. give some prais e to t h e Re e o la e e u m, I moisture which say that it is an

an excellently take It out as their

purified beverage; the the lost W

radical

consumptives

should thirst.

and those

who suffer take

from compulsive o n ly that

r e p la ces of which

Hunid u n ; which

b u t N. B .

Re e o L a ee u m ,

ignites

gunpowder,

has been coagulated t e g e t a b ilie T h is then is h y le o s u s p ro o f or the the 8eseed, followed to

a n d con gealed. seu i nsipidus the salty r ea der

Thi.s is voLati.li.s only in the all

a v e ry

p u re Me re u riu s ete.

in e o a g u la b iL is seed, t h in g s the

that

s p irit ,

the

s h a rp n e s s , and not

seed-essence

c a n b e c o a g u la t e d

e o la e e u m. coagulation b y fi xati on.

When an artist is at hand in

s e p a ra t e s one instant,

t h e Re e o la e e u m f ro m t h e which is inmediately

I have said l et

that

vrhen the

earth the

was saturated V ? e e o la e e a , that the

with

\7

, it

still to That

so me sharpness

go over wit h this

a n d ma n y li k e goes over.

coagulate is e a sy to in i s,

and congeal dor as I

residual b e f o re , if

sharpness o n e d rie s

said

Co a g u L u n o x t . h e earth thirsty;

earth tha t tenra over,

ash by gentle if one dries eagerly to it

reverberation, ve ry g e n t ly ,

and makes the the ALeaLi or

Co a g u lu m e e u has gone go over

desires in order

to

attract

once more the it,

seed that

coagulate

and congeal

and it

now lets

343

what

is

useress

- without to go over,

any taste. make the until

rf

even now a little dry and thirsty aII

sharpagain the seed

ness were still by reverberation. fr om emeIl,

earth it

Repeat this

has attracted is wit h o u t

t}r e Reeolaeeo, like clear oini,

and t t re A q u a ? e e o la c e a spring

taste

and

and tasteress the all

water.

Then you have the It

M ag ister ium is the

Qui , n t e s e e n e e a n d t h e A re a n u m o e g e t a b ile . plants and also aII anirnalsr fixation ES will follows,

same with

be taught which un-

later.

!{hen coagulation it is to the

has taken

place, in

means that tir u n ti l it

be reverberated fourth that the grade. g ra d e ,

ashes ever

more strongly it in the sand

can stand it

Then one sets a n d s o f o rt h , coagulating of

has withstood lover the Art of

a s wa s s a id

before.

Now the is folly in

Art

sees that the us.

so much water herself, herself who what is not slow-

and against

order

Nature to

serves

everywhere for

as a model for subject; fast,

She takes

agreeable ly, of

every

eagerly

and irnpetuously slowly. In the discover

although perfecting

she Eeems to she rushes

reach quite

perfection eagerlyr

process in your

BS you will

p r a cti ce. By this n e e ip i- a t one may see q u o d n a t u ra natura a n p le e t a t u n that is , gaudeat n a t u ? a m, "that n a t u ra p ro p ria , natura Beu non in her

naturam,

& e o n t ra n iu m re jo ic e s Nature

n e e e ssa rLum ipeomet own Nature, that

repellat

Na t u re that

Nature

accepts

her own Nature, contrary

surrounds Her. " fire

her own Nature That

and repels

what is

or unnecessary regimen into of

to the

I do not

have a stove B.M. into

or a constant from there

and jump from the scale and the

ashes, this

eand, hammer the heat in that

open fire,

and in

way interrupt

344

f again coagulate that intend str o n g e r does not stronger

imitate

Nature,

who teaches not

me that boil

if it

f wish

to congeal since

or

something, softens

r should

always

in water, congeal. give

procedure

everything

and does not

Because I an ever heat

to make my medicine degree produce of fire,

ever more fixed, lik e Na t u re h e rs e lf ,

r also s in c e

a mo d e ra t e

a durable than

fixed the 8.M.,

body.

Because r see that than ash,

ash is

and better

sand hotter stronger,

and the that the

hammer scale stronger the

and open fire heat, the of

still

I also

notice

more it it,

congeals the

the--o.-, s p irit

and the more the and seed to advance

R ee o la e eum goes out to its In fi sh extreme stone

a llo win g

- and g la s s water

c o a g u la t io n . makes watery, a n d mo is t dry heat heat easily corruptible

the warmth of

Nature

an d toads, animals; yet

etc. r in in the heat, for

ha lf -d ry air, in

s h e ma k e s mor e and plants; Nature

durable and in

she makes growths we may see that for

stronger

minerals. fish

By this

uses the water-vessel animals dr y they that which they b ile , or that for live

and their earth

species;

the perfect a moderate, b e ca u s e

on and above the howe v e r,

she uses already a n d d ry e r heat,

h e a t;

plants,

a s t ro n g e r than

have dryer the

and harder

bodies

animals.

Then we can see earth of upon

sun constantly are growing, heated

strongly

irradiates

them and the cannot the get out

they are

and because they and dried up,

the way, mo-

strongly

while

animals

being

avoid

such heat partl y in the shade.

o r a lt o g e t h e r,

and seek a cool

br e e z e

take

ehelter

Irlinerals, est inner

however, heat,

require whereby

a yet they

greater

heat,

Ys, into

the rock

strongin

central

are coagulated

345

various the

ways.

The nearer the heat that heat heat

the

ores

are to

the

center

of

the

earth, sto-

stronger

they ie is

must endure.

rn an animarrs especially

mach, a great The greatest great the eive

natural natural.

concentrated, concentrated in of

in winter. of the of

the

stonach or the

Demorgorgon

(Demiurge

- the

fires not

hetl)

center

earth. vapors then

Otherwise,

Nature

could

dietil

or drive of the

the excesearth. it is freThe

and steam up to a subject (provided it lies is

the to not

uppermost center,

surface

nearer

the

the more strongly from so doing the

congealed, quently est

prevented

by the

rising

moistures) veins toward

as one may indeed the center, is

find

best veins,

and stronghowever, central every-

metallic the

and subsidiary

toward heat thing

circumference. the more it This that iron is is

This cooled the

so because the so that it

higher cannot

the

riEes

offr

congeal

perfectly.

reason

why in most places perfectly b le n d e , as metals,

many ores but as ores

are extracted vi tr io l, etc., etc. But in alum,

have not matured pyrites ,

ma rc a s t ie ,

a n d c o mp o s it e

someone may object heat That

and say:

If

Nature is

works

at minerals on

such strong Renly: its

and dryness, there is the true; earth out is

why then

there

so much water earth into

earth? more in vices

much water but that

beneath

the

and even the cre-

center, of

water

should intends

rise to

and clefts

where Nature above the

form metals, cannot be. If

as frequently water guhr guhr often

as it reached

breaks

earth

- that

such places in ealt,

where Nature quantities,

wants it

to make metallic the

and flowed and its

together

great

would dissolve off the surface.

vitriolic

and would

Bweep lt

346

Then empty vaults water not fill would all works which guhr. of the prevent places

and caverns all in metallic large

or

holes grorrth.

would

remain,

because water

the does hrhere

Because the nor Ls very

guantity, fills

abundant

Nature vaPors,

at metals, adhere to

Nature stones

such places attack,

with

her corrosive and turn the

and rocks,

dissolve

them into caverns

The vapors earth are

keep on producing filled, these Iike placesr

such guhr

until

totally fills

the waxen bee-cells. no humid vapor becomes ever until can more it turns a1t

When then again

Nature

eompletely into them.

penetrate

Therefore, exsi,ccated ore, which

such guhr

concentrated into w ater a rock

and coaguLated, which is rich in

and. congealed, now braves

and resists

and fire. Regarding the vapors, however, in such a place bogs, pools also where there and lakes, accumulated it into is is the there,

accumulated mineral but it

water,

such as subterranean get into

seed does indeed drowns.

them and is out air,

When the water by the

flows cold

above ground, and it turns

prea hydro-

cipitated m e tal

and coagulated -

(Iiterally

owash me t a l" sulfides). in these turn wax. to

- p ro b a b ly

a s ilic io u s flow out

p re c ip i t a t e above ground, be precipitated

bearS.ng some metal however, in its but stays and will

What does not watera will

nevertheless E le e t n a , returns is to

time

in t o

v a rio u s

G u mn a t a , min e r a l the center to causes

juices further deatined

and mineral sublimation for it

But whatever the surface there to

and it

carried ore

the place

by Nature, if Nature

assume its

tyPe and form. subterranean dty, etony, hard

Therefore, water, why then

were thus dig

impeded by the up nothing but

does the miner

347

and rocky with the

ores ores in

and no soft, exeept the

greasy

things? vapors

Nor is which

any water resolve

found

subterranean

and acout be-

cumulate

various

subterranean veins as tiny the f heat

crevices springs. and thus to

and gometimes

flow

tween the metallic Because I should ing at not think

interrupt that

cool

the

work,

the

artist

am here which who is By night, without the Art

trying do not boiling

produce

animals.

I am aimsince I the them am

stone-fixed

things

corrupt during

so easily, the day,

shown the creatures

way by Nature by the sun. heat that that

warming

however, any harm. does not

she moistens But the

and cools should exactly

and interrupts chiefly like take

the note for

reader produce

demand to s u p e rf lu o u s

Na ture,

wou ld b e u s e le s s , relie v e s whic h is us of

a n d me d d l e s o m e , T h e a rt is t la s t in g , peneaims

b e ca u se Nature at an o ther

herself

s u c h p a in s . in t o

production,

a re b irt h into

a f if t h ,

immortal trates is

and transfigured through in the everything, an active corrupting turns

essence,

a spiritual

body that

and a spirit

made corporeal. life, or

Because man

always

state

and has a short

the Quintessence the useless s o lu b le exmediis In from the result

separates ce ss. cine taken the

moisture it in t o

from creatures a stony, in it s a lt y ,

T he artist which into

e a s ily

dissolves the body,

conveniently it penetrates is

any moisture. like snroke in the whole

When that the air.

same way,

the medicine

to penetrate and marrow.

body, then

stomach to in

the most distant healing of

teg

That wiII s p z i: rit u s

a co mplete

d is e a s e s . p a rt of

Then the the

a n ima le s , so her enemy

oitale s, that

natupaLes herself

and every

b o d y is

in v ig o ra t e d , to drive

Nature

becomes strong

enough thereby

348

out

through

such strengthening. need anything have overcome he gets

For

sick

Nature,

ot

the

invarid

Areheue, when the therefore sist with begin the alr to

does not diseases

except

some aid,

some invigoration, him, and he must to re-

and vanquished 6ome powerfur with

succumb, untir enemy. remaining fight being with the

enough help the illness help.

Then tt.e Areheue deals naturar forces

together They H,

and the the

additionar illness is

each other victor,

until

overcome.

however, its

resumes his A scholarly

rule

anew until knows full

he reaches wetrI that enough in a bet-

previous

standing.

physician

Nature to ter help

does not Herself.

need more than Such tonics,

a tonic however, into

to make Her powerful cannot the be obtained Essence,

way than is

through pure

such a rebirth and clean fact that

Fifth

since

everything

and a fixedr I have not to

1zt spiritual taught the

medicine. separation of

Futhermore, dregs tion will of the

the

cause many a scholar impurities but

run me down, because the ground although the kernel so much that he neither while a scholar separate the

separawants them

has gained feces,

everybody examines

to do nothing nor knows that with the hulIs.

separate

they

had contained I sdy, will

he has been left and even more feces, all nor do philothey have

This,

startle

so a beginner. I wish sophers separated impurities, to

I do admit

that

I do not in

know anything the last

about

dregs

Nature. years,

Although say that Nature

for

two or

three

thousand

the

feces, that

I nevertheless everything

say today

that

has no such

but

she has made is be dispensed

purer with. I

good and healthy, (cl). say the follow-

and must stay In order

together to define

and cannot what

I mean by impurities,

349

ing: to

Something a subject.

adverse, For

originating if

in

an outside

source,

is

added or has are

instance, everybody be food for

I offer will

a man a rock,

a mineral Nature they

a corrosive not

as food, to

immediately

see that Accordingly,

meant those

human beings. dregs to

adverse destined

and heterogeneous the mineral

and harnrful

for

man.

Nature food but

has not plants, mutton, is the how-

subjecte

or poison

be man's veal

such as bread etc.,

and wine,

animals,

such as beef,

and also

Those then

are homogeneous and propitious its like feces , and rejects what is

to man. adverse to

That him in

why each accepts for m o f ever, is

a dischargr not negative

h a e t e p o g e n e u m.

S u c h a n e x c re me n t ' or it

and altogether earth) fit for

an impurity, r 'so that

?ea ei,De terra not be usehas des-

damnata ful tined to it

(a thing anything; for

damned by the but if it is

would

nothing

here,

Nature

something whatever

e1se. does not against, directly belong together, such as a mu-

Therefore, minerals tual

and ani.mals, adverse

are

each other

and consequently

irnpurity,

and heterogeneous. are directly

Now, however, and resist

although each other

minerals in in

and animals

heterogeneous they

e u a specie the

& indioi,duutat e . , sense or innermost, or primary in

a re n e v e rt h e le s s to their all inner originated

a n e wh e n v i e w e d essence, in and iden-

universal in their

regard

tical first

because they element

a single by

matter

and can easily the plant

be made identical

specific

means, for both

instance, theoretically in the

via

kingdom. horiever, that which that no is

To prove feces

and practically, of things but

can be found of

nature

everything

composed both

an indioiduum

and unitte?aaZe

are absolutely

3 s0

necessary

for

its

exietence, the Him, purest

say first

that

each and all

things of God

have sprung

from

God and have been made by Him, out (t h e p u re s t p u re ). If

Him an d through then is pure, all

X he P u n o p u n ie s in o sprung of pure

creaturee For out

from Him must necessarily God aroused vapor, his

also

be clean 'FIAT"

and pure,

Hinself

Holy Word vapor con-

which

became a very a pure, clear, and out

and clear

and this

densed into could

crystalline of this

water pure clear

in which water

no funpurity God made all not have Crea-

be perceived,

Pure and good creatures. sa id tion a lso H i mself: and before cle arly "A nd it the

Had they was g o o d . " of

been unclean, That it

he would

had been good after must admitr

FaIl

Adam, everybody

BS practice or feeee the primary the FaII. They were pure in God, Na-

shows, that and yet the FaIl the

no t e n n a d a mn a t a (d a mn e d e a rt h ) same creatures today existed out of

were present, matter before

as exist the feces

and existed

after the FalI?

And from where not they ture in

should for

have come after was good. From where

the world,

everything

From God, the then do the

cannot stem? There

have come either.

feces

are

some who say that

God, upon Adamrs sin this it the in

and after curse this

his

FalI, the not

cursed feces into

the world the it

because of Adam, and that Those who understand A curse is indeed

brought way do of a

wor1d. correctly.

understand

opposite

blessing

or good and proeperity. but

The more God blesses if Ein, He curses, but not blessings that it

the world, and God's

the more the worLd prosSrers; power decrease, to punish

man's

becomes impure

351

an d tha t

he throws

feces a plant, before

in t o

Na t u re .

No !

(e ). possessed Except for hundredfold some of it,

For examPler virtue and potency this

animal the FaII

or mineral of Adam.

God has taken has taken, tr e a su r e s

power and virtue and hidden My s t e riu m, the

from plants, within the

etc.,

and what he of not his again and its it for be

he has locked in the greatest

boundaries

so that

ma n s h o u ld of

make a god of

hirnself

through

knowledge

good and evil how to h ims e lf apply

wrong application "g o o d r " l ed but

(or wrong motive) e v ilr

by knowing B S A d a m le t t re e . taken

even more so f o r in trespassing

f o o lis h l y

a stray

near the

And you should any creature, the Lord but

know that

God has not

any power away from into the world as

N.B.

from man, whom he had set the FaIl

and ruler, to

and before

had bestowed upon him the the first taken sight of any ob-

knowledge j ect. his

recognize man, I of

everything sa y ,

good at

F rom this understanding

G o d h a s t o t a lly

a wa y a n d c o n f u s e d thingsr so that but and

these of it

natural Nature

and supernaturalas litt1e

he knows and recognizes that he must first since all. learn

as a dumb animal,

by long

experience,

a good education

teachers, thin g No! at

by nature That feces

and from birth we re mix e d wit h recognize again it look his

to cognizes a n ima ls , as before into the

and knows nop la n t s in core his of or minerals first and

Man can now never nature.

again

innocent as before,

He can never

creatures

because his the

mind and all firs t FaII.

Eenses have become blunted h e a ls o he forms does not nothing know

a s a co nsequence of with any certainty

T h e re f o re , but

how to

name creatures,

but

352

conjectures himself

and has no certainty him with of

in

anythirg, Grace.

unless

the Creator

privileges

a special his

From this been thrown separate diately aII into

darkness Nature.

mind he concludes I adrnit that

that

feces

have should imme-

Supposing

an artist

inagined that

impurities

from a thing. all its

Does he then

believe

he has fathomed

powers and virtues? make of such a creanr have that in true it such po-

By no means. ture

Ask yourself

what use you could it. what will it," rt or is not

and how you wourd apply over it," or this "I or

you answer? "I to have heard be applied its

pondered

have read for that.

wourd be good for and such a way." wer, that is, not

By this of

you do indeed but not

recognize

yourserf

because it

has been told

you by it is

others, only

otherwise

you would

have known it. conjectures,

Consequently, and not your

your

own and other experience. you see that me also

persons'

own long

( dir e ct)

By this all. curse dregs but But teII it or is

you have hardly o t h e r.

experienced

a porder after Wh y ? The

the

T h a t y o u d o n rt that

k n o w.

that

darkens to

your

understanding,

has tagged

the

ignorance to any other

your

understanding of

on account

of Adamts sin, has

not

creatures

themselves. recognize

The understanding it and use it or for read

been taken your it, best.

from you and the wisdom to If you had not know less is the heart it

from your of the it,

forefatherE all that other

you would That

than

nothing that is

like

dumb

animals.

curse;

dregs is

we can neverthis

more separate

without

Godrs o$rn will,

and it

because of

353

that thy See!

God eaid bread."

to That

Adam: is

rAt

the

sweat of to

thy

brow ehalt

thou of

eat Adam Learn

as much as saying guite

every

descendant

You have been born hard work,

unreasonable

and irrational. long

through try

Bweat and toil,

seek through of

experience, size it up.

everything,

and whatever In so doing, for

you find you will

good and evil, and learn useful your

Discriminate! work if use it it for is

recognize V{hat is of to all the it

from long and suitable,

suitable

you or not. benefit but not

your

own best of the

and the evil,

Adam-brothers. of your it.

But take n e ig h b o r , If will) without

also only

note

detriment c a n a ls o if it at

so that

oth e rs

b y re c o g n iz in g (b e f o re A d a n f e ll

a v o id

you had previously, to recognize and with innate

h a d b e en G o d r s first sight to

been able

everything complete

furunediately power,

any troubl-e with

and had been able any uncertain at a pile It is the

use everything tures of

wisdom and without

conjecsweat the that and

and errors, brow. the

you must now experience is the impurity of all that

and seek it has driven of Adam. This

your

This

into this

eyes of

understanding by his bite

children the apple.

Adam forfeited aurea L i,bertas,

into

was the g o ld e n

freedom lib er t y ,

priuiLegium of

h u ma n a e n a t u t a e

"the

the privilege

human nature.' theoretically that I cannot it find any feces in

I have proven Nature. it, for

Now, horf,ever, I will instance, by the the

demonstrate of distil the

practically kingdom. and the to a still

and prove

creatures alembic,

plant the -n-

Gently, Phlegna m oist from

through

excessive rather t hr o u g h

a previously or mass.

decayed herb t h is , d riv e

or plant the

Liquor

A ft e r

s e t t le d

L iq u o r

3 s4

a retort coa r se r bring

and gradualry P hlegna,

distil

everything t h ic k

you can, o il,

that P

is,

the re s e m this

the A eid,un a n d t h e be found in the

and a

coaL wirl it to

retort. the

The artists

take

and burn of it

ash.

They leach a s h is in the P

ash and throw t h e m.

away the rest is in t h e realm the

a s feces, ki ngdom, take the g

and this so it out is of

Faes to a n ima l after

A s it In

p la n t they r est

re a lm.

t h e min e ra l

the

distillation,

and throw

a way as garbage. O you alchemists! What are you doing? You reject Indeedr the you burn the which A
f

hop and malt. tains best the best

What are you doing? and embrVonic tincture $ of

coal plant

con-

, the more fixed the plant

, the

and most fixed with

and animal but

kingdoms. strong me-

Likewise dicin e , throw for all

minerals. of

They ate not u g f ia e d precisely

feces c h ro n ic the

a very

capable those your

clearing That is

d is e a s e s .

A n d y ou

avray!

cause of,

and main reason diseases. me-

mistakes, that

srhy you cannot fixed diseases best

cure

the more fixed

You say yourselves dicines

much be removed by fixed tincture the the fireproof

A

- and you throw reply: exists do with

avray the of

4 be? coal.

But you will l 'l or e o ve r , $lhat is there

what use could that

coal

and

no s o lv e n t ita Since

attacks

a n d d is s o lv e s

one to

you know no htay to use them to is in accordance of the with Nature. p lan t and the sour .LiI or

advantage,

I will

show you one, all pa rt s

which of

When you distit mineral kingdom,

a s u b je c t after the

a n ima l' Ja-

you will with

obtain, it

the volatile a le mb ic ,

PhTe g n a which

rises

t h ro u g h

a s h a rp , pe"

qu o " fr o m t-}:e reeiduo,

like

a n A e e t u m d e e t ilL a t u n

" e t o n t a m.

355

here call

it

a l so th e $ I ca l l it

, the f the $

or the plant aninalei

Azoth; likewis e, things, this the Az oth

i n a n i r n a l th i n g s t't
or tf

in miner al

minenale.
lD

In th e d i stillation
by a thick, . In minerals, bodies

of an anir nal or plant

.o. .

is

fotrowed

bad-smerling

Then the

coal

remains fermented spirit

as a g

however - because they and do not but

are strongly

and coagulated

have such a hi-ghly volatile Phlegma - there f o llo we d c a ll by a yet oil. fol-

as the

two preceding corrosive, Liquor the

realms sour wh ic h

a subtler T h is is

l ows a s trong, str on g e r the I

s p irit . the

corrosive remains at

a lc h e mis t s

a c o rro s iv e

bottom. may u n d e rs t a n d , h o we v e r, of the wh a t c o a l is , and

So that not will

an artist

become mistaken, ea sily be able It is

let

him take

note a ll

following.

Then he be-

to und e rs t a n d the follo win g : hand j. s c o a l

t h in g s is

a n d d if f e re n t ia t e p u re in t o +

tw ee n them. oo
oo

Co a l

o r c o a g u lat e d a liq u id s t at e ,

- oo on the can also is

other

d is s o lv e d back into in

which

immediately

be turned a high bottom, wh ic h it, sour

coal. ash, with

When its a gentle done by The HuniThus the oil

moisture A

removed through remains at the

retort after

, there

a distillation b e f o re .

de g r e e s, dum which lover of

a coal-black

matter

h a d b e e n o il is is

had been removed from the Art sees that the

a sour vinegar. indeed also

a dissolved

m ad e d e licate

and thin. the volat ile the but s p irit but a s u b t iliz e d differ or A e id u m? in regard Thus to

Wh at eLse is an artist origin fineness 6ees that and matter or

component parts in regard to

do not solution is

only

coagulation, fo , o?o

coarseness.

Therefore

coal

a coagulated

355

a coa g u lated ce n tr ated fi ed

or

concentrate d spirit. vinegar, coal.

or Azoth, Re v e rs e ly , v in e g a r

Azoth

a c o a g u la t e d s p irit o ir, is burnt t h is to

or conis a rare-

volatile

a v o la t ile a t h in n e d

an d subtilized is

la t t er , salt it s and re-

however, ash , it

a dissolved the but

But when coal d e g re e o f f ix it y

acquires to fire,

hiqhe s t ealt

because of

sistan ce of the th e ir

a n d a s h d if f e r the into

f ro m c o a r

b y t h e d eg r e e in t o glass, and

fixity. is

When the n transformed fire then

ash and eoal the highest

a re me lt e d degree

subject

of perpetual

i nd e str uctible In order, take care to

resista n c e . to deal with coal anatomically, what it of the artist must

change every

subject

back into the

had been before, that which it had

and this o r ig in a ted. vi ne g a r and the

must be done by precisely Thus, for exa mp le ,

same out

coal

h a d p re v io u s ly

b e e n o il,

the oil oil, had

or A zoth. oil

Therefore ,

coal

mu s t a g a in through

b e c o me o il vinegar,

t h ro u g h because it

must again before. parts

become vinegar That this is

been vinegar since g e a le d dilated provided all thin

so has previously

been proven, coagulated and con-

are more and more thickened, and, with e eontta, dilated a ll t h ic k e n e d

by digestion by digestion those are

t h in g s

a re li k e w i s e with them,

components that a preponderant coal

harmonise measure. back into

added to

them in to

Therefore, cor d in g o wn oil fine, to to the

whoever wishes laws of of Nat u re , coa l, 3 or of its

transform

oil

acof its

mu s t t a k e etc. Rc . of

21 3, O n e p a rt

4 , y e s 5 p a rt s of c o a l,

one part it

powdered oil. in

then mix

with

4 parts own f

its , set

own bad-smelling it in

Pour upon this a high retort

6 parts with

B.M. to boil oil will

a head and recipient.

Then the

oPen uP

357

the thus

coal, turn

while all

tn.

diesorves into rf

and thins

the

ot.

r so that go over

they together

together retort. its

a Liquor

and afterwards to makd this

through'the Pour some of Put it

now you wish -rrand it

still it

more volatiler in B.M. It Then will it a

owl volatlLe the the retort

upon it will

and digest rise

back into through of

more guickly.

go over great

head more and more after

you have added to

deal

the

volatile.

Thus you see how one component coagulates t h in s , before, re f in e s , and in c o n g e a ls this a n d v o la t iliz es right by .7 Quintes-

an d dissolves, anotherr sences ES I

thickens, have proven

way the

are made and lrot then of is proof

the that

weak tinctures coal is

extracted but

This tincture

no feces is

the more fixed it is wiII

everythlng.

And if

some coal until v o la t ile

dissolved, coal-body

keep on dissolving tur n e d into

more and more, P rec e d in g

the

completely d is s o l v e

a Liquon. the proof

p a rt s ones.

mu s t a g a in

and volatili2e Another a d d co a l Then the the

rernainlng that coal

more fixed is

no fecesz

Let- SaL tartari S a Z t a n t a ri blue

flow

and

dustr saLt

Do matter of tartar

w h ic h r will it

d s mu c h a s t h e dark

accepts.

become very out, powder it

and green with and pour highly

tincture.

Now pour

quickly

rectified

\y'

upon it. B y th i s

It

wiII

be colored

in a few hours and attract r ej ec t.

t h e t i n c tu re . Af t e r springwater, Bour things, th i s,

o n b can see what alchem ists gener ally boil or + it

ta ke th e blue SaZ tar tar i, it and T with the + a I

thor oughly w i th

filter that

precipitate

G, or other -rdown, and you will find a + , or to that of

at the bottom,

the color

of which is

in no way inferior

O,8 ,

I,5,

a n d wh ic h s h o ws it s e lf

it 9 (

m o r e an d m o r e

3 s8

as bright in coa l.

yellow

as gold.

By this

one can see what

is

contained

llow I must here chemists Ti nctur a th e y th is fal1

note

an error

into

which

in

general

aII

aIthe

superstitiously derived

and stubbornly, s a lt of t a rt a r

namely, it s e lf

that

e F is

fro m t h e

(in whi c h That

be lieve is a big

as persistently rnistake, note E ri,

a n d a s s u re d ly is

a s in

Do o ms d . y ). d s u rill effect that to

how e v e r, that they

e a s y t o p ro v e r a great s h o u ld +

fo1low. that

But before tin ctur e ting

I wiII fis

ascribe they

b y wh ic h in is coal

le a rn

a penetralatter is

povrer is

contained

and its

, when the

disso lve d.

The proof

as f o llo ws : is f lo win g wit h a n d t h ro u g h v a rio u s the coal the c o al - f i r e , red,

When the eve r y gr e e n , w hich , on the attracts

S aL tartari worker

la boratory bIue, being other the etc.

see s t h a t

coal

p ro d u c e s but

c o lo rs , s u lp h u r

These fla me s lik e s to

a re n o t h in g a d h e re t o the >f<

an A eidum, hand, other

a n I L e a L i. . into itself, if

The. ALeaLi, and one coal that is

eagerly like

absorbs

a magnet. a n / L e a L i, the or *I. of

Novr, however, it the is c le a r

burning

a n Ae id u m and S aL tantari the alkaline g absorbs (gestalt) into

a n d e v id e n t

coal it s e lf .

sulphur

and thereby

pr o d u ce s fl am e s the ge t salt

a color

f o rm f o r f in e

B u t b e c a u s e t ho s e one has to melt of t a rt a r will

are dissipated of tartar for

v e ry

s ma ll

p a rt s , the s a lt

a lo n g

t ime

b e f o re

co lo red. But when one uses coal that junnps, crackles worker's in the and throws about a small it t ur n s

fragments, pa r t of

and due to into

the

laboratory

inadvertence c ru c ib le ,

them falls

the

S a L t a rt a n i

3s 9

blue

as soon as it

meets but to in thoee broad

a little who wish daylight. too

of to

the

coal

por*der or dust, or solar

and the surphur catch. again

same happens from If the air

catch

"air-gold"

Here they lo n g , it lo s e s it

eee rf,hat they it s is: b lu e Like it, color protoand

the

S aL tartanz l

f lo ws

and becomes white The salt itself, of into takes to

as before. tartar ealt on t h e

The cause of coal

duces like. gether thu s with the

consumes the

and turns incineration, sa1t. reader, quantity

by the most violent f o rm to of (g e s t a lt ) the of

treasure

Here I wish not only

show a trick of salt

inclined in large

how he can and more

make tincture but of also

tartar

economically, fixed sart

how to prepare prant is ,

potent

tinctures body, with

from every their own every

every e

anirnal, , that

or mineral f ro m t h e

an d n o t

an alien

e x t ra c t e d

ALeaZi of

in d ivid u al. R. Pot, not

For example, Tartar closed or grapes' and not

f ro m win e : 6 lb s . P u t 4 lb s Into another t h e re o f pot to in t o put the an unglazed other let will 2

covered. this one.

rbs and close them well look fi l te r take sal white, it, the

and lute

Now send both Then the

a potter,

cal.cine the

and anneal

together. Boir it

open vessel

covered it,

one brack. th e n le t

the white in

mass to a lye, A f t er v r a r d s , it to the

coagulate black

me lt

a c ru c ib le . add some of d a rk

mass, powder it it flows into

and gradually t h ic k mortar,

tar tati, pour

until it out

g u it e

a n d v e ry quickry re c t if ie d

b lu e .

