THE THIRDPART

One hundred thirty eight Aphorismsthrough which

the Mystery of the HermeticPhilosophyand the

Secrets of Nature and Art are plainlyset down.

(on The Secrets of the STONEof the WISD
 PREFACE

K ind, art-loving re a d e r! T h e wis e ma n S y ra e h s a id in Chap.

44 2 "Let us praise the f a mo u s p e o p le . T h e y h a v e wis e ly ad v i s e d us

a n d have left honest n a me s a n d s p le n d id writ in g s . They were also

r i ch and had great pos s e s s io n s , a n d t h e ir re p u t a t io n s wiI l not

p e r ish. They are buried in peace, but t h e ir n a me s will li v e etern-

a lly. P eople speak of t h e ir wis d o m, a n d t h e c o mmu n it y p roc l a i m s

the ir praise: . It is not imp ro p e r to say the s a me o f the true

ph ilosopher-chymists, s in c e they d id s p e a k wis e ly a n d le f t honest

na mes and splendid writ in g s . T h e y we re a ls o ric h and had great

p o ssessions, and their p ra is e will not g o u n d e r. P e o p le speak of

th e ir wisdom, and the c o mmu n it y p ro c la ims t h e ir p ra is e .

B ecause their n a me s a re t o liv e e t e rn a lly and the community

is to proclaim their p ra is e , I h a v e f e lt c a t le d upon to print

th e following two trea t is e s for these re a s o n s :

First: so that G o d ' s g re a t wis d o m wn d wo n d e rs mig h t be

sp r ead further and His n a me b e p ra is e d t h e re b y , a c c o rd in g f to the

statement of the wise ma n : " My lip s s h a ll p ra is e T h e e whe n T h o u

tea chest me Thy wisdon r. T h e re a f t e r f will p ro c la im Thy wondersr so

that others may also be converted to Theern and they will praise

They Name for ever and ever".

Secondly: for the love f bear the Sons of the teaching and

wisdom. E specially and p a rt ic u la rly , h o we v e r, so that the simple

be sincerel-y warned a g a in s t the s o p h is t s and cheats, a ls o that the

ph ilosophical rose-gard e n b e c u lt iv a t e d mo re a n d mo re a nd b e d e c -

r a ted with beautiful e x o t ic p la n t s . (u n d e rs t a n d : writ in g s trans-

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 i nto our mother tongu e f ro m f o re ig n la n g u a g e s ).

Lastly, also a s a in a rk o f g ra t it u d e due to the f am o u s m e n

an d in rememberance o f t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs , our t e a c h e rs and mas-
te rsr so that their p ra is e ma y n e v e r p e ris h a n d t h e ir na m e s r e -
m ain eternally.

After God illurninated my understanding through his great

lo ve and mercy (for wh ic h f thank h im wit h my h e a rt and mouth),
so that I learned the s c ie n c e of the P h ilo s o p h e r' s Stone through
a ssiduous reading and d e e p re f le c t io n o n t h e writ in g s of the phit-

o sophers, f consj-der it my d u t y not to a llo w the b o o k s of the wise

to perish but to tran s mit t h e m a ls o to our d.escendants in repeated
p r intings, because bo o k s a re v e s s e ls of t h e me mo ry a n d ev e r l a s t i n g
n a nes of the wise. rf G o d ' s g re a t wis d o m a n d wo n d e rs a re to be
spread further, the writ in g s and books of the o 1 d wis e r T l e nm u s t b e
so ught out and given a p u b lic p rin t in g r So that t h e ir s ec r e t wis-
d .om and truth, hidden in t h e ir writ in g s , ma y b e re v e a re d and made
known to the S ons of wis d o m.

B ut because the rig h t u n d e rs t a n d in g of t h is h ig h secret can

ha r dly b'e obtained, or cannot b e o b t a in e d at aII, by the mere read-
i ng of books without the S p irit o f G o d (in v rh o s e h a n d s I i e every-
thing) r I therefore ex h o rt the in v e t ig a t o rs a n d d is c ip le s of this
sa cred A rt and S cienc e a b o v e a ll- t o p ra y f re q u e n t ly and earnestly.
For prayer is the right ma s t e r-k e y for a c q u irin g G o d rs G r a c e t o r e -
m o ve the darkness and b lin d n e s s of our h e a rt , s o that our under-
standi'ng is illuminated and we be granted through our asking, seek.
in g and knocking, the rig h t p h y s ic a l keys that o p e n a ll doors of
th e secrets of Nature a n d c a n s h o w a n d re v e a l to us the fountain
of health and wealth.

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 'For whoever bends his back unremittingly and is ready to

r ea d our books", B aeea s e n s a y s in the ru rb a , a n d wit h utmost ef-

fo r t uses his understa n d in g , puts h is min d o n it , a n d is not bur-

de n ed with base and mu n d a n e , a n d n o t at a ll wit h c le v e r thoughts,

an d prays God A lmighty for wis d o m, a s S o lo mo n d id , and not for

money or ProPerty (1ike sophists and rr,,.oney-greedy persons do, whose

souls are thirsting much more for gold than for God and wisdom) r

will rule and reign in o u r k in g d o m a s a k in g wit h o u t stop until

his end.

A lso because, a c c o rd in g to B ro t h e r B a s i-L iu s V a L e n ti n u s , a s

the doors to the age-o ld P h ilo s o p h e r' s Stone and the in e xh a u s t i b l e

fo u n tain of health are s o t ig h t ly b o lt e d a n d c lo s e d that arnong a

h u n dred thousand who a re ru n n in g after t h is p re c io u s je we l , hardly

two or three will obtain it . ft is h ig h ly n e c e s s a ry that prayer

not be neglected, aside f ro m the f re q u e n t a n d c a re f u l geading of

go o d books and also wo rk d o n e in a c c o rd a n c e wit h l. T a t u re .

One should also know that a lt h o u g h t h e n a t e n ia for the

Ph ilosopher's S tone is re q u ire d , it is not s o p re c io u s ! Neverthe-

l ess, the understanding, s c ie n c e a n d a rt o f ma n u f a c t u rin q it are

no t so simple, easy and u n imp o rt a n t . E v e n if t h e wo rk is called a

wo n an's work and a child ' s p la y b y ma n y p h ilo s o p h e rs r t h is can only

be truthfully said by one who knows the Art perfectly and has once

brought it to a happy end. But whoever does not know it and must

fi nd it in the books a n d d a rk s a y in g s of t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs I will

l et him judge himself if he does not f in d it d if f ic u lt to accomp-

Ii sh. For if it were n o t d if f ic u lt , t h e re wo u ld no doubt exist and

be found more true professors and real rnasters of the Blessed

Ston e, especially amon g t h e h ig h ly in t e llig e n t a n d p ro f o u n d l y in-

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str ucted.

In this A rt, th e re f o re , n o o n e c a n re ly s o le ly on his in-

ge n iousness or great in t e llig e n c e , because in t h is Wo rk , he will

accomplish 1ittle witho u t G o d . ' s b le s s in g .

True, at a1I tim e s t h e re h a v e b e e n e x c e lle n t p e o p le and in-

telligent men who were s t riv in g after t h is v e ry n o b le Science, and

a s they brere also wealt h y , they c o u ld e a s ily re a liz e t h e ir con-

ce p ts and ideas in the p ra c t ic e of t h e l^ I o rk . B u t after t he y failed

w i th their preconceived o p in io n s in t h is , that a n d ma n y ot h e r ways,

th e y finally ended up d e s p is in g a n d d e rid in g the wh o le wo r k a n d

con sidered it futile. Yes, they a ls o wro t e off the s a y in g s of the

ph ilosophers as mere s v re e t d re a ms o r p le a s a n t d is c o u rs e s t ot rather,

all lies! This has nev e rt h e le s s not taken a n y t h in g a wa y f r o m t h i s

sple ndid secret. for alt h o u g h t h is one or that o n e h a s in v e s t i g a t e d

it for years, laboring v e ry h a rd a n d a ls o in c u rrin g mu c h e x p e n s e ,

a n d yet has not reache d t h e d e s ire d g o a l, it is a n d re ma i n s true

a n d certain and rnust j u s t ly b e re c o g n iz e d a n d c o n s id e re d as a specia

gift and wonder of God .

Furthermore, this h ig h a n d in e x p re s s ib le s e c re t h as a l s o a-

roused suspici.on and contempt through the great number of alchym-

i sts, false misleadlng s o p h is t s , wild la b o ra t o ry wo rk e rs , cheats

and vagrants who travel frcrn one country to another and sell their

p r o cesses and false P art ic u la rs to o t h e rs for la rg e s u ms o f m o n e y ,

promise big mountains of gold and yet are farther removed from them

than the Atlas or Caucasus is f rom us Gerrnans.

There are also ma n y me n o f lit t le in t e llig e n c e wh o u n d e r -

ta ke this very noble Sc ie n c e , s u c h a s b a rb e rs and bath a tt e n d a n t s ,

ba n krupts and brewers, p e a rl e mb ro id e re rs a n d b ra s ie rs , cobblers

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an d tailors, dyers and t a n n e rs , illit e ra t e s o ld ie rs , ete. ete.,

who, when they have perhaps obtained a book from which they have

l ea rned about the inex h a u s t ib le u s e f u lln e s s of the A rt bo t h in

r e g ard to health and v re a lt h , imme d ia t e lu ru s h in t o t , h in gs , be-

lieving that they have picked up the work from a profound, shrewd,

subtle and neat way from one book or another felt that they could

not and should not fail. T h e re f o re , they g a v e u p t h e ir oc c u p a t i o n ,

co mrnerce and craft, b e g in t o d is t ill, p e rc o la t e , p u rif y , calcine,

co a gulate, boil, roast a n d c o o k u n t il, at Iast, a1I t h e ir goods

an d chattel are boiled a wa y , d is t ille d d off and spent, an d n o t h i n g

is left.

Then they take t h e m. s e lv e s to other v re a lt h y p e o p le , boast

g r e atly of their know le d g e of a lc h y mia a n d t a lk a g re a t deal about

the Theophnastie A nt (a s t h e y c a ll it ), n a me ly t h a t they have ob-

tain ed in it a solid f o u n d . a t io n t -h ro u g h b o o k s a n d v a rio u s experi-

ences if only there were SOt4Eone who would give them. a lift and

a d vance so much (mone y ) t h a t t h e lrlo rk c o u ld b e s u it a b ly completed,

it would be repaid to the g iv e r a h u n d re d , y€s, a T HO USA N Dt i m e s .

It is easy to find some who are taken in by the smooth vrords of

the swind.lers and thei r a f f irma t io n , u n d e r o a t h , (a s t h e heart of

all men tends to grande u r a n d g re e d ! ) and they a re v rillin g to risk

a good part of their wo rd ly goods. T h e y a re g iv e n g re a t hopes from

one month to another, that the Work is about to reach the desired

en d , especi'alJ.y if the c o lo rs in d ic a t e d b y t h e p h ilo s o p h e r s ap-

pear. Then a jubi'lation and e:nrltation begin, one wants to endow

a church, a hospital, a p o o r-h o u s e , another t h in k s of b ui l d i n g

ca stles, a third resolv e s to re c ru it a body of t ro o p s to offer to

this or that potentate, h o p in q thus to a c h ie v e g re a t p re s t i g e .

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But it happens to them as it happened to those fellows who sold

the bearskin when they had not yet cauqht the animal. For at the

en d , one can see of vrh a t t u n e the s o n g is , a n d f in a lly everything

en d s in nothing. That is wh y t h o s e wh o b e rie v e in the s o ph i s t s

receive a good knock and not only at their reputation!

Therefore, f hav e b e e n mo v e d t o p it y , a n d a s iCe frqn that,

our CHristian duty demands that we warn the sirnple and credulous

a g a inst those crafty ch e a t s a n d s h re wd s o p h is t s , wh e re v e r they let

th e mselves be warned.

it is indeed beyond doubt that a man vrho know how to make

som ething good and prof it a b le does not need to s e l1 that knov.'Iedge

to another for monev!

That is vrhy tho s e act v e ry f o o lis h ly v rh o b e lie v e in those

va g abonds and cheats. It wo u ld b e b e t t e r for t h e m if they did like

Pop e Leo X , for when he v ra s g iv e n a b o o k b y a s u p p o s e d g ol d m a k e r ;

w hich showed how to rn a k e g o ld f ro m v a rio u s me t a ls , a n d h op e d t o

r ece ive a very great awa rd f o r it , t h e P o p e a rra n g e d for him to

r e ce ive no more than an e mp t y p u rs e , s a y in g : "If you can make go1d,

you are richer than f and do not n e e d a n y g o ld . Just keep yours in

this purse".

For the rest, the t ru e p h ilo s o p h e rs writ e about their highly

b le ssed S cience that it e it h e r f in d s a p io u s g o d ly ma n o r that it

m akes a gdless pious a n d g o d f e a rin g . No w lo o k at the sophists,

what kind of a life they lead - they are sooner found. with wine,

beer, tobacco, spirit a n d in imp ro p e r p la c e s than wit h the Holy

Bi b1 e, prayer-book and t h e b e a u t if u l books of the o ld wise m e n .

The r efore, as the ol-d wis e me n we re a t t h e b e g in n in g c a lled sophi

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afte rwards philosophi, a s win c lle r a n d a P ro c e s s -s e lle r rnay not

un justly be called a s o p h is t a n d a p h ilo t o p e r.

But here someone might ask: How do I know about what f have

just written about the sophists? I kindly answer them that I have

associated with them in my youth, sought their company and there-

for e occasionally tr€at e d t h e mr o Dly t o g a in t h e ir f rie n C s h i p , see

w ha t furnaces, instrume n t s a n d v e s s e ls they we re u s in g and in what

materia they were working. vrhen I saw and experienced many strange

a n d foolish things of wh ic h I cannot o mit t e llin g the re a d e r this.

Once, three of t h e m s ig n e d a c o n t ra c t wh ic h contained such

a cruel and terrible oath that lis t e n in g to it v ro u ld ma k e a p e r -

so n ts hair stand on e n d !

I learned of t h i' s c o n t ra c t d u rin g t h e ir lif e t ir, n e but I only

l ea r ned of the terrible oath they had attached to it , n am e l y t h a t

the y would not divulge it to a.nyone but k e e p e v e ry t h in g secret,

a fte r the death of the f irs t ma n , f o r h e d id not liv e lo n g after,

a n d the other two also d ie d one after the other wit h in a few vears.

The one, howeve r, wh o wa s t h e c h ie f a n d p ro v id e d the means,

could not attend to the I,Ior]< as his trade did not permit it, but

as he had large revenue s a n d wa s a g re a t lo v e r of PJchymia, he did

not mind paying for the other two who were working in the laborator

One of the three was a scholar who had a servant with whom I

b e came acquainted, and f rc n r h im I s e c re t ly le a rn e d wh a t t h e others

htere planning and what they were doing.

Once they used a ra a t e ria wh ic h had to stand c o n t inu a l l y in

a n open fire in front of t h e b e l-lo ws , for t h re e days and nights.

I\so of them stayed with it, When one of them went to sleep, the

o ther rose, and they d i' d t h is c o n t in u a lly for t h re e wh o l- e d a y s a n d

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nig hE . Howeverr they c o u ld not f in d a c ru c ib le that could with-

stand the fire and ke e p t h e ma t e ria that lo n g .

Ithen now this wo rk wa s d o n e , a n d t h e ir ma t e ria h ad i n -

cr ased in the fire as t h e y p re t e n d e d -b e c a u s e they h a d p ut in

2 0 lots and afterwards found 2 1 lo t s -t h e y ju b ila t e d e x c ee d i n g -

Iy'especially in plac e s wh e re t h e best win e a n d t h e mos t d e -

licious beer was to be h a d , a n d b e lie v e d -s in c e the p h ilo -

sop hers write that the n ra t e ria g ro ws in t , h e f ire -t h a t t he y

we r e working vith E he rig h t rn a t e ria a n d wo u L d n o w re a c h the de-

si r ed goal.

Thereforer as the scholar had a cousin in Hoiiand rr'ho

iras sr-i11 a young fel-Low, they agreed to disciose r-he Art to

him, because he was a young nan and could nelp thenr a great

deal with their work. They afso intended to move frorn the 1o-

cality where they were living and settl-e in a big clty of Ger-

irrartf r r€flt a big houser dDd there quietly rrarruf acture Ehe Phiio-

sophers' Stone. Howeverr t.heir project carne to nothing, for

when they invited the cousj-n, in writingr to corne to thern, he

died during the Erip. Furtherr since the one who,provided the

means died firsE, the other tvo could not continue Ehe work.

The second, who had spent all his fortune in lhe laboratory

in the course of long years, died a few years l-ater in great

poverty and debts. The scholar lived for a few years thereaf-

teEr but when one night a glass burst in the fire and he tried

to collect the materia again, he uas infected by many vapoEsr

vhich resulted in an illness and he gave up the ghost two

weeks later.

I also knew a chyrnist who was leading a Christian and

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go dly Iife, judging by h is a p p e a ra n c e . Wh e n h e wa lk e d in the

str eetr however, he alwa y s had one or t wo o f h is a p p re n t i c e s

with him; and when he we n t t o c h u rc h r often s o ma n y g a t he r e d

ar o und him in his peh r t h a t it lo o k e d lik e a s ma ll s wa rrn o f bees.

Th is udsr no doubt, to hear f ro m h im h o w f a r he had got in the

cooking and preparation of h is E lix irr becauser ds I p res u m e r

th e y wished to have a s h a re in it r h a v in g in v e s t e d a ll their

r n o ney in it.

At the time, he hras also one of the guild of fools, he

bought a process based on talcr with which he lost a good part

of his property in the laboratoryr burning it to ashes and dust.

He also gave up his livlihood and businessr so as not to be

hindered in the Work. BuE srnce things did not go as he wished

he began a new business and sold processesr promised huge

mountains of go-1,d, f ed his apprentices with hoper saling that

his 9lork was comiong along fine and would now certainly reach

the desired end. lie confirmed this with such soLemn otaths that

even the wise Solomon would have believed thayt it was the pre-

cise truthr ds otherwise such a sanct.imonious man (according

to wordly appearance) would not have shrorn thus, by all that

is sacred !

He also promised that, if God blessed him with the ac-

complishment of his VJork, he would shor'rer so many gifts on all

that they would not lack anyLhing for the rest of their lives.

Just this man took a walk with me one day in a church.