Now put it

quickly i nto let it

a brass

powder it,

a n alernbic, stand

pour

on it

s o me h ig h ly in off gentle the

day and night slowly

- / , warmth and it will substance,

t h e re u p o n draw out the

tincture.

Pour that

remaining

and you wilt

360

have true Rc. before

tincture An animal it that

of

salt

of

tartar.

Also: Divide the it as

or plantr together way, Iet it in

ds much as you wish. the will stove, both

and burn In

one covered, be burnt at the

other

uncovered. Then leach it with of is p eve r y

they

sane time. mass until

one out,

melt by it. -n-

and add the After , then that,

coal-black extract

completely or its

colored

the true

tincture tincture

own volatile

you have the

individual. to mineral GL bodies, it however, by leaving change the mineral one open as in back into @,fi the e or

In regard metar terrs but back into stove,

, carcine it

a potbody

but

so that

does not melt

/R

a metallic e

remains r-a from X . will absorb.

and sgongelz like X G:, Add as much of the X from Then extract or metal the as it alkaline wiII

porous

and take G, , let but or metal it only take

ALeaLi as the salt

flow

and add

as much mineral the it or salt off,

absorb, s a lt

so much that c o lo r. Pour

continues powder it, like

to melt. pour the V

Then the upon it,

wi] l

and you wiLl

obtain

an extract

tincture

above. things a tincture than all of tartar which waI

Now you have made from all is certainly But if a hundred you wish times to

more potent

a p o t h e c a ry t s your colored

ters.

know how much tincture

containsr or how much +

be left tently with effe cti ve

, extract it

(the \Z

) in B . ! 4 .

Y ou w i l l

a very emall quantity

of powder, which is the so po-

a n d coal. + Now you see, you alchemists, which has such a sreat

what you are throwing effect

away - a that

tincture

in so srnall a portion

36r

a ce r tain

writer to the or

sold it. air coal

it

as

p o t a b ile that

a e t n a le

a n d a s c rib e d the solar

im-

mense potency sulphur but from

He berieved in hot

he had caught nonetheless

days - which which in in in its

was nothing G, it

some coal If then yet

dust

had jumped into euch a small a Liquor but

the melting

sulphur

does this

amount and while has onry form,

has not tilized

been made volatire by \} into

been subit

and extracted is turned

more fixed by its author to this

what wirl

do when it taught table

a Liquor

own components, called one, his

as I have "poto

before? gold".

The above-mentioned What name shall stays are together I give with the

extract

when the

thing and of

be dissolved the volatile r e je cted If the they coal they

dissolvent Now the

and the great

fixed

inseparably

joined?

potency

the

has been prov e n . burn the coal to ash, they however, and leach right the salt from and that

latter,

they

believe the

that fixed.

have done the salt

thing

have separated but There the

That

j-s fixed, B u t ju s t

they v is it

know thema g la s s facit

se L ve s, tory! is

ash causes t h e m d o u b t s . at

you will

once see what ash is a6h, If

and for

what purpose

use d there,

and what be c o me s o f body - g I a s s . everybod y degree ,

n a me ly r it it

E D in c o rru p t ib le, it cannot firea premen part,

e ter n a l, be d r e g s. pr o o f cious to

permanent fndeed, the highest

then

b e c o me s g I a s s , is a s o lid

can see that ys, a re b o rn

body,

g lo rio u s

b o d y lik e

stone.

From this what they

everybody

can conclude, avtay, namely,

and intelligent the most fixed body.

can judge,

have thrown

the more fixed

subject,

and the most durable It is indeed your

fixing

O you alchemists!

goal

to make your

tincture

362

take

on a glassy, think

precious-stone-like anything of it. But

nature if

or

redness,

otherwise glass-

you do not making proof but

you throw

avray the

substance, tincture?

how are you going You do not see that

to make such a fixed salts nay well flow Oil

and firein the fire

that

they at

always all, tf{

also is

evaporate vo la t ile of heed.

and become less. it s e lf . Therefore If f ire

has no

stab ility you always take fi r st the for

So now you see what many say that you wish re s is t a n c e , on the In to fix, I ik e ground. the you Iook an After-

overlook

and do not

hulls the

and throw fixed

away the

kernel. of

body a s t h e puts

b a s is

architect wards,

who first he builds all

the most Etable of things

stones

kinds take the

on the

ground.

srme congeal

way, you must also its own volatile

fixed

substance to the

and afterwards natural order things. animals

upon it, obtain

according

and law.

Then you will

a wholesome medicine each and all within them. alchemists

from

all

Now, however, have nothing a sh , or wh ich is fixed

say that

and plants to the

Yet no one has paid substance. mindsr so that

attention

such a fire

re s is t a n t their

The Faea and feces' they throw of aII the best

lenra

damnata,

has turned

a n d pu r est, animals, why they borrowed the fixed

the most transp a re n t very often

a n d mo s t f ix e d upon the

p a rt s

plants, is

also

of minerals,

dungheap.

That

have been unable it from

to make anything kingdom. But coal

fireproof, if they

unless

they

the mineral

had considered which is both

animal- and mineral and not they fixed, would

hermaphroditic and how it have judged plant

sulphur,

can quickly differently.

be made fixed What else

and also is ash but dust

volatile, the fixed,

congealed

and animal

sulphur?

But mixed with

353

and other ivory

impurities

from hearths

and stoves,

it

cannot

prove

its

whitenese. rf one were to highest it turn stability. take in ash, coal, however, pot, see its and let in it glow in the test

to

the

degree into

an u n g ra z e d one would

a n o p e n f la me -f ire , lunar whiteness and coal

and let g r e a test is not

Never t h e le s s , appears it s

such ash or in its

s u lp h u r

ma d e of

as good as when it it gets

cinnamon colorr A L e a L i.

ds shown No r i s this

ab o ve , which (ash or

throu g h

o wn o r a n o t h e r as that which

sulphur) with

bl' far its

as potent

changes into

a ruby-

r ed Liq u ar

own oil. is transformed and the into oiI, a salt leaves

From the oiL into coal, is

above anyone can see hovr rl$ coal melted, virgin It and to hourever into salt it in

and ash,

longer

o r /Le a li a ver y

the m o re e a rt h y sulphu ric j.s ver y e a rt h easy to

b e c o me s , t h e mo re it it s c a lc in a t io n , the d if f e re n t itself

pure,

d is s o lu t i o n , components into a glasand Masubtle

a n d filtr ation. of that earth

congeal

transform which

them together is the perfect

with

sy and yet gister iu n .

soluble

stone,

Quintessence in t o a v e ry

A ny salty V

ash c a n q u ic k ly

b e t u rn e d

and snowwhite AL e a L i. snowwhite, by lengthy

, which very the

happens when ash is s u b t J -y a n d q u ic k ly

added to a flowing ash to the flow salts and

The latter and thus melting.

causes the

artist

does not

need to

evaporate

He can thus for conge a lin g . e it h e r,

make a large But if

amount in

one go,

ha s e n o ugh matter su ch w ork is du a lly not

he does not coal is

lik e

to do it, for gra-

necessary its

and the

adequate

c ongeaLing Since this is

volat ile

p a rt s . a n d p a rt i, e u la rit e n in each

found

un iu e rs a li, t e r

364

and all

things

in

the whole world, in the give total

Iet

now someone prove of things,

to me that him someto him.

some feces

are present

nature

and let If

show me those,

and I will

him a congueror's I will aII that point out retain

crown. vitrification the glory

one apeaks to me about Glasses nence. show hin Do take that note,

earth, they of

things

of permawhich, can be has The evait rethe

however, salt.

no earthr

no matter

be made into innate in it it

glass or

without

Either

some salt

must already And when it f u s ib le . moisture than

some must be added from outside. a n d mo re e a s ily excessive

so m e sa lt, longer porates. qu ir e s saltr to it

becomes more v o la t ile in the fire,

flows This

the more the does not retain in

combination

more moisture imme d ia t e ly of anything. insight. If

become glass. almost

The g1ass,

t u rn , it

re t a i n s

so that Prom this

no element

can rob the

anyone can gain

brightest in t o (i. e .

he does not Iet it s in him sPethe into

kno w ho w to

change a salty

t in c t u re V for

a V it ru n t h e p u re

(g la s s ), a s h ), in

ad d such a pure white cific weight, in glassy animal the plant offer or after melt

prepa re d

them together cru c ib le ,

several

days and nights will at

gla ss- o ven, a l i gu id , prepared J$ to

a closed Conpus. earth to

and they

me rg e a n d t u rn aII, Iet

To have no doubts his animal tincture,

h im ad d s o m e or mineral

and a plant

or minera l the sulphur the

t in c t u re s

re s p e c t iv e ly ,

such as metallic When the + is

bodies m o stl y gIass.

has been separated.

altogether

out,

Co n p u e b e c o me s a n E le e t ? u m o t m e t a l l i c

From this r em a in s after

now anyone can see that its -.n-, vin e g a r, o il,

ash is s a lt

precisely

that

which

and coal

a re d ra wn o f f .

365

rt

is

a fixed

vinegar, only in the

a f ix e d

o il,

a f ix e d and not tincture

coal in

a n d s a rt , the

a nd t h e it-

ash differs self. as well therefore as fireproof ness through like m i nerals But pute j ust Plants m a tte r l esse r ne ss,

added fixity

substance

Conseguentty, as from plants not

a most fixed and all

can be made from animals Animals and plants they must are not

minerals.

be accused of as minerals, the artistrs

corruptibility.

Although

they

can nevertheless

achieve prove

fireproofthat (f ). every let dishim they,

intelligence in

and thereby t h e ir clearly

carry the or

ineorru p t ib ilit y reader those may finally is s a id

c e n t e r. see that

so that these

about

things

only in

de Lana eaprina, t ra c t a t e , their re g a rd le s s that

co nsiderr

ds f have o f t e n

t h is in in

a ni m a l s ,

and minerals but only

by no means differ that t h e ir mo is t u re of is

essence and primary to t h e ir g re at e r or

accidentally , or or or to fixity , lower degree their

volatility their higher dryness In regard

mo re o r content

d e n s it y

o r c oa r s e d iss o l u t i o n , find themhowever,

o r d e g re e o f in which they

and their selves. they

coagulation,

origin the

and the primordial and animals

water,

are one and precisely plants are volatile

same thing,

are vol.atile a re f i x e d

p la n ts, p la n ts,

min e ra ls .

L ik e wis e ,

min e ra ls

whereas plants

are f ix e d that there

a n ima ls . are no feces this I proof, stick let in Nature. him refute Whoever it. He

Now I have proven can produce is at liberty better to proof do so.

against

Meanwhile,

to my opinion with

and expernobody

ience. will

What r see with take from me. the

my eyes and manipulate

my handsl

Furthermore,

fact

that

interrupt

coagulation,

remove the

366

C or p u s from the i t, l et the follow up, sun, fire

retrot, go out

grin d ag a in ,

it ,

wa t e r

it ,

d ra w it it ,

off, etc.

in c ine r a t e - He rei n r

a n d a g a in shorten

g rin d all

again dries the

Nature

and thereby

ny works.

What Nature

withers

and macrocosrnically and waters mo is t again at ra in

reverberates night through

by day through the col.d of the coagu-

she moistens with

m oo n or also Iates ce n tr al

a coo1, it

by day. the

T h e n s h e d rie s , sun from speak,

and reverberates heat

through

above and the a d in f in i t u n . to her

from beLow, c o n t in u a lly O artists! of in I Na t u re th in g s ;

and so to does not

M ark weII, de fi nite indeed sooner ph e r s.

k e e p in v a in d o lik e wis e !

alternations no advantage by a shorter.

t h e re f o re ,

T h er e i s

taking leave wis h

a long others to

way when I free to

can reach my goal other philoso-

follow le t to

W hoever does not On1y, Iet and the there is is

f o llo w

me , I

p a s s o n wit ho u t the prescription then what the

hindrance. of others,

him go one way according way according sides. to mine,

other on both

and watch that

progress

Furthermore, is rig h t . speed,

the work of

p h ilo so p hers than l i ft hig h .

done in on e v e s s e l, and for parts the

f my s e lf Ert times do not

have no more to so

one alembic, th e more fixed

sake of

a retort ris e

p ro p e rly r

ds they

e a s ily

O n the whole: au tho r s, ever gets but

This

t ra c t a t e

is

not

in t e n d e d

to

in v a lid a t e He rs e lf . to eternal

the WhoGod. of reader

to present

an e lu c id a t io n from it, Iet the

g iv e n

b y Na t u re thanks

some advantage chapters

him give destruction

And because these things will reguire approve

about

and generation the

elaborate of my adding

instructions - mostly

and interpretations, briefly - the physical

causes of

367

every

dubious parts

poi4t. of the this first.

This

will

be gomewhat extensive although there

in

regard not

to be

the nain

second tractate,

wiII

a s m an y as in True, le tedious I

have rnentioned

that

my practice to

with

the

Chaotic

Water and

and tiresome,

and have promised now follow: to Nature

teach

some shorter being the

more amusing ways. to ing th e the Art, to the

They will

The first herself, separating it is up to of the

according accordLet hap-

eecond according those

third

the method of

who are used to h e wis h e s ,

the h im.

feces. As i t plant

ar ti s t

choose any of so it also

these

Pen s he rer and mineral

happ e n s in a ll

c re a t u re s

a n ima l,

kingdoms.

F irsl W ll
S INE S E P A RA T I O NE F A E CUHCRUDI R c. distil P utrefied rainwa t e r, --trs t ir it we ll, put it in t o an alembic, Keep that a c o a rs e phLeg-

the more subtle

, and you have the volatile. a n d y o u will ra t h e r get

sep a r a te. ma. the i nto

Then continue distilring P hlegna. and distill I stays at arr

d is t illin g , it to a s t ill

co ntinue dr a wn off a r etort or it

mo is t

L iq u o u

ke e p a l. e m b i c sand. out,

Put the

re ma in in g

L iq u o n

f ro m t h e in

a s o u r P h le g n a a n d o il the the bottom 3o in t o of the it . retort. put set it it

ashes or Take that in t o

The coal pu lve r ize ha vin g a high

and stir its with it for oil

a re t o r t , d is t i l in

poured retort

and, A e i, d u m u p o n it , wilt

in

8 . M. ,

a head whatever four -nor five

go over. then pour its abovethe di s t i l

Digest preaerved fi r st

daye and nights, let it digest After in

volatile for

upon it,

B.ti!. through t h is r g e n t ly

g r ade

two days a n d t wo n ig h t e .

358

pe? gradus eet it in

whatever ash,

will

go over.

When nothing it in at

will

go any more, the se-

coagulate grades

and reverberate it gets its

ash through the bottom.

cond and third take it out,

until pour

a color

Now in B.M.

powder it,

Liquorn which it in

was drawn off

and in n ig h ts.

ashes back upon it,

and set

B.M. for

two days and two

Then distil fo r set very future it in

everything

off

that

goes,

and keep that is off d is t ille d u n t il it

as before es 8.M., is d ry , but

funbibing. ash and distil

W hen t h e n

e v e ry t h in g we ll

t h e mo is t u re

slowly t pe? gnadue r so that A fterwards, out againr when it is

you do not d ry ,

awaken the more fixed it a s b e f o re, c o a g u la t e, c ol o r . sa n d , Quinfollowthen re-

spir its. take it

re v e rb e ra t e d ig e s t ,

pulverLz e , till it it

imb ib e , is a ll f irs t

d is t il, of in

ver b e r a tes, Sub se g u ently,

and do this congeal in

a lt o g e t h e r g ra d e s wo rk ,

o n e s in g le then in

t h ro u g h in the

ash,

a s I explained te e e e n e e i ng w ays.

detail

No w y o u h a v e t h e is as good as the

and Magieterium

ma e n o e o s mi, a n d it

SrcrEiltrl
V TA Rc. alembic r e tor t that tort to with will in Putrefied the NATURAE IPS I SSIIIA dietil a thick alJ- Euni.dzrn out Liquor. of the into eopper another rainwater, of

consistency

Put that in

a head and a r e c e iv e r, and the t remains

a n d d is t il at the

B . M. e v e ry t h in g Put it it into a re-

go,

bottom. and dry

aeh with

a head and a receiver, you do not the excessive burn it

uP very vinegar

gently or oil

per gtadus, but only

so that

or

awaken its

draw off

moisture.

lfhen you notice

a sour

369

vapor

through

the

spout vinegar

of

the is

head,

Iet

everything should oil. which of V

immediately not be,

cool

down, because its vinegar violent nicely would

rising, followed

which

and the

be inmediately and not until easily, burn

by the to Nature

This

would be a

operation and slowly,

according

does everything . fn into that a natural coal be-

she has made a stone and very rarely, turn

way She does not

things unlike t re e s ,

cause she does not th e Ar t, ne ithe r except for

any - and if

she does,

made by is

lightnin g ,

wh e n s h e b u rn s n e e g e n e ra t io

and that

generatio,

nee eorn u p t io ,

n a t u ra lis ,

eed uio-

L e n ta d estruetio When now the berate pour its the earth

V uleani. s u p e rio n is . Humidun has been gently gently through the drawn off in ash, reverit out,

second degree. as much as to set it in

Then take turn

drawn-off into

Humidum upon it, me lt e d honey,

everything disre-

tog e the r ti l

a thinly 8.M., then

B . lt t . t o d is s o lve , a n d re p e a t d is t illin g , c o lo r. it t h is

fr o m the

af t e rwa rd s imb ib in g , a lt o g e t h e r

f ro m a s h e s , d ig e s t it g , of

ver b e r a ti rg, e tc. a ll un til

exsiccati.g, your earth is

coagulation Wh e n i t di g e s t ' a g ai n red. it of When strongly is

o n e s in g le a n d imb ib e t h is u n t il

o n e color,

reverberate, exsiccat e , for it wiII

s t re n g t h e n

a g a in , it is

d isti l ,

coagulate, coLor,

a n d re p e a t always the sandr

one single it

change from brown to c o lo rs , re v e rb e ra t e

ha s s everal it

times in

gone t h ro u g h then in

and congeal Pifth

ashes,

BS above,

and you have the

Es sence.

370

T lird Ut l
SEPARATORIA VIA FACEUI'I BREVISSIMA
1. S E P A NA T I O N

R c. ou t distil ho n e y. move the it in of the the

P utrefied alembic,

rainwat e r, keep it part

d is t il s e p a ra t e

t h e v o la t ile a n d ma rk it thickness

s p irit u a l wit h ' A ' . of thinly wit h in then the

part Then melted

phlegirnatic

off a ls o from

to

the

Keep this

P hlegna

s e p a ra t e the

a n d ma rk it put it

"B".

Reset , and

honey-thickness

alembic,

a retort, atr {[r bottom.

sand and draw off that the oil the it per

firs t

a c o a rs e r The P

P h le g n a Etays at

af ter

gnad.us.

Se p arate b y de ca n ting the oil + the in

(latter)

c o a rs e r a g la s s i'ith

P h le g n a

a n d v in e g a r

f ro m t h e o i l n C" . Put the draw bottom.

through

f u n n e l, rrDr'. wit h

a n d ma rk it Put the

wit h

separate the B .M.

and mark it in from

Phlegma with

a low re t o rt tfr" * to

a h e a d a n d a re c e iv e r, at the

Ph Legna off drawn off

, and iihe Aeid,un remains the

Add the a ll

phlegm

above B, and you have now aeparated

th e parts. R ectify the

These you m u s t n o w re c t if y . volatile it -J r(A ) in t h e B . M. o u t of a h ig h ret o r t ,

so subtly tile spirit

as you like .4. the

yourself, the and it ,t is

and you have rectified (C) and drive a ls o re c t if ie d . it gently

the volaover in

Now take retort,

ash th r o u gh

Rectify of it ther, Dis

the oil

D as follows: o f o il

Take the

from the retort; these toge.Stir :i: , and the oil

t a k e tw o p a rtsr put it into

D take thr ee par ts. and distil in ash or

a retort

a l s o re cti fi e d . Now take the O and calcine it in an oPen flame-fire, turning

371

it

into

ashes. it, it

Extract

this

ash with

the phlegma B, firter set this sart

and

coagulate diseolve this

and you have a brown salt. a g a i n i n i ts d i sso l vi n g , phlegna, filter filter ing parta

to grow, Repeat the s al t

and coagulate it. until

flowing,

and coagulating are rectified.

is snowwhite, and then aII

2. Rc. la ti Ie in of the I eart six

CONJANC?TON two parts, of vinegar three parts, of the vosalt on, it these

spirit

parts.

P o u r t h e v o la t ile vinegar. oo. . set

s p irit

u p o n it s

a retort, in

then

add the an

Put a head and a receiver t h is o il in a c e rla r, le t Take

a n d d istir cr ystalll- ze, cr ystals however, oi1

B .!1. to and it and dry

will

p re c ip it a t e

re f in e d

c ry s t a ls . of

out

them. to

T h e V o la t ile half the a g a in . the

(re s id u u m to

t h e c ry s t a l s ) , consistency t h e re dry of are

draw off

again it

amount or

the

by B.Ivl., and let

sp ro u t a1l

Re p e a t t h is crystals

u n t il

no more crystals. tly in the sun or

Now take at

together,

them genEssence of

a warm stove, the gre a t

and you have the E n jo y it , it

Fifth

th e m acrocosm and of If dry you wish

f le e h .

n o w a s y o u p le a s e . take the crystals, in into

to make a s t o n e wit h

h o we v e r, in

them to powder and seal fire per like gradua butter

them pulverized for t h re e h o u rs ,

a retort. will

Set it f lo w

san d , g ive a salty

and they smoke.

stone

and wax, without

3. AND COTIGEAL If the now you wish and take to coagulate parts of the it oil D of this atone, of the pulverize oil. Stir

stone

three

and two parts

372

them well retort the into gether oil it, in

together gentle also

in

a glass

dish,

put for

that

into

a retort,

set nights,

the and of oil to-

ashes pen gradus become fixed. it again

four

days and four

will

Then stir and so long

once more two parts until your at last it

and congeal into a stone,

flows

and you have finished some points why I did to V only in

work. works. In the

Now we will first work, the is

clarify reason I

these

three

not make any dephlegmation the the work quickly, coal, parts, that does not

and recbecause I retain any-

tification know that thing are all things ter no t th e on, of

that

like

go through r that the is

the more fixed the Phlegma but things,

essential suspect reason

and because they vexatious little earth wadoes

identical might or all

I do not Again, the is

any other

be there. of it at it

why I pour very the

once,

because I know that a n d it s e lf wilt in g ly

ab sorb more than r e st. That I do not

re q u ire s ,

1 e t s go o f

burn

coal

to

aeh, is

however,

is in

because I know that it, and I desire to

the l ose

essential tha t

embryonic

sulphur

contained p a rt s .

as little

as I do t h e o t h e r

@
Many people might where. tr efacti on our Iy eyes in turns into work as this True, in wiII have much hesitation (the author) admits of t h in g s r and wonder where Nature believes. that Nature Then I satr everypuone here

everybody the

readily

passes through

dissolution

B S ma y b e c le a rly and, wetted

seen with final-

plants. slime,

Such a growth

wi-thers

by rain,

mold and mudr ds farmers

and gardners

continually

373

Iearn other last is

from trees

their

compost heaps piled that these

together by rain

from in

firtrees

and

and grass

wetted into that

the woods at Such an esby e

become grrite the natural nitrous

black

and turn In

a fat mud or

mud and earth. earth is there burnt the is

calcination. salt,

sential clo se d

a fattiness In a g lo win g is

or fo A

which

to coal

calcination.

, h o we v e r, s t ro n g

e s s e n t ia l

b e co m e s an /Leali, At first.,

and tha t

done by our never the

f ire . such a tremendous

hgwever, on the

Nature of

undertakes only burn

incineration tion salt by the but

surface E6 if

earth, not

a gentle the .t.

reverberaand essential some nourishsuch an workers is the impeded conti-

suns raysr

she did it

were only namely,

reverberating rain the is

to make it

ldish to attract take taken their from

moisture,

and dew, from which air. yet But if always in the air

plants is

ment and grow up in essential do' sal.t and it

wateredr the

BS laboratory plant growth of

imbibing

and abstracting into a mineral abstracting

glasses,

and receded nual

nature,

namelyr

on account and it

imbibing,

and reverberating, which is not is

becomes ever

more fixed, That salty

earthy stoniness,

and stony, however,

what we want. a stone from which utmost, saltiness, the but we which

like

radical-moisture our medicine

has been thus a salty purity

removed to

the

demand of a lo n e

- a balsamic

r efreshes

our bodies , them. let better

k e e p s t h e m f ro m p u t re f a c t io n , Therefore, him follow ways, on, let whoever Nature, would

Salts, to fail.

embalms and preser.ves go this But if way of Nature, he knows still

now wish not

and he will those.

him follow those

The third inpurities

way need not wilI

be elaborated consider

because

who separate than

themselves

this

one more pleasant

the previous.

374

FOOTNOTES

(a)

Some let knows this

it

stancl until

the

putrefaction smells bad.

is

over.

One

when the water

no longer

(b) laugh surdity.

Those who do not and scoff at it

admit

any universalan impossibre

medicine thing

will

here

as being

and an ableast

But true to these

hermetic jeerings, that is, all

physicians

do not

pay the

attention founded primary of

beeause they diseases

know from our wellfrom one single efficacy can also Vital

philosophy, eause, that

spring

the weakened or S p irit . are in

interrupted they the

ttle A nehaeus or Vit a l by remedies are able that to

Co n s e q u e n t ly , harmony with t h is e f f ic a c y . are given

be cured Spirit ( c) ical

said

which

re s t o re

From this works

$re can see what models cohobation, in our sacred of

in

the

alchemex-

by way of

which

the most superb

amples can be found

(d)

schools. in Compaes der t h is re p ro a c h ,

Whoever will l ,/ei.sen, P art will not It

read what has been said 3 (d ), this P. 236 ff .,

2, P ar.

about of

regret would

reading

exposition

Homerus. reader the remember and author wishes

(e)

be superfluous

to make the elucidation to that

comprehend by an elaborate his ing discourses the inside agains t of to all

feces visible

b e u n d e rs t o o d but

o n ly not they t h e ir

as concernwhich ad-

creatures

that

heres

separably in in

their

exterior. p a rt s r volatility.

Within, or after

are totally g re a t e s t dis-

id entical solution,

their their

s ma lle s t highest

They are an identical

375

w ater or of

(2 P etr. the

Ch. 3 , V . substance

5 ), of

f ro m wh ic h their

they to of

have aII

taken

received their

bodies; degrees

form the variety in so

so innumerable different

manifold

coagulation, In this

countless our

shapes and properties. totally right in

regard, that there that no

Homerus is at

therefore all in

stating

are no feces is, that there

the whole of exist in

Nature

and creatures, that would

does not but

an excrement aII than respects the curse.

be of damnata

use to with only the take

anything

would

be a terna Also, intending of their

no other applies feces,

determination to those

this to

rebuke separate

sophists

who, while part miss

throw

away an essential must necessarily the Art do indeed from the in that

work by misgoal.

and thereby of

their

ultimate feces since

True masters teach their

speak of But

and accordingly they aim at

separation their by the work term of

pure. they that the with

shortening understand der the

wdy, only if

therefore

mean us to would with hinthe tea-

feces,

excess which essence the stayed

shortening

the work, contrary,

feces.

Homerus, on the separate the

same intention' the name of of only let

ches us to Laeei. that gard

same excess

under

}:Ls Reeohis in own realone

So everybody Homerus deviates to terminology, them in the

must recognize from the but that to other he in

and understand philosophers

no way deviates,

contradicts ( f) In

regard

substance.

freemas o n ic No. X I, J. Faber P. is

V e rs a mmlu n g e re d e n d e n G o L d - un d R o 2 8 1 (f ), quoted, a P a s s a g e p e rt a in in g which is imcomparable to the

eenkpeuzer, above by p. serves to

and de-

be read.

376

CHAPTER vt
FRSI TO THE I{HAT BEEOilCLUDED IS FII{ALLY PRECEDINC CIIAPTER LOIIO
The preceding chapter the the of deals only in general af Chaotic atl with n a t u ra l the destruction in parto which

an d dissection ticular, rule, sustain aII

- also of

re g e n e ra t io n , regenerated plant,

t h in g s ,

however, creatures themselves

Water,

according

the

animal f o llo w

and mineral t h is path

kingdoms must (i. e . mo d u s o f natural in the oripre-

and nec e s s a rily of

regeneration), gin

because all mother. of the

them have sprung as the water, artist

from this proceeded

and primordial separation another

Just universal

ceding part

by separating

one volatile with his

after

from

the more fixed a n ima ls ,

parts,

he must deal

spe cifi ee s separate sep a r a ted But,

and i,ndioi.dui.s, them in the

p la n t s

a n d min e ra ls . them again a f if t h

He m u s t had been

same order

and join

as they

from each other, as Nature Herself

t u rn in g

t h e m in t o wit h o u t

essence. n o- o n e

p ro c e e d s ,

p u t re f a c t io n

can achieve o r a r ti ficial, manipulation the faster

separation that of the is,

and regeneration. a n a t u ra l

Putrefaction

can be natural a rt if ic ia l able is fast

s lo w wa y o r t h ro u g h wishes faster or is

work - as an artist the

to do - jot done, for

he pushes putrefaction directives volatile without

the work in Part f.

which

sufficient of the

have been given parts from the fixed

Also

no se-

paration

ones can be undertaken there exist here, many excePt PE-

and made perfectly kinds the of separation.

distillation, however,

although are not

Those, Herself

reguired the

one which

Nature

shows and does all

time:

First,

377

Par a ti on ,

then putrefaction then to

o r d is s o lu t io n ,

after

that,

d is t ilL a t i o n further, and appli-

o r r ecti fication; imbibing' cation. in this liquifying Nature

conju n c t io n ,

c o a g u ra t io n

a n d f ix a t io n ; fermentation

a was, rnultiplication, by stepsr t ra c t a t e s . a rt is t u n d e rt a k e s parts BS these are

proceeds

taught

in many ways

and the preeeding when the

Therefore, a1l air, lance ti l er times but of

a s e p a ra t io n ,

he must at heaven and the para Volasour, spirit of

consider the fixed

the volatile ones as water Art,

as the uppermost, or, to the and to e

and earth

speak in parts into

the Alchemical

he must separate in t o H , +

d n A cid or

and an A lcari, into the four

, in t o the

and bodyr

Elements, A ir, wit h

according

teachings as the

th e Ar i stotelians: w i she s to do the

into

F ire ,

Wa t e r a n d E a rt h , the d if f e re n c e that

artist

separation, parts

h e mu s t n o t coag-

mix up his ula ti on , of

constituent

and change and confuse a h e t e ro g e n e o u s f a c t o r. given or

them during It to is the

thereby

producing and matters

a qu e s t i o n child. When

terminology,

not what name is things into of four each of

he has turned undertake

his

separated

three,

he can again or three by

a more subtle That rainwater and the is

separation

these

four t h e ir

r ecti fica tion. taught th e about

he c a n s u b d iv id e in the preceding

t h e m in t o chapter:

p a rt s r the

EtS I

into t h ic k e s t ,

subtlest, thicker

su b tler

subtle;

lik e wis e , in t o

in t o

the

the

a n d th e

thick;

furthermore, into

t h e mo s t v o la t iL e , t h e mo re f ix e d

t h e mo re v o l a t i l e and the fixed. separa-

a n d th e volatile; In this tion, wdy,

the mo s t f ix e d , each its proceed take name. with

he can give

When he has done the conjunction, as putrefaction

he can immediately which

the

coagulatibn and disso-

and fixation,

does not

as long

378

lu ti on

or

separation. with

If

a n a rt is t

but

re c o g n iz e s

it s

a d v a n ta g e , the work

he can himself, than t could As far

some reflection, it to him. parts as to

more guickly

shorten

describe as the

volatile but

are concerned, t-he Aeetum or

he should

consider he Ehourd seed:

them a voratile eonsider the sa lt it the

seed,

i-,t'e Aeidun,

intermediary in

or half-fixed in

and half-volatile e p e e if i. e a t is , is the f ix e d

or ni'troeum

un ix e rs a lib u s , oE the f ix e d ,

the SaL nesoseed. Likewise

L u tum essentiaLe the oo

o

nitrosumr is

because oil

a coagulated i" .

or

thickened

and concentrated coal is the changed

Aei.dun,

and Aeid.un a dissolved partr E ID earthy

He should o il. c o n s id e r

consider

m o r e fixed i nto p a r tr fi xed If

o r c o a g u la t e d h e s h o u ld f ix e d sa1t,

B u t wh e n it it

a sh or an alkaline dll =l ted,

s a lt ,

t h e mo s t f i x e d can be made as f ire . is also removed turns into into

alkalized , as as h in are

because coal fast

and fireproof oil and coal

a v io le n t ,

c a lc in a t io n moisture ashes, it is in t o

triturated

and their in

from them by means of co a l. B ut if they are

a high fierc e ly

necked vial d is t ille d , rf in t o the coal

the is

o il

d is t ille d

a sou r ish ho we ve r , su ch fi r s t dealing vola ti l er what to it

Liquon will

or vinegar. finally t u rn as t h e s e If

put

an open fire, must know when is a

ash and sa1t. e v e ry t h in g

A n a rt is t e ls e ,

principles this

b e f o re

e s p e c ia t l y know what

with

tractate.

an alchemist

does not

lD A eidumr or coa lr do when mistakes from occur the

o r a s h a n d A le a li, and what reasonable chapter is to the

how does he know decisions general to take? of

Conseguently, all separation,

preceding and fixation

purpose

coagulation

be noted, to

which must a specific na-

and should

be followed

by everything

else

according

379

tural follo w

law.

Just

as people

foIlow

their

king,

everything aquoBo. the

else

must

the universal explained

seed o r in the

Ch a o s p lu o ia li chapter,

And as has been should if prohe

logically ceed thus wishes lished his that

preceding reflect

reader

- he should

reason, usefur

and do practical his grasp intention a hundred goal. the

work,

to do something so that the

and reach first

Books are pubsubject regarding matter this in or

reader

should the it

mind, point.

and understand

authorrs well

He must ponder so that

times

before later

beginning when misbest inten-

manual workr takes tions.

he does not revile

need to the

have regrets

are made and does not Since the author

author

who had the

does not

know everybody h is writ in g s r Ch ris t ia n s

and cannot Eo that and they

show the h is prac-

m an ip u la tions ti cal fi t

involved,

he p u b lis h e s h is

experience b y it. That is

can benefit

f e llo w

can pro-

why I wrote and its

first

about

rainwater,

being

the

universal-

chaotic

water,

separation out of it,

and coagulation, so that the lover general

because everything of the Art purpose should with which

gror.ts and originates

have an example and a rule all o the r epeeifiea with is

from this

on the

and ind iv id u a them in certain: the

mu s t c o mp ly ,

a n d h e s h o u ld

judge

them and deal One thing be g in n in g. ter

same way. Nature had been water t h ro u gh in the

the whole of

E verything this

was b o rn o f wa t e r, chaotic is regenerated no water, the s u b t le

a n d p re c is e ly water there everything is

wa-

and through

must again in our

be destroyed. Ar t, en abling Th erefore,

Where there us to just separat e

no separation g ro s s .

f ro m t h e

as Nat u re

g iv e s

b irt h ,

s u s t a in s

and destroys

380

everything and destroys of the

through

the

regenerated with Herself

chaotic

water,

and again Herself her as,

begets out and

everything matterr water

and through follow in

alone

destroyed Like

w must also is of the

footsteps

example. with ulated n o b le all

which in

same nature

and has affinity again in all coag-

and every regenerated

thing things, is, in

the worldr and give

w must destroy to them again

birth

a more

nature, As this

that water naturer

a n e v e rla s t in g into

e u in t e s s e n c e . its parts - into a volatile the

has been divided w must resolve, an d p la n t s ,

and a fixed vola ti l e or its

prepare, wit h

putrefy

and corrupt c h a o t ic

things, liker

animals

t h e v o la t ile

water

E ls they

are no t

a s c lo s e d ,

c o mp a c t ,

a n d h a rd e n e d a s m i n -

er a ls. With ea la L e a ln harder, the more fixed e) parts of the water, a n d d e s t ro y however, nitrous and the

r w must di s s o lv e bodies, parts. release th in g is not

t h e min e ra ls

and other and generated

coagulated

because they It the

are composed of

from these sharpness Bu t ju st and in we he lp water,

more fixed that is to

must necessarily stone-hard it s bodies

be a penetrating from their bonds.

as every itself, it with

single it

c a rrie s powerful

s o L u e n s & e o a g u la n e w i t h enough to destroy c h a o t ic its body, rainor that so puimand

though its

first

mo t h e r, to

t h e u n iv e rs a l its the destruction, coagulated agent the f ire of

wa t e r,

snovrwater or

dewwater,

decomposition sleeping its of spirit,

putrefaction, which th a t is th e n its

and thereby

arouse

own homo-genious suffering the it a f if t h

inciting p a in of

destruction p u rif ic a t io n , the

after

trefaction m o r tal

and separation, of

can be glorified e s s e n c e t h ro u g h

and acquire it s

glorification

c o a g u la t io n

38r

fixation. cess of

Although their

there

exist

some subjects moisture on their or

which

contain

an extheir re-

own destructive destroyer help of are the in

by nature,

and carry thus not

own adequate quiring less the

or death chaotic great

own backs, there

rainwater, its help.

are neverthe-

many which An imals

need of a v e ry

and plants

are o f

ju ic y ,

mo is t , they through

liq u id

n at u r e . go

After into juice.

they

have been cut

up small

or bruised,

immediately their own

putrefaction, Should they

corr-upting be lacking

and fermenting some moisture, help in .

some volatile

from

putrefied th e y 9 e t,

rainwater the

can be added to

them.

The more moisture

sooner putref a c t io n stones, metals

sets

In stead, too much dried th is ter, volatile that is,

a n d min e ra ls ,

the

Hu n id u m o f wh ic h will not only c h a o t ic

is

up and too water, O and

strongly

coagulated, f ix e d

obey wa-

but wh e n t h e e

a n d h a lf -f ix e d into the

, are turned themselves re le a s e d . tractate about of

same nature doers of

as that heII are

from which b r o ke n

the minerals indwellers the first

were born,

the

and the in

Above, I + is sa id that

the

generation s a lt y , of

of minerals, s p iritu a l the earth, it

minerals is a O

are g e n e ra t e d and e . In

a re s o lv e d , great

, which acidified

the

be1ly

by strong

fermentation, by the central

rises heat

and congeals in the of and form of

on the

inner

surfaces vap o r , vapors trous With

of mountains and there it

a spiritual These

brings

f o rt h

v a rio u s

k in d s (D

min e ra ls . e as all e e

are universal spirits which

seed and a dissolved have the same general e

and salty-niminerals. the coagulated

nature

or

by such a spiritually-made

e1 -t'r- O

382

and exsiccated their their the tallic spir it, balsamic in this

minerals

must return,

in

order

to

arouse

to

action

own mineral own body. b e g inning spirit, through body, wdlr of

coagulated Thereby their they

and exsiccated, become that

Aei,dun and to destroy they had been in min e ra l, meand this me d i c i n a l -

which

coag u la t io n , and t h is ,

n a me ly , b y t u rn in g

a s a lt y , back,

a G,,

a s p irit ,

regeneration , each after then its

a re g e n e ra t e d , kind.

p e n e t ra t in g

When they

have been transformed into a further the plants Every born of

only

can they

be changed and raised a n d f ix e d , A'

sp ir itua lity volatile

or pleasantnes s , universal water or

v o la t ile

b Y me a n s o f r or through

seed and chaotic - p la n t o r a n ima l

an d an imals, creature is

as one wishes changeable into

o r e v e n u n iv e rs a l. is

any other,

because everything

on e pr im ordial Animals pla n ts pla n ts, ver sa l

substance. are extended p la n t s , p la n t s c o n t ra c t e d in s t e a d , these is a n ima ls . Again, plants; uni-

are extended concentrated

minera ls ; animals ;

min e ra ls , a n d a ll

c o n c e n t ra t e d

a re a c o n c e n t ra t e d v o la t ile ,

seed or chaos. is

B ec a u s e a n ima ln e s s h o we v e r, acidity is

and the more

th e vola tile + it

contracted, plant

t h e mo re it contracted,

b e c o me s a p lan t however, the more is trans-

; the more the b e co mes mineral;

and lik e wis e it

e e o n t ra :

t h e mo re t h e min e r a l it is by degrees

e xten d e d, formed into

the more volatile a plant

b e c o me s , s o t h a t state. we will for

and animal this

Having mentioned truction of the animal

beforehand,

now undertake its fifth

the

des-

kingdom and search

essence.

383

VII CHAPTER
DISSECTION OFAIIIIIALS
Just as no strong without except water can be obtained both in the by separation animal and the and displant

tillation kingdoms, all

putrefaction, for the prant

or animar

smelr.

on the in

contrary, order to

powers are unlocked a urinous burning As we intend volatile from to

by a preceding salt fron the

putrefaction, animat

obtain tile

kingdom and a vola-

the plant descr ib e

kingdom. a t ru e to the d is s e c t io n of t h in g s r w r i g h t accorddistil-

Iy in g

begin to

to proceed of

according

Laws of Nature

and finish

her grades

prepa ra t io n , of

p u t re f a c t io n

o r d is s o lu t io n ,

l ati on

and rectification, A s all-

t h e u n io n

o r c o n ju n c t io n , of

c o a g u lat i o n

a n d fixa tion. differ there skin, one from are whole urine

S ubje e t e it with is

a n d I n d iu id u a here in the

t h e wh o le wid e w o r l d kingdom, marrow, are taken of where

another, bodies

animal vains, they

blood, All

flesh, together the

bones and to produce

and excrements. Again,

the medicine. th e m se lves th e Ieg s, for skin,

one can take

different b lo o d ,

parts u rin e ,

a body by

the medicine , hair, horn,

e s p e c ia lly etc.

e x c re men t s , me d ic in e from

a n d ma k e a s p e c ia l

ea ch pa r t. How to i nto tiquid a fifth things, More than cious Praais dissect these pieces each and aII, also in how to re g a rd turn to then all

essencer then the in

w will regard this its

n o w d e s c rib e , to the realm stench dry

f irs t

ones. atroOn the

others, of

has the most horrible, during putrefaction.

on account

384

othe r

h and,

because of

its

h ig h ly

p e n e t ra t in g power to not with act

S a li. s o o la t ilis , than the other

it kingdoms.

has a much mightier I advise directly lowing through appeared started it, from

and swifter

alchemists, an animal,

however, that When I is,

to work with warm blood,

blood

obtained folparts animals

because the

happened to me: the in alembic, the the

tried

to distil of

the more fixed and of of

Euatrum both in in a very the to

human beings way. That

recipient noise horrible (a).

hideous

human beings vrere in does not

a rumbling lf,as very

alembic

as if

a poltergeist - although it

which

see and hear

h a p p e n each time. If, they on the

other

hand , stench.

b lo o d

a n d f le s h

a re a llo we d take,

to putrefy, provided

cause a horrible them, the

Therefore of every f u ll

one should animal,

one can get fe ce s, te r cr i be which

excrements and c o n t a in . na irs , theser juice or

such as urine, the a n imal ; afdes-

are best

the

p o we r o f etc, is

tha t,

horns,

bones, of

h a ir,

s c a le s ,

B u t we wirl ra c k in g .

the work on arr Now Rc.

so that or urine a ll

n o t h in g of

The blood, one of

an animal it

and what is

l i qu id ' As they or fixed

either are all than

these

t o g e t h e r,

d o e s n o t ma t t e r . one is more volatile coming in a lukemust set

made of another, Put

one substance, they it

although

have nevertheless a covered vessel to

one substance, and set avoid the it

from one subject. Itarm place put it it i nto into

into

to putrefy. an alembic, the fear first the

But whoever wishes vrell closed with it

stench,

a head and a recipient, stand it for

B .M. of

d e g re e , stench.

le t

14 days and nights, stood for off as in

and he need not long or longer,

When then

has thus

depending

on circumstances,

distil

everything

38s

B.M. according tify very not it

to

grades, the

and preserve Phlegna from

that. it.

rf

you wish

to

reca

and separate

Thus you will salt.

obtain does r-

penetrating rise from the

urinous

-r'r- and volatile the head. matter

The Aeidun is doner in

B.M. through put the

when this into

move the and drive first, is ter p a r t. the

alembic, it

residual

a retort A phlegna the

the

sand come which Af -

once more through by a penetrating This burnt is to

gentle -n-

grades. that

will

followed Ft

attacks

tongue,

animale. a matter

foll.owed coal stays

by a stinking behind, which

thick is

oto . the

this,

alkaline

Now you have separated alkaline an im a l, these coal. This then is

the volatile, the it substance c o n s is t s

the

acid,

the

oil

and the the

and inner of.

essence of to put

and these back into

are the

p a rt s

rn o rd e r

one,

you must here once again pos s e a b u n o e x t re mo

heed the

philosophical absque nedio:

sa yin g z

Non transiri go from

a d a lt e ru m without

one cannot thin g . N B. never n a tur e , unite

one extreme

to

another

an intermediate

The volatile.-nwithout is their their

and coal intermediate wa t e r

a re t h e

t wo e x t re me s , Their

they

will

nature. t h e ir

intermediate spirit are not and work oil,

however,

o r P h le g ma , these wirl

p e n e t ra t in g if they

or Aeid.um, and ooo . taken will in reverse orderr If

rn turn, or else

not that

unite your

so slowly to unite the

efforts -athe

annoy yous

you wished

the volatile vinegar not in

and the first in-

or vinegar stance will

and coal, oil in

and overwhelmed the secondr lou

and the

could

do it.

Instead, in their

they pro-

readily

and instantaneously

combine when cohobated

38 5

Per order. Therefore, the other order late during their this the order must be followed. so they As one went before in the same coagu-

separation,

must combine

during through

conjunction.

Then they will degrees such parts, or better. of

immediately heat. Ray weII

moderate

and appropriate to rectify

Vfhoever should a more subtle wishes

wish not let

do it whoever

in

way but

faster

Therefore, with

to work faster,

him take

the volatile

the Phlegma

(or separate then both

ICJ\

the Phlegna from it) Thereafter into it, set

and pour the JL take the oil,

to the Azoth, with the

are joined. r put over it

mix it

coal

or

X part

an alembic, it

pour the vinegar

and the

vo la ti l e to dig e st

in B . M. f o r t h ro u g h weakly,

t wo d a y s a n d t wo n ig h t s g e n t le f ire g ra d e s , with the and

moderately. spirit will

The n d is t il rise quite

the volatile Phle g n a , Take that Iate while out

together stays at

the most vo la t ile of the B.!{. and set

a n d a c id it in in

t h e b o t t o m. out, to coaguWhen it v o la ti l e , and as

ash to dry the fifth it s

and reverberater

ds was taught imbib e it

chapter. d is t ille d

h a s be e n reverberated, set it

a g a in wit h then to

in B .M. to digest, congeal,

d is t ilr

c o a g u la t e , with

d ry o u t

afterwards it of

as has been taught in the correct

in detail order.

rainwater,

must also the animal After

happen here kingdom is

Then the Quintessence

ready. ask and say: llly! Why does he say them? Is it of

this,

someone might

to

Leave the

P/rlegna with

the work or to To begin it rrith,

separate I leave not

no use? the rest,

To answer this: because, although

the Phlegma with driven away from

remains

and is

387

the volatile does not Let ma is tool the still of the

through it

rectif ic a t io n , lets note go of but of salty it

the

e s s e n t ia l

c o n g e a lin g

part

absorb

but

each time 6s I

during

distillation. that Phlegand

someone take an unripe active

thisr

said

above,

and not

seed and therefore spirit,

a guide

and rrassive

universal

by means of which spirit in a body or

naturaL

indwelling, or

coagulated has forged

and slumbering everything, as the it

forges

everything,

changes everything P h le g n a is s t ill

h a s cha nged everything. it arouses the spirit

F o r a s lo n g againr so that

there, act and

begins this

once more to PhLegma.

work and to

produce this,

a constant take

change via

To confirm when everything it in an alembic its

a Q u in t e s s e n c e ,

ma d e in

such a htay, NB. put brim,

volatile which

has been coagulated the Phlegma may fill set it in

and concentrated' completely to the

pour

own PhLegna upon it, see a wonderful the shape of s ig h t , the

a warm spot, s p irit

and watch: or Euestvum will during it is

Yo u will represent l i fe .

because the as it

animal

had been previously B u t if

Of it, in

ttre S ubieetum a n ima le the cold, it will

had been taken. a g a in .

the n p u t

d is a p p e a r the

F ro m t h is taken,

an artist arouses

may nohr infer the implanted Besides, altogether p o we r of of its taking

to what purpose spirit this to action.

PhLegna is

because it

P hlegna

s h o u ld

not with

b e re je c t e d , the spirit

b e c a u s e it and the wa t e rs . am taking

is

filled

and impregnated Iike a l} in

spirituai Instead it in

Lius S ubjeet, the

d is t ille d another

a p o t h e c a ry oehi.eulum, I

Quintessence P hlegma . this

o wn separated In addition,

(b ). to produce putrefaction in a

Phlegma serves

388

fr e sh

subject, or of

instead leaven

of

u s in g

other

S p e e ie s ,

s u c h a s s p rin g - w a t e r , or rainwater the are liquid parts. skin file Then urine

rainwater actually parts of

etc.,

although This

spring-water has been said with bones, the

the

same nature. Now we will take in the

about dry

animals.

proceed f le s h ,

or dryer h a ir, up,

For this a n d w ha tever

purpose is hard

h o rn , cut

c ra w s , g ra t e ,

an ima rs .

pound,

c ru s h ,

and chop one up, Put or it juice into of

whichever

you wish on it

and as welr some blood, your

as you can. putrefied

an alembic the

and pour

same animal all these,

from which p u t re f ie d

subject or the El

has been taken, mie ro e o s m i . center

r 'o :r l for NB- tha t of of the the

want of is, of

ra in wa t e r

a human bein g , kingdom,

b e e a u s e h e is in which all

c o n c e n t ra t e d

entire other of

animal animals

the

powers and virtues all powers and v it rio lic pour, set it in

have converged, plant, g ro wt h s , of

just a n d in

as in wine O a n d it s

vir tue s G uh r a lI I say,

the

other

powers and virtues some of those on your

t h e min e ra ls

h a v e c o n v e rg e d .

crushed

or powdered subjeet, etc., le t it

B- M . or B . uaponis, th e n bic part also se parate an d retort, according coagurate all

or dig e s t io n parts fro m it

a p p a ra t u s , t h ro u g h

p u t re f y , the alemeach

B . M. a n d a s h wit h if y o u wis h ,

as was said to the

b e f o re .

Then,

re c t if y

above-mentioned t h e m ju s t of

instruction as the

and unite

them,

and congeal hair

a f o re me n t io n e d . of a ll a n a lm o s t things and if scare a

But because the Pur e , fat, coagulated balsamic just

a n a n ima l a fat e a s ily

a re f irs t o ily

subs t a n c e , and do n o t like the

t h in g s ,

a n d o ily

ar e la r g ely sor ver y lover of

g o in t o

p u t re f a c t io n , enough to

slowry, the Art

b o n e s a n d h o rn s , such tedious

to undertake

labours

- I must show him

38 9

two shorter

knacks

by which

he can guickly

get

on. a n d f ile d of the h a ir, bones,

When, therefore, horne and claws, of animal or in etc.,

you h a v e g ro u n d r boil then in

g ra t e d

the urine

same species or in saltwater, boil until less them the time,

human urine,

or putrefied

rainwater,

untiL for

you have a qelatine 24 hoursr or two or also

or a jelly. three into

You must thoroughly interruption,

days without a jelIy,

bones and horns according turned nights foul is out th e jo in , in of into with

turn the

although hard or soft. in

Eome take

to whether jetly, the

compound is will start

hlhen they

have

they addition

putrefying

a few days and which must be

of more rainwater Thereafter, Firstr the

or urine

and bad-snel}ing. everything the B.l{.

separation

and conjunction the volatile parts out parts of

as above: through

you must drive

the head, after

then the more fixed the re c t if ic a t io n ,

san d or ash in coagulate The other

a retort r

y o u mu st c o n -

and congea l. knack is the following, but it it does not will give as much

substance Take the like

as putrefaction. horns, claws, the hair with legs, cut

Nevertheless, hair, sma1l,

be interesting. grind with will in them its go over. the sane

excrements put fire

and skin, a retort that again

hazelnuts,

them in

receiver, When the order

and distil separation parted

a gentle

everything the parts But here the A e id , u n '

has been done, unite from each other. a gros s P h le g n a ,

as they

artist

requires because coaguor

no vola tile the volatile lation .F

but onty in those

o o o a n d c o a l,

hard parts

has partly

evaporated into

through Aeidun

and exsiccation, a n imale.

and been partly

transformed

390

This out

then

is of

the the

artificial superfluities, except

separation in the

and conjunction all parts waters

with-

separation

which

have been and the

concentrated Ph le g n a .

and congealed

excessive

I must here refer fluous, portunity to

remind

the

reader it,

and anticipate. he must not infer deeper to think

Because I often that it is super-

something but I do it

and repeat so that word to I try

he should see ever always

further into

and have an opNature. Therefore, and that To those I I

with

every

many a man will yet

say that

follow

Nature,

have many violent way of to coalr

ways that Nature or the it

are counter does not

to Nature. destroy

have added the Iy a n d burn it

which

a thing

complete-

h a p p e n s b u t v e ry purpose a plant of or

s e ld o m.

A n a rti s t , Na-

however, ture

must consider desire

final

Nature animal

and the Art. body to in t o

does not is

to destroy

the utmost, a salty,

b e ca u se it e sse n ti al, to generate

enough for

h e r t o d is s o lv e wa t e ry of the

those

b o d ie s

spermatic, another

salty thing

o r g u h ric

ju ic e r But

E rs f o o d an d s e e d , she does not bodyr LikeO have Ers

same nature. and eternally c o rru p t ib le

the power to make a quintessential the Ar t wise , and D sto n e s m a tte r not all . does - a body which glassy bodies is

glorified in it s e lf .

never

are t h e mo s t d u ra b le o r v e ry the ra re ly ,

- mo re e v e n t h a n that g la s s

one never

hears r unless deal

a n d p rec i o u s the first it does

have decayed, with a great

a rt is t In

d e s t ro y s a n a t u ra l

t h e m in t o

of wo rk .

wa y , h o we v e r, O to

h a p pen easily.

Instead, by the

o n e c a n s e e in min e s t h a t vapors but and destroyed

anA 2 such an its

are awakened again extent that they

arsenical

leave

nothing

behind

an empty shelI,

given

391

str u ctur e

by pre-existing

c ry s t a ls

etc. One a quite one. natural Wit h

Here I wiII yr ay as Nature th e se r one or

make known two more ways. uses , the other a g re a t In

herself

a n a rt if ic ia l in first h is

dn artist the other,

may kindle

lig h t the

min d a n d s e l e c t operates plants

as he wishes. softens other the kinds

way Nature and the

as follows: with

Nature or

dead animals of water

tender

dew and rain

and moisture. and volatile heat,

She causes part but after

them to putrefy, another heat into the lift

then air tfr.

she distils through $ the

one subtle

sol-ar or central oil is etc. the In

the weak

cannot this

and the Rea id iu n

todayrs o r p la n t ,

corunon laboressential because earth. whose which does not

a tor ie s e it

left-over I call

a n ima l

, which can d ies e or in

a G, a n ima le m & o e g e t a b i. L e m, p re c is e ly a f f lic t e d s p irit wit h d u rin g a p re c ip it a b le d is t illa t io n , a c id it y , Nature

such a way a n d is G, gives off

Th is a cid ity is

a n a c id

has a mineral by a thick three however, they .rr-

taste ,

n a me ly ,

t h e v it rio lic on the coal.

followed

oto and later in the plant

separate eral them,

these

and animal

kingdoms.

In the min-

kingdom, so that

she congeals

them even more,

and concentrates as may

become ever ; (E ri.

sharper

and more corrosive,

be seen with

and

When nord Nature sential pa r ts, e rain or e,

has thus

turned

animals the the g .rlit

and plants time a rt is t with

into

an es-

, she waters

them aII

the volatile

and dew, etc. animals it into

Co n s e q u e n t ly , an essential a volatile coagulating

can do a sirnilar or gelatine, of it the into same a

work by turning thereafter animals,

substance of the parts

distilling imbibing

with

therewith,

and congealing

392

fifth

essence by frequent part from that or

repetition. animal,

However, should he should take

he not

have

any volatile spirit imbibes

the volatile rf air Nature and turns raise into

from human urine frequently,

from rainwater,

dew, etc. the

the essential into a plant

grows up into or a tree, since

and j.s transformed anything to a fifth

she does not changes it

essence.

The artist, does not yet on this (t h e

hot{ever, achieve. I will

a quJ-ntessence, But to

which Nature

throw more light A n anima l

subject,

describe

the Turn or

Pr oce ss clearlv. it into jelly

s a me a p p lie s own putrefied putrefy

t o a p la n t ). or hurnan urine

or gelatine rainwater. filter part, it,

by its Let it

by putrefied the cle ar fr o m th e tiLe.

and ferment, ex B.!t.

then pour off v o la t il e the volait the cry-

P art' filtered

a n d d is t il

e v e ry t h in g

to o n e -t h ird settled

o r t h e o il. (clarified) in t o

p re s e rv e Liquon

Remove the to of

i n the cellar essential sta ls e

or the """ crystallize r the animal

and set T h is is

o r t o t u rn or the

a je rly .