We were speaking of the Philosophersr Stoner drrd he revealed

to me his nateria. It ltas common rnercuryr oE quicksilver.

I asked him if he meant, the common mercury that could

be bought in a retail shop. He swore by the living God that the

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chymical- philosophers a l1 me a n t t h e c o mmo n me rc u ry and he con-

si dered it the right ma t e ria . T h e mo re I c o n t ra d ic t e d hi r n , t h e

m o re he cursed and, in a d d it io n r g a v € me t o u n d e rs t a n d that the

wh ole A rt consisted me re ly in k n o win g how to shoot d o wn t h e

volatile bird, Mercu ry r so that it wo u id b e c o me t a me an d s u b -

du ed and would not fly out of the gIass. And God's g ra c e had

r evealed t.his to him o win g t o h is in d u s t ry . . . . . B u t far from it!

Even if this man were t , o wo rk wit h q u ic k s ilv e r for severaf

ye ars, he could not p re p a re the P h ilo s o p h e rs ' S L o n e f ro m i t . .

Thereforer my f rie n d , be on your g u a rd a g a in s t t he soph-

i sts and those who de a l in p ro c e s s e s and offer them to others

foc money. Do not hee d t h e ir oaths, b e c a u s e t h e ir s win d le is

a1i .'i-
i es .

For fsooc Hollandus writes in his l/ ineral Work, Book 2,

Chapter 3 that the Universal can be rnade quiie easi.-1-y and a1-
'
m o st Dore easily than a P a rt ic u f a r. In t , h e t h ird p a rt of the in-

te r pretation of the T weI v e K e y s , B o s i I i u s V a l e n t in u s s pe a k s :

"H is rvhi-te spirit is the t ru e r\ e rc u ry of the p h ilo s o p h e rs , which

h a d already been befo re me a n d will a ls o c o me a f t e r in € r w i t , h o u t

w hich the S tone of the p h ilo s o p h e rs and of the G re a t S ec r e t can

not be rnade either as a Un iv e rs a l or a s a P a rt ic u la rr le t alone

a Particular transmut a t io n . And that s p irit is the key Lo the

o p ening of all metals a s we ll a s t h e ir o wn c L o s in g " .

How then can t h e s o p h is t s ' wh o a re d e a lin g wit h pr o c e s s e s

a n d do not know this wh it e s p irit or the iru e P h ilo s o p h ica l I'ler-

cu r y, 1et alone have it r v it h o u ' u wh ic h n o p a rt ic u la r t inc t u r e

ca n bemade, how can t h e y d a re to offer o t h e rs a P a rt ic u l a r fot

m oney and do business wit h it ? I n a s mu c h a s G o d mu s t b e pr a y e d

to for this S ecret S c ie n c e r vJhy do the f o o ls and the g re e d y

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tur n to the needy solp h is t s a n d f ra u d s to le a rn and buy wisdom

fr or n them, seeing that wis d o m a n d u n d e rs t a n d in g a re not to be

fou nd anywhere except wit h God?

Because God has given me a sincere heart which loves

justice and truthr I am deeply grieved when I hear that the

simple of heart are led on a wild goosechase by the sophists

and cheated out of a great deal of money. Just such a case of

fraud occurred a few years ago in a big comr'lerciaf city in Ger-

rnanyr when someone who did not ref lect much was so rnuch inf lu-

enced by and old craftyr €Vil chemical swindler that he was

cheated out of several undred Reichsthafer (old Gerrnan doLlars),

believing that he would get Ehe white tincture. The cheat be-

carlre flrghty, leaving orily his laboratory and instruments to

his sponsor, so that the latter rnight pursue the art further.

It has also been publicly acknowleCge, in print, how the

Frenchman l.Ii chael Pot ter carried on a real trade with the know-

ledge of Ehe Phi lcsophers' Stone t off ering i"r to l-overs of the

Art in printed booksr and <;ffering under certain conditions

and for specific sums of iiloneyr to reveal its materia and pre-

paration both from the Light of Nature and fronr testimonies of

the Philosophers. Yet he himself, even in his 81st year of oger

knew neither its materia nor its preparation!

NvertheL€ssr he insult.ed and derided those who had been

cheated by him and who complained that he had sold them nothing

but lies, with a public Apology dedicated to the Roman Emporor

although he had neither seen the Stone in his lifetime nor

learned nor heard anything definite of it. It is indeed ridicu-

Lous that in his Veredario Hermetico which he dedicated in the

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year 1622 to the famo u s P h ilo s o p h e r-A d e p t s Mic h a e l s e n d iv o -

gr u s, A lexander S edoniu s a n d G u g lie lmo Ho milt o n r a ll t h ree of

vr hom had given evident p ro o f of t h e ir k n o wle d g e b y t i. , : . . l a n y

pr o jections that E hey d id , c a llin g h irn s e lf in the p re f a c e ,

the ir colleague and as s o c ia t e in the s a c re d s c ie n c e r dnd dared

to say: video enim horn fn f p le b e jo & rn e c h a n ic o me lru s este, quam

m i hi.That is: I see th a t a wo rk ma n f a re s better than I. By this

the vanity and stupidit y of t h is s u p p o s e d p h ilo s o p h e r c an b e

se nsed suf f icientl-y.

I also remenbe r a fast t ric k wh e re b y r at a v e ry disin-

gu ished pIace, a cunn in g g o J . d ma k e r c h e a t e d a v e ry a rt is t ic , but

ver y cLever, lover o" the A rL o u t of 6 0 0 Re ic h s t h a le r. To suc-

cee d in his p1an, he c o n v in c e d the lo v e r of the A rt / t ha t he

ha d beeu r-aught that Wo rk b y Div in e P ro v id e n c e , v rh ic h e na b l e d

giIT , to gain f our duca t s ( o ld g o j-d c o in s ) o u r of e v e ry s il v e r

lla r kr dnd if this work h ' e re p e rf o rme d in q u a n t it y , ir- wou l _ d

yi eld an enormous annu a l- in c o rn e . He a ls o o f f e re d to s h o r, ' h i s

spo nsor such a Work, wh e n h e wo u ld c o n f irm the t ru t h of what he

h a d said by the Work it s e lf . T h e re u p o n r e v e ry t h in g that was

ne cessary was provided, the g o ld wa s e p a ra y t e d , tested an d w a s

fo u nd to be genuine!

The sponsorr being a s ma rt rn d n r t o wh o m t h e k n a v is h tricks

an d juggklery of ihe c u rre n t g o ld ma k e rs a n d a rc h s win d le rs were

no t unknownr did not t ru s t h is a s s e rt io n a n d s e c re t ly set up a

fu r nace in the ceLlarr wh e re h e d u p lic a t e d h is wo rk a n d d i d

eve rything exactly as t h e other had done the p re v io u s day. The

ch e at smelled a rat a n d n o t ic e d that h is sponsor had undertaken

some project and was wo rk in g in s e c re t . He t h e re f o re approached

-8 0 -
th e spnsor's servant b o y a n d a s k e d h im wh a t h e a n d h is

m a ster hlere working on. He g a v e h im a Re ic h s t h a le r and in re-

tur n the boy took him t o the c e lla r o n e d a y wh e n h is mas t e r

an d mistress were at c h u rc h . He s h o we d h g im t h e f u rn a c e and

the glass into whic h the c u n n in g s win d le r p o u re d s o me t h i n g r

( n o doubt some calcine d gotd in a n a mo u n t p ro p o rt io n a l to the

g la ss! ) thereby trickin g h is s P o n s o r.

when the alchen ry is t h a d re f in e d , s e p a ra t e d a n d t es t e d

his prepared silbverr the f o llo win g day the sponsor a ls o refin-

ed , separated and test , e d the o n e h e h a d wo rk e d a t in the cell-

d.t t in the P resence of v a rio u s g o o d f rie n d s a n d f o v e rs of the

Ar E and obtained go o d g o ld . T h e re u p o n h e n o lo n g e r doubted

th a t the A rt was right and that h e c o u ld b e a s ric h a s he w i s h e d .

fn honor of his ma s t e rr the sponsor a rra n g e d a big ban-

quetr dDd after paying him the required 600 Reichsthaler, ac-

cornpanied him, together with many of his good friends, oD his

way home.

After thisr when he undertook the V{ork in great quantityr

the materia in the glass btas immediately ignited and flew out.

Thus t af five Marks of silver, two were ruined. NeverEheless,

he continued preparing, refining and separating the rest accord-

ing to the process and did not obtain anything. This did not

move nor anger himr as he thought, that the Art had noi been

applied correctlfr that the fire had been too strongr dnd that

he had to do things the right way. Thereupon he began again,

preceding more cautiouslyr and did everything as the process

demanded.

When the work was finished, the silver refined and separ-

-8 1 -
a tedr oot, a grain of, g o ld vas to be seen or re a d y to come out

of the silver. E xpens e s r t ime a n d e f f o rt r aII we re lo s t . The

Ar t ltas a forgeryr the sponsor rJ a s c h e a t e d and the 600 Reichs-

tha ler, let alone the other costs, had been spent in vain and

pu t into the greedy hands of a s win d le r.

This is uhy fle d g lin g lo v e rs of t h is p ra is e wo rt h y Sci-

e n ce must take great c a re not to b e lie v e anyone nho boasts of

this A rtr offering to d iv u lg e it to o t h e rs for a p ric e ' for

w hoever knoss the A rt , does not offer it . t o e v e ry o n e . L et all

ke e p this in mind-

And it is to be noted that those who boast cf the Art

are not only themselves poor devils and beggars, but also try

to ruj.n others bes.de themse.Lv€sr by intentionally pretending

to be in possession of great knowledge and art, whereby, in

addition to solemn oaths, they mislead other honest persons,

rob thern and often reduce them to beggary. Yes, they cause them

to be laughed at, derided and jeered at on account of their

great stupidity of having beLieved such cheats and sophists-

Those cheats brag and vaunt how they can turn so much

copper into silver Marksr dnd so much silver into gold. Like-

wiser how they know a precious process of augmentationr and how

they have a fixed T,una and can make a right pors cum par te. But

to tell the truthr dIl that they can bring about is that kind

of transformation of metals that causes those who believe them

to losee everything of value.

I now remenber a citizen of a big cit,y who vtas fairly

wealthy, and had a good business. He HESr in additionr dn honest

craftsmamn. Because he rJas very ingeniousr he dared to invent a

perpetum mobile to calculate the hitherto unknown longitude of

-8 2 -
Eh e s€or by which he n o t o n ly s q u a n d e re d mu c h t ime , but also

m o ney. Neverthe.less, h a v in g e n c o u n t e re d the writ in g s of Sendr-

vo gius during one of h is t rip s , h e d a re d to p u z z le out ihe se-

cr e at discourses of t,he author a n d a ls o the ma n u f a c t u re the

Phiiosophers' S tone. g lh e n h e h a d p ro d u c e d a f a irly la rg e amount

of his supposed S p f r i t u s llu n d f b y c o n s t a n t ly b re a t , h in g into a

gla ss curcurbiter he f in a l1 y , after a lo n g c o c t io n of it , ob-

tained a hard materia, lik e b o ra x r wh ic h s e rv e d a s mu c h t o the

tr a nsmutation of metais as the ma t e ria of wh ic h it wa s m a d e .

B y this useLes s a n d wo rt h le s s wo rk h e g o t so far he was

o b lied t.o leave his h o u s e a n d h o me a n d s u p p o rt h irn s e lf ab r o a d

a s a mendacious sophis t a n d s wiu n d le r, f in a lly to d ie in great

po vercy.

From thisr on€ can see that this valuable science cannot

be found and inastered by just anyoner dnd it is advisable that

a rrlan who is not cailed to it by special inspiration of God

either refrain entirely from it oc aive it up in gocd tir ne af-

ter a few attempts.

Because I have seen, heaErd and experoenced that so many

of high and low rank have been taken in and shainefully Ceceived

by the sophists, whereby this noble Artr whose power and virtue

cannot be ext,olled sufficientlyr has fallen into contempt, I

have been moved by God and the love I owe ny fellow man, to

write this preface against the sophists and to Lrarn the simple

sheep against. the cunning wolves in sheep I s clot,hing.

Note well what King Geber wrote in his other book.. Sum-

ma llagni & Perf ecti Mogisteri i r Chapter 30, about the Sons of

tJisdom and the sons of roguishness. His words are as follows:

"TherefoE€r 1rou Sons of I'Jisdomr se€k this vonderful gift of God

-8 3 -
w i th great pains. B u t y o u u n wis e , you sons of ro g u e ry and pre-

su motious wickednessr a v o id t h is A rt r b e c a u s e it is your enemy

an d it is against you a n d will d riv e y o u in t , o wre t c h e d n es s and
p o vertyr because this g if t of G o d is h id d e n b y Div in e provi-

de nce and is denied an d re f u s e d y o u b y His ju d h g e me n t " .

Further, there a re a rs o other p e rs o n s wh o ma y s e l r have

r e ad a great deal abou t t h is Div in e A rt buE have not wo r k e d i n

the laboratory or ass id u o u s ly imp lo re d God to re v e a l it to them.

They adopt another wd f r a n d t ra v e l f ro m o n e c o u n t , ry to another
an d from one town to a n o t h e r, d rrd a re lik e b lo o d h o u n d s in in-
q u :.ring and investigati n g r t ry in g to f e rre t . out a n d s t a rk some
g a me (i.e.,meaning a t ru e p h ilo s o p h e r or teacher of the philo-

so phersrS tone) out of wh o m t h e y mig h t f is h s o me t h in g by dis-

cu ssingr contradicting, a rg u in g a n d q u e s t io n in g .

These highiy in t e rlig e n t p e o p le p ro b a b ly have not read

wh at Hermes wrote in h is liL t le book: 7 c a p . rc h a p t e r r: "But r
t'r i s h to ask a1l. Childr e n of I t is d o m, by our benefact.or I,Jhois
giving us t,he honor o f His G ra c e r Do t t o d iv u rg e the name of
this S tone to any foo l , L g n o ra n t or ru d e p e rs o n " .

Thomas A quf nos : " De a r B ro t h e r, By your e a rn e s t prayers

you have persuaded me t o t e ll y o u s o rn e t h in g u n d e rs t a n d a b le of

o u r A rt and great, S ci e n c e r dnd f a m e a rn e s t ly p ra y in g you to

kee p your mouth closed and not to t a lk about these t h in g s , ' .

A rnold of V illa n o v a in the Ro s o riu m P h ilo s o p h o ru m: Book 2,

ch a pter 32: "B ut you wh o o b t a in t h is b o o k mu s t f a it h f u lly pre-

ser ve it and not rveal it to anyoner mu c h le t it f a lr int o the

ha n ds of the godl€ssr b e c a u s e it c o n t a in s the c o rn p le t e secret

of secrets of the phil o s o p h e rs a n d it is not p ro p e r that such

-8 4 -
a nobi.e pearl be cast b e f o re the s o ws a n d t h e u n wo rt h y r since

it is an exceedingly g re a t g if t of G o d r wh ic h G o d a lo n e gives

an d vitholds from who me v e r He wis h e s " .

That is rlhy tho s e p e o p le go to a g re a t deal of trouble

an d expense in a futile a t t e mp t to t ra c k d o wn a n d f in d a true

ph ilosopher in order to le a rn the A rt f ro m h irn . F o r wh o e v e r

kn ows something that is g o o d a n d re a r wilr p ro b a b iy not revear

it to thern. Naturallyr f ro m h im wh o k n o ws n o t h in g , t,hey cannot

l ea rn anything either.

They may obtain one advantage f ro m iE , n a rn e ly t h a t they

will have an opportuni t y to s e e ma n y a b e a u t f iu r p h ilo s o p h i c a l

b o ok, hieroglyphic figu re s a n d v a rio u s f u rn a c e s in the houses

of those who know this s a c re d S c ie n c e a n d A rt .

B ut that they c o u lC f in d out about the s u b je c t o f. t h e

taa teria r the P hilosophic a l. F ire , the [ { o rk o f the A rt r t he corn-

p o sition and what eise p e rt a in s to it , upon that those feilows

ca nnot count at ail. E v e n if they t ra v e ie d t h rc u g h the whoLe

w or ld with B ernard of T re v is o and Johannes Pontano, they would

ye t find only just, as n u c h a s t h e s e t wo p h ilo s o p h e rs f o un d and

tr acked down, by their o wn a d mis s io n .

Hermes, Geber, a n d other p h ilo s o p h e rs writ e that th e y re-

ceived this A rt soiely f ro m G o d . G e b e r, Bock It Ch a p t e r 7z "Our

Ar t stands within the p o lre r of G o d . He g iv e s it to $ rh o m e v e r H e

wishesr oDd vitholds it f ro m wh o me v e r He wis h e s . He wh o i s on

H i gh, ful1 of 91ory, goodness a n d ju s t ic e . " B o s r l iu s Valerit inus:

"th e sophists will re ma in a s s e s a n d s t u p id f o o ls t ill the illum-

ination follovs, which does not happen without Gods' wi1I".

Th eophrastus P aracelsu s writ e s in h is d iv in e b o o k le t L la n u a l 9T

- 85-
th e P hiIosophers' S ton e : " t t o b o d y c a n u n d e rE s n a d that Divi n e

Ar canum without the D iv in e t { ir1 " . J o h a n n d e F o n t in a : " He r e -

plied to me that the s c ie n c e is a g if t of G o d r g iv e n t h ro u g h

an d insp:-red intor rnd n . rt

Therefore, this Science must be acquired soIely from

God by praying, seeking and knocking.

Because some of these men also correspond wiCh great

Lordsr seeking to acquire high honors and great presl-ige with

them, I am of the opi nion that they rrrust imagine that if they

could hunt out such a high arcanum and super-abundant gift of

Godr and vould cornrTrunicate it t,o such a great lord, they woufd

receive great gifts from him in addition to a gold chain and an

allowance. f sincerely warn the bloodhcunds who are hotding

such views to desist from their preconceived opinions, lesE by

Godrs ordarnrnent they obtain a chain such as Judas Iscariot re-

ceived in reward fro betraying the heavenly and annoinr-ed cor-

nerstone Jesus Christ, Eo the high priests.

For God the Lord does not wish at all thaL such a deeply

hidden and Drvine SecreL be revealed and known to the whole

vorld. Although, in the words of Bernard of Treviso, Book 4, it

lies nbefore the eyes of the wqho;le wporldi t.he whole worl_dr

nevertheless, does not know it. From this ve may easily conclude

that God cornmunicates it, and reveals it only through His Grace

and llercy to those vhom He deems worthy of it and has destined

for it in His Divine Providence, as we learn from the verses

of Johanne-s Ti c ino:

LAPIS CANDENS FIT EX TRIBUS

NULLI DATRI NISI QUIBUS
DEI FIT SPIRAMINE:
EX I.IATRI S VENTRE OUOS BEAV I T
ET HANC AD ARTEIq DEST I NAVI T
SACROSJ SP I RAMI NE .

-86-
 B ut from those wh o a re p o s s e s s e d of a v a ric e and greed,
th e Lord hides it, sp t h a t they a re b lin d wit h s e e in g eyes. rf
th ey only first sough t the K in g d o rn o f God and the L o rd r their
eyes would be opened a n d t h e L o rd wo u ld d o t h e m t h e f a v or of
illu minat,ing their und e rs E a n d in g r so as to e n a b le t h e m to colnp-
r e hend the writings of the o ld wis e rn o rrr a s is attested to by
the most wise K ing S o lo mo n r p ro v e rb s 2gtz"Those wh o s e e k t h e
Lo r d understand al1 t h in g s " . And the 34th p s a lm s a y s : ,'Those

w ho seek the Lord do n o t la c k a n y t h in g , ' .

lrith rvhat eag e rn e s s a n d e v o t io n the o rd p h iro s o p h e r

Nfc olos Flamell sought the L o rd G o d ma y b e s e e n f ro m h is book
wh ere he b'rites that o n c e h e o b t a in e d a n o ld g ilt bookr Dot rnade
of parchment or paper b u t , s o it s e e me d t o f the tender ba r l c o f
a young tree. on the f irs t p a g e t h e re stocd, in ia rg e gilt let-
ter sz A braham the Jew , p t rin c e , p rie s t a n d L e v it e r a s t ro l o g e r
an i phiJ-osopher r wish e s L u c k a n d p ro s p e rit y to the J e -* s s c a t t -
er e d in France through the wra t h of Goc". ? h is wa s f o llo w e d by
cur ses and itnprecation s wit h the of ten re p e a t e d wo rd , ' l{ ar a n a t h "
o ve r anyone vho would c a s t h rs eyes upon that bookr u n l. es s h e
we r e a priest oc scribe .

The Jew A braha m c u rs e d a ll those wh o wo u ld ro o k upon

h is book, from which they c o u ld not le a rn a n y t h in g anyhow with-
out God I s P rovioence a n d in s p ira t io n , because the . \ rt wa s d e -
scr ibed therein in hie ro g ly p h ic s a n d v e ile d wo rd s r G ls Nic o l o s
FIameIl bears r.ritness t o .

He says that alt h o u g h h e wa s in p o s s e s s io n of the book

a n d had discussed it wit h le a rn e d p e rs o n s , h e c o u ld not l_earn
a n ything from it in 2r y e a rs u n t it G o d f in a lly g ra n t e d hi s re-

-9 7 -
qu e st after his return f ro m s t . J a c o b wh e re h e h a d f u lf illed

his vow with great de v o t . io n and then s t u d ie d a n d wo rk e d ia the

la b oratory for fuIIy t h re e mo re y e a rs .

That this highl y p ra is e wo rt h y A rt c a n in n o wa y b e s o l d

fo r money is attested to b y ma n y p h ilo s o p h e rs . John de Fortina
w r i tes as forlows: "rt is a lmo s t a c iv in e mira c ie a n d n ot h i n g
is founo under heaven t h a t has the s a me e f f e c t , wh i. c h is exper-
ie n ced by the pro het s a n < l n a t u ra L s c ie n t is t s . o n ly , ii is dif-
fi culL to look for it because of the poLent,ates a n d g re a t lordsr
although it r.ray be sou g h t in g o o d c o n s c ie n c e . That is nhy the
wise loved it so much t h a t they c u rs e c those wh o d iv u lg e d it".
The llaterstone_eI _ J h e l/ is e 3 " rn a d d it io n r lo u s h o u- r - d r e -
menrber ancl we-Ll considelt.ha! you nrust not, by your body t le- sr

by the loss of your eternal- welfare and sal.vationr E€v€dl that

secret' to anyone urrworthy or godl€ss r nuch l-ess cornrnunicate i t

and let hin benefit from it; in shortr that ?ou wrll not abuse

it buE appry it only to the honor of God and in no way for your

orfn fame. "

John of Padua: "Hide it also as r have kept it secretr

and do not reveal it indiscreetly, to prevent it by alr means

from getting into the hands of powerful and hardhearted rn€rrr

so that you may not incure eternal- damnation. Arso: it is not

Godr s I'JirL that t.his great treasure should be imparted to the

high powerful lords and potentates".

Fra. Bosil ius valentinus in his preface to the TweLfth

Key: "And even if r wished to rebveal to you morer cut of Love,

the creator has forbidden me to do so. Therefore it is not pro-

per for me to speak more about thisr so that the gift of the

supreme not be mis-used and r not be the cause of ( someone's )

-8 8 -
committing a mortal s in , a n d I d ra w u p o n me G o d ' s wra t h and

l r i th the others incur a n e t e rn a lr u n e n d in g p u n is h me n t " .

Rosoriumi "In the a rt of o u r ma s t e rp i€ c € r the philo-

sophers have not hidd e n a n y t h in g except t h e w s e c re t p ie c e of

th e A rt which no one mu s t , d iv u lg e . F o r wh o e v e r wo u ld do sor

wo uld be accursed and d ra w u p o n h ims e lf G o d , s wra t h and die

of a stroke".

B os r I f us V aI en t in u s in T h e T riu mp h a l Ch o rio t of An t i m o n y :

"For iE is certain an d t ru e , f o rs o o t h r that n o g o d le s s can ob-

ta in the true rnedicine , rlu c h le s s taste the rig h t unchangeable

b r e ad of Heaven of et e rn it y " .

A ristotle says in h is S e c re t f s S e c re t o ru m that he is a

b r e aker of the Heaven ly S e a l who divulges the secrecy of Nature

a n d the A rt.

The reason why I have presented so many arguments, vhy I

have shown and proven that alr Erue philosophers have raid a

curse on all who think of divulging and vulgarizlng the sacred

science, is so that the magnates should no longer alrow them-

selves to be fooled by the sophists and crooks, that the simple-

tons and fools should beconre wiserr and that the bloodhounds

should refrain from tracking down this secreE Science, because

no philosopher is permitted to make a gift of this precious

jewel or golden crown with a purple cap to the unworthy and to

corwn them with itr and they leave it, to God to reveal it to

whomever He wishesr ds we may read in FlameLlr Chapter 2.

As I also know, that not all disciples and lovers

of this very praiseworthy Science know Latin, in which most

b o o ks written about it a re p u b lis h e d , f h a v e c o p ie d t h is treat-

-8 9 -
by Johan Ticinensis, wh o is supposed to h a v e b e e n a p rie s t in

th e kingdom of B ohemi a , h a v in g liv e d about 300 y e a rs ag o ,

a very learned rrdnr ex p e rie n c e d in the A rt . I h a v e h a d it copied

a s well and clearly as c o u ld b e b y a n e x p e rie n c e d c h y mis t frorn

a n d old manuscript, dat e d I4L2t v t it t e n q u it e ille g ib ly in Hunich

w r i t,ing, and translated f ro m t h e L a t in v e rs e s in t o u n d e rs t a n d -

a b le German. S eeing as h o w t h a t b o o k o r p ro c e s s a g re e d with the

o ld true philosophers but had never been put in t o p rin t r I

w i shed to have it print e d for the u s e a n d b e n e f it of the Sons

of the Doctrine.

The second booklet has been written by a learned monk

experienced in the .\rtr Antonfus de Abbatia, who Iived ap-

proximately after the death of Lully. He appied himself to

the Art by steady reflection and work in the laboratory and he

finalJ-y reached the desired end of his quesi by consr-ant pray-

ing, meditating and working. He wished to leave to the other

monks the information contained iir his book, the like of which

can only be found in the writings of a true philosopher, which

has to be especia).ly noted here. (NB: Anton Abbatia can be

translated as "Anthony the Churchgoer". The same can be said for

Anton Kirchweger. Interesting! - HWN)

It for my partr c o n s id e r it a writ in g such as few can be

se e n, fewer are written a n d s t ill f e we r u n d e rs t o o d or re m e m b e r -

ed . hlhen I received it f ro m a g o o d f rie n d wh o is e x p e rie n c e d in

the reading of these A rt -b o o k s r I d id not wis h to k e e p it for

m yself alone but vant, e d t o c o mn u n ic a t e it r t ra n s la t e d f ro m L a t i n

in t,o German, to other students of the A rt , s h o d o n o t know Latin

( Ju st as I had it tran s la t e d f ro m G e rma n , f o c the s a me re a s o n s !

fIWN.) and to make it k n o wn t , h ro u g h a p u b lic p rin t in g . I did

-9 0 -
 no t doubt that by ca re f u lly re f le c t in g they wo u ld f in a lLy know
th e purpose of the mo n k a n d wh a t is in v o lv e d in the goal of
th e A rt.

The third boo k le t h ra s v rit t e n b y a le a rn e d E n g lis h m a n ,

Edoardus K elloeus (N n : n o t in c lu d e d in the R. A . M. s . e d it i o n as it
is available elsewher e in E n g lis h r i . e . , p u b lis h e d b y Wei s e r - I l [ , / N )
famous in the previous c e n t , u ry r Hh o liv e d in p ra g u e in I59lr to-
g e ther with another le a rn e d E n g lis h ma n , J o h n De e , wh o s e b p o k
ca n be seen in the T h e a t ru m c h y mic u m. He liv e c at the t im e of
Emperor Rudoiph, for wh o m h e t in g e d s o mu c h a n d s o o f t e n on ac-
count of the many proje c t io n s h e h a s lrra d e . B u t h e $ ra s im p r i s o n -

ed by E nperor Rudoplh, I don't, k n o w wh y , a n d lJ a s k e p t in the

cast.l.e of zobessrau.upo n h is g re a t p ro mis € s r h e wa s re L ea s e d
fr o m prison, but as he d id not k e e p h is p ro mis € s r h e wa s a r r e s t , -
e d again and taken to Ca s t le B e y z e m, t we L v e mile s b e h in d praguer

w here he ivrote this b o o k a n d d e d ic a t e d it to E rn p e ro r Ru d o l p h .

Bu t when he trieC to b re a k out of p ris o n r u s in g ro p e s to ler_
himserf down from a win d o w wit h the h e lp of h is c o u n t ry me n r
his impatience caused h im t o b e d is c o b v e re d b y a s e n t ry and red
ba ck to the previous p ris o n wh e re , in s p it e of the e f f o rt s of
th e physicians and surg e o n s , h e c ie d in 1 5 9 7 . 4 2 y e a rs and a
fe w months of age.

A side from thisr they c a n re jo ic e wit h me t , o h e a r and

fi nd in t,he German la n g u a g e t wo G e rma n p h iro s o p h e rs of this Di-
vin e A rt (as it is calre d b y K in g G e b e r, in h is book SummoMag-

ni g P erfecti Magisteriir B o o k rr chapter rr), as nay not easily

be found in another f o re ig n la n g u a g e . T h e f irs t is F ra t e r Bos-
i l i us V alentrnus of the O rd e r of St. B e n e d ic t . The other is

-9 1 -
Ph t I ippus Theophros t u s v o n Ho e n h e im ( P a ra c e ls u s . )

Regarding the f irs t , h e h a s writ t e n s o b e a u t if u ily and

cl earry and described the wh o le p ro c e s s of the G re a E s t o n e of

th e age-old wise men f ig u ra t iv e ly a n d in the ma n n e r o f th e old

ph ilosophersr that in t h is n o o n e c a n e a s ily me a s u re u p t o him.

H e himself writes in ma n y p la c e s that h e h a s writ t e n as clearly

an d explicitly as no o n e h a d Co n e b e f o re h im.

A s it is, he h a s n o t o n ly d e s c rib e d the wh o le p roc e s s

fig uratively for the Sons of V t is d o m, f illin g t h e ir e a rs with

p le asant words and si rn ilie s r butr so that t h e ir e y e s mig h t also

b e enterr--ained, he ha s v e ry a rt is t ic a lt y p a in t e d the G rea t V'lorl<

in beauLiful hieroglyph ic f ig u re s for the yes of the Sons of

the Doctriner according to t h e ma n n e r a n d c u s t o m o f the old

p h ilosophersr such as L c mp e rt S p rin g (L a mb s p rin g l< ), a n ob l e

G ermanr dod A braham th e J e wt a P rin c e r p rie s r- a n d L e v it e r both

of vhich philsophers a re c it e d b y Nic o la s F lo n e ll in h is book.

( H e did this) so that the wa y t o the f o u n t a in of h e a lt h and

we alth might- be found a n d t , h e d o o rs of the g re a t p h ilo s o p h e r s '

Sto ne be more easily opened.

AmonE the philosophers hardly any is to be found who

placed the materia, the furnace with the vessels, Ehe weights

and colors so masterly before our eyes as he has done and has

depicted so correctly.

Truer other philosophers have also written about it but

one either omitted thisr another thatr ErDd described it incom-

pletely. Yesr rraot being envious have written in a totally mis-

leading mannerr of which Valentinus can reasonably not be ac-

cused. This is why f most highly recommend the writings of this

blessed man to the disciples and lovers of this sacred and DiY-

-9 2 -
in e A rt- It, is to be h o p e d t h a t wh o e v e r u n d e rs t a n d s them will

pr o bably not understan d the writ in g s of a ll t ru e p h ilo s o ph e r s

w ho did not wriE ,e soph is t ic a lly out of e n v y a n d illwill as some

did , and will at last re a c h the d e s ire d g o a l.

In regard to the e x c e lle n t p h ilo s o p h e r P h ilt p p u s Theo-

Ph r ostus P aracelsus, h € h a s wriit e n v e ry b e a u t if u lly of the

p r ima materia of netals r wh ic h a lo n e acts wiE h in aII things

an d maintains thern, in h is b o o k e n E it le d : S e c re t u m Ma g n um d e

La pi.de P hi losophorum, in wh ic h r a mo o g o t h e rs r h e a ls o philo-

so p hizes wonderfully on the c re a lio n of the g re a t a n C lit t l e

wo r lds. Howeverr he ha s n o t d e s c rib e d t h e p re p a ra t io n of the

Ph iJ-osophersf S tone alo n g the lin e s of the other wis e me n b u t

exp resses himself diffe re n t ly r in a v e ry h ig h a n d p ro f o u n d vo!r

b y which he reveals th e t ru t h . A S o n o f I ' J is d o m c a n n o t ic e it r

p r o vided he completely u n d e rs t a n d s the a f o re me n t io n e d Gerrnan

p h ilosopher (V al-entinu s ) a n d o t h e rs . E ls e it is d if f ic u lL and

ha r d to learn anything f ro m h im. O f t h is d if f ic u lt y of the Art

h e himself writes:

"ft is not easy for a ma n t o a t t a in E,o the u n c h a n g e a b le know-

le d ge of these three ma in p o in t s t h ro u g h h is d ilig e n c e and in-

telligencer dnd he ca n g o lrro n g in a t ric e . He mu s t re c e i v e his

i nstruction orally from a t ru e ma s t e r r o t e ls e the wo rk w i l l be

ver y unbcertain, for it re q u ire s lo n g e x p e rie n c e together with

a great knowledge of a ll n a t u ra l c re a t u re s . F o r h o w ma n y a r e

th e re who take to this A rt a n d s p e n d ma n y y e a rs b e f o re t.hey

fi nd the right materia or s u je c t of the t in c t u re . And even if

th e y did find themr a win d a ris e s e a s ily wh ic h will k n o ck them

d o wn and confuses them s o t h a t they cannot e a s ily d e c id e (what

-9 3 -
co urse to follow). A nd e v e n if they h a v e c o n q u e re d the first

Ca pul (head)' the sea rc h for the other h e a d s is v e ry painful.

In additionr the right , s t o rm-win d s b e g in wh e n t h e P re p a rat i o n

is to be doner becaus e in t h is A rt n o t h in g is s o s e c re t as the

Pr eparation. Nowhere a re the p h ilo s o p h e rs so confused as vhen

th e y are dealing wit,h t h e P re p a ra t io n t for o n it depends the

wh ole foundation of th is c o n s t ru c t io n . and the mo re f re q ue n t l y

a man looks at the me re L e t t e rs of t h is c h a p t , e rr the mo r e h e

is lead int,o a wrong wa y . . . . ".

Since then this high excellent secret is all a gift of

God and cannot be easily investigated with one's ovrn intelli-

gencer riluch less learned from a sophist by a purchased pEocessr

and can hardly be obtained from a true philosopherrs oral- re-

portr I will in conclusion exhort aI-t lovers and Sons of Wisdom

to Cirect in this tVork all their sense and thoughtsr projects

and actions to these three points: l- earnest prayerT 2. fre-

quent carefull reading of proven vritings; 3. sork done ac-

cording t,o Nature. Let that be enough for them.

W ith which f c o mn re n d t h e m t o the lo v e of God and His

g r a cious government a n d p ro t e c t io n .

P raise be to th e S u p re rn e a n d Mig h t ie s t G o d Wh o h a s c r e -

a ted this A rt and Who m it h a s p le a s e d to re v e a l it Lo God-fear-

in g men. To Him be pra is e a n d g lo ry , f ro m n o w t o e t e rn it y r A l t E N .

May the grace of o u r L o rd J e s u s Ch ris t b e wit h all of usr

Am en. P raise be to Go d O mn ip o t e n t . L a u s De o O mn ip o t e n t !

Ho wHAPPY ARE THOSE

I,lHoACOUIRE THIS GIFT OF GOO.
THeY DO NOT SEEK ANY MORE
THnruTHE HONOR OF GON
T He v LAUGH AT A GREAT GL I TTER.

-9 4 -
 S EG FI ETS
of the

S T ON G oefhe W l Se

The beginning of the h e a v e n ly s c ie n c e is the fear of the

Lo r d . The goal, howev e r, is the lo v e of our n e ig h b o r: endow-

in g churches and poorho u s e s , So that wh a t we h a v e re c e iv e d

fr om God be rendered back to Him a g a in ; after that, a ls o help-

in g our suffering and a f f lic t e d n a t iv e c o u n t ry ; f re e in g pr i s o n -

er s and assisting the poor and needy.