@. aninale.

Now take

these

o r jerly,

set

them in a s h t o c o a g u la t e burn to coal.

g e n t ly r stops

so that but it s

th e y

become dry be g in s. that it it

but do not this but cool

Now Nature

the Art V o la t i l e and digest

Let

down r p o u r u p o n it to four

a s mu c h o f fingers

stands

two or three Let rise

above it, will

ag a in

in B .M.

a n d g o o v e r wh a t e v e r or ash. it a g a in

go, because in when nothing it ritill

the B.It't. nothing ses an y longer dry, reverberate it in

burns

to coal set

Afterwards, in

the B .M. , it

a s h a n d c o a g u la t e then S e t it remove it, a g a in in

somewhat more strongly, it s v o la t ile .

powder it the 8.M., with

an d i nb ibe d isti l it

once more wi t h coagulate it

again,

in a s h , a n d re p e a t

t h e p ro e e d u re

393

i m bib in g , th r o u g h In all this

coagurating, colors,

rev e rb e ra t in g , above, will

c o n g e a lin g and the

u n t il

it

has gone appear.

as sa id

q u in t e s s e n c e irs it

will

manner the an insipid form all nature,

vola t ile

b e c o n g e a le d r ris e p a rt s . wh ic h

mu s t b e , b e h in d in but

an d fin a lly con ce n trated a m in e r al-

P hle g n a will its e s s e n t ia l re s is t in g a ll in

h a s le f t is

T h is T h is

n o t h in g is

el s e the

fixed

f ire . her work. (a s t h e to the

then

simplest all

waY, such as Nature Pu r e a s it i m ag in e ) , for e : After an im a l b e st does not but

uses herself suffer

The other s c ru p u la t in g h ig h e s t

way is

any feees p u rif ie d

a lc h e m i s t s There-

a quintessenc e

d e g re e .

you have separa t e d rectify

t h e v o la t ile

a c id

o r o ily of

p a rt s

dt in

an the

or pIant,

t h e v o la t ile in g e n e ra l llix the it

a n d a c id d e s c rib e d wit h

a L J - P h le g n a b y a lmo s t of all

p o ssible

way and as is Rc the

authors. and Or if

Th e n r ds follows: d isti l it likewise wish to

o iI .

t wo p a rt s in ash or o il wit h

coal

over

th ro u g h

a le mb ic

sand. it s

yo u do not it is will

have th e it in

o ilin e s s , a baking

mix t h e or pastry coal

c oa l ,

put oven oiI

on a cupel hot, turn the

and set will

oven.

When the

flame

reverberate

the

from above and the the the it cupel flame wit h in

into

ash and salt. can faII

But you must put into in t o it , it it ash, and only I ix iv ia t e

a spot

where no wood or coal i t. Th en, when it filter in it,

can go over it s own Put

has turn e d coagula t e and let t h is ,

Ph le g n a , that o ve n ,

and you have the reverberate d is s o lv e it it .

S a L a le a li.

again

a cupel

once more in a g a in in it s

such an P h leg n a o r

and calcine. rainwater, annealing,

A fter filter

d isti l l ed be r a ti ng ,

a n d c o a g u la t e f ilt e rin g

Co n t in u e

t h is

reveru nt i l the

dissolv in g ,

a n d c o a g u la t in g

394

salt ti l e,

is

beautiful, acid

clear

a n d wh it e .

Then the in

t h re e the

p a rt s ,

the volahray.

th e

and the A Lea L i. a re c le a n s e d takes place.

best

p o s s ib le

Now the

conjunction

Before,

however,

I mu s t re c o mme n d t h e workers is in general not

re o e rb e ra t io n e m reverberate with

pen flancoal flarnes

mam, because laboratory under of the the muffel, wood: which

by far

done as subtly

as by the

They penetrate flame has a pure A eidu n I

much faster a n d v e ry

and more sharply v o la t ile ,

than coal, while f ree to a

be ca u se the co a l is

p e n e t ra t in g

a very

strong these

a n d c o rro s iv e . consider

Y e t a n y o n e is the

choose any of b e tte r one,

two.

the method with me .

flames

as experience

has taught

CONJUNCTIO
Ta ke two parts pour four parts of of its the re c t if ie d A L e a L i, , p u t and then it in a n a le m b i c , parts your of its

volatile

upon it

three

acidum, so that ble

and they they In flow the

will

become united together they it to

and congealed in the fire

before

eyes,

constantly air, that

as an incombustiice, and nothing is

oo, .

however, you put

stand into

like

now required ceive r in

except

B.M. with p o in t of

a head and a reSet that c ry s t al l i z e . let it it evacrys-

and draw its spot to

P hlegm a o f f crystallize , draw off

the

o ilin e s s . will

a co ld

and the the moisture

g u in t e s s e n c e to the

Remove that, po r a te tallize s put of it fi r e, to

again

ooo t ot

a skin, no more,

and cryst a lliz e

o n c e mo re .

Do t h is

u n t il

and you h a v e t h e q u in t e s s e n c e . set it in sand, in t o heat

Dry t h a t the is

g e nt l y , degrees that

into

an aLembic, will

through ft

four

and it

flow

together

a stone.

s o c le a r

395

a right when the arembic and carry use it, from like the

can be Eeen through fire

it

when morten out, it out, is

and etands a stone. it into

rike

oil,

and

goes down and is the dry fifth with

Now smash the a boxwood can rf you wish water will to

and take it take thus

essence

put the

you through of it

worrd.

a few grains pharmacy,

and some appropriate them into it it

or wine melt

nearest

throw

and they its

sugar

and ice. |ou will

Then administer find (although from

and note

powers. all your coagufrom this,

Howeverr parts tion)

you have separated

as much as possibre

aLL Phlegma or quintessence.

excess during But aside unite, they part fast in

much and more Phlegna arso see how quickly and stick or grass congeal. state,

than the

you wirl

homogeneous parts so firmly they that wiLl

coagulate, peneThat the and

grasP each other trate is the crucible they

together

sooner again. through

below before Even if they they yet

how fast in

are driven

arembic

a volatire

participate

each other

none can be recognized Now the that thin g , ble artist

from another. kinds the of work and manipulationr substance in t o of a d ry , every f ix ed danger. so

knows several and turn wa t e r

he can concentrate except the

whore

single fusiA

excessive it with

o r P h le g n a , all

form and carry of it is

him through than a great

lands

without

graim w ater .

more potent

amount of

corunon distilled

But

someone will part?

ask: I wished notice

Why does he burn to do it that is the

the

oiL,

which

is

such

an e sse n tial that the artist

so as to work faster Art transforms the

and so oil into Jc ,

should

salt,

a n d th a t

th e e

or Alealzl

a congealed

and reversed

395

which poured yellow oil

one can see by its over or it, when it colored fixed

tincture

when |-he Aeidun a deepest But whoever calcined form of d is t ille d dryness them in

and Volatile or

are

shows either tincture. e from the the

ruby-red wishes

a golden-

other the

to keep the

and take

coal

aLone, may do so. he can add the b o il th e m i n the

l{hen the oil,

quintessence with the

has taken stone , the

a stone,

m ix it

a d d h is point of

P h le g n a , gradually

8.14. and distil degrees of heat,

them to

through

afterwards the with

coagulate stoner

ash and sand, described

congeal the

them and melt method in

them to

ds I have clearly

connection

rainwater. and say: stone for in little Yes, this way might and still well better aII, poor

Here someone might be good if if the one could

complain the it

produce could it.

quantity,

apothecaries could is

give

moneyr so that

an d r ich , This t1e , cary h is take

enjoy

indeed

easy,

and if

someone were to h im it s e lf ,

reflect Let

just

a lit-

intelligence three the

would

in f o rm of

thus:

an apotheoE let to putreclaws, he it to

basketfuls urine

some herb, flesh of

such as balm-mintr and set it

him take fy in

blood, alembic.

or

an animal, take the p a rt s

a big e tc. put

Then he should while dry

bones,

horns,

h a ir , should with Ieave

Meanwhile, the crushed

t h e v o la t ile into f.

a re p u t re f y in g , filling half of

parts

a retort

them. the

The Aeidun coaI.

and the

must be distilled r;} other and .to

therefrom , also a large

Thus he will He should be calcined

Set the give in the

guantity to

of

coal. to

half

of

the dry

parts

a potter, the.Sal

an open pot. how much there

From this is of it.

ash he must Of the above

leach

ficunr

Do matter

397

volatile ti l

part

which

had been standing of th e V o la t ile .

in

putrefaction

he must disc a lc in e in t he rest

a large

quantity salt,

He c a n a le o constituent the parts

and leach After this,

the

and he has the but

quantity.

he must do nothing have the price. note that

conjunction

and coagulation, and to sel-I for

and he will r ea so n a ble

guintessence

in

superabundance

I must here give much saltless salt

animals

do not

yield

much fixed

salt

but

earth. in order to

But how will congeal

someone proceed parts? often

to obtain That man a univercreatures. salt is

much fixed

the volatile Herself

must run back to Nature, sal .4L eali. This indeed best

where Nature is

forges a ll

Universal-A lc a li entire salt a ll

h o mo g e n e o u s wit h

There exist i nd e e d ci fy it, the

mountains, a n ima ls ,

and common table e s p e c ia lly for me n .

balsam for for the

To speis quite the or

however, he takes to part along

each S u b je e t u m q u in t -e e t e n t if ie a n d u m dry parts of the animal, which

easy if potter fourth cifi es

he sends to a third

be calcined. of table salt

He crushes with

them small Then the

and mixes salt

them. in t o

burns a n ima l

and speA L e aL i . the quin-

with

them and t u rn s not

a s p e c if ie d that he cannot

Thus the tessence could which,

artist out of

should all

complain in a large

separate

things whole

quantity, nothing would

and an apothecary but quintessences corrupt If and be-

stock if

up his

drugstore of

with them,

he but

had a supply his but waters ,

never etc.

co m e m o ldy like the quintessence several to

o ils ,

o in t me n t s three not years, spoiI,

h e ma n u f a c t u r e d make of every

once every

he could

subject seIl

pounds which his neighbor.

would

and which the

he could by

cheaply

He does not

sell

quintessence

398

p o u n d s, grain)

ounces or half which acts

ounc e lo t s ,

but

b y g ra in s in

a n d s c ru p le s a Dosie.

(I/20

powerfully the his time

and more quickly he has spent as well

Conseguently, pay double Plants, the three dries the se the and fill

in making oil

and water than before.

can

purse

and even better BS will guantity

however,

can be made even more easilyr He must take one to shader a large

be taught of plants -

in

fol.lowing

chapter.

basketfuls. the other

He sets two in one to the

ferment so that in

and putrefy, they dry

and gently Of From

thoroughly. k iln .

h e burns

ash in

an oven or and the f ro m t h e then,

a p o t t e r' s From the s a lt ,

other

he distil

the

vinegar

oil.

putrefied a n d whe n h e the f if t h

m atte r

he distils

the volat ile ;

ash the

ha s r e ctified esse n ce in

everything, quantity.

h e u n it e s

and has thus

From what has been said well be united and also

an artist

can see that middle

Nature

can very provided

seoarated

through

natures,

on e stud ies th e in It

diligently.

S h e He rs e lf

re v e a ls

a 1 l me a n s , a n d se t s

a n d t h e A L e a L i, wh ic h is t o b e f o u n d betweeen the volatile -F union. which there can be no lasting all subjects and without is neither fixed nor volatil,e but an intermediate, and behind. a true If it it is f ix e d . it a very hermeets it s equal; No pre-

maphrodite th e vo 1 atile, w i th

and Janus which it is it

aees in if it

front

pleasan t ;

me e t s t h e z { L e a li, wit h the f ix e d ,

th e volatile

becom e s v o la t ile , this the p o in t .

au tho r cious

has described secret

T h e re f o re ,

c o n s id e r it to

and thank having dealt

one who disclosed this (the

you. of the products hermaphroof

After the animal

with

dissection and go to

kingdom),

w follow

the order

the

399

t'i

ditic

realm of plants, next

whosg. |teed'"'is ne6t to the anirnal kingdom,

-1,

and whose root

to the sagr4l
i r ::r.

rei!6,"*.
,.,: ;*+'.

in order

also

to extract

thetr

inner essence.

ftGrgfofet'tt ii;'

.:- ,,

.follows. now-

: 1 " 'l -

-E

.:

400

Pcrvlgll E ccc

D r oCO!

Sq uohl s

Gr sPGfontl bus h o rrc n s I

+ ee
Iilhenener the Dragon meets and Enemy, they fight. must become fixt, become corporeal, The ? fixt V becomes V Vapour and \Z muet become ? or Do llfe can enter tnto the F end Vice Versa. rrapour I and A Ileaven, L e A , whilst A The Volatil , A muet . The Superius returns to the Wings,

must become Inferius, Centre of the Earth.

The fixt becomes volatil,

must be converted into a Thus is manifeeted tbe

, The Dragon Fith Wings kilrs the Dragon rithout

and the Latter destro5rs the former. Quintessence and lts trower.

t 0r

VIII CHAPTER
ANAT$I IA VEGETAB LIUI,I T
Concerning separation except and coagulation, that it differs this kingdom resembles the quantity bad-

the of

animal its

realm,

sonewhat in

components. urinary spirit,

The animal salt, while

kingdom volatile plant is

keeps its

smelling ing

the it T h is

kingdom has its

bad-smelI-

burning

although

more pleasant is a ls o

than musk and amin it s substems, hard

b e r to many an alcoholic. j ects, fr u its, Iike the animal

re a lm for it

d if f e re n t ju ic y

king d o m, o ilr

h a s p a rt ly

h e rb s , a n d p a rt l y

juicer

ffufll, resin, roots,

s e e d , wo o d a n d ro o t s , T h e re f o re r of the

d r y p a r ts, slightly Ar ts,

stems, different

wood and seed. for the

w mu s t de s c r i b e lover of the

anproaches

benefit

namely: Grind, cut up, sguash everything by its salt green as well pour that out of as you can, as much puit it turns and let into it

and if trefied a th in ferment, ples. also

it

has not rainwater,

enough juice or winer if or or

own nature, water the upon it ju ic e

paste. like Every the hard of thus it

Or, winer soft

you wis h , the

p re s s

way farmers plant

make cider

from pears this walr

or ap-

and juicy

can be treated fine Or,

as can

ones when they

have been ground then. the

and a sufficient keep all the plants spot

quantity turned and let about

moisture in thus

has been added to together. it Put gives or off

a paste

paste

in

a lukewarm or foul

soak until

a sourish weeks. volatile

Emell it soft into

fourteen

days and nights, distil the

three

Then put with its

an alembic

and slowly

subtle

102

Phlegna. into fi r st

Remove what in

is

reft

over,

dry

it

compretery rn this , then the the

and put

it

a retort o btain

sand and distil P h le g n a , to coal

by degrees. then will a stay t iF at

wdy, you wilr t h ic k o'. i

a grosser

and then

a }ump, burnt plant

bottom. note however, uneguar of in

Now the that as prants to the

has been separated. one like another, for

You should they

are not

are arso

r eg a r d tile , fi ed ,

their other

component p a rt s , more + o r o iI ,

o n e h a s a g re a t t o wh e t h e r s e e d in virtues

deal it

uola-

a c c o rd in g

has speciIn

coagulated with likewise

and conge a le d these constituent

mu c h u n iv e rs a l parts, to their

it s e lf .

accordance are also

and powers and then that only If it is, the has ap-

distributed plan t , power to sp irit it

and are if it

be assessed

p Ii ed . burning n a tur a l

For a fragrant .;rvital , has the

h a s mu c h V o la t iL e , and heal not

strengthen but a ls o

or animal fregrance, it

i* h ' e me n t a le m. n a t u ra l

n o p le a sant spirit, fragrance

in v ig o ra t e s always inner,

the

a n ima l outer

and vital noble by the If heal

although but

does not on the

depend upon the through which,

rather quickly

distilled

An e h e u s, often the pla n t the ti gh ter

com f o rt s deal

a n d h e a ls of A c id u m,

t h e wo u n d e d o rg a n . it is s p e c if ie d to

contains limbs,

a great

such as mu s c le s , vessels , are, the etc.

s in e ws ,

bones, the o il:

c a rt ila g e s , the t h ic k e r parts of

thicke r the the

and viscid parts

L ik e wis e

essential body they

thicker

and more coagulated depending volatile on how they thing

strengthen

or destroy

are applied. serve

Any physician as food the for it the is

knows that bones.

a highly

cannot

fixed

Vfhen such a volatile driven out

essence reaches the outer

body,

immediately

by the warmth to

403

surfaces of is the not

of skin

the in

limbs, the this

and finally

completely

out

through contraryr

the pores d1 aei.d,un or the we can ne-

form of

perspiration. it excites

on the either

expelled of

wdy, but

the

urine

evacuation

the

bowers,

or mostry fragrant relief

a grosser under the

perspiration. nose of for

see, when we hold lancholic heart, Person,

something that

a highly his

he feels it,

and comfort

saddened fra_

the rnoment he smells achieve sin or

although re lie f , or if

such guickly e s p e c ia lly the

passing

g r a n ce does not m itte d his a mortal wife that it

las t in g the lik e r

wh e n h e h a s c o m h is debts or

excesses of

wicked

are rnaking him sick. is a plea s a n t rnstead, he wi1 l

Nevertheless,

one can see that and spirit under his

h e ad m its for his

a n d c o mf o rt in g if get

f ra g ra n c e

mind and heart. of wickedness,

one makes a stench yet s a d d e r, of s ic k e r a plant

n o se o u t that very

and angrier or an animal

moment.

Likewise,

the warm spirit wh e re a s a c o ld T h is en passant.

wa r m s a cold sp ir it cools

melaneholieus, a eholenieus. the specifi c

s o p o rif ic

o r p a in k i l l i n g k n ow s a n y -

A p h y s ic ia n

h o w ho w to

cure

q u a lit ie s . separated, the like the conjunction rainwater accordis

When now the done in just the

plant

has been thus

same order

and manner as in in everything

case of

and animals, ance with ses, all

and may be treated above-disclosed

thern, in

different the repeat

ways and manners or procesrain it, in V and the animal ver-

as has been taught ft is not

concerning to

kingdom. vo sity.

necessary

order

to avoid

I must make a Present method, namely:

to

the

lover

of

the Art to

of

yet

another

Many alchemists

have tried

obtain

the volatile

404

salt less cerate which

of

a plant,

but

have not met with to do. it stand

success,

which

is

nevertheto mait,

such an easy thing and putrefy, happens soon. in the e 8.M., let

When you have set until

the plant

maggots and worms grow in sign, distil with rise is a high over the and

When you have this and an animal-urinous it s e lf plant v o la t ile to the

alenbic

-r'r- will head. into Let T h is

the vo la tile and visible a n im a l fu l

attaches the of

rea s o n which take care-

cause that full

has turned s a lt s .

an animal, the re a d e r

kingdom is of this.

no te

Through re f le c t io n to

h e wiI I

o b t a in for

ma n y o t h er time. and roots, bony Els or it

things, In

which regard

he endeavored to harder

seek and find

a long

growths, these

such as wooden plants a s wit h the

wo o d , e tc.: p a r ts,

One deals

with

h a rd a n ima ls '

and grates,

sa!'rs, file s , putrefied

p o u n d s a n d s q u a s h e s t h e m s ma l l r rainwater Iets it or wine or o r b o ils t h e m, saltwater it until cuts

one can,

and one pours

saltpe ter water is i nto in are so ft, th in

upon the ma t t e r,

soak,

and then putrefies small pieces, the drie s

t h e m.

O r o n e d is t ils a re t o rt r animal

them

t h e m in of is the

d s h a s b e e n ta u g h t kingdom, and when they

connection se p arated, So that

with the finally is

products

conjunct io n the reader but

d o n e a s d e s c rib e d not be beset d ry ) the

t h e re . with doubts that

might is

wo o d ( when it Iike a n imals,

not

rotten I will

d is t ille d

h a s n o V o la t t l l e p o in t of disgust, single or

etc., it, worId.

imp re s s that

u p o n h im t o is

and work with thing in the

namely, All the

which

homogeneous with take putrefied v o la t ile for

every

he has to do is V o la t ile et c . or the

rainwater spirit a ll things

sn o wwa ter and distil of r a in - or

d e lic a t e

snowwater,

T h e n h e h a s a V o la t ile

405

w h i c h h a ve n o n e . take the saltpeter caline

L i ke w i q ., or its -n-

if .

he has no Aeidum or ALeaLi, he s houl d The ALcaLi is the salt he believes

d is t il over

and its

al-

--tr- (in f ixed form) .

a r e too strong

But if

that
a ll is

the @
the

and the
V ol a t i l e

or corro s iv e , rainw a t e r. get a $

h e s h o u ld wh a t is le f t

Ph legma from the p e r Re tontum, in the

t o b e dr i v e n stays behind

and he will which will

, wh ile

t h e . dl, e a li the

sediment

become visible to

during

reverberation. lack

Then he has everything a n ythin g . An artist ci fie d

.?

he may wish

have and he now does not

should

take

note t h in g s . I

that

a universal S u p p o s in g

subject

can be spebut the other

for t ot
o

all

particular and .dLeali.

I h a d n o V o la t ile p a rt with of f it of

*f

"t rainwater

add to It

t h e m t h e v o la t ile becomes specified and specification s a id , a p o t io ri as far

as a general

essence. on the adde d .

the

comPonents and takes ae i'd u m to which The Ae id um, con ce r n e d. fo r m i t into oo

o

guality It is

the

same

it

is

denominatio. is

, and A LeaL i

a re p re p o n d e ra n t e a s ily ma s t e r

as quantity

They can theref o re their it of is nature. with * th a t

t h e v o la t ile

and trans-

Likewise in th e nature

and zl Leali. had no * a rF

If

there

rf,ere a subject b u t we re o n l y congeal t hi s

things

or ALeaLi

vo la ti l e, volatile for

where would

f now t a k e it into If

or AT,eaLi to I look

and concentrate

a stone? I do not find

about

in Nature to its unihave the

something

homogeneous. exist

any suitable resort

kingdom ve r sa l,

(as there to

sufficiently snow , s a lt p e t e r

however) r I a n d s a lt . If

to the

rainwater,

He re I a lre a d y one part of

something

homogeneous, as I require.

I have but

406

sPecified ing to its

product, quality

the

universals

at once take

on and act

accord-

and specification. his own eyes how the universal subjects,

Everybody hardly born,

can see with inunediately

take

on again etc. in it

t}re Speeifieun falling

and transform to the

themselves animal, AII

therein.

Vfhen rain

down adheres

plant

and mineral boil liguid

creatures, a plant, or dry,

becomes the or minerat wilt

same as them. with saltpeter partake

one has to do is either gualities. is, however, since in

animal

and sa1t, of th e ir It in all

and they

immediately

not

necessary

to

rely

on the

universal to in

realm

cases,

God ha s g iv e n subject like of

a p rin c ip a l

s u b je c t

each kingitself every aII gensingle

dom. erally

The principal all subjects of its it its

each kingdom comprises

itself according the

and can be compared with to the observations acid and alcali. all of

indiuiduo phers, in

realm

philosoaniparts, is

components is the

vol.atile,

In the their

mal species u r in e , feces,

human being, skin

man and woman, with etc. In it t h e p la n t is the

flesh,

and bones,

k in g d or n i t SaZ eommune

the wine

and corn which

or wheat. assist aII

In the mineral hot a n d c o ld

a n d lVi trum, deficient

s u b je c t s the

a n d c a n f il l acid and Alcali. the

their

parts

or components, finally animal most of Because in volatile, oil occur

the volatile, a small

There rnight eeparation of the

hesitation

concerning

and plant the the there together

kingdoms,

and someone might yet lacking

say: one

He has indicated or the other. of the

components distillation also

and he is of

animals in the Jr-

and Plants, B.M. or . in the he

in view alembic,

goes over the

a delicate

with

volagilg

That

407

has omitted Answer:

and has not I

eaid

anything

about the

it. is opened What highest a

have said the

above that

more something it

and subtilized, precisely degreer burning or O is

tenderer burning;rvolatilized,

and more volatile but an o'o

becomes. to the or

every

extended saltpeter proven with but

a highly ? I

dissolved sufficiently together

seed of

have indeed

that the

the

Volati,Le are in

and Fisum,

t-he Aeid.zrn and ALeaLi., in regard to their

volatile

no way different different, very fixed.

essence,

are only

accidently or or omnia &

according After

to whether this they

one has been made very the

volatile

absorb

term'inum disti.ncti,onis id e n

d isti ne ti onem u n iu e r sa . tet were to in the

termini,

othe rwis e

they

a re ma t e ria lit e r

nobody worry go over first,

about

such things. throw it

Even if again

the

volatile fixed

part part the

he should namely, to

upon its

conjunction, ft is

rectify

and coagulate that

by means of

fixed.

precisely the central

sueh scruples point, thing work, in

have prevented they thought:

many a man HelLo! This and the who

from reaching is it surely

so that or etc. the

a heterogeneous belong the to the

part In this

rejected

by Nature' rejected

does not

way they brandy

best,

retaining V the

tripe the

hand,

Like

the

distillers

keep tft" parts ture artist theriak well. to

and give Pigs.

larger

quantity you, or

and better, that is all

more fixed everything good. not NaThe

I am telling be it

however, theriak

has put

together,

poison

can bring into

everything but

to perfection: into theriak,

He wiII

transform turn the out ar-

poison,

poison

and make it and rald'

Whatever

Nature

has left

unripe,

poisonous

408

tist

must ripen. Now then, it is known that all mineral, plant and animal poi-

sons are mostly fixed, nics

vol.atile,

raw and unripe.

When these have been made and the best toand not per-

however, they are no poison but an antidote for the heart. is left for Thereforer

what Nature has started to contemplate

fected, million self

man to complete,

and admire the himhe

wonderful

different stupidity,

works of God, and not to destroy

because of his him recognize

but to thank the God of gods that see them with this his part

has let

his wonders, his hands.

eyes and touch is also com-

and grasp them with pleted.

With this,

Let us now turn

to the mineral

kingdom, being the subject

most in demand at this

time.

409

IX CHAPTER
t IIERALT U!'I AI{ATOI'I IA }1
fn its outer appearance, this kingdom is Although they completely are different one, di-

from the except gested, th e

animal

and pJ-ant ones. are longer

inwardly fermented,

that

minerals

and more strongly and because they

coagul-ated

and congealed,

have chased avray together stronger nature, with degree they this

excessive

A quam ?eeola e e a m o r E u n id u m e u p e " f lu u n , seeds or volatil-e are of spirits, a dryer by the and stonier

the most volatile of heat, also

because they contrary of

seem to be the realm I Iatile in to thoroughly, said

the preceding.

But whoever consider been experienced.

has no doubtsr plants and that

ds has often

above that seed,

and animals they are

are born of

the more vo-

universal their first

changed back and reborn that v o la t ile parts the seed, of the uni-

essence,

p re c is e ly

t h ro u g h

llinerals, versal ted

however, seed,

have sprung and salt,

from the more fixed that is, out of

saltpeter

strongly of both

fermen- in

an d spiritualized, out of -t1-

(vo la t iliz e d ) @and corrode e the

c o rro s iv e

v a p o rs

one word, lent1y

, both mixed together. earth, into changing,

They vioand Guhr.

attack, it

gnalt, with

dissolving or aluminous

transforming Just seed or back into stage,

themselves of

a vitriolic

as these

were born

the more fixed must also

spiritual-

universal and turned

.-n- O

and e

r so they salt or G, O

be dissolved to

an essential that

, according and e .

each appropriate saLt or

by just

seed or-r\-

The essential

@,

*n"t

return

to a vapour or corrosLve water as its

origin,

ac-

{10

co r d in g u itun ,

to

the

saying z

E c q u o a liq u i. d f it , p e n illu d

f it ,

in

illu d

?u?BuB resoLneeesae est: f ix i o r i

& pen quod aliqui.d amnia minenaLia

ip a u m n e s o lt s i

ee d fiu n t

E n e t a lla

e a e p e rma t e u n iu e rs a li

e p i r i t u a li
ut

se u --l .- @ a e

ut Baepe pnobatun; e"go neeesse es t,

v e s o lo a n t u r that, it it is in p n in u n "That out of

p e n 9P e"ma fiaun a thing

apini.t u a le in just

which

becomes, is

again

dissolved. again in

And that be dis-

by which solve d ." fixed

a thing

made, by that arr o re s

must necessarily o rig in a t e g that

Now, however, universar

a n d me t a rs O and

the more proven in dis-

spirituar

seed or -rrit is

r ds is they

many places. so r ve d into

Conseguently, their first

necessary f ix e d

are again seed.

es s e n c e b y t h e h a s v a rio u s

s p irit u a l

But this vola ti l e fo r e , tion this

kingdom arso 4

s u b je e t a ,

s u c h a s G r, ro c k , etc.

aIum, There-

and fixed according to

, A rs e n ic , of

ma rc a s it e , c o a g u la t io n

me t a l,

such gra d e s

t h e g ra d e o f

d is s o l . u -

must aLso be arranged. natural of science Nature natural and turn the

But so that to other

a man may not subjects, which

go wrong in come from, he must out of the that

and out also

as from subjectsr yet

breasts those

of that

the grandmother, come straight Art.

take

or

mines and have not have got ious into the

been processed

by the

For things

hands of men are greatly With

changed by fire the the natura]previous

and varPrasis ones,

additions

and eliminations.

these

must be done somewhat differently thereby also driving it is them back to a basic the rule

than with their of first this

origin. saltpeter as hand,

WeII then, or its -n-

anatomy that or congealed

does not which

attack are st ill

alcalized f u ll of

minerals

m u ch as those

a c id it y .