The tight of this s c ie n c e is a g if t of G o d wh ic h His Grace

b e stows upon whomever He wis h e s . T h e re f o re , n o o n e s h o u ld un-

d e r take it unless he h a s p re v io u s ly t h o ro u g h ly c le a n s e d hi s

he a r t, purified it of a ll mu n d a n e t h in g s or t h e ir c ra v in g s , com-

p le tely surrendered to G o d , a n d le f t e v e ry t h in g to Him.

The science of mak in g t h e P h ilo s o p h e rs ' Stone is a pe r f e c t

sci ence of Nature and t h e A rt wh ic h teaches the k n o wle d g e of

m etals. Its practice c o n s is t s in the d is s o lu t io n a n d in v es t i g a -

ti on of the beginnings f ro m wh ic h t h e me t a ls a re b o rn , in order

to r eunite and recombine t h e m o n a mu c h h ig h e r a n d mo re p e r f e c t

le ve l than they were forme rly , so that they re s u lt in a general

m ed icine for raising im p e rf e c t me t a ls a n d c u rin g a1I b o d ily sick-

n e sses no matter which.

-9 5 -
 Those who are sitt in g in h ig h h o n o rs a n d p o s it io n s r Ers
a l- so those who are he a v e n ly b u rd e n e d wit h t h e ir o h rn n e c e s s a r y
a ffa irs and must atten d to t h e m, s h o u ld not endeavor to reach
for the perfection of t h is A rt , for it re q u ire s the wh o le m a n
fo r itserf alone. Idhe n it has got h im, wh e n h e h a s d e d ic a t e d
h im serf artogether to the L o rd a n d t h is A rt , it re mo v e s h i m
fr om all other affairs a n d s t u d ie s , c a u s in q h im t o t h in k no-
th in g of any of them.

whoever wishes to devote h ims e lf to t h is A rt mu s t f ir s t

cl ea n out and purify h is h e a rt of a ll h a rmf u l a n d e v il_ t h i n g s ,
such as vanity which is a n a b o min a t io n to God, an open portal
to heII. Let him pray f re e u e n t ly , s h o w lo v e to h is n e ig h b o r ,
cr a ve no worldly things , a v o id the c o mp a n y o f other p e rs o n s ,

be solitary and still so that h is min d b e a l-r t h e mo re f r e e

a n d unhindered to inve s t ig a t e , re f le c t , me d it a t e , a n d a ls o be
e le vated all the more. For if the lig h t is not il_ I u min a t ed or
kin d led by the rays of the d iv in e p o we r, it cannot p e n e t ra t e

thr o ugh these secrets.

The alchemists wh o h a v e f ille d t h e ir min d wit h in n u m e r a b l e

su b l-imations, distillation s , d is s o ru t io n s , c o n g e ra t io n s , with
m a n y extracts and tinctu re s of s p irit s and other mo re s u b t l - e

th a n useful- operations, and have confused it wit h a lmo s t count-

l ess errors, can never a t t a in to the s imp re wa y o f Na t u re or

the light of truth unde r t h e ir o wn s t e a m, f ro m wh ic h t h e ir all

too laborious subtlety h a s d iv e rt e d t h e m a n d t h ro wn t h e ir senses

i nto various temptation s a n d wro n g t ra c k s . T h e ir h o p e is set

-96-
so1 ely on a leader and f a it h f u l g u id e wh o wo u ld c le a n s e their

ob scured eyes to enable them to see the b rig h t ly s h in in g sun

of truth.

A begJ.nner in this A rt wh o is in t e llig e n t , s t a b le a nd

no t vacillating, who is eager to le a rn the p h ilo s o p h y , is also

exp e rienced in physics, is of a Du re h e a rt , honest min d , and

also totally devoted to God 1et such a one, e v e n if he is

in e xperienced in the Ch y mic a l A rt , c o n f id e n t ly a n d wit h o u t

d o u b ting begin this wo rk , d ilig e n t ly re a d the books of t he

g e n u ine philosophers, fook for a h a rd -wo rk in g a s s is t a n t , and

h e need thus not doubt re a c h in g the d e s ire d re s u lt .

Let him be wary o f and shun the f a ls e , d e c e it f u l p h il o s o -

p h e r s, avoid reading t h e ir b o o k s o r a s s o c ia t in g wit h them. For

n o matter what art he wis h e s to le a rn , n o t h in g is mo re h a r m f u l

a n d dangerous for a ma n t h a n to a s s o c ia t e wit h in e x p e rie n ce d ,

fal- se and deceitful he a d s , f ro m wh o m h e h e a rs lie s in s t e a d of

th e truth, and by whom wro n g o p in io n s a n d e rro rs a re in f u s e d

in to a trusting, sincere a n d g o o d min d .

A man who loves and seeks the t ru t h s h o u ld d ilig e n t ly read

a fe w books but only the best, wh ic h a re p ro v e n , s in c e re and

tr uthful. In so doing, h e mu s t t a k e c a re to b e s u s p ic io u s of

w ha t he finds easy in t h e m o r wh ic h is writ t e n e a s ily , especial-

Iy and above all regard in g t h e ir s e c re t wo rd s a n d c o n c e a led op-

e r a ti ons. For truth is h id d e n in the s e c re t wo rd s b u t not in

th e open and easy ones , a n d n o t h in g is mo re d e c e it f u l t h an w h e n

th e philosophers write o p e n ly . Instead, n o t h in g is mo re t r u t h -

-97 -
ful than when they writ e s e c re t ly , o b s c u r€ I y , or in rid d les .

In my opinion, th e v e ry best t e a c h e rs wh o h a v e s in c e r e l y

a n d well written about t h is s e c re t A rt a re , a mo n g t h e o1d ones,

H er mes and Morienus Ro ma n u s . Of the new ones I lik e best Comes

Tne uisanu"I) and Raym u n d . u s L u L L iu " 2 ) . P o r wh a t the la t t e r has

m ad e public has hardly ever b e e n s a id o r writ t e n b v a n y o ne .

The r efore, let him (tn e lo v e r of t h e A rt ) re a d often and re-

p e a dtedly his (Lullius's ) o ld T e s t a me n f , a s we ll a s h is Cod i c i l ,

j ust as if they contain e d a p re c io u s t re a s u re for h im. Le t him

a d d to these two books h is P ra e t ic a . In these books he can find

eve r ything and take from t h e m a n y t h in g h e wa n t s , e s p e c ia lly the

tr u e and right matter, t h e d e g re e s of the f ire , a n d h o w to p r o -

cee d with the whole wo rk a n d b rin g it to an end, wh ic h the old

o n e s were greatly intent o n c o n c e a lin g . T h e s e c re t c a u s es and

o r i- g ins of all things, and the s e c re t mo t io n s of Na t u re ar e n o -

w he r e else revealed more c le a rly a n d t ru t h f u lly . He h a s i n t e r -

sp e r sed little about the f irs t a n d s e c re t p h ilo s o p h ic a l water,

but what there is is v e ry s u g g e s t iv e .

B ut about this sa me c le a r wa t e r wh ic h is sought by many,

fo u n d by few, and is be f o re e v e ry o n e ' s e y e s a n d s e rv ic e a b le,

w hich is also the foun d a t io n of t h is wo rk a n d la b o r, a P ol i s h

n o b leman has written e x p re s s ly a n d e x t e n s iv e ly enough. Although

he i s ,r"*"1"==3), he h a s n e v e rt h e l-e s s b ro u g h t g re a t t h in g s to

lig h t both in his Nouum L u me n e h e mie u m a n d in h is T ra e t a t us De

Su lp hune, with parables, s e c re t s a y in g s a n d rid d le s , and has re-

ve a led everything so c le a rly that n o t h in g re ma in s to b e de s i r e d .

1) B ernard of Treviso
2) Raymond Lully
3) This famous alchemis t was Michael Sendivogius.
-98-
 The philosophers mu c h ra t h e r a n d mo re c le a rly re v e a l their

op in ion by figures and s e c re t s a y in g s than b y a mu t e a n d s e c r e t

discourse, y€s, much mo re s o t h a n in e x p lic it wo rd s . For in-

sta n ce, the Tabula S en io ri" I \ , Ro z a rii p ie t u n a e A lle g o t , ie ae ,

Abn ahae rudei apud FLame L L u n S e h e n a t o 2 ) . of t h e mo s t re c e n t

an d youngest , fnsignia Mie h a e L is Ma je n i E mb L " ^ o t o 3 ) , in which

the secrets of the old o n e s a re s u f f ic ie n t ly d is c lo s e d r so that

the y also present the o 1 d s e c re t wis d o m lik e n e w e y e g la s s es .

Those who affirm that t h e P h ilo s o p h e rs ' Stone is above

Na ture and the arts ar e t o t a lly mis t a k e n a n d a re b lin d , be c a u s e

th e y know neither the S u n n o r t h e Mo o n .

The philosophers h a v e u s e d ma n y d if f e re n t wo rd s to de s c r i b e

th e matter of their sec re t Stone, but in s u c h a wa y t h a t most of

th e m nevertheless agre e re g a rd in g t h e wo rk a n d t h e p ro c e s s , a1-

th o u gh in different word s . T ru e , t h e v a rio u s wo rd s d o n o t con-

stitute an untruth or a doubt in the s u b je c t ma t t e r it s le f , ds

a si ngle thing may be e x p re s s e d in v a rio u s wo rd s wit h o u t hurting

the truth.

The lover of the A rt or the b e g in n e r s h o u ld a b s t a in from

var ious interpretations of t h e wo rd s , because the p h ilo s o ph e r s

r e ve al their secrets w it h d o u b le -t o n g u e d , d u b io u s wo rd s , often

a l- so by contradictions a n d wo rd s t o t a lly opposed to the tr u t h .

In this way they confus e and conceal the t ru t h , though they do

not at all intend to fa ls if y o r re je c t it . That is wh y th e i r

bo o ks are fuII of secr e t a n d d u b io u s d o u b le -t o n g u e d wo rd s, but

in none do they endeav o r to h id e t h e ir g o ld e n bough:

1) Zadith Senior
2) Abraham the Jewr or Abraham Eleazar
3) Michael Maier
-9 9 -
q u e m te ti g i t o mn ts L ueus ( or : Luciis) , & obseur is eLaudu nt eon-
u a L L i b u s u mb ra e N e e ulLis eedit uir ibus. Sed faeiLis uoLens q;
s e qu e tu r e u m (o r,: e u m) qui M ater nas agnoseit aDes, & gem i nae eui
f o r t e e o L u mb a e fp sa sub oz.a uir i eoeLo umbr a uoLantes.
( l , l ho me ve ry d a yb re a k has cover ed and shadows close in dar k
v al l e ys n o r d o e s h e gjve in to any for ces. But he who r ec og-
n i ze s th e ma te rn a l bir ds - he who js skillful and eager - w i l l
f o l l o w h i m, a s w e l l as the twins ( female) whose doves per haps ,
f l y i n g i n h e a ve n i n the shadow itself under the m ouths of
t h e ma n . )

$lhoever is seekin q the a rt of b rin q in q imp e rf e c t metals

to perfection and aug rn e n t a t io n o u t s id e of, or beyond, the nature

o f metals is on the w ro n g t ra c k , b e c a u s e we h a v e : to take me-

tallic forms from met a ls ju s t a s we t a k e h u ma n f o rms f rc n r r n e n ,

a n d oxen forms from ox e n .

Truer w€ must confess and admit that metals cannot be aug-

m ented solely by the wis h a n d wo rk o f Na t u re . Ho we v e r, w e m u s t

in turn confess that t h e ir p o we r o f a u g me n t in g lie s q u it e deep-

Iv hidden in them and b e c o me s ma n if e s t b v me a n s o f t h e Ar t . In

this rvork l.lature reouire s the h e lp of t h e A rt , and both accom-

p lish the end.

P erfect bodies h a v e a mo re p e rf e c t seed. T h e re f o re , the

se e d of the perfect me t a ls lie s h id d e n under a h a rd c ru s t . Those

who know how to extrica t e it wit h a p h ilo s o p h ic a l s o lu t io n have

stunbled on the right t ra c k , because:

fn auro Semina sunt auz.i q u a mu is a b s t y u s a re e e d a n t .

(r n go'ld are the seeds of go'l d but they re t re a t and hjde)

Longi us

Many philosophers thought that they c o u ld a c h ie v e their

-1 0 0 -
work through the Sun and t'loon. Others added Mercury to the

Su n . S ome took S ulphur a n d Me rc u ry . O t h e rs a g a in hoped to

a cco mplish their work b y a d d in g n a t u ra l s a lt to the t wo . A11

th e se believed that the y c o u ld p ro d u c e the P h ilo s o p h e rs ' Stone

fr om two, then from th re e , then f ro m f o u r, e v e n a ls o f ro m five.

Th u s they used many wo rd s c o n c e rn in g o n e s in g le t h in g , but they

agree in the process.

B ut to act sincere ly a n d t ru t h f u lly , wit h o u t a n y re s e r v e ,

we assert that the work c a n b e a c c o mp lis h e d wit h o n e t wo , namely,

Sun and Moon, provided they a re rig h t ly p re p a re d . Because that

is the true and right re s u lt wh ic h is o b t a in e d b y Na t u re with the

h e lp of the A rt in whic h the c o n ju n c t io n o f ma n a n d wo man t a k e s

pla ce, and therefore the c h ild is mu c h n o b le r a n d h ig h e r than its

n 2 ra n +q

These bodies must be taken when they are in a state of pure,

inviolate virginity, dlive with their souls; not dead ones, ds

those are which are used by the conmon man, for who could expect

life from a corpse? Violated and impure bodies are those called

which are injured and have a mark on them; dead, however, are

those called whom the highest tyrant of this world has forced to

kiII a soul and shed bIood. Avoid the fratricide who would bring

great dangier to the whole work.

The Sun is the male, the foreman and the seed's giver of

form. The Moon is the woman, who is called the l"lother and the

l4other of Nature, because she receives and nourishes the mal-e

seed in her womb. But she does not lack totally in active power,

-10r-
 be cause she rises in b u rn in g lo v e to t h e ma re t irr s h e ha s
d r a wn from him his extre me v e n e re a r ru s t a n d f e rt ire s e ed .
she also embraces him and does not stop tiIl she is impreg-
n a ted. Then she leaves h im s 1 o wly .

By Moon or Luna the philosophers do not understand the

co m mon moon which is a rs o ma le in t h e ir wo rk a n d d o e s a m a n ' s
j ob in the conjunction. T h e re f o re , n o b o d y mu s t d a re ma ke t h e
con junction of two male s o r hope for a f ru it or c h ild f ro m such
a conjunction; but Ga b rie z s wit h B"yoL) , the b ro t h e r, s u ni o n
with his sisterr so tha t h e mig h t thus h a v e a n o b le son of the
Su n .

Conj ugio ,.iung e t s t a b iL i. p ro p n ia n q ; Cie a b it .

(Male and F e ma le will jo in in a s t a b ' le
marriage an d i t wil l b e c a l le d p ro p e r)
Those who consider s u rp h u r a n d Me rc u ry to b e t h e ma tt e r
of the stone understand and mean by sulphur the sun and the
common moont by Mercury they understand the l,Ioon of the wise.
con sequently, the godfe a rin g L u L L iu s a d v is e s h is f rie n d no t to
en d e avor to work excep t o n ly wit h Me rc u ry or the Mo o n in s te a d
of silverr and in Merc u ry and the s u n in s t e a d of g o rd .
Therefore, let no o n e b e c h e a t e d in t o a d d in g the t h ir d
( n a tural salt), becaus e lo v e does not a llo w a t h ird , and marriage
con sists of two. Love wh ic h asks for mo re is a d u lt e rv a nd n o
m ar r iage.

A ccordingly, spirit u a l lo v e does not d e f ile a v irg in . rt

follo ws that B eya could we ll h a v e b e e n u n it e d wit h G a b rit i.u s in
spir itual love, without v ic e , because of h is f a it h f u rn e s s , to

1) Gabricusr or Thabri t iu s , o r G a b rit iu s . Beya, h is s is t e r .

B oth are the K ing's s o n a n d d a u g h t e r.

-1 0 2 -
m ake her more suitable a n d p u re r for ma rria g e .

To give birth to c h ild re n is the goal of a rig h t ma r r i a g e .

But to ensure that a c h ild b e b o rn n o b re r a n d s t ro n g e r, bo t h

m a r r iage-beds must be c le a n s e d of v a rio u s u n c le a n lin e s s , scab

an d stains before they go to t h e ma rria g e -b e d . T h e y mu s t n o t

h a ve anything foreign or s u p e rf lu o u s about t h e m, because a pure

see d will result in a p u re b irt h . And thus is c o n s u mma t ed a

p u r e marriage of S un a n d lr{ o o n wh e n t h e y enter the c o n ju g a l room

an d unite, and she rec e iv e s or takes f ro m h e r husband the soul

with good and lovable wo rd s . F ro m t h is u n io n is b o rn a mighty

Kin g whose Father is the S u n , a n d h is Mo t h e r is t h e Mo o n .

Those who are look in g for the p h y s ic a l t in c t u re outside

th e sun and Moon waste e f f o rt a n d wo rk . A 1 1 is in v a in , because

th e S un gives an abund a n t re d t in c t u re wh ile t h e Mo o n g iv e s the

w hite. FinaIIy, these t wo a re c a lle d p e rf e c t b e c a u s e t h ro u g h

Na ture I s art they are c lo t h e d in the substance of the v e ry pur-

est Su1phur, perfectly p u rif ie d . T h e re f o re , t in g e your Mercury

w i th one of these two lig h t s (S u n o r Mo o n ), b e c a u s e it is neces-

sa r y that it be tinged b e f o re it c a n t in g e in t u rn .

The perfect metals c o n t a in t wo f a c t o rs wh ic h they can im-

pa r t to the imprefect: t in c t u re or f ix a t io n . For s o me , b e c a u s e

the y are tinged with a p u re S u lp h u r, that is , wit h a wh it e and

r e d one, and are fixed, c a n t h e re f o re a ls o t in g e p e rf e c t ly if

the y are prepared with t h e ir o wn S u lp h u r a n d a rs e n ic . O th e r w i s e ,

they do not have the power to augrment their tincture.

In the work of the P h ilo s o p h e rs ' Stone, o n ly Me rc u ry is able

- r 03-
a n d right to give imperf e c t me t a ls the t in c t u re of Sun and

M o o nr so that, quite in t e rmix e d wit h the t in c t u re , he (t " I e r -

cu r y) can sufficiently t in g e o t h e rs . B u t h e mu s t f irs t be

im p r egnated with the in v is ib le S u lp h u r so as to b e c o me a ll

th e more intermixed wi t h t h e v is ib le t in c t u re of the p e rf ec t

m etallic bodies, and a b le to re p a y it wit h mu s t in t e re s t .

The philosophers s t ru g g le a n d wo rry q u it e a b it about the

e xtr action of the tinctu re f ro m g o ld . T h e y b e lj. e v e that the

ti ncture can be separat e d f ro m g o ld and then in c re a s e d in vir-

tue and power. Truly

S ces taniem a g ri, c o L a s u a n is e L u d it a rc is t is .

(hope eludes t h e e a rs o f c o rn o f v a in f a rme rs )

It is impossible to t o t a lly s e p a ra t e the t in c t u re of gold

fr om its natural body, b e c a u s e it is not a b o d y c o mp o s e d b y

Na ture in an elernentarv wa v a n d wh ic h wo u ld b e mo re p e rf e c t

1 -h :n anld . - ts n"rr""aio n
Tl c o n s is t s in t h e p o we rf u l, s E , ro n g

a n d inseparable union of the p u re a n d t in g in g S u lp h u r wit h

I"le r cury as both are very we ll p re p a re d for it Uy Na t u re , and

w ho se separation Nature does not a 1 lo w. S h o u ld it happen that,

d u e to all too strong a f ire o r wa t e r, s o me t h in g we re e x t r a c t e d

fr om gold out of the r e ma in in g mo is t u re , s o me t h in g wh ic h had be-

com e liquid or was part of the d is s o lv e d body, it mu s t n o t be

con sidered a separate t in c t u re . That the t in c t u re c lin g s to its

b o d y from which it can in n o wa y b e s e p a ra t e d , is u n k n o wn t o the

ar ti sts.

B ut supposing the t in c t u re c o u ld b e s e p a ra t e d f ro m i t s bdy,

-1 0 4 -
o n e has nevertheless to a d mit that it c o u ld not be done with-
ou t destroying body an d t in c t u re , because the a rt is t s a re the
d e stroyers of Nature b y t h e ir f u s io n -f ire a n d d o mo re v io l e n c e

to the gold with the c o rro s iv e a q u a s f o rt e s (o re wa t e r) th a n

w i th the dissolving on e s .

This is why those wh o h o ld t h is v ie w ma y we ll t h ro w their

ti ncture into Mercury or another imp e rf e c t me t a r a n d jo in them

as s trongly as the A rt is a b le to do. T h e ir h o p e will neverthe-

l ess be shattered: Firs t , because the t in c t u re wirl n e it he r

p e n e trate nor tinge the f o rc e s of Na t u re a n d t h e we ig h t s . This

is why nothing is gaine d h e re b y wh ic h wo u rd re f u n d the expense

an d restore the damage o f t h e ro b b e d a n d s p o ile d body.

Cum Labor in d a n n o e s t c re s e it mo rt a lis egestas.

(Wnen effort js lo s t , mo rt a l n e c e s s it y in c re a s e s )

Fin a lly arso, even if the f o re ig n t in c t u re is added to a foreign

bo d y, it does nonetheles s not b rin g about s u c h a p e rf e c t fixation

o r u seful durability th a t it mig h t stand a test a n d re s is t the

p r e server S aturn.

Therefore the lovers of c h y mis t ry wh o h a v e h e re t o f o re followed

the se frauds should turn a ro u n d imme d ia t e ly a n d b e g in wit h the

r ig h t philosophical wo rk r so that they ma y n o t re g re t their loss

too late, causing them t o la me n t wit h the p ro p h e t : " S t ra n g e r s

h a ve devoured my streng t h . " Ho s e a 7 .

The philosophical wo rk t a k e s mo re t ime a n d t ro u b le t ha n ex-

pe n se, because the man wh o h a s t h e rig h t s t ro n g ma t t e r re q u i r e s

few expenses. Therefor e , those wh o a im a t a la rg e a mo u n t o f

-1 0 5 -
m o n ey and incur great e x p e n s e s in t h e ir wo rk re ly mo re on
o thers' riches than o n t h e ir A rt . T h is is wh y a b e g in n in g
e h ymieus must not beli e v e such cheats, for in p ro mis in g golden
m ou ntains they are afte r mo n e y .

Those who navigate b e t we e n s c y lla a n d c h a ry b d is mu s t b e

on guard on both sides . T h o s e wh o s t riv e after the G o ld en
Fl eece are froating be t we e n t h e d u b io u s ro c k s of s u lp h u r and
l 'l er cury. Through the d ilig e n t re a d in g of good books and il-

lu m inated by bright su n s h in e they h a v e a c q u ire d the s c ie nc e

of the sulphur, but th e y get stuck in the e n t ra n c e of the phi-

l oso phicar Mercury. Because those wh o h a v e writ t e n about it

h a ve wrapped and hidde n it in s o ma n y s e c re t wo rd s that it is
m uch sooner revealed to o n e wh o s e e k s it wit h g re a t in t e lli -
ge n ce than one who striv e s after it wit h s we a t a n d p a in s .

To obscure their l' le rc u ry , the p h ilo s o p h e rs h a v e ma de h i m

m an iford and different in e a c h p a rt of t h e ir wo rk . wh o e v e r
d o e s not understand on e s in g le p a rt of the wo rk will nnt- ryor

to know Mercury.

The philosophers h a v e e s p e c ia lly ma d e a t rip le Me rc u r y ,

na m ely, after his phiro s o p h ic a l p re p a ra t io n a n d s u b rima t ion

of the First Deqree, they c a ll h im t h e in Me rc u ry and Sublimated

M er cury.

In the second prep a ra t io n - wh ic h is c a lI e d the f irs t by

th e authors because the y o mit the f irs t - wh e n t h e s u n is again

m a d e crude or is rejucu n d a t e d a n d d is s o lv e d in t o it s p rime mat-

ter : This one is calle d Me re u riu s e o rp o r. u m o r P h ilo s o p h ic a t

-1 0 6 -
I\te rcury proper. Then t h e ma t t e r is c a lle d Re b u s , Ch a o s , the

w hole world, in which lie aII wo rk s , for it is b y it s e lf su-

fi ci ent to make the stone. (t ra n s . note: the f o re g o in g pa r a -

g r a ph seems to be an e x a mp le o f d e lib e ra t e ly confused wr i t i n g ! )

Finally, the philo s o p h e rs s o me t ime s c a ll a p e rf e c t El i x i r

a n d a tinging medicine " t h e ir Me rc u ry " , a lt h o u g h imp ro p er l y so.

Because the name lvlercury properly belongs to a volatile thing.

That is why they call rMercury' anything that sublimates in any

kin d of work. B ut the E lix ir, b e c a u s e it is t h e mo s t f ix e d of

all, does not want th e n a me o f t h e b a d Me rc u ry . That is why

th e y called him "their Me rc u ry " in c o n t ra s t to t h e v o la t il e

on e . The right way to in v e s t ig a t e a n d d is t in g u is h s o ma ny p h i l o -

sop hical Mercuries, ho we v e r, is s h o wn o n ly to those:

Juptter, aut ard e n s e t e x it a d a e t h ra u irt u s ,

Quos aequus ama u it .

(w h o m j u st Ju p iter has loved, or the bur ning power

h a s e me rg e d i nto the skies ( or : ether ) . 0R: whom
Ju p i te r l o ve s or is car r ied to the upper r eg' ions of
th e sky b y th e fier y power )

Tha t is, to whorn it is g iv e n a n d g ra n t e d by God.

The E rixir is ca lle d P h ilo s o p h ic a l Me rc u ry on account of

its lj-keness to and gre a t re s e mb la n c e wit h the h e a v e n ly Mercury

( tne P lanet). The latte r h a s n o e le me n t a ry q u a lit y , and it is

thought or considered that he can easily absorb it (tne elemen-

tr ar y quality), and h e a d o p t s the n a t u re a n d c h a ra c t e r of other

pla netst he, the chang e a b le a n d mo v e a b le P ro t h e u e , and he aug-

m e n ts it (tne nature of the other p la n e t s ) wit h the opposition,

co n junction and aspect . T h e c h a n g e a b le E lix ir a ls o causes some-

-1 0 7 -
 th in g similarr ds it h a s n o q u a lit y of it s o wn , a d o p t s the

quality and nature of that with which it is rnixecl, and augments

the latter's nature a n d p o we rs in a wo n d e ro u s wa y .

fn the first philos o p h ic a l s u b lima t io n of Me rc u ry , much

effo rt and labor await s the a lc h e mis t . F o r wit h o u t . A L e ide ,

Ja son plans in vain to conquer Co L e h is .

A Lter inauyatam n o t o d e u e n t ie e p e L L e m
P rineipium ueT u t o s t e n d it q u o d s i^ e re p o s e a s
A Lter onus qua n t u m s u b e a s .
(One has shown the golden fleece from the known
summit to be a b e g in n irg , a s it we re , wh ic h y o u
demand to take. T h e o t h e r h a s s h o wn it t o b e a
burden to the e x t e n t a s y o u e n t e r in t o it . )

B ecause the entra n c e is g u a rd e d b y t wo h o rn e d beasts which

drive those away not without harm - who approach without under-

sta nding. Their malicio u s n e s s is o n ly softened by the in s i g n i a

of Diana and the doves o f V e n u s if Fate c a lls you to the work.

It would seern-that the poet has touched on the natural crual-

ity of the P hilosophica l E a rt h a n d it s s t ru c t u re :

P i n g u e so |u m pr inis ea tempTo a m ensibus anni

F o rte s i n p e rta nt Taur i.
C u m Z e p h yro p u tr is se gLeba ?esoltit.
(L e t th e b ra ve bu' lI s tur n inside- out the fat ear th
th e f i rst mo nths of the year , f r om the tem p' le, when
th e We st l 'l i n d has destr oyed the putr i d fi el d. )

A ma n w h o ca l l s the Philosopher ' s M oon or their M erc ur y ,

'cor unon mercury', eithe r d e c e iv e s h ims e lf or is b e in g deceived.

Eo r Geber's writings, L ib e n P e rf e e t i Ma g is t e rii, Ca p t . 4, P a r .

ti t. I.1.I, teach us t h a t the P h ilo s o p h ic a l Me rc u ry is quick-

silver, though not the conunon one, but that which is extracted

fr om it in a philosophic a l ma n n e r a n d u n d e rs t a n d in g .

That this P hilosoph ic a l Me rc u ry is n o E A rg e n t u m V iu u m

-1 0 8 -
( g u icksilver) either in it s n a t u re or in it s wh o le substance

bu t a means and a fine p u re b e in g wh ic h h a s o rig in a t e d in it

( a r g entum vivum) and ha s b e e n c re a t e d b y it , a g re e s wit h the

vi ew of the very best p h ilo s o p h e rs .

This P hilosophical Me rc u ry is c a lle d b y v a rio u s n a rn e s ,

n o w earth, now water of a d if f e re n t k in d , because it is made

fr o m both in a natural wa y . T h is e a rt h , in wh ic h the E lem e n t s

ar e congealed and the p h ilo s o p h ic a l g o ld is sot/n, is subtle,

wh ite and sulphurous. It is a n a q u a u it a e or a rd e n s (b u r n i n g

or fiery water) and it re ma in s a wa t e r, a b rig h t c le a r wat e r

calle d the water of th e g o ld or s ilv e r. But t h is Me rc u ry , be-

cau se it contains its S u lp h u r wh ic h is a u g me n t e d b y t h e Ar t , is

r i gh tly called the S ul p h u r of the a rg e n t u m u iu u m. F in a lly , the

no b le substance is the V e n u s o f the a n c ie n t s , He rma p h ro d ita , of

b o th male and f emal-e s e x . *

The argentum uiuum is p a rt ly n a t u ra l, p a rt l-y u n n a t u ra l - .

It has in its nature a n in n e r h id d e n ro o t wh ic h can never be

e xtr acted from it excep t b y a p re c e d in g p u rif ic a t io n and arti-

ficia l sublimation; the e x t e rio r is o u t s id e of Na t u re . Se p a r a t e ,

th e r efore, the pure fro m t h e imp u re , the e s s e n t ia l f ro m th e non-

esse ntial or accidental, a n d ma k e t h e s e c re t ma n if e s t t h rou g h

N ature. A side from this , stop a n d le t it be. For t h is is the

foundation and the Art and the whole work.

The same dry and n o b le mo is t u re c o n s t it u t e s the n o b le root

m o isture of the metals. It h a s t h e re f o re a ls o b e e n c a I le d glass

b y the ancients; for g la s s c lin g s s t if f ly a n d f irmly to the root

* Consider guicksilver b . e in g c o n g e a l-e d P h iJ . g s . o p h ic a l lle rc u r y ! EEN

-1 0 9 -
m o isture but is extract e d f ro m it , wh ic h then does not yield

to nor is overcome by a n y t h in g but a v e ry s t ro n g f ire . ou r

i nn e r and deep Mercury, h o we v e r, e me rg e s o r re v e a ls it s e lf by
a fire that is quite ge n t le but la s t s aLl the lo n g e r.

S ome obtained the h id d e n p h ilo s o p h ic a l e a rt h b y c a lc i n a t i o n ,

othe rs by sublimation, s o me u n d e r g la s s wa re , s o me u n d e r vitriol

a n d salt as under natu ra l v e s s e ls , o t h e rs h a v e s u b lima t e d it from

r im e and gIass. B ut we h a v e it f ro m t h e p ro p h e t in Genesis r.
tha t in the beginning God the L o rd c re a t e d heaven and earth, but
the earth was without f o rm a n d v o id , a n d it wa s d a rk above the

d e e p, and the S pirit of G o d h o v e re d u p o n t h e wa t e rs , and God

sa id : Let there be ligh t , a n d t h e re wa s lig h t , and God saw the

Ii gh t, that it was goo d , a n d He d iv id e d f ro m t h e lig h t t he dark-

n e ss, etc. The blessing p ro mis e d to Joseph by the s a me pr o p h e t

will be enough for the wis e a n d u n d e rs t a n d in g . De u t e ro n . 33.

Ble ssed of the Lord be h is la n d for the a p p le s of heaven, for

the dew, and for the de e p t h a t coucheth beneath, and for the

fr uits of the sun and t h e mo o n , f ro m t h e s u mmit s o f the ol d moun-

tain s, for the apples of the e t e rn a l h iI ls , etc. p ra y to God from

th e bottom of your heart , f iy S o n , t h a t He ma y g iv e you a part of

th is blessed earth.

Quicksilver has be c o me s o c o rru p t e d because of the or i g i n a l

sin that it has two def e c t s . ft h a s re c e iv e d the f irs t fr o m t h e

i m pu re E arth which beca me mix e d wit h it at it s b irt h and clings

to it like gIue. The o t h e r defect re s e mb le s d ro p s y r d n in f i r m i t y

o r disease of the water under the s k in o r b e t we e n t h e s k in. It

-r 10-
is due to crude and imp u re wa t e r b e in g mix e d wit h p u re wa t e r ,

wh ich water Nature did not wa n t t o cast out or s e p a ra t e by

co n traction. B ecause it is a lie n a n d f o re ig n , it f le e s from

a l i ttIe heat. This le p ro s y wh ic h c lin g s to the body does not

b e lo ng to its root and n a t u re but is a c c id e n t a l, and that is

a lso why they (root an d n a t u re ) a re s e p a ra t e d f ro m it . The

e a r thly one is cleansed b y a mo is t u re -b a t h a n d a rin s in g of

Na ture. The watery one is d riv e n a wa y b y a d ry bath wit h a

g o o d birth-fire. Thus t h e d ra g o n is d iv e s t e d of it s s c a le s

an d unclean hide and pe 1 t , a n d re n o v a t e d b y a t h re e f o ld ablu-

ti on and cleansinq.

The philosophical s u b lima t io n of Me rc u ry is d o n e is two

ste p s: by removing fro m h im wh a t is s u p e rf lu o u s and by adding

to him what is lacking. T h e s u p e rf lu o u s is ma d e u p o f e xt e r n a l

a ccidents which darken the g lis t e n in g J u p it e r wit h the b ro w n -

b la ck spheres of S ature . T h e re f o re , s e Da ra t e the e n v io u s Sa-

tur n tiII you obtain the re d star of J u p it e r. Add to it natural

sulp hur, one grain, an d f e rme n t . A lt h o u g h } , le rc u ry h a s in him-

self as much as is suffic ie n t for h ims e lf , ma k e s u re that others

also have enough of it. T h e re f o re , a u g me n t t h e in v is ib le philo-

sop h ical S ulphur til1 t h e V irg in ' s Milk is p re s s e d out. Now the

fir st door is open.

The evening dragon , the d ra g o n that s h o ws u p in the evenitg,

guards the entrance to the courtyard or the garden of the philo-

so p h ers. When the latte r e me rg e s , a f o u n t a in of a b rig h t ly shin-

in g water discharges out of a s e v e n f o ld o u t f lo w a n d p o u rs in

-1 1 1 -
everywhere at the entrance in which there are three times

seven magical numbers. G iv e t h e d ra g o n to d . rin k , le t it drink

ti II it takes off its f ilt h y g a rb . T h e n s h in in g Venus and the

ho r n ed Diana will like y o u v e ry mu c h a n d lo o k f a v o ra b ly up o n y o u .

In the garden of t h e wis e t h re e k in d s of f lo we rs mu s t b e

assiduously sought and f o u n d : lig h t -b ro wn v io le t s , d ro p pi n g

lilie s, and the red im mo rt a l a ma ra n t h . No t f a r f ro m the foun-

ta in , which is close to the e n t ra n c e , y o u wilt f irs t f in d the

flo wering violets whic h , mo is t e n e d b y t h e wid e g o ld e n riv e r

th r o ugh the creeks, will take on the b rig h t ly -s h in in g c o lor of

th e somewhat dark sapph ire ; the S u n will g iv e y o u s ig n s . you

m u st not cut those price le s s f lo we rs off t h e ir ro o t t ill you

m a ke the S tone. For wh e n t h e y a re f re s h a n d a re thus b rok e n off,

th e y have more juice a n d t in c t u re . B re a k t h e m o f f wit h a subtle

h a n d and good understan d in g , for wh e n lu c k is a g a in s t you, they

will easily fo1low. A n d wh e n o n e f lo we r is b ro k e n , the ot h e r

g o ld one will not lack .