On the other

41I

salt If

a n d its

-ru

falls

sho rt contact it

in

a ll with

a c id

t h in g s .

T h e re a s o n matter, aII it is

is: either

t-h'e Aeidam comes in to deathr instead of or

an alkaline it if wit h or at

corroded the r e b y

does not

attack

and congeals s ub j e c t is also

dissolvi n g .

S f u n ila rly , contact it,

a n a lk a liz e d a n A e i. d u m, it

o r a M enstruum aleaLinum corroded ste a d of another, to deathr dissolving. one ALeaLi or

c o me s in

does not Inst e a d ,

attack lik e

congeals lik e ,

thereby

in-

d is s o lv e s

E u c h a s on e a c i d together herhas

another.

But what has been driven united or in ( tnat alkalized e q u ilib riu m is,

maphroditically yet worked too is

by Nature littler forming

aira is

where Nature too little, the

or congealed but is both s t ill

where a ci d i t y ) ,

th e /Le ali it get atta cks satiated

wit h

and dissolves therebyr

|-h e A e i, d z n a n d t h e / L e a li, be said the --o- O wh ic h the later and on. e

and both

Els will that

f have indeed e tr ua r only e ve r his or with

said

are universaL-Menin t ima t e ly and plants. is a g a in not Who-

S permata mundi. f io io ra , minerals this but also with

a s s o c ia t e animals

fixed

considers goal of

point

a n d h e e d s it many otherwise sa id that the not

c a re f u lly , lengthy

n ea r e r

accomplishing also as it primary universal

operations. indiviHumidun help and

I have indeed d u a tue , to revert in so far to of all its the to

S p z l: r' L t u s e p e e if ie a t u s s u f f ic ie n t e x c e s s iv e the T h is

ha s it s e lf essence, s p irit

must be awakened with to o p e ra t e in it s e lf . dry

a d d iti on first of

applies

the minerals,

which

are mostly

bodies

and which

have almost dry bodies

totally

chased their with

Eunidum away. the universal vitriolic

Those and similar bemois-

must be helped in

Aeidum or ALeaLi or aluminous

cause of

deficiency

their

orsn acid

4L2

turer

so that to act

their in its

incorporated own bodies

vitriolic and to

or

aruminous them into

be its

aroused primary

transform

essence. it is well various known to ju ic e s , to dissolve s a lt all natural scientists a n d wa t e r that in

However, the m i neral found which pe tr ole u m, acidic are far

nature are

L iq u o re e different

a re c e rt a i n l y such as w t t e r ,

suitable alum -

subjects, wa t e rs r

naphta,

- a n d s a lt p e t e r baths, etc. to into

mineral. too

water,

sulphurated their natural let alone

But because these attack its of all a rightly primary metals essence, and min-

weak in or the all

condition bring it

congealed

metal to

rock, right

we must look e r a ls, various tha t the i s, earth

origin

and beginning in t o t h e ir

by which

minera ls

re v e rt

S p e e i. e e b y me an s o f pointed at it,

digestions. that in

We have now and then seedr the mountains, thus of further inner

sufficiently in d turns it in

the universal the bowels of

, wh e n it into

d is s o l v e s

a vitriolic subjects

and aluminous through the

Guhr and is

generated warmth. and the

various

varying

degrees the

Therefore, of all minerals as our of it,

since is

first

beginning

original

essence

a vitriolic means for their

o r a lu min o u s transforming state,

a c id it y , minerals

we mu s t a L s o and metals a vitriointo a

use that groviln out lic

chief into

original

nameJ-y, into on turn totally

and aluminous mineral the

essence, vapour vitriolic root, it

which must later reversing.

corrosive

by further

Now then, eral With nature

or aluminous but to the plant

acidity nature

looks with

to the

the minhead. an animal

with

the

and through

plants

can become a plant,

and finally

413

through metal, that

animalsr with

or,

however,

once more a mineral The lover with another nothing - which of but

or regenerated the Art nedia again nediata consider sees homo-

and through or the Art

minerals. operates to

Nature

genea,

and from one origin

he should

car e fully. Now someone will , such long g o of etc. as !F , q say: , rL are Has he no other or o? (h',, , $, the most harmful There is Menstruum than-cl-@and . The worrd has

ana O

known that

these time

corrosives

and have let paper, them. name-

them a long Answer:

ago. reject

no need to I

smear the

Do not

my vrares before of what basic a f e rme n t e d spirita If

exhibit

and offer grown, their

Have you not ly, out of these acid origin

heard out two or on ly

nature g and

minerals O

, i. e . ,

vaporous, kn o w the

and alkaline of minera ls .

then

you know that, f o llo w

you also Nature, with and the

A n A wh e n y o u k n o w t h a t , c o n g e a ls a n d in t e rlin k s

h o w sh e generates, this again and by this make the

coagula t e s , undo the knot

min e ral s .

and go back as they in this the lray. earth

went before, congeals their they

fixed

volatile vapors

For Nature and dries The drier

spiritual up,

corrosive is

through they

Humidum become' But

and when that are

gone,

become dry.

the more they if they

turned liquid,

into they

earth,

coagulated

and congealed. liquid.

remained

would always give

remain

Therefore, moisture locked again up, change or

because they

are thus

dri.ed up,

them a consubstantial again awaken the

and an excessive chained it into

Humidum, and you will spiritual the

up and congealed what it

Sperma, and you will beginning, namely, into

had been in Guhr.

a vitriol

a lu m ,

or a similar

4L4

what those si r e

then

shall

r say to you,

you who shy so much away from and instead de-

corrosive to get

solvents

as r reconmend and advise, o t h e rwis e it a ls o should c a lle d

the l{leaheett

A e e t u m a e e ? rim u m , sharp-

without n e ss like is

any corrosiver sugar? Donrt

so that

be sweet and without

y o u k n o w a n y mo re L a t in , (acerrimum = sharp) Tell

so as to know what me, if you underthat t he p h i th a t thev

meant by aeerninun? /Leahest! to

stan d what is l oso p h e r s use \9 h e e t? that I

V f h y a n d wh a t a re t h e

re a s o n s

add V

the A le a h e s t ? to dissolve aay,

o r wh a t a re t h e their subjects wit h o u t

re a s o n s with

when they Don't

intend

the / Leait,

you yourselves all

a lt h o u g h

u n d e rs t a n d ing

improves

corrosives? following you should understand better and judge or the accord-

By this ing to the

and the laws of If

Nature,

whether w is h to

my rray is

(sweet) study unare.

Al ea h e st. ti l

you do not it,

re c o g n iz e

t h is

in Na t u re ,

yo u recognize

what t h e I L e a h e s t workers

a n d i1 -, s Me n s t ru u m a c t ua l l y the ALeahest they reject

In one word, but

many laboratory do not

produce apply it,

thernselves, the master-

because they the

know how to

key to

fortress. start -oby dissolving mundi for aII their it O our minerals and e , wh ic h Just if it with is l-tre generali, t l. e Ho m o g e n a n im a l s preSo

Now we will i .e .,

the more fixed

eu m pe h ieulum and plants sentr or in

generale

in d iz s i, d u ie . own juice, the chaotic

a s wit h

we took the

either

was abundantly rainwater. is lacking it

absence of same here it. With if

putrefied moisture

we must do the cannot

the mineral lfe then it

or we with the

have enough of moisture.

replace

and increase

universal

and by it

we strengthen

and awaken the

4I s

m in e r a l eral jeet, in its

Hunidun,

i,.e.,

the v it rio lic within it, itself

or or

a lu min o u s in its

c o a g u la t e d

minsubbonds

epirit

to operate

own coagulated the interlinked

to destroy proprio

and reduce eoagulato. are

and to

loosen

Because minerals bodies, they also

s u c h f ix e d , a stronger we t a k e

s t ro n g ly penetrating

e o n b in e d , solvent

dessicated than aniseed, wiII,

require Therefore

m als a n d plants. - t'r - O or both and e, together. is,

t h e mo re f ix e d cannot achLeve,

u n iv e rs a l the s a lt

and what s a lt p e t e r

This

however, always

not to

to

be understood universal too weak.

to

the

effect but only

that

one

has necessarily mineralwith

add the or

seed,

when the it

Huni.dum is subtle

insufficient

Then we strengthen me d iu m, t h e -r. -O . nis of are at all

th e very NB.

and pe n e t ra t in g however,

u n iv e rs a l O

Otherwise, quantity.

the -r.r- Qana

times for added so as

to all

be made in

They are the moisture But because the O , the min e ra ls , G, o ld

the minerals

r e d and white to (D,

A styis. , by which

s a g e s wro n g ly be sharpened

saltpeter to b e tte r

was to

penetration O

throu g h for

they

d is t ille d

a u n iv er s a l But because of they used

Menstnuum from Iongstanding it

and (h it

the mineral

kingdom.

ignorance

had not or V

been applied not

correctly; use it for

as a separation although

water

and could

anything long color diover.

e1se, g e sti on

metals

always

become more volatile d is t il but a g o o d p a rt rejected it

through of t h e ir

and finally not take

they note of

co u ld this

They did it

as useless, great

because that the

was done by a corrosive. can always be -=

They had especially into an earthy

doubts of

metal

ed again

powder out

4 r6

corrosive, is corrosive

because they from its

did

not

understand secondly, it

that that

the mineral although it

kingdom is disaims

first

birth;

solved at a ll

by a corrosive times at

and made volatile, a g a in , revert

nevertheless goal

always is to be

becoming ea rt h y they they easily

b e c a u s e it s to their

earthy. : tion.

Thereforer But if

former thing form, is,

nature that

through keeps of

knew what the and mild and in

volatile liquid

metals al,l lic th ir d

always

volatile they rather

irrespective

additions, nature but

would unite

know that with the

metal =f.

would not lng

resume a metalinto a

means and turn

fa ctor. They should take note that it is not really in to be found Nature, in the

mineral nize

kingdom but must be sought this main p o in t : so that it not

elsewhere

and recoga c q ui r e s but also

pr e cisely

T h ro u g h it , only the

t h e min e ra l nature

a nobler all others

alteration, can enjoy

the mineral

without

slightest oil and *

danger. retain

One can intheir volati-

deed see how plant lity of to of longer animals their rest,

spirits,

water,

and more stably even more,

than minerals, each and all nature. can never

and love try to

the volatility become earthy their due

although

innate without all {F

and acquired which dry they

They are be mobile.

seeking Just aII

places

as one can oils turn into V(

see that a thick issimus earthy alchemy

up and become a mother, all waters leave it

that

gumlike but finds

nature,

an earth, can adhere, of

and when tn. it also

a subject

to which

turns

imnediately. in the mineral

The purpose kingdom is

proper to

the whole the

of medicinal through is purely its

revert

mineral product

own basic

moisture;

and because such a reverted

4L7

minera] eral that

and corrosive,

it

is

heteregeneous the purpose it is

with to

the

plant

and min-

nature. corrosive

consequently, nature into is

improve

and sweeten into a plant, and otherit is

and transform nature.

from the mineral This is the that

and from this wise

an animal

purpose, way until

the mineral

a Hetenogeneum and stays

improved. So many hundred Mens t n u a ra d ie a lia cribed by alchemists, and each recognized a bad result e o L u e n t i. a h a v e b e e n de s his own as the best, alwould and

though many a man obtained have had a much nearer l aw o f Nature. also

thereby.

Yet everyone the foundation

rday if

he had considered

Hanlz have ma d e s u c h Ra d ie a l-Me n e t n u a , but it all depends on their

and one can correct appli-

buy them everlruhere,

ca ti on . In general, common name \F part cined of saltpeter, @; a \F - but saltpeter which is a Menstruu m is or S orZE - which d e s c rib e d is made of with with - wh ic h two parts alum; after they of c a ll O, by t h e and one have cal-

; or also They mix it also not the to

they

the

somewhat. , which which is

raw saltpeter

and distil common-

therefrom ly use it

produces the Q, the right in

an effect way. heat,

the way they is

The reason the @

as follows:

When the sulphur too

meets adverse it

the

has a burning its . it spirit away

saltpeter

and chases the with ttre \F O,

quickly

before goes over

can attack into the of

and dissolve taking

Consequently, a little bit as

the.-rr-(D of the

recipient, (E

the volatile difference

sulphur

tn"

, of which @ also stays

also

smells, is

between \f, 'gIue".

and.-n-

shows when the behind is the

latter

prepared

by using

But what

congealed

418

, as much as the

saltpeter

and the than

fire

are able by the the fire.

to do, O

be-

cause it alarmed

has been more congeared (frightened), flowing is

dissorved in

, being

and sweating the following: with

The right the po u r normal it

way however,

One makes a \f Of this put so that degree. congeal pour it in t o tn" t

in lb.

wayr or I rb.

a -n- @ prepared of off pure it

"glue". wh it e , fire third

over

@1 , c a lc in e d with in a gentle sand to the the G" V the

a retort, be not

and distil calcined, til the \l

the \F but only

(E, If

slowly

you disG. of and one relike *or.

too it.

strongly

from

, you will

the I lb.

than dissolve fresh V

When then and pour Let it

has gone over, together and digest s lo wly b u t t e r,

upon it, the retort.

everything dissolve it lie

upon the together u n t il q u it e

G,

back into

for

da y a n d one night. m a in s. another In oiL. this

Then dis t il G" is will

a g a in lik e

o n e t h ir d g re a s y

way the This then

a reborn into

spiritual a liquid s u b je c t s \F

Guhr,

which must now vapor, if

be changed and dissolved it is a lso To this \F solve with r so that a nd digest a low grade with it to turn end, its take of

further like the V

or moist in t o

or other d is t if le d

s u c h a n a t ur e . I Ib. Let d is t il over of it fresh disagain quite

a n d a d d a g a in I lb of (E .

3 lbs for of

are added to

one d a y a n d o n e n ig h t , fire, and most of ; a n d if has all a ll tn. of (h it

a f t e rwa rd s will d id not rise

spir itua lly to cohobate

the F it

ris e ,

one has any sediover again

until

gone over it

without has to the

leaving be driven rig h t

ments. on ce , str uu m

When everything twice is or three It

has gone over, per t u rn

times will

Be, and then a n d re d u c e a ll

Ra d ie a L - M e n i' n p ri , m a m

ready.

x e d . A s t ra

419

m aten ia m and make them equ a r t o -aQ , if you wish all - although

it s e lf . it is not

(a ).

Do lik e wis e

with

necessary.

The previous wilI

on e dissolves show. If

aeida

an d a L e a lie a

e u b je e t a r

E S e x p e rie n c e

one wishes Aetrie

to make a distinction, - although ttt. G, it for it is the not red

however, necessary

between the

red

and the white take for O

- one should alum

t,}ie Menetruum of th e white, , in the

and iJne Menetruum of the the rf (b, many omit In this o rrL @an d

and make of

a Me n e t ru u m wit h manner, as with

above-mentioned

Here I have again which they

discovered

a technique attention

which to.

and of king-

have known nothing about

nor paid

dom I have written tau g h t artist, will thereof,

minonem.

But you,

diligent

and thoroughly

know h o w t o else

a rg u e a min o ri h e ln

a d ma ju s a n d d r a w t h e At If le a s t you

co n clu sions

f cannot f ix e d

y o u f u rt h e r. v o la t ile .

h a ve h e re the means to stand me qr.rite c1early, read it thisr wiII

rend e r keep it is

t h in g s

you underbecause the door.

a secret so open that to ro o m,

and be discreet,

many will

ls it

anyone can enter those f rie n d that not I wh o a re n o t ! A p e rt a h a v e o n ly a n o t h e r. be varied the

N eve r the less, Th e d o o r in tr a th e they quent fit the all in is

appea r d if f ic u lt open, enter the

chosen.

already

ia m p o r t a , g iv e n you

conelaue, open all

amiee! Locks,

I u { a rk , h o we v e r, but o n e lo c k is

key to

lik e

Although and fre-

can be opened with trial and error,

one means, there so that many will

must yet think that

key does not

locks.

Now you have the to enter.

key and you have the I carry

hands to unlock dogs to the

doors,

and feet

Or shall

you like

hunt?

420

I{e11! the

Sit

down upon my back. all doors. is

I wilL

carry

you to howeverr your

the

bed of

naked queen through king comes. if

Be careful, hanging over

when the for is He the so with

Nature will

The danger your min d is wa lk

head,

b e enraged

fuII

o f v ic e s . p io u s , your for

Then that decent

en d of you. that vi cee . qu i th e

Therefore,

a b o u t wit h of

g e s t u re s , loaded

you are not

chastised

by bites

conscience k in g is

B e careful,

I am te llin g

you,

the

such a Lord the h e a rt and

Be ? utatur ki dn ysr"

eopda & renel, namely, God.

D E A S ! wh o " B e a rc h e s

Now we will ceeding n a m e ly, m etallic er a ls lar ates then ve r t O furtherr

mention Bo that

a smalI this Art

provisional

distinction aII

before

pre-

be understood aII

the more easily e mb ry o n i z e d ,

by A 1ka1ized sulphurs, and d, are or

subjeit s

I u n d e rs t a n d to the h ig h e s t

min e ra l,

congeal e d Y not , talc , yet

d e g re e ,

s u c h a s t he m i n simi-

e me ry , b lo o d s t o n e which

a n d c o u n t le s s strongly

ones which

known, in it

Nature it,

reverber-

|-he Aeidum, into to

coagulatee fixed

and congeals nature that

and has turned do not easily re-

such an alkaline their first subjects

they

essenc e ,

e v e n u s in g a ll

a n a lk a lin e those wh ic h

essence. a re s t ill domiwh i c h , bisduring have inthat

By acid na ted

I und e rs t a n d e a s ily

b y acidity

and are a ls o alkaliz e d sulphurs

d is s o lv e d

b y a c id it y , such t , ) "" in practice, are, as I

a r e no t

so strongly white

a n d c o n g e a le d , and arsenics of what guality

muth and other dissolution, dlcated of in

which they

show themselves the chapter which on the

generation

of minerals.

Consider

a n a cid

nature

th e A e id u m c a n a t t a c k , a n d wh a t a t t a c k s

a n d wh a t t h e . A L e a L i both, c o n s id e r of a

atta cks,

consider

as alkalin e ,

42t

dual

nature. Among the hermaphroditic acidity of nature I count all those but minerals has remained .Y IJ ,

and metals harf e tc. bu t one. This to th e

where the

has begun to congeal a weak digestion,

and harf

on account

such as O zF , d v, not a s in o n ly

Such subjects a lso together

can be d is s o lv e d egually we ll in

a n d t re a t e d , s p irit

s ing l y

a n a c id

a n a lk al i n e

sentence,

however,

is

not but

to

be understood if

as applying to t rea t -nO

aforementioned solely

Mens t ru u m, with the

o n ly

o n e wis h e s

such subjects ana g de la y with

common soLvents, subject

such as 5F, there If will

, because with o n account their of its

one or another sub t le G,

be some a re s p e c i f i e d one can dis-

u n iv e rs a lit y . acidity,

they

own mineral

- or O

however,

pe n se with

such a precaution . we divide the following ), in into regard (a) to the red or min-

Therefore, the white

Menstruum

(from (D, or O

red and white

e ra l s b

i,

\F i " ,

6tt,

@ i= ,

marcasite minerals, such as 9 m a rca si tes (of metal s ), O is ,

(t

9 t " , 2 a e ; ( b ) a n d t h e n th e ii, 6 , busmuth, zink and all other 2".,

f ix e d

dt=,

p i" ,

i,

ir,

ii.

(c)

Further, emery,

into

the re d

e mb ry o n iz e d t a lc ,

s u lp h u rs , b le n d e ,

such as Ga1mey, s u lp h u r s , mar-

blo o d stone, Tuti a, such a s casites etc.

bolus,

stone,

ma g n e t ,

(d) A fterwards

in t o

t h e v o la t ile p y rit e s ,

e mb ry o n iz e d and aLl

, bismuth, Q ? and guartz

arsen ic ,

@. ,

v o la t ile

sand. how t o d is s o lv e essence. these four if S p e e ie s in genere and

We will and turn

now teach

thern into

a fifth

Only mark,

you wish,

422

disso lve

the

red A stna

in

t h e v it rio lic take its

a n d t h e wh it e whichever

o n e s in you wish.

the Let

alum menstruum. it get red-hot

Therefore, according Pirst to

some ore, fixity,

because one requires then let it

more

heat

than in stir

another. the it

you must powder it, and when it an iro n is wire is

become (comout.

red-hot m on ) , In th is

crucible, well with

red-hot, the

pour s u lp h u r

some + is b u rn t

u n t il

way the mineral however,

p re p a re d

t o b e d is s o lv e d

b y t h e Men s t r u o . out of, oE

Better,

does the man who takes which, powders "Saxen" it

the mineral finely as ores it burn

from the mountainr mountain turned in g it to is or rock

Do matter from the

and washes the are usually red-hot accordand

ore on the

into its also

a slurry. degree of

Thereafter, fusibilit l' a n d

one lets together

wit h

the

s u lp h u r,

prepared. such prepared ore, put one part o f v it rio l the sand to into an alembic, for the re d , pour alum

Now take th e fo r

a b o ve-mentioned, Menstru o th e white, three parts , of ' f is

u p o n it , set it in

d ig e s t

and dissolve. Men-

Wh a t i s

dissolved,

pour which

c le a rly

a n d g e n t ly , t h re e

a n d p o u r a g a in t ime s it s we igh t .

str u u m upon that Se t i t again ore to

not un t il

d is s o lv e d , a ll is

dissolve

d is s o lv e d , its in first the

a n d a c le a r essence,

Liquon. because or an it

Thus the if

has again this

been turnecl to cool

into

you distil

Liquon let it

o n e -t h ird

s a n d in in

a re t o rt

a le m b ic, is

and then the

d o wn a n d c ry s t a lliz e of t h is d is t a n t of until cannot

t h e c e ll a r , B u t if you

a ( Eand

first this retort

matte r (h, i"

min e rd l.

ag a in it is

dissolve the

t h re e

p a rt s it

f re s h all

Me n e t ru u m, d is t i l has risen over, it with-

through

and cohobate Liquor which

a vaporous

primeval

be reversed

further

423

out ther,

infringing there

on its

mineral

nature.

If

it

is

changed back furinto

would occur either

a transformation into a plant

and specification or

Eomething e1se, As long mordial realm. as it

or an animal vapour, it

a universal. in in the prithe mineral kingdom,

remains

a corrosive

remains its into root

essence of minerals With its head, easily

and stands it

with

however,

reaches into

the plant

and j.s now very

transformed

an animal the mineral

per uegetabiTe. with all itE com-

Here you have again ponents, for neither its

the whole of + but nor its aII If its

arsenicr vital

nor marcasite and innate

or metal parts

has been taken ar e to g ether m alle a b le D ur in g is O in

from it, a Liquor.

spirits for

you take, )6 , it s d, v it a l ?

in s t a n c e ,

t h e c o n ge a l e d

and t

r 5,

etc., s p irit

y o u h a v e b u t on e p a r t . h a s v a n is h e d , i. e . all which that and

melting

and congealin g , acidity, the

th e vitriolic has lost the best,

the metal used for well, ores

+ in the violent

, a rs e n ic , fire.

ma rc a s it e ,

Here these of its natal aII

are preserved parts. and sundry But if

and it is but

loEes nothing one single

there

Modus by which will teach you.

can be treatedr

BB experience

you wish ooo ,

to coaguLate nothing through else

and congeal

such a distilLed digest it

Liquo? in

or mineral too

need be done except for three

a not in

low alembic under ' and distil the B.M., through it into

the grades, its

days and nights, by means of gentle will ris e

the B.I{.

the head with th e e xcessive set the it in

recipient,

boiling,

E unidum.

Wh e n n o t h in g draw off all

a n y mo re in

ash and subtly

Phlegna or weak spirit Rernove the and it will sediment, turn into put

first,

second and third set it

grades.

a phial.

in. ash to coagulate,

a salty

424

ston e in the

fire

liquid

as o il, for it

a n d in t h e a ir d o e s n o t e a s ily o n ly

it

is ris e .

lik e

ic e .

you

m ust n o t close

the phial, essontiam

Thus you also a nd h a r m If

h a ve t,h e quintam fu l it

o f min e ra ls , is s t ilL

v e ry

c o rro s iv e at t h is

to human nature, is to be useful through

becaus e it to man, it plants

min e ra l

t ime .

mu s t b e t ra n s f o rme d for plants

in t o

a u e g e t ab e l are

and animal

and animals, a s wirr

and animals s u b s e q u e n t ly .

m a n 's food and not minerals , But in regard + to minerals

b e e x p la in e d fire,

gone through

such as common +

m e l te d O ,bi s muth,fi ne
again transform

O,r,

d,Q,)e,5
consubstantial the

r w m u sr
components fire. with and

them back by means of

must add back what has been taken the sulphurated and arsenical acid

from them in spirit,

Now then, its stony

together

mother, the w i th
'l-

have been taken could easily of

from the

raw b

, by means of which acidity its first a c id lt y . its the essence The

have been turned

back into

th e help +

the univers a l is

o r min e ra l-v it rio lic

common

, which -rrand

made from pyrites, the coppery

has been robbed of essence (out

sulphuroqs O, is

ooc , also Sirnilar

of which from @ , )

leached) . metals.

parts

have also

been taken

an d othe r

But go that

a lover

of

the Art

with metal to

little

understanding

may is addi-

aee what has been taken prepared tion in order

from every it

and mineral, its

and how it by the

to reduce

again

prime matter table.

of what has been removed, we will with sulphur, arsen ic , 6 .

add a small T h is , Q c a lx , 5 is

GoId is easily calby

calcin e d disso lve d cined

a f t e rwa rd s

by the above l,lens t n u u m. 2 sulphurr is is also )+ ore,

, a re e a s ily

with

and aftenrards

dissolved

425

t h e a b ove Me n stru u m. p h u r i n th e fi re , u n ti l

L i kewise,

if

is mixed together with is easily +

s ul di s -

the sulphur is bur nt up, it

solved by the above solvent. m o n s a l t. (h

can be e ed with H i s a l so i mr nediately dissolved. and no oil

and com-

Su l p h u r, h o w e ve r, i s a dr y oi1, salty Menstnuum. Therefore

is like

or

Nature herself is,

has shown an easy and di s it one

h o m o g e ne o u sMe n stn u u m, th at solved sulphur.

petr oleum , which is a liguid, and with

Sulphur is a coagulated petroleum, l i ver ( i.e. liver of +

c a n c o o k so me fra g ra n t

) which does not and tr ee- oiI

in t o

m a k e s u ch a b a d sme l l a s r ape- oil,

Pent in e ) . S uch 'liver" in the is

linseed- oil
d is s o lv e d

( tur -

a f t e rwa rd s

a v it rio lic

e
G"

o r Li,quor

abo v e -me n t io n e d has turned manner, a g a in all

Me n s t ru u m. metal and mineral that into into s t o n e, a it a

When now the in the

reader

above-indicated the Liquo r to

and has turned in t o s a lt or

L iq u o r , is

and dried

o r a s a lt y animal

prepared

and ready

take

on the

plant

transformation,

as will

follow. I have said that it to is the corrosive guality is innate in the

Indeed, mineral pungent th a t

kingdom and that to the plant is than

by nature animal

less

disagreeable I

and resaid must

the

kingdom. is a p o is o n .

have also T h e a rt is t

n o corrosive

useful that

t o ma n b u t into

know how to maeum. This,

improve

poison cannot

a counterpoison through

ox Alexipharsweetening, Such a into or someinto

however, can only is

be done except plants or

and sweetening sweetening, thing elser

be done with a transmutation turns

and animals. specification or

however, so that

a mineral

into

a plant

animal,

426

a homogeneous medicine the pla n t reason why minerars

for are

the

plant

and animat improved (b ). d u le e

kingdoms.

This by

is

generarly and * c ry d u le e

and sweetened

products, Be cause all

such as \7 alchemists dule e

and yet

so few of that

them

u n d e r stand secret til

what dulee in

me a n s , I will manner.

d is c lo s e Very

e x t re m e l y un-

technique

a Christian volatile V

few have known it accomplish however, on the

today,

and the

lvas supposed to they is get of it,

everyexperit is

thing. ience called

What kind daily. dulee.

of

an effect

they

When a corrosive You alchemists, mean that

not

tasted

tongue,

do you understand is

Latin?

Does then is not

the word dulee sweet? ca l

everything

shreet, even when it be changed in the

No - but

the word dulee but rathe r

must not

alchemidulee. is to so

un d erstanding

b e a n d re ma in

n o m' in e , ? e & a e t u if it

Sweet is be called that they But, sicians I reveal

sweet and must be sweet like sweet. are am I truly Consequently,

honey and sugar, make your so. the

you should

medicines

sweet and not the pointed

comparatively knife into

to give

hands of children?

all

phyShall How

and theriak-pharmacists that which the fathers

as I would do with have kept from their

children?

the physicians co m p la in could e n tr ust are ring in

and Doeto?es, alo n e the

who have spent the of sons of the

so much money and time, s e c re t them, s c ie n c e l I would If like I to

about me, Iet speak into in secret quacks

only this

ears

each one of

and n o t

p u b lic ly ,

e s p e c ia lly who care so that Iet alone little

as those people about do not refereven There-

general

and chatterboxes books and lztoresr of the Art,

to philosophical the

they

understand

terminology

t-he Pracie.