The philosophers a ls o h a v e t h e ir s e a in wh ic h s ma ll plump

fi sh with silvery scale s a re b o rn . Wh o e v e r is a b le to envelop

the m in a subtle net a n d e x t ra c t t h e m, ma y b e c o n s id e re d an ex-

p e r ienced fisherman.

The P hilosophers' S t o n e is found in v e ry o ld mo u n t a ins and

fl ows down from very l it t le e v e rf lo win g c re e k s . T h e s e mou n t a i n s

a r e of silver and the c re e k s a re o f goId. F ro m t h e re come gold

a n d silver and all roy a l t re a s u re s .

W hoever wishes to a t t a in the P h ilo s o p h e rs ' S t o n e mu s t t a k e

-I 1 2 -
a l ong and faraway trip, b e c a u s e h e mu s t v is it both f n d ia s to

br in g from there the ve ry wh it e s t je we ls and the v e ry p u re s t gold.

The wise draw the ir S t o n e f ro m seven stones of wh ic h two are

the noblest and of a dif f e re n t n a t u re a n d v irt u e . O n e , an i n v i -

sib le S ulphurr pours in t o it S p irit u a l Me rc u ry , Me n e u riu m S p i r i t -

ua L e m. The former (th e f irs t ) g iv e s it wa rmt h a n d d ry n e s s . The

l atte r (the second), h o we v e r, c o ld a n d mo is t u re . In t h is way the

p o wer of the E lements is a u g me n t e d wit h t h e ir h e lp . The first

is found in the orienta l re g io n ; the second, in the o c c id e n t a l .

The se two have the pow e r t o t in g e a n d a u g me n t . A n d if the Stone

wo u ld not get its first t in c t u re f ro m t h e s e t wo , it wo u l-d n e i t h e r

ti ng e nor augment.

The Flying V irgin, we ll wa s h e d a n d p u rif ie d , imp re g na t e d with

the first spiritual see d o f the f irs t ma n , s o t h a t she becomes

g r o ssly pregnant, is of in v io la t e v irg in it y a n d is t in g e d at her

ch e e ks with a light-brow n c o lo r. Put her together wit h th e se-

con d man without any s u s p ic io n of a d u lt e ry . T h e n s h e will again

co n ceive from this cor p o re a l s e e d a n d f in a lly g iv e b irt h to an

ho n o red child having both sexes: ma le a n d f e ma le . F ro m t h i s

will arise a generation of t h e mo s t p o we rf u l K in g s .

Lock both, the E a g le and the L io n , we ll p u rif ie d and tied

to g e ther, in the-i-r brig h t ly -s h in in g c lo is t e r. Keep the en t r a n c e

ti gh tly closed and guard e d , so that t h e ir s t e a m ma y n o t escape

a n d f1y out above and t h e outer a ir ma y n o t e n t e r. Thus put to-

g e ther, the E agle will tear the L io n up and devour it . There-

for e , it will be overc o me b y a lo n g s le e p a n d b e c o me d ro p s i c a l

-1r3-
w i th a bloated beIIy. It will b e c h a n g e d in t o a v e ry b la c k

r a ve n by a strange trans f o rma t io n . Wit h it s g ra d u a lly spread-

ou t feathers it will be g in to f ly , a n d b y it s f lig h t will push

ou t or press out water f ro m t h e c lo u d s t ill, q u it e mo is t e ne d ,

it throws off its feathe rs a n d f a lls d o wn , c h a n g in g in t o a very

w hite swan. Those who d o n o t know the cause of t h in g s wi l l

fr ee ze, will be astonis h e d wh e n t h e y c o n s id e r that the wo r l d is

n o thing but a continual t ra n s f o rma t io n and change. They will

b e surprised that the p re c is e ly -d e t e rmin e d seeds can be changed

in s uch a manner. The p h ilo s o p h e r mu s t f o llo w Na t u re in his work.

Nature progresses in s h a p in g a n d c a rry in g out h e r wo r k b y

b r in ging a thing to its f in a l p e rf e c t io n f ro m t h e b e g in n ing of

its birth through vario u s me a n s r d s if b y d e g re e s . That is why

sh e proceeds slowly, an d s h e re a c h e s her goal step by stap and

not by leaps and bound s . Na t u re d e c id e s a n d d e t e rmin e s her work

wh ich she undertakes be t we e n t wo e x t re me s set a p a rt b y ma n y m e a n s

a n d differences. In it s wo rk s a n d in o rd e r to s e a rc h in t o and

p r o d uce the B lessed Stone, the p h ilo s o p h ic a l p ra c t ic e , wh i c h is

Na ture's monkey, must n o t d e v ia t e f ro m Na t u re ' S e x a mp le , because

wh a t is done outside of Na t u re ' s wa y is a mis t a k e , or not far from

i t.

The S toners extrem it ie s a re t h e n a t u ra l q u ic k s ilv e r and the

p e r fect E lixir, but the in t e rme d ia t e me a n s , wit h the h e lp of which

the work advances, dE € t h re e f o ld : e it h e r p e rt a in in g to th e m a t t e r ,

to the effect, or to the s p e c if ic s ig n s . B y s u c h me a n s th e whole

w or k is performed.

-r14-
 The means of the S t o n e f ro m ma t t e r c o me in v a rio u s degrees.

So m e are extracted from o t h e rs one after the o t h e r. The first

a r e Mercury philosophically s u b lima t e d and the p e rf e c t me t a l s

w hich, although they are e x t re me s in the wo rk o f Na t u re , never-

th e less occupy a middle p o s it io n in the p h ilo s o p h ic a l wo r k . From

th e first the second are e x t ra c t e d , that is , the four E le m e n t s

wh ich in turn are circu la t e d a n d c o n g e a le d . F ro m t h e s e co n d ,

th e third means are pr o d u c e d , n a me ly b o t h k in d s of S u lp h u r , whose

m ultiplication ends th e wo rk . T h e f o u rt h a n d la s t me a n s a r e the

w eig hted ferments and o in t mn e t s o b t a in e d b y mix in g the above-men-

tio n ed, which are produ c e d one after another in the wo rk o f the

E1ixir. If the above-s a id a re h a n d l-e d p ro p e rly , the p e rf ec t Eli-

xir is finally born. It is the e n d a n d p u rp o s e of t h e who l e w o r k ,

i n which the P hilosophe rs ' S t o n e re s t s a s in it s c e n t e r. Its

m ultiplication is nothg in but a b rie f re p e t it io n of a ll previous

op e r ations.

The active factors o r r. e g imin u m (wh ic h a re a ls o c a l-led

the key to the work) a re f o u r in n u mb e r. T h e f irs t is the 5o-

L u ti o or liquefaction. T h e s e c o n d is the Bath. T h e t h ird is

th e .Reduetio or the brin g in g back (Re s t o ra t io n ) . The f ourth is

th e Fitatio or the fixat io n . T h ro u g h t h e liq u e f a c t io n the bodies

flo w back into their o ld ma t t e rs . Wh a t is c o o k e d b e c o me s u n c o o k e d

or gross, and thus it t u rn s in t o a u n io n o f ma n a n d wo man , o u t

of which a black raven is b o rn . F in a lly , the Stone is s ep a r a t e d

in to the four interming le d E le me n t s , wh ic h is done by the receding

of the lights of Sun and Moon. The bath teaches how to make the

-tr5-
 raven white and a Jupiter out of Saturn. It is d o n e b y tr a n s -
fo r ming the body into s p irit .

Reduction or lead in g back (re s t o rin g ) me a n s g iv in g its

sou l back to the killed stone a n d n o u ris h in g it wit h a diges-
ti ble spiritual milk t ilI it a t t a in s o n c e mo re it s p e rf e c t power.
In these last two opera t io n s the d ra g o n ra g e s wit h in it s e l f and
b y bristling its tail, it u s e s it s e lf u p c o mp le t e ly and is at
la st transformed into a stone. F in a lly , at the t ime of the fix-
ati on, it congeals both k in d s of S u lp h u r over it s c o n g e a led body
b y means of the spirj-t of the t in c t u re s . It b o ils the ferment
by degrees; it makes t h e u n c o o k e d c ru d e rip e and the b it t e r sweet.
At l ast it gives birth to the f lo win g , p e n e t ra t in g a n d t ing i n g
Er i xi r, compretes and p e rf e c t it , a n d ra is e s it to t h e v er y high-
est sublimity.

The means, or signs , a re c o lo rs wh ic h appear a n d f o llo w one

afte r the other in a s p e c if ic o rd e r. T h e y a re in d ic a t iv e of
th e stage which the pro c e s s h a s re a c h e d . T h e re a re e s p e ci a l l y
th r e e colors which sho u rd be noted a s c rit e ria . s o me a d d a
fou r th. The first is the b ra c k , wh ic h is c a lI e d the Ra v en , s
H ea d on account of the g re a t b ra c k n e s s wh ic h p re v a ils . when
th e work is becoming b la c k , it is a n in d ic a t io n that the fire
is a ttacking Nature an d b e g in n in g the d is s o lu t j-o n . But when it
h a s become totally blac k , it in d ic a t e s the p e rf e c t liq u e f a c t i o n
a n d combination of the E re me n t s . Then the lit t I e g ra in pu t r e -

fi es and is corrupted, so that it ma y b e mo re s u it a b le for birth.

The black color is f o llo we d b y t h e wh it e , in wh ic h t he r e is

- r 16-
the perfection of the f irs t d e g re e and of the wh it e S u lp h ur .

Th is is called the B les s e d Stone. T h is e a rt h is wh it e a nd t h i n

Ii ke a leaf, and the p h ilo s o p h e rs s o w t h e ir g o ld in it . .

The third color is y e llo w lik e le mo n s . It a p p e a rs in the

tr a n sition from the wh it e to t h e re d a s a n in t e rme d ia t e and inter-

m i xed with both. ft is lik e t h e d a wn wit h s a f f ro n -c o lo re d hair,

a m essenger of the S un.

The fourth color is re d o r b l-o o d re d a n d c a n o n ly be extracted

fr o m the white with fire . But because the wh it e c o lo r is easily

cha n ged by other colors , it is s o o n c h a n g e d f ro m it s wh it e n e s s

by the sunrise. The ye llo w-re d of the S u n a c c o mp lis h e s t he w o r k

of the S ulphur, which is c a lI e d a ma le s e e d , the f ire of the Stone,

th e royal crown, and the Son of the Sun. Wit h it , the f irs t labor

of the worker ceases.

A side from these s ig n s , wh ic h a re d e e p ly ro o t e d in m a t t e r ,

in r lin afinn i+s essential t ra n s f o rma t io n , t h e re a re c o u n t le s s

othe r s colors which sho w u p in t h e v a p o rs lik e a ra in b o w in the

clo u d s. They are soon mix e d wit h and effaced by the c o lo rs that

fo llo w them, and they ra t h e r mo v e t h e a ir than the e a rt h . AI-

ch e m ists should not attrib u t e mu c h imp o rt a n c e to and bother with

th e m r E rs they do not 1ast. No r d o t h e y c o me f ro m the in n e r dis-

po sition of the matter but f ro m t h e f ire wh ic h p a in t s and tinges

e ve r ything with a color in a lit t 1 e mo is t u re , a n d wit h o u t danger.

B ut if some new co lo rs do not appear at the rig h t t im e , they

d o n ot bring anything good to t h e wo rk , s u c h a s a re p e a t e d black-

n e ss, for instance, bec a u s e t h e y o u n g ra v e n s in the nest must not

-1 1 7 -
be allowed to come bac k t o it a g a in . T h e s a me a p p lie s to a

pr e mature redness, E S it o n ly a u g u rs we ll for the h a rv e s t if

it occurs but once at the end of t h e p ro c e s s . But if it appears

at the beginning or bef o re the end, it p ro v e s that t h e re is much

dr yn ess in the matter. It is not wit h o u t d a n g e r, wh ic h can only

be averted by a downpour from heaven.

The S tone is raise d b y s u c c e s s j-v e d ig e s t io n s a s b y de g r e e s ,

a n d finally it attains it s p e rf e c t io n . F o u r d ig e s t io n s , which

ar e in accord with the four a b o v e -in d ic a t e d effects or reg i r n e n s ,

com plete the whole work . These effects a re a c c o mp lis h e d by the

fi r e, which also causes t h e ir d if f e re n c e s .

The first digestion p ro d u c e s the d is s o lu t io n of the body,

by which the first con ju n c t io n o f ma n a n d wo ma n a n d t h e m i n g l i n g

of both seeds take plac e . P u t re f a c t io n , the re s o lu t io n of the

Ele ments into a homoge n e o u s wa t e r, the e e lip s e of the sun and

th e moon in the dragont s head, f in a I ly , the wh o le wo rld ' s re-

gr e ssion into the oId v o id a n d d a rk abyss. T h e f irs t d ig e s t i o n

occu rs, just as in the s t o ma c h , in a constant wa rmt h , better

suited to a weak corrup t io n than a g e n e ra t io n .

In the second dig e s t io n , the S p irit of the L o rd mo v es a b o v e

th e waters. The light b e g in s to s h in e r ds does the separation

of the waters from the wa t e r. S u n a n d Mo o n a re re n e we d . The

Ele ments are extracted f ro m t h e chaos, so that those wh ic h are

pe r fectly mingled in the s p irit ma y ma k e a n e w wo rld . A new

he a ven and earth are fo rme d . At la s t , a ll s p irit u a l b o d ie s be-

co m e young ravens and b e g in to b e t ra n s f o rme d in t o doves with

-1 1 8 -
ch a n ged feathers.

Lion and E aE le em b ra c e wit h a n e t e rn a l k is s . T h is regen-

e r a ti on of the world is d o n e b y a f ie ry s p irit wh ic h descends

in the form of a water a n d wa s h e s t h e o rig in a l s in off. Be-

cau se the water of the p h ilo s o p h e rs is a f ire that is s t ir r e d

by the ascending heat of the B a ln e u m. T a k e c a re that the se-

pa r a tion of the waters b e d o n e b y me a s u re a n d we ig h t , ma k i n g

sur e that nothinE of wh a t re ma in s in h e a v e n re t a in s anything of

th e Earth, and that the wa t e r wh ic h is d riv e n or puIIed over

th e heaven does not lac k in d ry n e s s .

Hic steriLem e rig u u s d e s e ra t h u mo r a re n a m.

(Here this scanty h u mo r le a v e s the s t e rile sand)

The third digestion g iv e s to the re g e n e ra t e d E a rt h a dis-

ti nct milk and all the s p irit u a l v irt u e s of the Q u in t e s s e n c e ,

an d it joins all- living s o u ls to the b o d y b y me a n s o f the spirit.

Th e n the E arth conceals in it s e lf a g re a t t re a s u re and at first

b e co mes like a shining mo o n , t h e re a f t e r lik e a re d sun. The

fi r st is caIled the E a rt h of t h e Mo o n ; t h e second, the E ar t h of

th e Sun, because both a re b o rn of t h e ir ma rria g e . F ro m n o w o n

n o n e is afraid of the p u n is h me n t of the f ire . Both a re w i t h o u t

b le m ish, because they h a v e b e e n p u rif ie d so often by the fire

a n d have suffered sreat t o rt u re t ill a ll- the E le me n t s we re p r o -

ce ssed.

The fourth digestion mu s t o r s h o u ld c o n s u me a ll the secrets

of the world. B y it th e E a rt h is c h a n g e d in t o a n e x c e e d in g l y

p r e cious ferment. It f e rme n t s aII imp e rf e c t b o d ie s , because it

-1 1 9 -
ha s been changed into the h e a v e n ly n a t u re of the O u in t e s s e n c e
wh o se virtue emanates f ro m t h e u n iv e rs a r s p irit . rt is a sure
p a n acea and a catholic me d ic in e for a ll the d is e a s e s of al r

cr e a tures. The secret stove of t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs re v e a ls this

wo n der of Nature and t h e A rt b y re p e a t in g the f irs t d ig e s ti o n s .

Be sincere in your work s r so that G o d ma y b e me rc if u l to you.

ILLa seges de mu m u o t is re s p o n d e t a u a ri a g ric o L a e.

(The product f in a l ly a n s we rs to the v o ws o f the
greedy farme r)
The whole process of t h e p h ilo s o p h ic a l wo rk is n o t h in g

but soLutto and eongela t io , o p e n in g a n d jo in in g , the s o L ut i o

or dissolution being for the body, the c o n g e la t io n for the spirit,

an d yet both are but o n e o p e ra t io n . But the f ix e d and the vo-

la ti l e are perfectly m ix e d a n d u n it e d in the s p irit . T h is can-

no t take place unless the f ix e d b o d y h a s b e f o re b e e n d is s ol v e d

an d made volatile. The re d u c t io n f ix e d t h e v o la t ile b o d lz i n t o

a la sting body, just a s b e f o re the f ix e d wa s c h a n g e d in t o a vo-

la ti Ie and the volatil e n a t u re can at la s t b e c o me f ix e d . But

a s l ong as the two nature s a re u n it e d in the s p irit , the thus

i nter mixed spirit has a n in t e rme d ia t e n a t u re b e t we e n the body

an d the spirit: fixed a n d v o la t ile .

The production of the Stone is a n e x a mp le o f the c re a t i o n

of the world. B ecause it is n e c e s s a ry that it , too, has its

ch a o s and prime matter in wh ic h the in t e rmix e d E le me n t s float

u n ti l they are separate d gy the f ie ry s p irit . Wh e n t h e y are

th u s separated, the ligh t o n e is d riv e n above and the h e av y b e -

Io w. When the light ris e s , d a rk n e s s re c e d e s . T h e wa t e rs gather

-1 2 0 -
in to one and the dry a p p e a rs . F in a lly , t wo g re a t lig h t s come

fo r th one after another, a n d in t h e p h ilo s o p h ic a l E a rt h are

p r o d uced the virtues o f min e ra ls , p la n t s , a n d a n ima ls .

The Lord God created Adam out of a lump of earth in which

the powers of all the E le me n t s we re imp la n t e d , e s p e c ia lly in

the Earth and the Water, which are more apt to form a body and

do so more tangibly. Into t h is d o u g h G o d b re a t h e d a v it a l air

an d made it come to life wit h rt h e sun and the Ho ly Ghost. He

ga ve E ve to the man as h is wif e , b le s s e d t h e m a n d g a v e t he m t h e

com mand and the power t o mu lt ip ly . T h is c re a t io n of Adam is not

u n like the birth of the P h ilo s o p h e rs ' Stone. Because an earthly

an d heavy body, dissolv e d in wa t e r, f irs t t u rn s in t o a lu m p o r

cl ump to which the name A d a mic E a rt h rig h t ly b e lo n g s . In it are

con tained the virtues a n d p o we rs o f a ll E le me n t s . F in a lly , the

he a venly soul is infuse d in t o it by the s p irit of the Quintessence

an d the solar influence, and by the b le s s in g of the dew of heaven

it is given the virtue a n d p o we r t o mu lt ip ly t h ro u g h the union of

m ale and female.

The greatest secr e t of t h is wo rk lie s in t h e ma n n e r o f oper-

ati ng, which totally de p e n d s o n t h e n a t u re of the E le me n t s , be-

cau se the matter of the Stone passes f ro m o n e n a t u re to another.

The E lements folIow on e a n o t h e r in t h e p ro c e s s , but each is pushed

by the cycle of moist and dry tilI they are all turned down and

r e st there.

In the work of the Stone the other E le me n t s a re c irc u l a t e d

in the form of waterr ds the E a rt h is d is s o lv e d in t o wa t e r which

-I 2 I -
 co n tains the other E leme n t s . T h e wa t e r is s u b rima t e d in to
steam- rn turn, the s t e a m b e c o me s wa t e r, and thus the water
is moved in perpetual c irc u ra t io n t ilr it stays d o wn f ix e d .
But when the water is f ix e d , a lI t h e E le n e n t s a re f ix e d . rn
this way they are diss o lv e d in t o wa t e r a n d a re a g a in exhaled
thr o ugh it. with it they riv e a n d d ie . T h e E a rt h , h o we v e r ,
is the grave of all of t h e m a n d t h e ir u rt ima t e end or goaI.
The order of Nature re q u ire s that e v e ry b irt h b e g in out of
the moist and in the m o is t . rn t h e p h iro s o p h ic a l wo rk Na t u r e
h a s to be put in orderr so that t h e ma t t e r of the stone, which
is earthly and dense or s o rid a n d d ry , b e f irs t of a ll_ d i s s o l v e d
in to the next E lement t o t wa t e r, a n d ma y f ro w in it . Then sa-
tu r n is born out of th e Sun.
water, driven throu g h s e v e n c y c re s , is f o rro we d b y th e A i r
w hich is driven hither a n d t h it h e r in t h e win d b y a s ma n y c y c l e s
a s are required to con g e a l it b e lo w. J u p it e r is b o rn a f t er Sa-
tur n , by whose arrivar the p h ilo s o p h ic a l c h ild is f o rme d and
n o u r ished in the womb, a n d is at la s t b o rn wit h a wh it e an d c l e a r
face like the brightnes s of t h e mo o n .
The fire of Nature, wh ic h a c h ie v e s a s mu c h a s t h e f ire of
the Elements, will be d ra wn f ro m it s h id d e n p la c e wh e n it drives
th e externar fire. Th e n t h e c ro c u s t in g e s the I iI y . The cheeks
of the child - which has become stronger become red. The crown
is p repared for the fut u re K in g . T h is is the a c c o mp lis h me n t of
th e first work, the perf e c t re v e rs a l of a ll the E 1 e me n t s . Its
si gn is that all have e n d e d in d ry n e s s and the b o d y lie s sti]I

-I 2 2 -
without thumping and movement. Thus all the Elements rest at

la st in the E arth and a re t ra n q u il in it .

The fire contained in the Stone is the A rc h e u s of Na t u r e ,

the Son of the Sun, and the Regent who moves and digests the

m atter and executes in it e v e ry t h in g a s s o o n a s h e o b t a in s his

fr ee dom, for he lies hid d e n p o we rle s s ly under a h a rd c ru s t.

The r efore, give him his f re e d o mr so that h e ma y s e rv e you will-

in g ly, but take care not t o d riv e h im u n d u ly because he would

suffer such tyranny and fly away without leaving you any hope

fo r his return. Theref o re c h a lle n g e h im wit h g re a t g e n t len e s s

a n d preserve him well a n d wit h c a u t io n .

The first mover is the e x t e rn a l- f ire , t h e mo d e ra t o r of the

i nn e r fire and the who le wo rk . T h e re f o re the p h ilo s o p h e r must

b e well acquainted with it s re g u la t io n . He mu s t we ll take care

of the degrees and point s , for in t h e m re s t s the p ro g re s s and

success of the work, or it s ru in a n d c o rru p t io n . Thus the Art

assists Nature, but the p h ilo s o p h e r is the s e rv a n t of both.

W ith these two too ls , Na t u re a n d t h e A rt , the Stone rapidly

so a r s from the E arth in t o h e a v e n a n d f a I ls b a c k a g a in upon the

Ea r th, because the trar t h is it s n u rs e . A n d wh e n it is b ro u g h t

in to the belly of the A ir, it takes on the p o we r o f the superior

a n d the inferior.

The circulation of the El-ements is done by two kinds of

w he e ls, a big and exten d e d o n e a n d a s ma ll or c o n t ra c t e d one.

The extended wheel con g e a ls a ll E le me n t s in or upon the Ea r t h

an d its cycle is not fi n is h e d b e f o re t h e wo rk o f the S u lp h u r is

-r 23-
a cco mplished. The rev o lu t io n of the s ma I l wh e e l e n d s wit h the

e xtr action and preparat io n of e a c h B le me n t . In t h is , however,

the r e are three cycles wh ic h , t h ro u g h a constant a n d in t ric a t e

m o ti on, keep on d.riving t h e ma t t e r a wa y a n d f re q u e n t ly - at

le a st seven times sp in e a c h E le me n t a ro u n d , so that they fol-

l ow each other in the p ro p e r o rd e r a n d h a rmo n iz e in such a way

tha t if one is lacking, the wo rk o f the o t h e rs is a lt o g e t he r in

va in . These are the c h ie f t o o ls of Na t u re b y wh ic h the Elements

a r e prepared. The nat u ra l p h ilo s o p h e r s h o u ld t h e re f o re consider

the process in the phys ic a l t re a t is e , wh ic h is d e s c rib e d in de-

tail for this purpose.

E ach single cycle h a s it s o wn mo t io n , but t h e mo t io n of all

cycles deals with the s u b je c t of t h e mo is t and the d ry . There-

€ar a th o rr:ro
e..eJ [6 p n q f to gether w i ht chai nsr So that they ma y pr o-

du ce one single effect a n d o n e s in g le n a t u ra l a c c o rd . Two of

th e m are opposites on a c c o u n t of t h e ir g o a ls a s a ls o of the

ca u ses and effects, bec a u s e o n e mo v e s u p wa rd t o d ry b y h ea t ,

the other moves downwa rd t o mo is t e n by co1d. But the t h ir d is

like sleep and causes both to re s t t h ro u g h d ig e s t io n .

Of the three cycles , the f irs t is the e mp t y in g , wh ich is

th e action of removing the e x c e s s iv e mo is t u re a n d a ls o of separ-

ati ng the pure and subt le f ro m the g ro s s e a rt h ly s lime . But there

is great danger in the mo t io n of t h is c y c le , because it deaLs uith

sp tr i tual things and i s far a b o u e Na t u z ' e .

In the motion of t h is c y c le t wo t h in g s mu s t b e a v o id e d :

Fir st, that it moves to o mu c h o r too v io le n t ly ; s e c o n d ly , that

-L 2 4 -
 it moves too 1ong. rf it mo v e s t o o v io re n t ly , it causes con-
fusion in the matter, so that the impure gross and undigested
part flied away together wit h t h e p u re a n d s u b t le , a n d t he un-
dissolved body flies a wa y wit h the d is s o lv e d one, b le n d e d with
th e spirit. In the fas t mo t io n t h e h e a v e n ly n a t u re is b le n d e d
with the earthly, and t h e s p irit of t h e e u in t e s s e n c e b e c om e s
brunt and powerless by t h e a d mix t u re of t h e E a rt h . A s row m o -
tio n causes the E arth to b e c o me a t r too e mp t ie d and thus power-
Ie ss, barren, and. empt ie d of it s s p irit , so that it cannot easily
be made to recover. B o t h e rro rs e it h e r b u rn the t in c t u re or drive
it away altogether.

The second cycle is the re p la c e me n t , the a im o f wh ic h is to

r e store the powers of the we a k e n e d b o d y a n d t o g iv e it a drink.
The first cycle caused s we a t a n d ra b o r, t h is o n e g iv e s healing
an d refreshment. The p u rp o s e of t h is a c t io n is to c ru s h and sof-
ten the E arth as the p o t t e rs do, so that it c a n b e b re n d e d alr
th e more easily.

The motion of this c y c re mu s t b e lig h t e r a n d g e n t le r than

tha t of the previous, e s p e c ia lly at the b e g in n in g of the reso-
lution, to prevent the young ravens from drowning in their nest
in too much water, and t h e ir wo rld f ro m b e in g d e lu g e d . rt is
this cycle that measur e s t h e wa t e r a n d in v e s t ig a t e s the mass:

be ca use it distributes the wa t e r a c c o rd in g to g e o me t ric a l laws.

It is considered that in the e n t ire wo rk a n d p ra c t ic e there is

no g reater secret than the p re c is e ly a n d c o rre c t ly me a s u re d m o -

tio n of this cycle, bec a u s e it g iv e s f o rm t o the y o u n g p hi l o s o -

-r25-
ph ical child and breat h e s soul a n d b o d y in t o it .
The laws of motion in t h is c y c le d e ma n d t h a t it ru n slow-
ry and leisurely and t h a t it s wa t e r b e p o u re d out s p a rin g l y ,
so as not to diverge f ro m t h e rig h t ma s s b y ru s h in g and attack-

in g the inner fire with t o o mu c h wa t e r. T h is in n e r f ire is the

r i gh t fonenan of the uo z . k , n o t b lu n t o r we a k o r e v e n a lt o g e t h e r
exti nct. Food and drink a re t o b e t e n d e re d one after another,

so that the digestion is d o n e a ll the better and the d ry is well

ble n ded with the moist, for the in d is s o lu b le c o n ju n c t io n of both
i e t-ho an>]
-rf the wor k . T h e re f o re take c a re to add as much

m o isture as is removed b y t h e d ry r so that the s t re n g t h e n in g of

the lost powers may res t o re a s mu c h a s t h e e mp t y in g had taken
thr o ugh weakness.

Digestion, the la s t c y c le , takes p la c e wit h a s t ill and al-

m ost intangible motion. That is wh y t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs say that
it is done in a secret f u rn a c e wh ic h cooks the accepted fo o d and
tr a n sforms it into the me mb e rs o f the body. rt is t h e re f o r e

ca lle d a putrefaction, b e c a u s e ju s t as food is c o rru p t e d in the

sto m ach before it turns in t o b lo o d a n d is d is t rib u t e d to all mem-

be r s, this operation co rru p t s a n d p u t re f ie s s o me wh a t b y a d i g e s -

ti ve and stomachic heat , t o ma k e it a d h e re a lt t h e mo re o r b e

con g ealed all the bette r, and to b e t ra n s f o rme d f ro m a me r c u r i a l

in to a sulphurous nature . In a d d it io n , it is a ls o c a I le d inhuma-

tio n or interment, as t h ro u g h it the s p irit is in t e rre d and buried

like a dead man. B ut b e c a u s e it d is a p p e a rs v e ry s I o wly , it re-

q u ir e s more time. The f irs t t wo c y c le s wo rk e s p e c ia lly in the

-r26-
d issolution, this one o n t h e c o a g u la t io n , a lt h o u g h a rl three

e ffe ct both.

The raws of this c y c le re q u ire that it b e d riv e n or moved

with a febrile, slow s e mi-h e a t , to p re v e n t t h e v o la t ile fr o m

fl yi ng away and the spirit f ro m b e in g d is t u rb e d wh e n it is to-

taIl y united with the body. That is wh y g re a t c a re mu s t b e

take n that the E arth be n o t d is t u rb e d b y win d s a n d ra in . Finally,

j ust as this third cyc le a lwa s y f o llo ws the s e c o n d in the correct

o r d e rr S o the second f o llo ws the f irs t . Thus the t h re e cycles,

b y c easeless and yet s u c c e s s iv e o p e ra t io n , p e rf o rm a p e rf ec t cir-

cu la tion which, after b e in g f re q u e n t ly re p e a t e d , t ra n s f o rm every-

thin g in the E arth and ma k e p e a c e a mo n g e n e mie s .

Nature needs fire a n d s o d o e s t h e A rt , f o llo win g her ex-

a m p le as a tool and h a mme r t o f o rg e h e r wo rk s . In the opera-

ti on and work of both, f ire is t h e ma s t e r a n d ma n a g e r. There-

for e the science of the f ire is v e ry n e c e s s a ry to a p h ilo s o p h e r ,

w i th out which he will re v o lv e t h e wh e e l of Na t u re in v a in , just

like a second r"ionl) .

The word "fire" is u n d e rs t o o d in v a rio u s wa y s b y t h e philo-

so p h ers. S ometimes it is u s e d me t o n y mic a lly for heat, s uc h a s

"as much heat, ds much f ire . " Na t u re k n o ws t h re e k in d s of fire

in the generation of m e t a ls a n d p la n t s : a h e a v e n ly r E rrr e a r t h l y ,

an d an inner. The firs t f lo ws in t o the e a rt h f ro m the sun as

its origin. It moves t h e me rc u ria l a n d s u lp h u ro u s v a p o rs out of

wh ich metals are genera t e d , a n d in t e rmix e s wit h t h e m. It moves

an d stirs the fire of p la n t s wh ic h lie s lik e d e a d in t h e ir seed

r) A figure of Greek mythology who was condemned to ceaseless

but futile labor.

-r27 -
and to which it flashes ra y s of f ire a s s p o re s to v e g e t a t io n

for their plant 1ife.

The second fire lie s h id d e n in the e a rt h . B y it s stirring

a n d action the vapors of the e a rt h ris e a n d a re pushed through

smaIl hores and tubes, and driven from the center upward to the

su r face of the earth. T h is is done both for the g e n e ra t io n

o f metals where the eart h is mo u n t a j-n o u s a n d f o r the generation

of p lants. It makes th e ir s e e d re a d y a n d s u it a b le for g en e r a -

ti on by putrefaction an d s o f t e n in g .

The third fire is b o rn o f the f irs t , the s o la r f ire , toge-

the r with the thirsty me t a llic v a p o r. It is c o v e re d by the Men-

str uum, becomes thick together wit h t h e mo is t ma t t e r and is kept

i m pr isoned in the latte r' s p o we r, o r ra t h e r, it is attached to

the mixture Iike a form . But imp la n t e d in the seed of p lan t s ,

it a dheres to the seed t iI I it c o me s o r is le d out, s t irre d by

the sharpness of its fa t h e r' s ra y s . T h e n it mo v e s , s t irs , and

th u s forms the matter f ro m wit h in , b e c o min g t h e f a s h io n e r and

bu ild er of the mixture. But in a n ima l g e n e ra t io n t h is heavenly

fir e acts together with the a n ima l, though it cannot be felt.

Fo r it is the prime ac t iv e p o we r o f Na t u re . But the wo man ' s

wa r mth is like the eart h ly wa rmt h in a s mu c h a s it p u t re f ie s , dis-

so lves, and prepares th e seed. T h e f ire imp la n t e d in the seed,

ho wever, the S un's S on, d is p o s e s t h e ma t t e r, a n d wh e n it is dis-

p o se d, he also fashions it .

In the matter in wh ic h they wo rk , the p h ilo s o p h e rs can ob-

se r ve three fires, a n a t u ra l a n d a n o n n a t u ra l one, a ls o an anti-

-1 2 8 -
n a tural one. They cal l the n a t u ra l f ire the h e a v e n ly spirit.

It is implanted and pr e s e rv e d in the deepest g ro u n d of the mat-

ter and quite firmly bound up with it. The power of the metals

r e n ders it mute and duI I u n t il it is mo v e d , s t irre d and released

b y the philosophical A rt a n d e x t e rn a l heat a n d h a s o b t a in ed the

p o wer to move a dissolv e d bod.y. T h e n it f a s h io n s it s we t m a t t e r

b y expanding, penetrati rg , u n f o ld in g , a n d c o a g u la t in g it . In

eve r y mixing the fire o f Na t u re is the b e g in n in g of heat and mo-

tio n .

They call nonnatura l f ire that wh ic h c o me s f ro m the outside

a n d is introduced into ma t t e r b y s t ra n g e t ric k s , so as to increase

i ts natural powers. But they c a ll a n t in a t u ra l f j-re that which

pu tr efies the whole eomp o s it u m a n d d e s t ro y s t h e mo d e ra t io n of

N ature. It is imperfec t b e c a u s e it is u n s u j-t a b le for b irt h . It

ca n not overcome corrupt io n . S u c h a f ire or heat is that of a

M e n struum, and it is i mp ro p e rly c a lle d a n a n t if ire , for it is

so m ewhat naturalr ds i t c o rru p t s a n d s p o ils o n ly the in t a c t spe-

cifi c form, that is ma t t e r, t o ma k e it re a d y a n d s u it a b le for

bir th.

It is more believab le , h o we v e r, that the c o rru p t in g antina-

tur a l fire is not diffe re n t f ro m t h e in n e r one, but is it s first

d e g r ee. B ecause the o rd e r of Na t u re re q u ire s that c o rru p t i o n

p r e cedes birth. That is wh y t h e in n e r, wit h -Na t u re -a g re e in g

fi r e accomplishes both . ft s t imu la t e s t wo t h in g s in Na t ur e ,

fi r st, to achieve a sl o w c o rru p t io n b y a g e n t le heat, and to pre-

pare the body. S econdly , to a ro u s e a mu c h s t ro n g e r f ire of great-

-L29-
er heat for birth, to g iv e lif e to the e le me n t a ry b o d y wh i c h

h a s been disposed by t h e f irs t f ire , and to f a s h io n it . totally.

Th a t is why a double mo t io n of a d o u b le d e g re e of heat is used,

a n d this should not be c o n s id e re d t wo d if f e re n t f ire s . The

n a m e antinatural fire, h o we v e r, is g iv e n mu c h mo re rig h t ly to

the corruptive fires.