427

fore, will eu iu s ta ke s not in like eit the

and because the not be everyone's eunt of eoeli

illumination

must mostly

come from above, i, T t iu s

it

work wh o wis h e s , & te rra ma je e t a re

b u t ' mis e n e n t is " h is a re a lo n e f u ll. "

foTius,

p leni pity,

o n wh o m h e If He d o e s s it t i n g and zeaL, t-}:.aLqui uinin

whose glory a man's

h e a v e n a n d e a rt h that of

en lighten empty talk aII

intellig e n c e , in spite

n a n will all his

b e le f t trouble

and darkness,

peripatetics.

Love of The ric h

our poor

fellorrrman is me d ic in e

a m o ? prorimum. comtemplation To help of

ma n f in d s coins. rightly are not

h is

a n d c o mf o r t

his

gold

a man understand for they

the

significance

of

the

sweetbit-

ening ter,

of minerals,

sweet by nature to all

but mostly

and consequently Yesr other

adverse so that kingdoms,

and contrary this adverse

vegetable also

and ani-

mal creatures. geneous to and with mineral the

nature

become homothrough

alchernists t{hen they

sweeten the minerals are sweet, this they

plants but or

and animals. into plant,

are no longer is eaten by

transmuted a growing

a plant, it is

and if

plant in into the

an animal digestive a n im a l

transformed

stomach or or an

tracts,

transplanted

and transformed and thus it

a plant

by the

subject's

own A re h e u s ,

is

s we e t e n e d c o n s u b -

i ta n ti ally. Therefore, & ha r m o niae, plant, help we will he re re p ro d u c e an ima l to is to a n a n b o re m d u le if ie a t i' o n i s b e jo in e d vhereby without a g re e a b ly wit h the will

whereby the or both

and this

the mineral,

such sweetening any harm.

us and the mineral

can be absorbed

428

FOOTNOTES

(a) solvent his

The virtues

and gualities in is

of

this

excelrent

radicalin

have been described wh ic h wiI I

detail the

by venbum Eleetri, in our

second digcourse, Onlyr this in art is t

e ig h t h a t t a in

v e re a m m l u n g s -

r eden. Iowing of

h a rd ly

h is

p u rp o s e b y f o l p o s s e ss i o n with pleasure Hofor he

general our special

d e s c rip t io n , instructions, worthy in the

u n le s s

h e b e in we give

one of

which

to all merus, writes r elative. ( b) accord eighth though why the goal, quite closed sides sence, dealt

our practising non reposing chiefly for

Brothers.

This

our Brother

God, seems to sons of sages,

have presupposed, since

he was our worthy

The sweetening with of

is

quite

remarkable

and fundamentally V e rb u m E le c t y i, 207 ff., matter in

in the dI-

our broth e rly

c o n c o rd a n c e .

our V ersammlu n g s re d e n , yet fundamentally, Profesao"ea are using that his

No . 8 , P . with this

deals,

briefly

and shows their is

gentlemen

Pharmaeiae the

do not

reach

although right in in

they

same means. secret

Our author knack, few. f if t h dis-

saying

extremely

a Christian

way, had been known to very in h is t ra c t a t e not on the

Bees-

B asilius printed with this

V alen t in u s , at Erfurt, subje c t .

I would

know anyone who had

429

Frurcsorur

l7

VIRTVTES.

A &ccEv

Totlhc of god

atd Hlint

a.iEb5

thc cotptite

ingc of tk

uilllnl

cou sotllct td

cd &rgo;.-

{30

X CHAPTER
DULCIFI CATIOI{IS ARBOR
So that a lover of Nature Iet of at the all Art may aee that to I try with to keep to the foll.ow tl.mes, go along Nature her and to with

principles her Ln her

stepe, the

him contemplate

herself

me, how the human sends

she sweetene and plant up mineral they

ml.nerals Every

and maP,es them homogeneous with regearcher from the wiII center first the indeed of eee that earth. they

natures. corrosive

Nature

vapors

the

Because deposit t-heir stones themselves. as high not need A the plants, that

are highly

corrosive in the

from their bowels of

origin, earth,

stronger and earth,

corrosive eat

as they

attack

them up,

dissolve

them and thereby

coagulate ris e s he rlould

Eve r y distillant as the milder

knows that plant

n o min e ra l-c o rro s iv e -^ vapors, nelther corrosive rise otherwise the

and animal retort,

such low vessels When thus earth, driven which roots not the the

as the the

highest

grade of in of

strongest vapors heat. is

has been deposited to the the roots plant

renraining central sharp

up higher

the

by the is still

I{hen they

reach

kingdom,

intercepted, their higher

attracted

and absorbed plant the

by their has of

and transformed retained anirnal the rises kingdonr. breath Epecific

into

nature. into animals the

What the region of the

kingdom lower air

stil1

Here then and transform animal

absorb

now nild food

vapors

through into

them into Here is

their the

and finally duleifiea-

their

nature.

Arbor

tio n ia . From this every Bage can conclude how it works in this perfect

431

order eral

in is

Nature first it to it

Herse1f,

and we must confess a plant Na t u re nature He rs e lf

that

the

corrosive

min-

changed into as food. eat

before in t e n d s t u rn it

an animaL should, to f irs t sdy, in t o so to speak:

a n d ca n take If yo u wish

or diges t

a min e ra l,

a plant Thus minand the first runs a

pr o d u ct, eral then is

else first

wiII

be h o rrib le into a plant east it,

a n d d is g u s t in g in it the natural

to you. order

turned

itself

only

when an animal In the

becomes homogeneous with animal decayed inthe

animal

nature.

sErmewdy, the or S a l

earth

b e co m e s a uegetatiuum to the center of the

e s s e n t ia le its

n i. t ro s u m a n d wh e n t h is dissolution, it

earth

owing to

goes into

m in e r a l In

association. this rtay every at all artist can see how Naturer to t h e mid d le nature to ds the precursor

a n d te a cher, innediately the plant

times

takes

c o u rs e . animal

S h e d oe s n o t but first only to then

jump from nature,

the mineral

the

and when she has been changed into eagerly she first and without disgust

that,

does she willingly, creatures, earth, ture in which the

aBsume the surface

animal of salty at the nathe

causes to putrefy turning vegetation.

on the

vegetable

realm, the

them into

a soluble

and adapting of this

them to guality,

When they

now stand

threshoLd to its

dissolved cracks of

by water

and conducted of the to earth,

by it, - then

center stand at

by means of the threshold

and fissures

they aI

the mineral is of in

nature, excess, which

be made minera re t r a n s In the driven

th e r e . into of

Here the minera l a mineral the earth heat

n a t u re

so they

formed bowels

by the weight everything is

that

exceeds.

fermented of

together the earth,

and again just

upward by the

to

the

inner

vaults

as the min-

432

erals of the

smaller plant the will

Quantum becones components, exceeding

plant

through in animal

the turn

greater

quantity

and the of

latter the

becomes ani.rnal A human

through being

quantity

components. tall

never

consume as many plants the plans in in

as he ie quantity the lesser

and heavy.

Consequently, exceeding the pla nt

he exceeds causes

or mass, and this to a ls o the extent that

quantity per

a change

eteeasum alt e n iu s witness. equal the

e ic e i

a n ima lis

t u rn s

a n im a l ,

a s w e can daily

When enemies of But when one exceeds be defeated we must also if

strength in

meet, strength In this to

there

can be no victory. weaker must proceeds and But or

other

or mass the way Nature accomplish

and obey the do in the

stronger. if

Art,

we wieh If

something. of animal of

someone were to Liquidzm

object: over ha lf

Yes!

I Slour a bucketful it will

veg e tab le

a n o u n c e o f min e ra l, for the quantity will notice said

course

become animal eral at all of fish ships corrosive - this

''r\ o o (B lD

or vegetable, so far would into that look the of it This

disperse the

the min-

one can no longer to me just as if I

corrosive put one

that not

I will believe

drop the alL

whole or

sea. this

I do of

course

that

would die and fish.

that

drop would is put forward

be able

to corrode

objection

by a simpleton

and not

by a philosopher. and all natural in things their have within their means of in their com-

Nature position, weight, ated t ot can see it

destruction,

natural

circumstances, these factors

measure and order, else it would it

and none of in

can be exaggerevery artist with

result

a contrariety. any difficulty,

Indeed'

and notice

without

he can see it

433

his arl

eyes and grasp his senses, too

it

with

his

hands,

feel

it

with not,

his

tongue

and

whether or

Nature

has enough or rf

whether

she has the If is still I hereby

received

little the

too much.

she has got through

too much of distillation. it

sweetening, there too

er<cess will little,

be discarded the taste will

has been too or the not'. art of

ehow whether

sharp

Thus each can help sweetening to make the in the

and counsel order

himself.

describe

as followE: realms homo-

Whoever wishes geneous with bear po lle from not wise

animal its

and vegetable corrosives,

the mineral

and soften

must each time well i is , non transini pass do likebeing

in mind the philosophical a b uno estvemo ad alt e n u m one extreme jump directly can the to to another the not

Aeioma and heed it a in e n e d io , that

o n e c a n no t Minerals harmed, ds both, should

without

an intermediate. without being

animal pass to

guality

animals rather

the mineral than

qualityr that they

heterogeneous, a tasty fruit.

spoil

each other

produce

Therefore, erals fonn easily if the NB. to the

one has to use the animal the nature

intermediate the

and advance the minplant. Instead, they transwill

by mehns of by means of

and congeal unite

animals the the

the

plant

- then

throuqh to unite

levels three first

established volatil,e the or

in Nature. the three

For example, acid spirits of

I wished three

kingdorns they

and took would if

anirnal

and the

mineral,

poured

them together, on e th e other. pour plant the volatile

fight I

each other f o llo w

like

two fires of Na t u re , volatile occurs

and oPpose I first

Instead,

t h e o rd e r

from the

animal

kingdom to

the

from the without

kingdom,

and a homogeneous union'immediately

434

the

least

resistance. kingdom,

OnIy then

do I add the they

volatile will

JL

from the insepara-

mineral bly or

and when I a1l

then distil, together.

go over

remain

behind, E uolatilis

three and I a c id

Rc.:1on e pa r t htithout dity of is of

E E o n e p a rt , (E

pour

t o g e t h e r, will the then a ll

then unite

add

the volatile

pl Legna, and they one part each of

opposition.

Likewise, acidity, will

take pour a ls o

animal

aci-

and the vegetable the J'rthe (h,fi,

them together, e a s ily u n it e , the

add one part

and they which

because the plant a n ima l as the min-

Copulaton

ass o c ia t e s

a s mu c h wit h

er a l

ki ngdom. The mineral kingdom the of levels the A rt of urin e is easily of sweetened provided but \ . not one deals with

it to its

according se r ve

to

Nature,

otherwise. u rin e , it p u re ,

And so as distil of its

a lover

rig h t ly , a n d s a lt so that it ,

P u t re f ie d re c t if y

vola tile

spirit in

f ro m it , it

g r o sse r lin e

P hlegna

a phialr

b e c o me s q u it e

c ry s t a l -

an d clear,

and preserv e

a n d t h e v o la t ile

has been prepared

fr o m u r ine. NB. l i ke l atte r , so that into get Distil the sediment gross e s t which stayed in the B.M. to a honeyRe m o v e t h e ashes, Put it Then you oil. the

Liq uon, which it

and the is of

P h le g ma is

thus

s e p a ra t e d . wit h

honey t h ic k n e s s dry all

a n d mix it

le a c h e d of it.

becomes almost and distil of oil the animal

and you can form a ball that will go over with in the

a retort the {the

sand.

kingdom together th e lri, t o riu m which ash,

a thick f u n n e l. with it

stinking F il t e r

Se p a r a te Aeidun

through volatile through

o r a g la s s

and the

salt the

have gone over and it is also

and distil

once more gently

prepared.

43s

Now (,t A good old as is of taught

wine,

make of

it

that

ignites

powder,

in many books. take what is

when you have distitled left over and let care, it

the wine out to honey

the vessel, in

evaporate

thickness rises but co a l into

a copDer kettre. nose, its stop. or

But take Now take the

when an acid free

vapor of phlegm ldith

your

that

substance

containing d u st or

vinegar ashes , the

honeythick it t h ro u g h la t e r

material-s, the re t o rt ,

mix it

leached then

d is t il

and first oil or times

a g r o ss will

P hlegna,

win e -v in e g a r, o il

a t h ic k

s t in k in g

go over.

S eparate

the

f ro m t h e v in e g a r it

p e ? t n it o y iu m two or three

through th r o u g h

a funnel, rectification

and distil - and it

and dephlegmize is then re a d y .

Now you have prepared of all corrosives, from

everything

necessary that

for t h is

the

sweetening is

and you will the

e x p e rie n c e

s we e t e n in g

as different praise it

comrnon one as heaven from earth. will indeed show you.

I need not

any more - praeis

DuLcIFtcANDl f'toDus
rf yo u w i l l tr you now wish confuse to sweeten, forlow the steps V of Nature, erse everything. put T h e re f o re , Q (, then into a n a J L - p s la t ile n alembic, distil b e h ind , of the the et

, pour

them together, NB . until Now 4t

a high

B.M . & einere, and it wine r etor t, lE, is ready. pour

a g ro s s

a n d e mp t y P h le g ma s t a y s 6 and the

al.so the Aeidun

acidity

them together is also

and draw them over

together

through

and this

re a d y . whichever of the you wish, pour be it in liquid three or parts

Now take dry form.

a eorrosive,

Take one part

corrosiver

upon it

436

of

th e pregared

A eidun, the oil is

put stag e to

it of

in B . lt l. a n d in o ilin e s s . you find

a lo w a le mb ic ,

draw

o ve r try the is it,

a P hlegma to the remaining If it

Wh e n y o u s t o p d is t illi n g , it svreet enough or le t it be. of But not if to it

see if

ta ste. not yet

sweet e n o u g h a n d rig h t , pour once more three will

sweet enough,

parts

Aei.duL?upon and you can

and do as before. until is it

Then it pleases

become ever

sweeter,

sw ee ten it If pared and it

you. pour upon it d is t il three it parts to of the prer huthree

now it spirit will of

sweet enough, set it

wine,

in B . M. ,

a g a in

an &

become still

sweeter or

and ever for the

more homogeneous with time, each time

man nature. parts of \/

Pour once morer , and it you pour the oiI. will

third

each time s p irit of \7

become sweeter

and pleasanter. it each time wi l l aIwith

Ea ch ti me in B.!I. to

fresh

win e u p o n it , r d s we ll

d is t il

Then t h e

a s t h e A e id u n , salt is

ways go over th e co r r osive otherwise it

weak and watery, in the proces s

because the of s we e t e n in g , to transform

volatile wh ic h the

stays

a s it

should,

would

not

be able

corrosive. and distilled to a s we e t ly the plealeast

When now you have thus it to the o iI, oil, which A nd this put all is it into animals the

sweetened the a re t o rt

corrosive it

a n d d is t il

sa n t

a n d p la n t s

c a n c o n s u me wit h o u t Ma g is t e riu m'

da n g e r .

Q u in t e s s e n c e , it. t h is o il

A rc a n u m m i n e r a l e ,

from which If liquid p ie n tr

you have taken to

you wish like s t

coagula t e put it dis t il ris e into

in t o

a s a lt y with

stone,

f ix e d

and

butter, it in

a high it s

alembic

a head and recib y d e g ree s , A f t e rwa rds beset

B .!1.,

e x c e s s iv e f u rt h e r in

mo is t u re the B . M.

cau se the

essence does not

437

it

in

ashes and draw the moisture by gentle degrees it of heat.

which It the in

did will fire riguid

not

easily

rise

in

the

B.M. off

now become ever like oil

thickin

er and thickerr the fo r e , air like thank ice. God.

so that

flows

in

and stands form.

Then you have it

and dry

There-

Now take er they co n sists

note: the

The stronger weaker, the

your slower.

Aeid,um and V

is,

the

quick-

sweeten; in that

The sharpness, phLegna,

however,

t'}:reA qua ? e e o la e e a r so that the \7

or the and the

be separated

as much as possible, a s m u ch as is Again feasible. the or

Aei.d.un are concentrated

- let

lover

of

the Art

take

note

- if

he intends for plant there

to work is

use the mineral and not for the it,

the

corrosive it is

mineral not til

essence only

animaL one, to add the.r:r-

necessary, to But is not the if \7

although

no harm in

and-|

and plant desires if

vinegar, to

b u t o n l y tn " V
reach the mineral to

a n d th e p lant
nature,

acidity.

he only

sweetening

n e c e s s a ry ,

he does

no t w i sh

do it. a re a t a ll t ime s eager to seek the wellto other

Bu t because physicians being of their sick fellow

men and do not

pay much attention in the

transformations, ti on e d manner.

they (a).

must sweeten the

corrosive

above-men-

He re now come the is almost counter to

obje c t io n s . opinion of

F o r s o me will all

say:

T h is us to

process separ-

the

sages who order

ate the +
conf irmed this into for

, p

ana e
but

from every mineral, actually

here he turns every mineral that

the components
a p into or @t, an e ,

ages,

into

a corrosirr"

ooo , and he congeals

again

438

where then

is

the friend! in

My dear find not described yet

in a dry and flowing form? E Whoever you are and demand such a way aE you books, alone the r freery rightly admit to you that nature you have of minerals,

and

arr let

gone far,

examined the

even less

understood also

philosophers. in the phitosophers, although is est of it is here

You will not to

have read

be understood in

to mean so much, because that this artis, and the book: that basis S a L me t a llo ru m is , of rf the the it s a lt

a more ad.uaneed. L a p ie p h i l o s o is the

ua g tha n euplained

p h o tum & basi.s totius philosophers' in it is the stone H +

t h e me t a ls

whole Art, is t u rn e d

and concealed in t o o il, it is

and the

s u lp h u r.

called

surphur and its

are sa1t, together. it will

internarry

working spirit
oil is again

is

^r\ anct - [ l t Y fixe d Iing or i" i nto of

, then 6

When this imme d ia t e ly

coagulated g e n t le

and made distilwax

c o a g u la t e flow stand in

t h ro u g h

the moisture. , in it This the witl is cord,

In

heat

it it

will wilr sugar

guite like

steadily ice, without c a p a b le

1ike all

however, like

and in

moistures tati on . alI

dissolve then (b). object but

water,

any precipiof healing

a m o s t e f f e c t iv e

me d ic in e ,

si cknesses. Someone will

again the

and say: corrosive

This is left

operation with

ie

not

only

done with not

corrosives,

the work and is

separated. Now, in order to visible that is, to the help this man, I must again Accordingly, invisible, out of which commit a verbosity God has crea-

and even return ted with something our eyes,

origin.

consider:

and something two things

as we can aee daily everything has ori-

439

ginated: of the

the spirit

universar or seed,

chaotic suc h is

water v is ib le is

as a body,

vehicle

and tool s p irit l how-

a n d p a rp a b re . invisible the until it

ever, vi si ble ,

or the

seed as the

indweller

becomes G ra d u e p u t r e -

palpable

and corp o re a l

t h ro u g h

s u c c e s s iv e

fa e ti on is,

eeparationis,

eo n ju n e t i, o n is , above.

e o a g u la t i. o n t a

& f ix a t io n i s ,

as we have explained No w look! with it, it

sufficiently

W ater is

n e e o L a e e u m, a n d wit h except

the it

s e e d a n d t o ge t h e r badly through a tool s p irit needs in fire and

does not

become a body, it drives

what

making a body. he a t. of

The rest

away violently NB . is

Novt mark well: spirit

The A q u a ? e e o la e e a or fixing seed,

a n d v eh i c l e mu s t a c or e a r t h speak,

th e universal its

b y me a n s o f wh ic h it s e lf

cor n p lish Iy.

work of this to lie

o r v o la t iliz in g wo u ld b e d ry or dead, wit h o u t the is

h e a v e n ly so to

Without

water

sp irit

a n d wo u ld ,

be o b lig ed Io n g as this with to in no t is the

low aslee p

any effect. s p irit , forever or the being

For as spirit

A qua ?eeoLaeea re ma in s wit h it knows no rest, c le a rly mo is t , for in it

water,

awakened e sp e c i a l l y is

acti on. th o se

We can see this which

a n ima ls in wh ic h

a n d p la n t s ,

are excessive ly Thereforer this

t -h L eA q u a ? e e o lae e a liv e s

se p arated. a live

d S lo n g s p irit or

as the

a n ima l

and the plant limbs

and green, together in the

s e e d wa n d e rs in

t h e mo is t

or ve in s

with order

the wa t e r to

a n d d ig e s t s , food for is

p u t re f ie s , the growth

s e p ar a t e s and Preand

and coagulates se r va ti on de str ucti on previously here sta rts of

distribute If the

subject.

s u b je c t the s p irit

headed for re v e ra e s .

death

by withering helped again the in

or d ie s ,

Wh e rea s i t food, it

animal punet o .

and plant

grow and gave then a n ima l o r p la n t

Because the

has lost

{4 0

its

b a lsamic until-

vital later this

spirit,

it

b rin g s the

about

it s

p u t re f a c t io n into

an d d i s eIse, which

solution and it it

on occurs through

regeneration

something without

does all actr

and by means of

the water,

ca n n ot If

ds can be p ro v e n . is reduc e d "eeola e e a is a s if its to it s e s s e n c e a n d c o a g u la t e d s p irit or quite seed is dry,

a subject aII

so tha t q u ite

|-he A qua the spirit of

has gone and the it

dry,

we re d e a d o r a s le e p , o r A q u a ? e c o la e e a . u n iv e rs a l is ,

because it But when such

ha s be e n deprived it ob tains another

me d iu m, t o o l eit h e r

one,

f ro m t h e

e f f lu e n c e s , is

a s a ir , i nto

dew, rainwater

or S p e e if ie is ,

that

wh e n it it of

in je c t e d a c gu i r e s which or and

the plant

or animal- s u b je c t s moisture into or or a lik e

a s a me d ic in e , s p e c if ie d ' t o o I will

a g a in

som e e xcessive r o u se s destroy it again the

t h e wa t e r, e it h e r is

action , the

wh e n it

t h e re a f t e r to how it

he a l

plant

animal,

according

applied

m an u factured. Now I say, the more the the more f ix e d universal spirit is it separated from its

Aq u a r e eoLaeea, th is fixed

a n d c o n c e n t ra t e d or s e e d is

b e c o me s , an d w h e n

and concentrated heat, it is in

s p irit a p u re its

a g a in ma d e s p iri t u a l dragon O is ,

b y th e which \F ,

excessive

f ire

a n d win g e d d e v o u rin g Therefore, fire, consider-.rr* as it

consumes everything . it Each is is

mouth.

O -re u ch a fire, animals its of it.

a pure to

consuming a ll s in g le

and as long e s p e c ia lly ,

harmful

t h in g s ,

however,

to

and plants. raging the Art

But because various and to to t u rn it

means have been shown to in t o about a p le a s in g and should gentleness, not worry

m i tig a te a lover about

cruelty

has nothing

complain

44r

The artist such a sharpness, If, however, in

should

know that it

if

the

spirit

or

seed did bodies

not

have

how could

dissolve like this a plant

hardened wdy, or let

and earth? stones

someone does not a V for or f3l

him dissolve acidr will

and metals note nally

, with the

animal Pyaris

and then probably fi-

and learn

himself

difference.

make him see reason. Now it is said that f leave the universal the seed or s o lu t o , spirit turns is spirit with

ths - .fr - O this

, \E etc.r

E ls the I{hen the

s o lt s e n s wit h universal universal seed,

and I am giving is into added to a like the Spechild, the

explanatLon. seed,

seed or spirit

specified ei,fieum or the

and thus

the

t'hxough the child to its

specified

the mother

added to the and increases

the mother, own food. through

and the mother Thus the child

feeds

child

with

also

draws its it

nourishment came originally could food be if into

from the mother, into the its being. child nature is

whose substance f do not mother it

and blood

Conseguently, fed by its

know what harm there and transforms that

right whereby the

and growth, that

differs has taken

from the mother. 6nd advanced its

Neither own growth

can it thereby. It lhe

be harmful

child

is

true

that

all

lJnioenealia nature

make themselves and quality,

homogeneous with with the pre-

Speeifi.eie,

assume their

and act virtue

destined increased the y

power of by the

t-Lre Speeifiei. concentrated

Not only and thus in

are the

and power seed, but The effect; must

sharpened q u a n t it a t e

universal

ar e also

exalted

and h e ig h t e n e d the it is, sp-irit the is

& q u a lit a t e . is its

sharper

and more fiery

the more powerfully it is, and the

the more concentrated

stronger

smaller

44 2

i 'ts D osis

be. have I its taught to add this After sharp the spirit to plants however, and ret

Neither animals before

sweetening.

sweetening,

anyone Prove wish to

to me that this in

f have made a mistake. theory, wilr surely

Whoever does not by the praxis

believe

be taught

and be thoroughly I will immediately sive spirit

convinced. simnle example by which of every artist will

now add a very perceive or the

rapid

transformation Now take a s imp le

the

sharp or corrodephlegms6-.. O,

seed into

sweetness. P o u r u p o n it

a well d is t ille d

o r o co ( hfi, six p a r ts.

one part. Distil will it in

win e v i n e g a r , Aqua in , the

ash to

a n o o o , a n d a p u re P h le g n a o r the f irs t or s e c o n d g ra d e o f six parts of fire,

? e e o la e ea a not ag a in t" its too d istil

go over

thr o u g h

low alembic. it to the

Now pour once again oil , a n d d o t h is whether it

fresh

{i

t h re e

t ime s . already

T h e n t as t e

o,li

on your into

tongue,

has not

changed most of even more,

sharpness

a sugary

sweetness.

To sweeten this

pour six parts in 8.M.,

this

of V

upon it,

and abstract

to the oil

in an aJ-embic in B.M. R epeat

i n e ve ryth i n g
time.

a s with the +
fi,

, but the V
especially if

a third vini

Then the ooo G, will

|lhe Acid.urn and

the -n-

\rere strong, everything is

be sweet as sugar and drinks penetrates

and so strongly wilI also the taste

sweet that sweet. an d fi l l s quicker to them.

one eats it

thereafter

That

how strongly taste. If

t-h'e Ponoe of a re the s h a rp ,

tongue

one's they

the Azotfr and V if

the more and is addeid

sweeten,

and even more sor

anirnal

kingdom

Here there

will

be yet

another

objection

and someone will

say:

443

H e asse rts or

only

two compon e n t s , in it. When then a rr

t h e A q u a m ? e e o la e e a m a n d t h e t lre A q u a re e o la e e a mo u n t a in s , stones, is a lo n e

spirit to be

see d hidden

se p a r a ted, fie ld s

the whore worrd ,

ro c k s ,

me a d o w s ,

and soils Answer:

are a pure c o a g u la t e d wish to

s p irit , believe

seed and, spenna. that t}re punetun

Whoever does not Sperma, let is

terpae

is

a pure

him take Let

some earth, h im b u t

where and which the s a lt out, to death, its

h e wish es so that dr y it

whatever spiritual

availa b le . corrosive

le a c h devour

the

seed does not heat) \F . it rf

itself

and calcine

(in

glo win g o or

s o me wh a t . it does not

Take note of attack,

weight, m o r e .- ',-

pour upon it Jlr until find it is

add some the spirit which the is a

comp le t e ly white to its

d is s o lv e d . earth

T h e n d is t il at the

and you will earth

a salty reversed

corrosive prime

bottom, through e a rt h

has again

essence or

salt t h is

Pr i m um or primordial Ie n r a damnata or

spirit .

No w c o n s id e r

wh e t h e r

a leaven! explain namely: min e ra ls a point or problem handle \F a n d if or only while wis h to which many , \W, -nO

Here I must once again alchemists ' mostly they ar e e tc. take exception,

When they wit h t h e m, attack

and try

to dissolve \fi

these very they

s ol v e n t s , weakly, themselves O \F . is

however the say that it

, either

do not of

has gone bad and is Let f+

no use, they of

spo iling

the work. 8 Loth

u s a s s u me t h a t ey

t o d is s o lv e rf the

Then they str on g But is, if

take

and has not much wa t e r, there is fittfe only \F

Q to 1 lb -rit will in d e e d

\7E .

d is s o lv e it the

the gold. the gold as

and too much water, That then t o d is s o lv e is

leaves

o r dissolves H owever, if

a lit t le .

p ro b le m. O 1"r min-

someone wis h e s

a s u lp h u ro u s

44 4

eral,
etc.:

s u ch a s th e
rf ttt. !t

@ ra r mar casites,
had at first also

gor d pyr ites,

gor d sur p hur s ,

had nolt

been rather barely

weak but half

been made very or one-eighth what is eve r r or the

strong, part,

it

would dissolve had previously the It k ilr, is \F is

or one-third dissolved gold.

when it This:

completely

reason?

an Aeid.um, g6s -n- @ k n o wn t h a t

, how-

+e is

an ILeaLi. they

in d e e d

wh e re a n A e i d , u m each liquid it I is Ib

a n d an A leazi other, form,

meet,

beat

d o wn , s we e t e n a n d c o n g e a l salt which, body. If in rf then

and tirus does not

produce have the it

a third power to

non-corrosive attack

such a hard it \f, d is s o lv e s . eats , of it T h is it . tf E

w ea k in dry of \F

form,

conge a ls

mo re t h a n the

and much water itself to death

are present, with B ut if the it eight is

ates

and con-

geals ly but tr i es

Lots s t ro n g ,

o1 -q,- @ , and hardattack strongly,

atta cks

anything. is

ma y we ll

th e A LeaLi to

neverthele s s stony

t o o mu c h . wit h

ma y b e s e e n wh e n o n e it attacks s e p a ra t e d gold from and

dissolve

m a rc a s it e s is a f in e ly

T ru e , body,

m or e r eadily, all sto n iness,

because it sulphurs

f in is h e d but not

an d g a n g u e ;

s o t h e ma rc a s it e s of

pyrites, th e with

and even if they their with still

they

are washed ever a stony

so purely t o t a lly eats

gangue on in t e rs ing l e d itself in

'Saxen", th e m in is

re t a in at of

mo t h e r,

core, the +

wh ic h

l-, h e A c id u z

o r c o n g e a ls is

to d e a thr d isti l l i ng fr om a ll

ma rc a s it e r

so that

t h e re

n o re s u l t

or dissolving. moisture, the les s

T h e mo re a b o d y d rie s a Hu n id u m c a n a c t of p ra x is the

u p a n d is it ,

s ep a r a t e d it The be

wit h in

u n le s s speak.

awakened again m ea n s to do just

by a moisture that, of \f the

same degree, teach. of--cu

so to

will Lots

Take 1 lb

and eight

, pour

them together,

445

disti l in th e

them gently c old and let

in it

a ret o rt

in a s h t o a n d it

a g o o d o ilin e s s . will is t u rn in t o

S et t h i s c ry s t a l s .

cry s t a lliz e , O

The se a re a generated Th e Sp ir ^itue Ae id u n is ealie is

, because the

\tr

A e id u m n it p o s u m . the the so

a spirit u a l and c o n g e a le d is broken,

A L e a L i. .

T h u s o n e c a n s e e t ha t t h us attack

coagulated of the acid

b y t h e A L e a L i, , a n d t h a t it can no longer

sharpness str on g ly,

so that

Likewise

with

f+

or

conrmon e

From eight

Lots

of

++

or

conmon salt distil I Ib of V through a retort in ash. Then remove ,?r ) in one hand, in the other the the X Then take some fresh . ,c\ . Try them against each other on the tongue and you wil-l find )( that the t( has retained a great to it sharpness the )t of the \tr . As much

sharpness th e $

as the \F

has lost

r ds much weaker and broken attack s t ro n g ly . at the marattacks, let - it by it

has becomer so tha t To prove once more that

c a n n o lo n g e r the \F in \ R on the eats

itself

to death

casites, decant boil is it.

dissolve

the marc a s it e

, a n d wh e n it bottom, filter e a rt h , set it, it

n o lo n g e r in warmth, it

Pour spring-water then decant and you will the get

somewhat, g u ite dry,

water, a s a lt y

coagulate

or a G,

, p ro d uc e d the \R

the \R itsetf enough.

and the marcasite. to death at

By this

one can see that wh e re a s it

has eaten lit t 1 e

the ma rc a s it e ,

h a s d is s o lv e d

So that mally,

\R

and similar to

Menstrua alkalized

should subjects

dissolve

more than

nor-

one must add then but not I

and sharpen it s e lf two Lots

them with at . Let

a n AL e a Li, them.

so muc h t h a t take four

t } : re A e id u n or

eats

t o d e at h of )g

Suoposing

Lots

even only

446

it it

gently ove r

digest or use it

day and night immediat e ly three (c). ask what which I the or

in for four

sand or

ash,

then In

either

distil

d is s o lv in g . times

t h is

wa y I d i s with

solve

almost

twice,

as much as someone else

a we a ke ned solvent. But .-a@ to is someone will the rF the , in

is

the

reason is all

that

one must add i( strong?

or Folthe

Aquafort that

anyhow very minerals the is

lowing

reason.

have said

are made of le s s e r not earthy in met a l s yet

u n ive r sa l

seed. than in

That A eid u m, the the perfect imperfect so t h a t

h o we v e r, ones, ones, the for

p ro d u c e s

much sooner or and ly, alkalized O lar although these

t-he Aeidun

congealed gold

and made as far s t ill p re v a ils

as in p a rt

subjectsr

a c id

or whol-

some subjects imperfect

are more strongly a n d min e ra ls a re

congealed s t ill it of e it h e r

than

others. nature, itself does and arouse

Si nce

meta ls

a n a c id eats or it

a n Ae id un easily 3o de a th not attack at the those

attacks alkalized at all. is

such a one. or s t ro n g ly

Instead, c o n g e a le d

min e ra ls

But because these ad d e d t o

must also so that

be attacked it it migh t

d isso lve d, its its l i ke.

an .dleali A nd if the with

t h e A q u a f o rt r is the but acid This

fixed the

ALeaLi help of

o n c e a ro u s e d , and is is easily

s ep a r a t e s reversed into volabe-

bonds itself through to or

an Aeidun ti l e

such an awakening.

because everything is a c id ,

d e sires

become an A e id u m, a n d t h a t fixed. And thus and the e eontna desires

wh ic h

wa nt s t o wants

com e alkaline to become acid so that the

- wh a t is to

a lk a lin e

again,

latter

become volatile lowest uppermost,

again, in

uppermost chain.

become the

lowest

and the

a p e r p e tual Ju st

as the A LcaLi

dis s o lv e s

it s

lik e

a lk a lin e

s u b je c t s r

so it

447

d o e s n o t dissolve r e a so n contains th r o u g h to d e a th, Iike is that a fat its tiny

acid

thin g s is

o r c a u s e s t h e m o n ly not s o p e n e t ra t in g ry prevents it it

to

s we rr.

The

the.dleali earthiness openings.

s u b t re r

rs i t

which

the Aeid.un from passing attacks, t u rn s it in t o wiI I dust eat its e l f

E v e n if so that

and soleIy

corrod e r

o r sw e l l s

a sponge. He re Fomeone will now s a y : @ th is itself on ly *ci If etc., y o u h a v e re -a ro u s e d b y t h e / L e a li, t h e AL e a L i , e xi s t s

be in g

th e

, the -r.for in

t h e re

a con tr adiction,

wa y t h e A L e a Z i wo u ld b e s t re n g t h e ne d to death u n d e rs t a n d each time. r repry: By

and t-}re Aeidzrn wourd eat th e ter m A LeaLi, I do not salts,

t h e v o la t iliz e d of a n ima ls ,

and fixed sal ammoand

a lka lin e nia c, fi xed salt

such as all fixed and,

v o la t ile a lk a lis

A le a li but a ls o

and other earths or fixed before

t h e v o la t iliz e d wh e n t h e $ it s e lf rf aI1 the

alkaline

a s r h a v e s a id , it will eat

c o n t a in s t h e mo re a n d \F contains

m u ch volatile

A Le a L i, it

soo n e r to death bu t l i ttl e or

b e g in s it

t o d is s o lv e . a rt

less

A LeaLi,

d is s o lv e s on the

t h e mo re . of the Menstruum sub-

Dissolving meaning that ject.

depends sole]y j-ts Poni are filled are,

saturation extended

by the

and dissolved

The emptier

the Poni

the more the a re o n t h e e 0 r. -' . e a rt h ,

Menstruum can absorb c o n t ra ry , t irr it the the \F less o, its

an d dissorve. it ab so r bs.

The more fil1 e d since too muc h X a subtle

they or

Po r o s to o much with solve are a marcasite, emptyr

a lk a lin e

b e f o re

b e g in s

to disas

not many poni E ls much it t { iI l

can be empty, s t ill a b s o rb .

and as many pot,i F ro m t h is

still

one can (d).

cle a r r y

s ee the mistake

and d if f e re n c e

in ma n y p ra c t ic a n t s .

44 8

In vo la ti l e, g u ite

the

lower

kingdon,

Nature the

does indeed

make an acid s o me t h in g

of

the

and an CLeaLi of it is yet

a c id , it s

a n d e v e n if a c id p a rt

appears a lt ho u g h

vol-atile,

con t a in s

a n d A L e a li, the it a c id

the volatile

preponderan t , B ut if

wh ic h p re v e n t s

a n d lL e a l i ag a i n

fr om d o minating. with its like

|-h e A e id u n p re v a ils , a b s o rb s it lo v e s the it s other I ik e , and it note

a s s o c ia t e s

and readily prevails,

A e id u n . e v e n if also of,

Co n s e o u en t l y , it is to a lr e a d y be treated av o i d

wh e n th e /Leali mixed with b y its like.

the volatile This the

and the artis t

acid,

wants tf

mu s t t a k e

h e will

m an y m istakes. Fr om this h a p s h a ve erred if each can dra w h is out of fra ilt y , in c o n c lu s io n s , Iet theory h im c o rre c t though a n d if I s h o u ld per-

me wit h

g e n t le n e s s by true natural and en-

he has a better E veryone teaching etc.

reason is free

NB. corroberated e x p a n d t h is it , lit t le

pr a xis. sci en ce l ar g e it,

a n d u n imp e d e d t o to imp ro v e it ,

further,

add to

in c re a s e

Wel-I, philosophers to be dissolved (ii) It fhe

als o

say:

(i)

O u r s o lv e n t both

and that

which

is

must stay solvent

together,

either

volatile the

or both d is s o lv e d . is (e). to

f ixe d . ( iii)

m u s t b e h o rn o g e n e o u s wit h

must be a Mereuria l-I le n s t ru u n -u b iq u o t ie u m, universality. again say: Assuming we agree for a ll S p e e if ie ie . to

a n d t h is

be known by its

Now someone wilt e ar e ubiquotiea Aeidun

that

the @ (8 ,

and

and un iv e rs a ls thing,

r instead, to

a pure

and mixed

which

appears

be heterogeneous

t h e u n i u e rsa l -Me n e u ri a l -I,l enetr uo,

because the G,

n"" mor e

than

449

That

(h

is

a pnimum ens Mineralium

has been proven

above;

that

but that it is , + and g , is known to all artists; more sulghurous than mercurial cannot prevent - as has been proven it containe p
?

c-:

above - that sulphur. effect. Moreover,

prime it matter

and all A II

arsenical-mercurial

subjects

originate

in

(f).

th e se scr uples do not matter pr ovided it

does i ts

hovr many authors

as well the

there
as

are who assert

.

that

G,

is ttre

of metals of

as the

substance

H philosophers'

They have even recommended Btone, according etc. If to G, the is known the

p h ilo so p hical prime i nto matter their

sayingz of prime all metals,

V i,s it a n d o it

in t e ri-o ra

t e rn a e

must indeed it s If fifth it

have the

power to

turn

metals be hoit

essence a f t e r minerals. of the

d is s o lu t io n , is the

a n d mu s t a ls o of the

m o g e n e o us with must be the ( g) . It wh ich hills. is also

substance the

stone,

extract

essence of

whole mineral

Nature.

known that

s a lt p e t e r

a n d s a lt s u b je c t o

a re a u n iv e rs a l p h y e ie o in

subject

a great

many also it aII

rec o mme n d , p ro in a ll t h is

a l-l d u n g -

They call is

b e c a u s e it s u b je c t with it volatile

c a n b e f o u n d e v e ry w h e r e . in d if f e re n t ly they as-

Beca u se it sume every

a universal,

c a n a ls o the @.

form or it,

specification. stay with

become specified, and what they stays with them

become one with dissolve they

and fixed, and it it

again

make volatile intends fixed

and fixed, to part separate stays

inseparabfy, the volatile o n e see d likes ea le ,

and whoever part to let and the stay

from them,

separates For

behind

nevertheless.

with

a n o t h e r,

e s p e c ia lly

S p e e if ie u n

& uni.uer-

a nd they

go t-h.e A q u a re e o la e e a .

ls 0

Therefore that or they

it

is

a stupidity the \7 solvent

of many erring by distilling with

alchemists or it,

who think

can separate off taste the the

reverberating, etc. they if ArI they find

by burning do is

r or by digesting

should it

drawn off

lilenetnuum to do this the

see if sooner is

do not they

weaker by haIf, with it

and they other

should

intend

to disso lve them. Just ter th e

f re s h

s u b je c t s .

T h e n it

t o o we ak f o r

look

at

the

dissolved to ob s e rv e to

bodies

and weigh

them before t h e re to is in

and aftheir such rises all or

dissolution, Everything acid things.

wh a t d if f e re n c e be fixed adheres to

weight. a s all upward,

intended

some earth,

A nd e v e ry t h in g

in t e n d e d

b e c o me v o la t ile in is spite in of

and this

can neither Do matter

be denied

nor hidden there

controversiesr p r a cti ce. I am telling

how much boasting

theory

you absolutely, of are

when someone says or writes or other in s ip id

that mens-

h e ha s a Menstruum out tr u a ] which w asti ng very slowly \y' lead of etc.: a poor his these

d e w o r ra in wa t e r, s e lf -p ra is in g nothing mo n e y . but

e mp t y f a n t a s ie s , wrong rilays, loss h is

s wee t t a l k , of time, in a dies

seeker

into

litt1e

rema in in g

T h e y f le e c e

p u rs e

unchristian and very four

and unscrupulous sadly. parts, One should the v o la t ile , of them. a ll

way, whereby examine the the a c id ,

such a man often solvents, the a lk a lin e ,

and divide or those

the m in to mixed or

compounded out it is

WeIt, V if ,.J r-tl they

known tha t

v o la t ile s ,

s u c h a s d e w a n d rai n , bodyr or' even

ae do not

eve n a t t a c k they

a h a rd -c o a g u la t e d would color

contained

an Aeidun,

and satiate

themselves

4 s1

so little so lve bu t th e but

thereby one Ib.;

that

one would

require

a whole it

bucketful is

to

dis-

and whe n it

h a s d is s o lv e d , s p irit d ry ,

n o d is s o lu t i o n off a g a in in to through sma1l

a n extraction, distillation and it or is

because t h e v o la t ile and leave s no better

f lie s

t h e b o d y ly in g than b e f o re ,

d is s ip a t e d that it is

p a r ts,

exceot

c ru s h e d

m or e fin ely If

sma1ler. the A zot h o r t h e v e g e t a b le o r a n ima l a c id it y , they

one takes

wiII

indeed attack
of

more strongly
S ubjeeta ?

than V

or

til

o r a h a lf -v o la t i l e . min e ra l. f ille d OnIy wit h it

But w ha t kinds tho se w hich

No s t o n e of a c id it y

o r a lk a liz e d or s t ro n g ly in

are anyhow full dissolved with I by it. of

a r e e a sily to h e a ven.

But they d is t ille d

d is s o lv e s p irit

a wa y t h a t

cries

10 lbs or d

o f win e , open - but lbs of -n- O

I do not disI can dissolve or e ,-* G, afif ,

solve

1 Ib of { , :o into

, which

are quite three

1 Ib of ooo @. te r wa r d s I d isti l an d litt1 e tu a lize d to tally

and still $ ris, the

more d and turn

with

what has been dissolved that is , in t o a (8 " d .

immediately Instead, tn"

first

ma t t e r,

the l{ eid.um, I have v e rd ig ris enough of A LeaLii lost but that. witho u t T ru e ,

o r Cro c u s

in

s ed i m e n t , a spiria

o n e c a n d is s o lv e

mo re wit h is

A e i. d rz z rNB . e v e ry

s o lu t io n

a lm o s t

cause. now compound the Perhaps than above-mentioned will waters, strengthen

We will

them and intermix. wise th e acidr and be better + or

they

now dissolve corrosives. one,

more than otherPour

the mere sharp sub je c t to

r or a volatile these four

a n a c id

to V "o*" o r t h e -n - [ l t o i t s that has com-

together.

Then pour

this

upon a stone

been calcined

as usually,

or upon another

strongly

(chernically)

452

bined

mineralr

but

in

sufficient But if

quantity. you pour

V{atch what they them over a eubject

wiII that

do. is

They ttronrt do anything.

o p e n o r not etc.,
@., l bs or .

s o s trongl y c o m b in e d , s u c h " " G , ,

rgd

rb

,i

they will

irunediately attack thern and produce a sugary sweet

Lt from one lb? d is s o lv e of When you have poured I or 2 Lots O f ro m I on six Q are un-

But how much of will

o f Menetnuum it A . very But r donrt easily

h a rd ly

fb o f

say anything salts.

@, or

, because these powerful

pure,

soluble

Here novr you have your

cor r o sive If

Menetyuum. you pour ot V a mineral A e id . u n , s u c h a s A g u a f o rt r-t in d e e d s h a rp e n it, G, etc. to etc.,

win e vi negar but you will attack

, you will

t h e win e v in e g a r so that it will it

sweeten the

corrosive

and kill

can no more

lo n g e r tha n

as powerfully and I

a s b e f o re , .

a lt h o u g h

d is s o l v e

the mere A zoth If, however, etc. and turn at all. into it

you pou r B -c -t -l the into corrosive, a third is the

or Azoth

in t o

A g u a f o rt , kilI the litt1e corroor nosolvents are exOn the the more ditated they

=r-(f sive thing do not tended,

you will salt which

completely dissolves

very

But what This: they

reason

why these

and similar corrosives dissolve.

dissolve? the weaker

the

further

and more the less they

become and the they

contrary, vi ole n tl y co r r o sives,

the more coneentrated they attack. !Z fille d through or

are,

the more sharply, d ilu t e d ,

and,Aaoth wit h

a re e x t e n d e d ,

completely fiery

A q u a ? e e o la e e a , yet of the

and even if of

are made quite not

rectification,

one Ib.

them does V .

do as much as four will prove it.

even two Lots

dephlegmatized

Pr axis

45 3

RC .
three ta n tar i. lbs

A very fiery of +

a n d a s h a rp ll; . e A e id u n ,

f ie ry

re c t if ie d

v in e g a r , Salis

'onel bof Pour the V over t h e

set it in

a n d h a lf

a Ib of

S a L t a rt a ri, d is t il the of

then pour the vineg e n t ly , and an extremely S a L t a n t a ri which

9 a r u Pon it, cle a r , insipid

B .! 1 . o r a s h ,

P hlegma, we ig h a ls o some of the eharpness

re ma in in g the p that in

has retained -

and + several

or volatile Lots of sharp. Hor''r-

Now you will e

yourself

understand

ness or volatile everr ^ F pour riI lb

had been contained

as much V

and +

of Aguafort find

or dephlegmatized.-.rthe sal t a rt a ri

O o.rer half b y h a rf

a Ib of or at the

Y ou will

in c re a s e d d is t ille d .

Iea st

one-guarter in the

after

the P h le g ma is

No w c o n s id er

d iffe r e n ce

solvents. that he has an insipid h a s b e e n d is s o L v e d the then s a me a s if in is I solvent, b y it s le t it is

when someone affirms d isso lve d si de flo w salty I spirit

whic h t h is it

o wn o r a n o u t -

a cidity. tog ether it

consider

s a l-t a n d s a l t p e t e r ra in wat e r , Now

and dissolved afterwards. distil

d e w o r d is t ille d ju s t

a n d filtered le t will And if e

T h e n it

s u c h a Me n s t y u u m . B . M. o r a s h , A e id u n off

som eone simpry fin d a werr

s u c h a Me n s t ru u m in mid d le distil s a rt the

a nd h e as a the the e same

crarified repeatedly

o r a k ille d

he were to a hundred the

same distillate it,

times upper

and does not hand, it is it but

concentrate for

so tbat

acidity If

wo u L d g et it is

u n f it

d is s o lv in g get corored

me t a ls by the

et c . things

poured to

over

a subject,

may well it e x t ra c t s that

o r m e tals

be dissolves,

t h e ir

s u lp h u r sick

s o li t t l e of

when the Menstruum is the effo rt and work.

distill-ed,

one gets

and tired

what h a s b e e n d is t ilre d

is

c a lle d

by them

454

solis and lunae.

tonic for

Yes, it

is a +

, and it

is supposedto be
old women as a satr a l though is the drawn
fa i t h f u l how many

the greatest

the heart

and to rejuvenate

t r u e a u ru m p o ta b l e . p e r h a p s o n l y to p u l l 4 .F
ou t

fn additionr

so some philosopher s

th e wool over other people' s and the Q

eyes, it

.
of

But the
the lower

are supposed to be likewise

an honest, le a rn e d ,

part.

B u t I a m a s k in g

and compassionate thin g s precious neglected, substances

alchemist

how much time, wa s t e , the

how much expense, wa n t a n d le s s process there but

how much n u is a n c e , and waters they (not It to is burn in

of various have been, separate

used in doing tfre

and how much coal the + and e

sor before Q

they

speak of

) and transform

them into to

vo la ti l e alchemists proper

essenee? as the

a n ima g in e d possible

f o o lis h n e s s trickery

a n d p re s e n t e d

greatest

and to

keep them from

work. I do not say that but that it it is is imp o s s ib le to c h a n g e a me t a l expensive hit in t o fi-

quid Iabor

mercury,

an empty and vain, know why writers f ro m min e ra ls a n y o re s

and lengthy rnercury so eagerly ore of

and procedure.

I do not

on liguid a n d me t a ls s o le ly out

m ad e fr o m metalsr sin ce no liquid but acid A

or dema n d me rc u ry is O., eve r O found in

(e x c e p t

m er cu r y) metals

, +

, a rs e n ic ,

ma rc a s it e , out of

of which 9 r ds

grohr and consist been mentioned you,

step-by-step, ab o v e . alc h e mis t s , y o u rs e lv e s metalr (h ).

and not

liguid

ha s also

I am telling phur. specific solve d ,

do not

t ro u b le

to

e x t ra c t is

the o nl y a

sul-

Y ou are deceiving part ys, of the

g re a t ly , Do more.

b e c a u s e it Everything in t o

softened

must be disa L i, q u i , d u n ,

the whole bod y o f

t h e me t a l,

a n d t u rn

455

go over order to

and be a spiritual act it the all

sweet liguid it

ooo or a spiritual be fixed vapor the In

salt.

In

upon hurnan health, can inuned,iately

must not into

but volatile, and steam by the blood in this form,

NB. so that Areheus of along a r i gh t m ake it with

be turned

stomach and be able veins If to

to permeate

the marrow and bones. is f ix e d ,

this

way it

must be

medicine. volatile

the me d ic in e o v e r.

t h e A rc h e u s mu s t f i r s t f irs t v ol a t i l e their the fix-

and work it you wish

Y o u mu s t ma k e it dying bodies

and homogeneous, if last. a ti on Although of I

to revive almost

breathing

have spoken in it

the rvhole book about c ry " f ix e d , themselves

medicines, do not

was b e c a u s e e a c h a n d a ll notice food that

fixedr" make

and they everything

know or do not for their

animals

volatile

and growth. I demand a medicine that it is I ik e q u a lit y that not a ll lik e is as

Do you understand, hig h ly tile volatile no r too It as \7 fixed, should pulls half ?

however, No , b u t a n d h a lf

that

s o v o la t ile a n d in

too volaacid sugar, Thus When

t h e mid d le , in

th in g s.

be an A c id u n all

b y n a me , t h o u g h e a g e rly in \f,/ this , it

be ca u se Nature it should be, is fast If, a gain

swe e t t h in g s taught lik e v e in s is f ix e d

t o wa rd

h e rs e lf .

as I have also highly volatile all it

book in many ways. passes, of the d riv e n

a m ed icine he a t, effe ct. it is too

by the a bad it,

through however,

a n d p o re s

s k in

- wit h

a n d t h e A rc h e u s t h is c a s e it type, the is it blood

cannot

d is s o l v e in the

no good, it is

becau s e in of it.

e limin a t e d will it

stoo l. blood all

B ut if and unite

an in t e rme d ia t e Together drive with

a d h e re t o will

the

with

pass through El and per-

veins,

and usually

away aII

sicknesses

through

sp ir a ti on .

45 5

Dc not phurous if aII

make your

medicine

in

that

walr

but

stick the

to your body". which

sulEven

extract. the

Then you have the deny it,

"shadow before with

philosophers

I remain things the dregs, soul with

Nature

does not and seil-

Put together aay: ieet Extract in I wish tradict fluids, the to your

any heterogeneous the soul

or dregsr body,

as some believe is dregs

and leave are take the this

because it in with the

head which you,

and not together spirit. in the

body. body, if you con-

am telling heal the

the

body together If the

the is

They do indeed blood or in the

themselves. it is cured

disease spirit. and -

body cure

by the

Thus the in the into

body must again

body,

one spirit

another, errors

6arne way one body another. the Art, whereby manlr h a v e los t soul nork, fate is now? which had not all If he pre-

Such and similar I do not they had, wish died to

have crept but

say thousa n d s ,

c o u n t le s s

a rt is t s

and decayed.

Iiho knows where their after of ten years' if

Bomeone has learned night vented earth. gel lie perhaps it,

a manipulation a quarter Lt as if is

have done in about

an hour

he boasts that

he had concentrated way than hie,

heaven and and if an anit a to

He ahouts

there

no other

came down from - as if

heaven

and taught

otherwise, hrays to he1p.

he wcruld call But they

God had not

a thousand

wish

b e alo n e to their

thg !!aster, work.

and in t e rp re t for paper,

a I I . s imile s pen and ink,

a n d p a ra b le s and about

ac c o r d i n g one single fo-

They run

thing,

to which In

he attaches it there

a whole philosophy, are bound to deepest written be nothing of

he smears entire but wh ic h

Iio-volumes. p e r le xa , is

Hi,eroglyphiea, t h e wh o l e w o r l d will be add-

tnanepoeita, it - yet

as t h e it is

s e c re t s for the

not worth

world.

To it

457

ed a few o1d recipes, ture his often and the

quite

obscure stone, to

to

boot,

of

the

universal

tinc-

philosophersr

fathom

which

many a man risks one a sees-

possessions finds

and money, ysr

body and soul. manuscript treasure

Seen by light, sold pubJ-ic1y in open and is

hJ-s Areanum in store. or There, not to at

an old the

cond-hand

then, all.

lies

teemed little But will the or out to

as I wish just

do another

favor

to

the

lover

of

the

Art,

I with one with-

do here animal another, obscure

as I piescribed kingdoms. it without

various If

methods in

connection to practice

and vegetable I am telling so that

he then wishes

circumlocution

and briefly, a Christian

talk.r his

anyone can see and get for in the

impulse

communicate

experiences speaking

conmon good. and puzzles? take time, I would effort rather and exar-

Of what use is leave penses it alone from the

similes

altogether, poor

so that

I do not who are hard this of

human beings

anyhow pursued livelihood. bring in but

by the

chenemy, writes wants at all. not prets look

Satanr

ds wel-I as their take the hed of

earned

Anyone who out what form he or not can-

books to write I

should for

and either the world

temptation

a clear

can well

understand

my own riddles, I mean.

someone else

into

my head and know what it arises of favor as he pleases, confusion aII

Therefore,

each interinterthe lover Phi-

and explains there

and because of various

pretations ruin of

and bewilderment, follows.

from which do the or

and destruction the Art another stone,

alchemists

I wiII

regarding to

the universal him this secret

medicine without

the

Iosophers' tion,

and disclose talk.

circumlocu-

without

obecure

458

Therefore, metals

let

the re a d e r back into

b u t ma rk t h is : their primary or not,

that matter,

h e mu s t b r i n g either by a

and minerals

I,te n e tnuum, dDy he wishes, sa lin e - whichever

c o rro s iv e

me rc u ria l,

s u lp h u r o u s , wit h salt it he

he cons id e rs and metal

b e s t a n d wo rk s f a s t e s t . back into in t o s a lt the primary n a t u re ,

must turn th a t i s,

the mineral

matter, is then be dis-

he must change the me t a l aluminous, into or a min e ra l ot did Vt

a s a lt y

wh ic h

vi tr io lic, solved e a r th.

wh ic h c a n s u b s e q u e n t ly leave

wine vinegar it

and does not it

any undissolved that it had

A nd even if

le a v e o n e , Dis s o lv e

wo u ld b e a s ig n wit h f re s h

n o t ha d enough Menstruum. it sar t like wise into salt or

that

Me n s t n u u m a n d t u r n that v it r i o l , in V ,

(E ,

, a lu m e t c .

No w d is s o lv e a c id ,

o r alum in the afore-t a u g h t in everything fresh V

s we e t e n in g

lik e wis e

and proceed you dissolve th e

as has been taught and +

before.

The more often to ooo ,

with

, and again

coagulate

sweeter and more volatile g uite oily vrith littIe

t h e y b e c o me a n d a re e a s ily v e in s f ik e I s ; -rL .

d is t ill e d it

ove r r

A f t e rwa rds , ashes. ic e , It In

can be dephlegmatized, wa r m th, l i ke sant, it congeals in all

coa g u la t e d lik e

in a g e n t le in

heat of lik e

liquid

nax,

t h e c o ld

j. t m e l t s is plea-

su gar

moistures

and cannot

b e p re c ip it a t e d . ' everlnrrhere like

sweet and agreeable, Now and again,

and penetrates simple

smoke. are desNature.

countless r do not

and compound solvents re ma in ,

cr i be d

(i),

which

heed but that

a n d g o a lo n g wit h

And I am teLling out is a corrosive

the

reader

he may do what he wishes, a g o o d min e ra L me rc u ria L the root

but withEven

he will

ha rd ly

a c h ie v e ro o t

s o lu t io n .

he h ad the A leahest

and o t h e r

Me n s t n u a , of

they must and

be made - and indeed

are aLl

made - of

the corrosive,

459

it \y'

does not matter etc.

if

someone were to say:

but it

is

sweetened with renain so

The corrosive

ie master of the process and wlll

as long as the world exists. Cape, si eape"e potee, stand. that is, understand it, if you can under-

450

FOOTNOTES

(a)

From a godly we are arso physicians magnificant to it with obliged by their art of

impulse

of

true

human kindness, r cannot to but

to which advise this see the

by our holy soul

vow,

and conscience, in all

introduce and to

sweetening

pharmaeies that it will the

sincerety to

and strictness

be manufactured b e a b le reward to await

according not here only in

the pres c rip t io n , and advantages, world

and they but arso in

honors the

therefor rn the la-

temporal the H

and there

eternity. wh ic h it is is

b oratories which this that

o" L e e m is

ma n u f a c t u re d , But that it if

a medicine by is,

stands art it until

on a good foundation. it sh o ws t h e s ig n s i"

sneetened have, that

s h o u ld is

stands

as a liq u id

, it s

effect

a rwa y s u n f a i l i n g ,

sure and certain. (b) "This Here the mechanicar one will again physicians wirl sneer again and say: of the for

warm up the but of the

rong-flogged there is

teaching

universal it.

medicine, the art

we know that separation,

no foundation

Through

we have seen with not to

certainty

and conviction other this than way.

that

body of man is and that

be considered in precisely are too

some crock, rf they

he must be healed of t h is

the whe e ls cannot

a n d ma in s p rin g s t h e ir rerax

c lo c k

strained, except impurse. latter

re c o v e r

e la s t ic it y their overly

a n d f le x ibi l i t y strong t h e ir driving the

by such means as wilr rf eannot they are t o o

s ra c k except

a n d h a v e lo s t

lo n u s ,

be restored

by such means as can strengthen

46r
the fatigued parts. cannot rnedicine Co n s e q u e n t ly , be cured is t wo d if f e re n t k in d s of

sicknesses universal

by one kind If

of medicine, gentlemen

and a were of spirit in sewhich all to

nonsense."

these

as thoroughly veral both thousand destroys of

convinced years that

as we are by the there is but

experience

one single

and restores they

unceasingly think

above and below

realms get to

Nature,

would

differently of Nature into

and endeavor better. our true With

know this they

universal would also

spirit look only to

this

intention, on natural d en Chain. bonds, ceptable certainty pleasure. the to

deeper true

writings this Gol-

science

as the

ones,

especially s p irit

They wou ld chaotic

le a rn

re le a s e

t h is

f ro m i t s ac-

water

and its

products, they

and to make it finally

human nature.

Thereby

would armchair

obtain with

in medicine

and forget

their

philosophy

S ee uon PT u me n o f , G e o f f e n b a rt e r are no lovers physical they of spiritual they

E in f lu s s , essences, stay with

P. 31-40. both in

But because they the ethical

and the whereby

sense,

their

old but

humdrum wdy, heal ( c) our ven. and in use it Iess in the

save themselves

much trouble,

f ewer si.cknesses. is a beautiful worthy technique Brother should in which many err which proabove,

This

God reposing A lover that in of

Homerus has thoroughly what has been said Although Royal Art,

the Art

repeat

way he can become convinced. our high natural to of works teach of the

we cannot it the neverthebasic

serves for

perfectly the action

our

young students thing and to let

reason

a natural

them dis-

462

cover
(d)

an indispensible No solvent

knack

in

their

practicar its in

works. capa-

can dissolve its

more than parts each other the water, is the

nassa is those

ble

of

seizing in

meanest little touching

empty inter_

spaces which leave n atural phanity in the

their

must necessarily by virtue of their the dia_ its own

whole

expanse of T h is is the

impenetrabiri t y . proper to not it, if

re a s o n wh y (l) sorution (I I ) untir in

changed by the c o lo r is p u re ;

way - although can onry spaces of precipitation last that

t f re d is s o l u t i o n the empty interthe

as long which of the

as and not h a s d is s o lv e d t h in g is

longer

a re f ilre d ,

a n d (1 rl)

d is s o lv e d

mu s t n e c e s s a riry is p le a s a n t e r, of the

forlow that is, sol-

as soon as something naturally vent,

d is s o rv e d to the

that

more appropriate occupies (IV ) it s

hunger

devouring the

which

in t e rs p a c e s

a n d d is p la c e s s e p a ra t io n

Solutum

therefrom; effected and the stitute

no p re c ip it a t io n solutions (Ne. in but which the

or other the weight pure

can be one con-

by those

components of Nature)

same product

and way of solution

among themselves; or congeals

(V) the the fire

whole

either suita-

coagurates bre or ti l e to , if its its

through

degrees is

and time

nature, volatile

when its

fixed

component

preponderant, vola_

c o mp o n e n t p re v a ils ,

b e c o me s t o t a lly

without It is

dny sep a ra t io n . an age-oId axiom of hermetic philosophy, things true corrobercannot

(e)
ated

by experience:

Heterogeneous our note

or contrary of the

be united.

Accordingfy,

students that they

and genuine in arr their

alchemy must carefully

must unite

46 3

compounds not th em, I will

the quote

distant

but

the

nearer

natures.

To please

a p a s s a g e f ro m S e n d i, v o g iu s , d e a l. p u b lis h e d is It is in not in h is

wh ic h c an c a u s e wh ic h

th em to

reflect

a gr e a t

le t t e rs the

Rothseholz, a nd is visibly, ti on in

Nuremberg ,

8 v o in v is ib le , wh ic h

G e rma n lan g u a g e , s he w o r k s h er f u n c of God.

as follows: for she is

" Na t u re a v o la t ile

a lt h o u g h p e rf o rrn s in t h e will

s p irit seat

bodies; is

she h a s h e r of

a n d p la c e except that

Her location and location is,

no use to us, are most proper one thing not metal,

we k n o w t h e p l a c e to her, that to or

which

and agreeable with wit h another

we know how to unite so that a ma n is with l ik e . how e v e r, prod u c t s Ers the

according

N aturer

u n it e d but

wo o d ; o r c a t t le r each should a ls o do her

some other a nd operate w ith a ll

aninaL, in its

so that will

work share."

T h e n Na t u re it is

universals, particularis to themr

d if f e re n t .

T h e y a p p ro p r i a t e t h e ms e lve s in the ac-

o f Na t u re author

a n d s p e c if y noted

cording d iately
(f)

has wisely

imme-

following

pa ra g ra p h s . which is only tangibly and clearly

Here he says something e xplained in the high e r

g ra d e s . stone it the is made out of the is , prime a is

(g)

That m atter salty of

the

philosophers' an d t h a t to

metals,

h a s a v it rio lic , a x io m: is " T h e s a lt our

that

quality

accordin g st o n e "

o f me t a l s school

the philosophers'

- t h is

k n o wn in

of wis-

dom as an indisputable dered difference

t ru t h . the

B u t o n e mu s t ma k e a we ll-c o n s i conrmon G. is and the G, of the phi-

between

l osophers,

to write

mo re o f wh ic h

in a p p ro p ria t e

h e re .

464

(h) ofa

what has been Eaid above in no way diminishes certain . mineral work, made intie the opinion

the value

dry way out of riquid of our author, but he wirl form in metals mani-

I
only (i) for

Neither

is this

show that it

one cannot find

mercury in liguid

and that p u l a ti o n s.

must first

be extracted

from them by specific

A b o ve th e re ar e sever al excellent the improvement of antimonial raboratory

Menstnua, espec i al l y which also come in God and the for having

medicines,

from the archemical reposing inquisitive Brother public

of our praiseworthy,

Homerus.

They cannot be imporved, gratitude

owes us every possible

communicated them.

t55

CHAPTERxl
(l a st Chapter )

()R:ALKA ()FTHE ALKAHEST EST.

In order Al kah e d t to enable + the roader to get an understanding about book. seeing that they do not to a it in of the

ei,reulati,

aee n ri. mi, this

I wil. l

re p o rt this

a cir-

cumscriptive Not to ach ie ve the

way, and in be too wordy. or

way finish

The Philosophers, wit h the usual

anythingr

litt1e, method, an acid ic that

c o rro g iv e s

a c c o rd i n g If

above-mentioned dissolves

have invented me t a l, d is s o lv e s it

and found does not

a means:

cor r o sive one, not they third ture the that in all

d is s o lv e of

an alkaline Nat u r e does

a n d the dissolve get

corrosive the acidic

a lk a lin e

p ro d u c t s

one s ,

b e c a u s e t h e A e id u n to death

and the ALeaLi., when birth around to a

together,

devour

each other (the

and give looked would

thing. to acid see if

Therefore there

they

philosophers) that

in Naboth

were not

one subject

dissolve distinction, all

and the

alkaline

products the having

of Nature other

without

would the

dissolve

one like After

and which through

effects

uniformly they both they

dissolution. it

searched

everything. comprising that.

salr that

had to

be a hermaphroditic w it h in after a ll t h is a s we ll

subject, a s wit h s u b je c t s '

n a tur e s, fo u n d th is

and associating among others tealgaria, curnentibus

fndeed,

me rc u ria l the s u lp h u r

such aB a"aenieali,a, a n d in took aII and each. to con-

m a? e a li,tae, lle n e u n iia again ltost

wa s s e p a ra t e d

A eo a g u la t ia . from take

S u c h Me n e u ri, o e t h e y according is to

made a selection of them, however, in

among them, a g that

the whim of according the

most suitable to it

the metal

substance

question

and penetrates

during

46 6

junction separation, than gold

to

the marrovl, and such a

and likewise H that is

remains transmuted

undestroyed into

after

its

no other

metal

in

its

coagulation that their if H

and fixation. was too thick and not sharp enough to a liquid all creaThey its could simdis-

They saw that reduce state; tures, found ple metals that into

first they

essence and to turn

them into

metals,

are to become homogeneous with or oily or watery nature. in

must assume either that P could not

a salty give

metals

such a salt-nature or earth

condition. H

They also or turn

saw that

no mere water a salty

solve n o ti ced H l i ke

or metals that if first they

them into to

nature, in t o or s a lt , s a lt y

because they o il wa t e rr or water, so'that

wished

re d u c e me t a ls in t o s a lt

wo uld

have to

be t u rn e d by it s such I ik e . H

wo uld be generated Therefore they took

and turned

it to

in their it

various

ways into The

salt

and water,

as they

succeeded according H , the little

experience. dissolved; without turn a ll g and such a into and

sharper they

now an artist H

made his

better or

saw that nature.

could

penetrate they

nothing to a id

(sharp) salt, a le a lia which nethod H

Therefore into

were now forced t o c a ll to the t h e ir

subseguently and nolens did not

wat e r, to

a e id a

oolens wish to

in c re a s e Just

c o rro s iv e n e s s ,

wit h o u t or worse the

fight.

as one had a better their took o n e in after 9

than

anotherr as they

so they could .

sharpened

by means of a n ima lia " o rd e r they to

Sa li.a as well a n d m i ne rali.a a n d pa r tl y worked for

T h e y p a rt ly

uegetabiLi.a s h a rp e n H ,

S aLia mixed t o g e t h e r' in t o uniueyealia They then

took them.

a n d min e n a lia , recommended this

found a sray that as if

way so heartily

467

there the they tion e iti on

were no other key to thought and, in retrograde that every

in

Nature Nature.

and they

were the

only

ones who had H into salt,

lilhen they in aII

had turned genenation

Nature mi.xture,

uaes water and that re q u ire this better sarty

and eo??upno dry eompo-

she made armost wa t e r. H into water

in which Therefore

she did they it

no t

turned

by means of on

waterr account anamae.

8o that of

should

penetrate

metals

and minerals their with

such an estension took the this

and penetrate and turned was, the it

them to into

eentnum rrrater. E attheir animal, forged it

Then they

water

The more penetrating tacked H wa ter ' the metals.

water

better

and faster the partly

The weaker

the water, they

however, forged it

slower with

began to dissolve. partly with of plant,

Therefore min e ra l

o r u n iv e rs a l ?

wa t e rr to

or they u n t il

a eo m p o litun turned If r esu lt into they

these with

and wit h them. water Inst e a d ,

t h e m d ro v e

a n d f ro

water

made this

sharp if H

and spiritual, they not le f t

the

swifter g ro s s

the an d e r u d with

was achieved.

t h e wa t e r

and even corporeal, them, they achieved

t-r

so that

did

become spirit

together

a proportionately such a spiritual

imperfect water, they

operati.on. called lt

When they aeetum in f e r n a l e n ,

had turned

into

a ce n n im um, aeidun a lia s e tiam

metalLieun naj u s .

P h ilo e o p h o ru m"

a c h e y o n t ie u m,

eineulatun

There have, w i th o u t it ting did any salt, not

however, solely

also

been some who turned ig n e ,

into

water that way

me d ia n t e

(a ) a n d b e c a u s e in again it to with caII salty,

penetrate,

they to aid,

were forced

penetra-

and sharp water

and sharpen

animal

or vegetable

{68

or Eineralr sherr thef

universal

waterE.

But,some were so afraid waterg that H

and doubtful

used mineral-eharp eolely with

might become'a corrosive, watera and conpleted They feared that basilisks. him study

they sharpeired it their

animal aDd plant

openat'lonee in that

way, and they succeeded. corrosives

the Spiritue ff

sharpened with

might hatch alI

then aomeone rlshes

to produce such a ldenetnuum let he pleases.

one from'this then publicly

boo*, whiehever printed

Such procesaes are now and with all tech-

in- va.rious,, Autopibue " togetber nethods. his

niques as aide to eeveral another narne.

They have only been hidden under intelligence to d.eal with thern.

He can then apply

FIl r tr s

{69

FO TNOTES

(a) well

Thie rater

about whleh many have talked

exteneively

is

known end ghould not neceasarily I think more highly trI).

be digcarded.

But to

be honeet about it, tioned

of the menstruurn nen-

in Chapter 10 (Part

rrrrrs3r

t
an Homer".

AMB|X magazine of Alchenry. This being from An excerpt the "Golden Chain of by Gerald Helm concerning article

C'cr.sdt|cymottlr.

THE AUREA CATENA TOMERI. By Geuro IIErr.

Tp visw of Natule rhidr was advrnccd by nnodsrr eud othcrs of his rchool had dcveloped along two Scpantc lincs of thorght. Thc frst, retionelistic, and lcading to tbe eleboration of modaa ricnca; tbe sccond, metaphysicd, or, es sc prefer to call it today, 'pocunetfo', turthctr &vcloping m tbc onc hend into thc thccophic school fornded by Bdhne, rnd on thc othcr band into the school ol practical mctapbysics, which uritcd with the eristing dchcnical tradition. T\e Acra CCm Horeri, frst publishcd in 1723,8fiords thc bcat cxample of the lettcr sclrool of thought, and a proof that thc victory of ratiqralisn sas not ro cmplete, at 6rst, as is popularly sppoccd today. Opposcdto thc new ratioualism were religious doctrincs and dso this rcbool of thought, with ell its philcopbicd implications and additions; and, by publishing this book, the devotccsof tbc 'Art' Eade e last attempt to mbet tle ucn rhinLing. Tt.e Asca Cdcra Honair. the G&at Clrlil- of Ho;w,c the Asrrcts Pl&*iq es it is dlo csllcd, is mc of thc most logicd and r,cadcble bookr ranong a hundred bools more c lcss ebnudty rpccnletivc. It bas a tbird titl,e, Slfcri*s & Il,fcri*: Hm;dk, rhich ir sddd in tbe cdition uadcr considcratim. This bool rrs rced h dl Gcrmra+pcrUng @mtries, rnd fq tro gcocrations Fcmaincd tbc moct populsr rrort of r dyiog tnditio t. For roon C'crman mctaphysicnl rpcculatio ras to losc its cooic cleraCcr ud brsne the hgndrraideo of e ncv philoeophy, ttilc thc victory of thc Encydopcdisfs hrc lasted to qrr om day. Thc first tith b trtco frcr tb lti.d virt, n-6. Thc idea of c 'chriD ic aot uncommon in dchcsricd philocophy, .! thc dchcrnists bclievcd tht, in nrturc, all crcated phcnomcoe erc cbeincd to oe eaothcr, end thcrcfqc in en occult conncction with onc aoothcr rithin the evcr+hrnging but congtent circulation of thc ccruic forccs. Tbc Rd;g of Ple urggcsts the same intcrpretation of nature, 'Plrrto' hcrc, pcrhaps, beiry uscd ia thc Nepythrgorcan ccmc, whilc thc third titlc, Srfcrdrs & I;,lcri*n Ecr;du, has, of oourlc, referencc to thc SmeregdineTablet of Hcrmes. The cdition which is bcing di$rsscd b tbc lrst one, dated 1781. It ic the moat intcresting boceuseit onteiru vdnablc notes by the editors, who wcre
r Dr. Fordineod Xrrcl. Dit Geett I(Ae Hnts, Lch. 1905. An crcllrot litt{c giviog e dctrilcd derripti<n ol tDrc Awct Cdctt. bol, Dr. llrect crteblirhcr tAc Kopp'r lc*uchr. eutlrordip ol Kirchwcgcr, rhicb co!6rlu Hcrueaa K;opg, Arce f tto; Fcrjuro. Eibli'/,,ect Cbsitr,., i 35 C 469. Cdeu Howri, Rreunrb*ciS, t Thac rerc trctvr cditinor in C'crouy. tb. Frclcb cdftioo ir not of ra rdrptetin It ir cntitlal Lt Nlwc Dcotilio, Prrir, l7?2, 2 volr. ttra r lnndetioo.

A1

'AsaC@Eonai' mcmbcrs of tbc lest prnrophic rciety ol C'crmany. Thb Ddety.till irlndcd ur of lcarningl rto clsirod to crrry qr ts uabrohcn tnditioo fr@ tbc dbt Dt paet. Thet thir pert wrs not ro ' distsrt ' lrc Lnow Dow, beceuc ttese Fcictics in C'crrnanybed thcir 6igi! in tbe Flqcace of Ficino end C,aimo dc Icdici. Thc cunplete titlc of tbc book is rs follo*rs : Astlr&rs Pl&ais, or |Lysknof Nahrc teo?dittt b Hcr (higis, hcscnntioa oul dellicel l;lafitulim qcinhnpotd of gcllrriru Ncrr.al Scaarr&'s&, tt d Cittd, c Srcidy Dzffiioa, Q nolcs. This is lollowed by a full-pege reproduction of tilh smty itfotbat thc Hcranetic Teblet in ' Phcnicien ' letters'; by e diegretlr of thc ' c.bain', ?ith . note in proEe on the opposite pap; by e rymbolic diagrasr Gntitlcd 'Die Figur Ablnsi Duplicete, or of ttre double vdetile utd fxed rbyss '; rnd finally by tro lrcm!, one dcscribingtbe 'Chein', tbc other the 'Abyss'. A rrery rhctorical prefece by 'Phlebochron', fllcd with Hcrnrctic rllusions, follows, and tben tbc tablc of contents is gvcn. The booL is dividd into two Renm', tnd tbe practical, 'Dc C,omrp 'De Generatione parts: the theor,etical, tioc Rcrum ct Anatmie Rerusr'. A third part, whidr appean in rome editions, is, accuding to tlre editors, spurious. Thc philocophy of Alchany is dcscribcd in otline in tbe illustration of tbc 'chain ', whctrc cvcry 'liak ' has a Letin dcscription. Tbis ir rorth rcproducing hcre bccausc it rcprcscnte tbe fuadagrcntel theory of Alctrcrry m which tbis book antl rc meny othcr dchtnicel worLs ere bnscd. Thcre ut tcn 'lints' : Chaosc@fu$D. Spiritus lfiuDdi vobtilis inco'rpceus. Splritus lfundi acidus c4or?us. Spiritus Urmdi fnrs dcelicus oorPorcus. Uatcria prine mnirmr concretorum sublunerium immcdiata scu Atoth. Animelia. V6rtabilia. UiDcralie. Spiritus Ururdi cooccntratus 6nrs sivc Extnctum chaoticum Punrm Pcrfectio corsuronatr rive Quinta Escentia. A morc dctsiH description I of tlc dchcmical intcrpretation of neturd phmomcna ecccding to thc words ol Asce Cdca4 is es follows : The incqrccivable First Ceusc' Thc crcatirrcrord'Firt' ; the divinc Gortetiotl, Xcrcurius Vitr.
br . Rrdccocc Etbt t Erdc lat to Dr. F. J. Cbcnlitr VrtDeP, Halrir.r Mtdiir, Eon. tttE. 19i&, p9. /t|4. . Jdirlr Ru*r, T.W Hdetbcrj. Slrllqfilr, . T.lcD ftoo 6. otll: DooL. b Dl. L.A'r Dic.futttttt bt Ao*

A2

Gcrud Heym or tlc Invigible Spirit, qiritus mundi incorporcus. Tbe bcgiding of all things, thc volatilc stcd of thc codn6, thc PrfoD.l rcd ol thc univcrrc. Thc vidblc Stcam, Fog, SmoLc; thc prirnel dcesr of thc univcrr' Tb Ch.lfic We. Tbc primev.l water of thc universe, tbc p.imordi.l wrtcr, xcrcury of thc \tire, fiery \ilatcr, *rtery FLc, Shloriim, Aloth. Abyscus nrperior seu voletilis. Thc so,tre of dl rcpantc phcoomcoe. Itcrmaphroditb xcrcury. (Thir ir cmpoacd of : Ilvidblc $irit Plns YidHcWetcr. Active Spirit plus Pascivl BodY. Tbc 'ceusetor', tbc movcr flru lortrtrncot' nccptrcle.) Tbc grcst 'Notbing', Void. h;ffi U &ia, frittwdhl A tk.

CHAOS.

CEiERAtIO RTRUI

||,AYEI(rng

A - " ^" \A
"-.

O,^$^'t' EAiaH ,' I I t-g-" ,Y

'+."m1dr.h^m,';
.- t.

\r

l: r fl t
fr ,

,a

tt

'l

!. -r' , iri ni "i\

t-

tt

A3

'Atrca Ceten Honuri'

Tne Rnonu Cxeos.

Tk rchon CluoticWelcr. Prima matcria regenerata. ,{!yssrs infaior su firts. The fixed Universal Sccd. Spiritus mundi concentratusfixus. Qtinta Esscnlia. Magistcrirrm. Arcanum. Uilversal Mcilicittc, for human beingsand basenretals. It will be seen that, beginning with the rorrl Curos to the phrase Tnr Rnsonx Cneos, a diagram has been inserted. Tbis diagram reprcscntsthe of the cosmosas conceived exact position of the Art of Alchemy in the cchc.rne by this philosophy. Alchemy assists Nature and improves thc ;fienomcna of nature by 'art '. This is done by ' resolving' and by ' fising ' ; that is, to thc primordial chaoc by means of the 'Quinta by reducing a substance put Essentia', and the result is that thc ingredientswill be arrtom.rtieallv together again in such a way that the new substancewill be a very great improvcment upon the old. The schemeof the cnsrnic forces as it is gil'm here is reminiscent of the angels of Diorrysiusthe Areopal;ite, esccpt that the angelshave again becomeemanationsand abstracttons,as they once had been with Proclus and the late Neo-platonists. But what is not, strictly which is speaking, Neo-platonic is the idea of the creation of a third oosmo6, pssible for the 'artist ' in the alchemicalscnseor for the adept to Jroduce. we find amongthe Arabso. There it is the divinely inspircd This conception and lre is permitted to do this in ordcr Imam who can create a third cosrnos, to producetangibleproof of the glory of Allah. That is his solejustification for thc practice of Alchcmy. He wants to show mankind all the man'els and producesthe allrfr in which they are visible. of tlrc cosmos Tlris doctrine is condemnedby the orthodox Sunnis, as its origins are grrostic,and alsogo back to the lunar magic of Harran and the world of PersianArabic culture as distinct from the Byzantine civilization ?. To the European mind the idea of the individual assumingthe crcative abilitics of the Deity and producingefiectsthat are beyondthe confinesof ordinary human endeavour or ridiculous. And yet the alchemists has always setrncdeither blasphcmous to somecxtcnt in uniting their Neo-platonismwith the bclief have succccded in the powersof the 'adept ', and this fact is brought out in the abovediagram. From the first causc cmanatcsthe Logos, which manifests gradrrally and the 'Chaotic Water'. Incidentally, the author ol Asaa Cdru beconres hcre ctaims Thales as an alchcmist. This water is a hind of physical matrix
I E. O. v. Lippnann, Eslslcfueg rnil Atshrcituttg ttct ,llalitic. I Ruslra, oP cdl. Bcrlil, t931, ii, t6. G

A4

G'crrrd Hcym,ostb ltd which latct scpuatcs rnd out of shich crnrn tcs thc undiffcnotirtd prodncesthc dificrcot obiccts of cognitim. The'Chaotic Weter'is ro importsot in tbb booL th.t thc euthor gvrs it a spccid rncaning, that of 'Abyssus rnpcrior', uothcr neme for tbe philmphicd void-tbat is, in the senscuscd hcrc, it b mcant to dcscribc the undificrcntiatcd statc. This undiffercntiated datc b thc Pnh. Dtrderit, Ak Chrr,s, end now we oqnc to the importent point *tcrc tbe hucran mind cotcn into this cocmic schemeas an active agcnt. hutcsd of alloring thc cmic fcccs to telc their natural coursc and produce pcrfcct coq be created by naturc alone, according impcrfcct sFdncnldotbiDg mind can now make usc of its divinc birthright humen philosophy-the to this pcrfet rpccimcns. producc rnd This is doc by eitcriDg thc cour- of nature, rhat is, by aepanting the Cheo into itr tro bGic coostitucnts, 'Sd' end 'Nitnrm', the male and thc irmele. Tbc 'rrt ' of doing tbis cmdstc of introducing e minute quentity of ttc ' Quinta Esccqtia', tb ' Prima Matcria ', into the sub'stance. This at 6rst rqrcrscs tbe pmccsr ol gcncntion, ttrat is, the srbstancc is reduced to Chror; tbc Cheo is ' rcperatcd' ud a Dw gcoeration follows, resulting in e 'pcrfect ' spccirncnof thc subctancc. In thc scde of metds gold is the most Irfcct, thercfqc r dro'p of the ' I'uinta Esscntia '<r a particle of the ' Lepis Philcophorum', tbe solid statc of the sarne 'Prima Materia'-'proiectcd' into eny molten mass of basc rnctd at oncl turns this into the purest gold. Or e drop of the 'Quinta Esscntia ' mixed with e liquid and tatcn by a paticnt rill cure him forthwith. Tlrc Auca Cetcfl is morc interestcd in tbe iatre chcnical aspect of Nchcmy than in tnnsmuting metds, thereforc the eim of Aldrcury must bc the preparation of nnincrsel medicine. But the reat ri'n of tbe author is to produce spiritud pcrfection, end this is only possible by glving manLind hedthy bodics. Hence tte necessity of Alchcmy. The ruthq is dso e drild of thc eightecnth century in th.t he wants to creatc I stete of happincsefor thc greatest aumbcr; espccidly docs bc want to help thc lcss fortrurate classca. Tbc thcory of the prcparation of the 'Quinta Essentia', according to the Asa Celcfr, is morc philosophical tban that found in the usud etchemicd ;orLs. Thc Chaotic Wotcr ir cmposcd of two inscpanbh perts, herc celtcd Spirit end Water. This Watcr ftrrther evolvcs into the Elementary Water, the oppoeite of thc Heevenly Firc, into whidr spirit has evolved. This Elementary Watcr is containcd in Ordinary Water, in dew, rain, soow, frost, bail, etc., mbctanccs tbat are tbc bcst rew naterid for the 'ertist' for the preparation 'Whenit comesto instnrcting the of thc 'Elixir', ff thc 'Puinta Essentia'. ncophyte in the 'rrt' of thc preparation of the 'Elixir' the readcr will find himsclf hclpless bcforc thc usd wdl of tcchnicd tcrrns. Ccrtrh directions rre given with refcrence to rain-rater; for example, onc shorld ht it stand for e long timc and oblcrye thc r,csults. At thc Sinning oI the boolc we

'AsaC*uilmi

'

rt occ fod tDc inrport nt phnrc, ns berrihi F a .b tno drm d tltlrlrr crlrcsts rosqtc ;rdb. And Lrtcr, nI tuIlone;t d blis )hibso|r.au e Dtsit ao$ts utis. To obteiatbc'nl netellcugr'ttc'Dcdio'b mry. This 'ncdio' il for us ttc unlawn qrnntity ; tbc rutbor of our bol rpcals of it s r nrpcric Lind of lrlrcacrE, c, lE or nodera pcychologiitstould ny, it b tbe' prcruneticfrctor 'ritbout rhirS e omprebcosio ol thc tcchaicd tcrmr oI Alcbcmyrre inp*iHe. . Tb Astt C.tw her dl the cberectcristics of tbe Estrd rhhanicel rsl ' Its rim is to givc thc rctdcr erccpt tbrt it is morcphilosophic in itr languege. e cotcir philcopby of naturc o e rimtifc besisrs it is ndcrstood by thc dcbcnrirtr. Brrt rbet ir intcrcrting b th.t wtn this bool rcdly urcs a philo rphic cloel to cmccet itr rcd obicct, the pr,epentiqr of thc Elixir by cxtrahunen relns. Tbc rcal 'lrt' of the bol b thir tccbn[uc of coeehcnt, rnd this it brs in ofiim@ ?ith dl vdss of a'lncuretic'chnctcr, rbetber tlcybcrritten inTibctan rbout thc Qi;/rtrr'ni t hiddcnbcocethtte morc or ks nrpccteble tcncts ol Xebepne Buddhirn, c rfutbcr th nrbicct ir thc precticelmysticirmof thc Srfrs,dothcd in rcds of quite thc opporitereurirrg. Thc ddrcrnistr will argre thet cmcabrcnt io ncccscrry; Frb.ps tbcy rrc rigbt, b'ut their pint of vhs docsnot rgrcc r{tb tbet of tbc denrocrecy of ricocc. R.tbcr doesit had us back to e ccrtain fremasmry of rbolarsbip of tlrc pest.
. Tb! Pbilopbort Btone.