B y successive degre e s of d ig e s t io n the n o n n a t u ra l- f ir e is

cha nged into a natural or imp la n t e d o n e a n d is in c re a s e d . The

wh o le secret consists in the in c re a s e of the n a t u ra l f ire which,

b e cause it is simple, cannot act b e y o n d it s p o we rs o r bestow a

pe r fect tincture to an imp e rf e c t body. It is s e lf -s u f f ic ie nt

bu t has nothing to give . Wh e n it is in c re a s e d by the nonnatural

fir e , however, it acts mo re v ig o ro u s ly and extends far b ey o n d

th e boundaries of Natu re . It t in g e s f o re ig n a n d imp e rf e c t bo-

d ie s and makes them pe rf e c t due to the g re a t n e s s of the tinctures

an d the hidden treasure of the in c re a s e d f ire .

The philosophers a ls o c a ll t h e ir wa t e r a f ire b e c a u se it is

ver y hot and contains a f ie ry s p irit . It is a ls o c a lle d a fire

b e cause it burns imper f e c t me t a ls mo re t h a n c o n rmo n f ire . For it

dissolves them perfectly , wh ile they re s is t our f ire and cannot

b e dissolved by it. T h is is the re a s o n wh y it is a ls o c al l e d a

b u r n ing water. B ut the f ire of the t in c t u re is h id d e n in the

b e 1 ly of the water and ma n if e s t s by a dual effect: the dissolu-

tio n of the body, and t h e in c re a s e .

Nature uses two k in d s of f ire in h e r wo rk r dn outer and an

in n e r. The first is the seed of a ll t h in g s , imp la n t e d in the

-1 3 0 -
intermixed ones and hidden in their center. It moves and makes

i ts body come arive, b e in g the s t a rt e r of lif e a n d mo t io n . But

the second, namery the outer f ire , a wa k e n s t h e f irs t f ro m its
sle e p, just as if it we re p o u re d f ro m h e a v e n o r e a rt h , and it

i m pe rs it to act. B eca u s e t h e liv e lit t le s p a rk s imp la n t ed in

the seed reguire an outside mover whereby they are moved and be-
g in to act.

Likewise in the ph ilo s o p h ic a l wo rk . T h e ma t t e r of the Stone

h a s its inner fire whi c h is p a rt ry in n a t e , p a rt ly added to it by
the phirosophical proce s s . T h e s e t wo c o mb in e a n d g e t t o g et h e r

in sid e because they are o f the s a me k in d . T h e in n e r n e e ds t h e

ou ter which the philoso p h e r d is p e n s e s a c c o rd in g to the la w s o f

the A rt and Nature. The outer in c it e s the in n e r t o mo v e . These

fi r es are like two whee ls wh e re t h a t wh ic h is c o n c e a le d is slowly

or q uickly pushed and mo v e d b y t h e t a n g ib re wh e e l. Thus the Art

he lp s Nature.

The inner fire hold s a mid d le p o s it io n b e t we e n mo v e r a n d

m atter. That is how it happens that wh ile it is b e in g mov e d b y

th e former, it in turn mo v e s t h e la t t e r. If it is s t ro n g ly dri-

ven , it will in turn driv e s t ro n g ly . T h e wh o le s h a p in g of the

w or k consists in the m a s s o f the e x t e rn a l f ire .

Whoever does not know the degrees and points of the external

fir e should leave the p h ilo s o p h ic a l wo rk a lo n e . For he will never

b e a ble to bring light out of d a rk n e s s if the wo rk d o e s no t pass

thr o u gh the heat by po in t s a n d d e g re e s , ju s t lik e the four Elements

of which the external o n e s a re t ra n s f o rme d by the c e n t ra l ones.

-13r-
 S ince the whole wo rk re s t s on the s e p a ra t io n and perfect

pr e p aration of the four E le me n t s , € t s ma n y d e g re e s of the fire

ar e required, because e a c h E le me n t is e x t ra c t e d wit h it s own

grade of fire.

W e speak of four d e g re e s of the f ire : that of the bath,

of ash, of coal, and f ire it s e lf wh ic h is a ls o c a lle d the op-

teti e. E ach degree has it s p o in t s , u s u a lly o n ly t wo , sometimes

th r e e. The fire must b e d riv e n c a re f u lly , a s t h ro u g h p o in t s .

It is thereby decreased or in c re a s e d so that t h e ma t t e r, just

like Nature, ildy proce e d to it s f o rma t io n a n d p e rf e c t io n , as

it were, of its own. F o r Na t u re does not abhor a n y t h in g as much

as what is done with v io le n c e . T h e re f o re the p h ilo s o p h e r must

car e fully consider the s lo w d e p a rt u re a n d a p p ro a c h of the sun,

w ho se light of the whole wo rld imo a rt s it s wa rmt h t o the ground

according to the seaso n s a n d t h e ir d e s t in a t io n , a n d g iv e s them

th e ir temperature.

The first point of the heat of the bath is c a lle d the fever-

wa r mth or the warmth o f ma n u re . T h e s e c o n d p o in t is the bath it-

se1 f. The first point of the s e c o n d d e g re e is the heat of ashes.

The second point is th e heat of sand. T h e f ire s of coal and of

fla m es actually have n o p ro p e r p o in t s but a re d is t in g u is h e d in

th e understanding accord in g to the s t re n g t h or g e n t le n e s s of

th e fire.

In the works of s o me p h ilo s o p h e rs we re a d o n ly of three de-

grees of the fire, the bath of ashes and of f ire wh ic h comprises

th e coal and flame bath s s imu lt a n e o u s ly . The heat of ma n u r e i s

-1 3 2 -
 so m etimes distinguished f ro m t h e d e g re e o f the bath. Thus
th e philosophers confus e the lig h t of the f ire wit h atr sorts
of words, for its know re d g e c o u n t s a mo n g t h e n o b le s t secrets.
B ecause in the ht h it e Wo rk o n ly t h re e E le me n t s a re extrac-
ted , only three fire-de g re e s a re re q u ire d . T h e f o u rt h , th a t
is the optetieus, is re s e rv e d for the f o u rt h E le me n t wh ich
b r in gs the pure work to it s end. T h e f irs t d e g re e causes the
e clipse of the sun and Mo o n . T h ro u g h t h e second, the lig ht of
the sun and the Moon is re n e we d . T h ro u q h t h e t h ird , the l{oon
o b taines its fulI 1ight . T h ro u g h t h e f o u rt h , h o we v e r, t he sun
is elevated to its hig h e s t h o n o r. But in e a c h p a rt the fire is
ad m inistered by geomet ric a l ru le r so that a c t iv e and passive
co r r espond with the dis p o s it io n , a n d t h e ir p o we rs a p p e a r in
e q u al measure.

The philosophers h a v e a s s id u o u s ly h id d e n t h e ir f ire , and

h a ve barely touched on it . T h e y p o in t to it mo re b y writ in g
about its properties th a n b y in d ic a t in g it s n a me s . Thus they
sa y that there is an airy f ire , a v a p o ro u s , a mo is t , and a dry,
a br ight, and an astrar one, wh ic h c a n e a s ily b e j-n c re a s e d or
de cr eased by degrees at the d is c re t io n of the a rt is t . wh o e v e r
wish es to know more abo u t the f ire will get s a t is f a c t io n in the
b o o ks of LuLLius who ha s t ru t h f u lly re v e a le d the s e c re t s and
pr a ctice to sincere hea rt s .

The fight of the E a g le wit h the L io n h a s b e e n d e s c ribe d in

var io us ways. B ecause t h e lio n is the s t ro n g e s t of a ll animals,
it is necessary that m a n y e a g le s get together to subdue him - at

-1 3 3 -
le a st three or more, up to ten. T h e le s s t h e re a re , the harder

th e struggle and the s lo we r the conquest. T h e mo re e a g le s there

are, however, the short e r the f ig h t and the p ro mp t e r the tearing

u p of the lion. In LuL L iu s , s e v e n e a g le s a re s a id to be best,

but nine in S enior.

The vessel in whic h t h e p h ilo s o p h e rs c o o k t h e ir wo rk i s of

two kinds: one of Nat u re , the other of t h e A rt . The vessel of

N ature - which also ha s t h e n a me " v e s s e l of Na t u re " - is the

Ear th of the S tone r ot t h e wo ma n , o r a ls o t h e mo t h e r in w h o m

th e man's seed is conc e iv e d , c o rru c t e d a n d re a d ie d for b ir t h .

Th e vessel of Nature, h o we v e r, is t h re e f o ld , because the secret

is c ooked in a threefold v e s s e l.

The first vessel of t h e A rt is ma d e o f t ra n s p a re n t stone

or of stone glass. S ome p h ilo s o n h e rs h a v e c o n c e a le d it s form

in a puzzling descriptio n : No w o f t wo p a rt s , that is , a retort

a n d an alembic, now of t h re e p a rt s d ra wn a b o v e a n d h e ld together

by an added cover, be it s a id .

The variety of the s e v e s s e ls they s a y is n e c e s s a ry for the

ph ilo sophical work, and t o conceal them they h a v e c a lle d them by

all kinds of names acc o rd in g to t h e d if f e re n t o p e ra t io n s . Those

use d for the dissolution t h e lz c a ll S o lu t o n ia ; those used for pu-

tr efaction, P utnefaetoz . ia ; for d is t illa t io n , Dis t illa t o ria i for

su b limation, S ubLinator ia ; for c a lc in a t io n , Ca le in a t o ria , etc.

B ut without saying a n u n t ru t h , one vessel is enough to do

a n d complete both works o f the S u lp h u r, and another is re qu i r e d

for the work of the E lix ir. T h e d if f e re n t d ig e s t io n s do not re-

-1 3 4 -
q u ir e different vessels . yes, o n e s h o u ld ra t h e r take g re a t
care that the vessel not be changed or oDened before the com-
p le ti on of the first w o rk .

The form of the g ra s s vessel or the re t o rt s mu s t h a v e a n

ova l bottom, the neck mu s t b e b e n t over or c ro o k e d , o n e ha n d ' s
br e a dth or more, suffic ie n t ly wid e wit h a n a rro w mo u t h , like
an unbroken smooth surface, everywhere thick and sturdy enough
to enable it to stand lo n g -I a s t in g a n d s o me t ime s s imu lt a n eo u s
fir e s. The alembics are c a lle d b lin d because thev a re c lo s e d
he r metically to prevent a n lz t h in g e x t ra n e o u s f ro m e n t e rin g them
an d the spirits from g o in g u p in s mo k e .

The other vessel of t h e A rt is a wo o d e n o n e , ma d e o f a block

of oak divided into tw o h a lf , h o llo rv e d b a lls in wh ic h the philo-
sop h ical E gg is warmed a n d n o u ris h e d t ill the y o u n g b ird appears.
Se e Fonte Treuisan.

A lchemists call the t h ird vessel t h e ir stove. It preserves

th e other vessels, the ma t t e r, and the wh o le wo rk . T h is the
ph ilo sophers have also e n d e a v o re d to h id e .

The stove which p re s e rv e s the s e c re t s is c a lle d athanor be-

cau se of the everlasting f ire in it s k e e p in g . rt p ro v id e s the
w or k with a constant though v a ry in g f ire wh ic h has to be consi-
de r a bly increased or de c re a s e d a c c o rd in g to the a mo u n t o f the
m a tter or the size of the stove.

The stove should b e ma d e o f baked stones t ot fat s o il , or

sto ve-earth, well- dissolv e d a n d in t e rmix e d wit h h a ir to make it

stick together more firmly and stiffly and to prevent it from

-l 3 5 -
bu r sting in long-lasting heat. T h e wa lls mu s t b e t h re e or
fou r fingers thick, so a s t o e n a b le them both to p re s e rv e the

he a t and to resist it.

The form of the stove s h o u ld b e ro u n d , it s in n e r h e igh t

two foot. rn the middle t h e re s h o u rd b e a n iro n or copper prate,

r o u n d, thick like the back of a k n if e . rt s h o u ld take up almost

all of the inner width of the stove, but a lit t le n a rro we r , so

th a t it does not touch t h e wa lI s . rt s h o u rd b e p la c e d on three

or four props attached to t h e wa I I s , wit h ma n y h o le s to faciri-

ta te the rising of the heat t h ro u g h them and the s id e s of the

sto ve.

Under the iron plat e t h e re has to be a ho1e, a n d a n ot h e r

on e above it. Coal is put on the f ire t h ro u g h the lo we r, and

thr o u gh the above one c a n t e s t or feel how the f ire is , strong

or mild. Opposite thes e h o le s t h e re s h o u ld b e a s ma ll win d o w

fi tted with a glass thr o u g h wh ic h the c o lo rs can be seen. In

th e center of the plate put the s e c re t s ' t rip o d wit h a threefold

cask. Fina11y, the sto v e mu s t a lwa y s b e c o v e re d wit h it s attached

cove r, and the holes mu s t we ll b e c lo s e d to p re v e n t the he a t from

esca ping.

Now you have every t h in g re q u ire d for the wo rk , wh o s e g o a l is

th e birth of the double S u lp h u r. T h e c o mp o s it io n a n d p ro ce s s i n g

of b oth is done as follows : T a k e a re d d ra g o n , the s t o u t -h e a r t e d ,

a g g r essive one, whose b irt h d a y does not la c k in s t re n g t h . After

th is, seven or nine nob le E a g le s , V irg in s wh o s e s ig h t does not

weaken before the sunbeams chose those. Throw the birds with

-t 3 6 -
th e wild animal into a c le a r p ris o n wh ic h mu s t b e we ll c los e d .

Put a B ath under them t o ro u s e them to b a t t le wit h lu k e war m

vap o r. S oon they will s t a rt a lo n g a n d h a rd f iq h t t iI I fi n a l l y ,

a b o ut the 40th d.y, th e E a g le s b e g in to ro b the beast and tear

it up. when it dies, it in f e c t s a n d p o is o n s the wh o le prison

w i th a black poison whic h h u rt s t h e E a g le s , and they d ie . Out

of the putrefaction of the d e a d b o d ie s a ra v e n will be born,

sl owly grow after a B at h a n d , wit h a c ra n e d neck, will soon

str etch its wings and b e g in to f ly . Because of the win d and

cl ou ds it seeks out cra c k s a n d f lie s about for a lo n g t im e . You,

h o wever, must prevent it f ro m f in d in g a c ra c k . At la s t , when it

ha s become white due to s lo w a n d lo n g -la s t in g ra in and heavenly

d e w, it is transformed in t o a s n o wwh it e s wa n . Wh e n t h e raven is

bo r n , it is a sign for you that t h e d ra g o n h a s d ie d . To make

the raven white, extrac t t h e E le me n t s a n d d is t ill t h e m in the

or d e r prescribed titl they a re c o n g e a le d in t h e ir E a rt h an d h a v e

tu r n ed into a snowwhit e a n d q u it e s u b t l-e p o wd e r. Wh e n t h i s is

do n e, you will have obt a in e d the f irs t d e s ire to t h e Wh it e .

If you wish to con t in u e to the Re d , a d d t h e E le me n t fire

w hich is lacking in the Wh it e wo rk . T h e re f o re d riv e the matter

in such a way that the v e s s e l b e n o t mo v e d a n d t h e f ire be l e i -

su r e ly strengthened thro u g h f in e p o in t s t ill wh a t is s e c re t be-

com es revealed, which will b e in d ic a t e d to you by the y e ll o w

colo r breaking forth. Re g u la t e the f ire of the f o u rt h degree

thr o ugh its points tiII the lilie s t u rn in t o re d ro s e s b ec a u s e

of VuLean, and finally the a ma ra n t h is t in g e d wit h b ro wn - r e d

-r37-
blo o d. B ut you must n o t stop c h a lle n g in g the f ire wit h fire

un ti r you become aware t h a t t h e ma t t e r will e n d in q u it e red

ash . This S tone vril1 e le v a t e your min d t o g re a t e r t h in g s through

th e blessing of the Ho ly T rin it y .

Those who, due to ig n o ra n c e of t h e A rt and of Na t u re , be-

l i eve that they have fin is h e d t h e wo rk wit h the p e rf e c t Sulphur,

are greatly mistaken a n d will a t t e mp t p ro je c t io n in v a in . Because

th e proof of the S tone is c o mp le t e d wit h a d o u b le wo rk , the first

b e in g the production of the S u lp h u r and the second, the manufac-

tur e of the E lixir.

This philosophical S u lp h u r is g u it e a s u b t le E a rt h , very

w ar m and dry, is whose b e I 1 y the f ire of Na t u re is g re a t ly in-

cr e a sed and lies hidden . That is wh y it is a ls o c a lle d the fire

of the S tone, because it c o n t a in s the p o we r t o open and penetrate

the bodies of metals an d t o a lt e r t h e ir d is p o s it io n , and to pro-

du ce its Like. It is t h e re f o re a ls o c a lle d a father and a male

se e d .

S o as not to pass o v e r a n y t h in g in s ile n c e , the S t u d en t s of

th e philosophy should know that a s e c o n d S u lp h u r can be made from

th e first and augmente d in d e f in it e ly . Wh e n t h e wis e p h ilo s o p h e r

ha s obtained the mineral of t h is h e a v e n llz o re , h e mu s t p res e r v e

it very carefully. Th e ma t t e r out of wh ic h the S u lp h u r is born

is a lso the matter out of wh ic h it will b e a u g me n t e d wit h the

ad d ition of a small part of the f irs t - but e v e ry t h in g in the

r i gh t weight. The stude n t s h o u ld le a rn the re s t f ro m L u LL y . It

is enouqh for me to show the wav.

-l 38-
 The E lixir is mad e o f t h re e d if f e re n t ma t t e rs : of met-

allic water or Mercury, s u b L ima t e d a s b e f o re r of the wh it e or

th e red ferment, depen d in g o n t h e a lc h e mis t ' s p u rp o s e ; a nd o f

th e second S ulphur e v e ry t h in g in the rig h t we ig h t .

There are in the rig h t , p e rf e c t E t ix ir f iv e n e c e s s a ry

qu a lities: it must be liq u id , la s t in g , p e n e t ra t irg , t in g in g ,

a n d augmenting. It get s it s t in c t u re a n d f ix a t io n f ro m th e fer-

m en t, its penetrating p o we r f ro m S u lp h u r, f ro m q u ic k s ilv e r the

m ea ns of uniting the tin c t u re , that is , of the f e rme n t a nd o f

Su1 phur. B ut the powe r o f a u g me n t a t io n , wh ic h is in f u s e d into

it, comes to it from th e s p irit of t h e F if t h Essence.

Two perfect metal- s re s u lt in a p e rf e c t t in c t u re because

th e y are tinged with th e p u re S u lp h u r of Na t u re . T h is is why

n o ferment of metals s h o u ld be sought o u t s id e these t wo b o d i e s .

Th e r efore, tinge your wh it e a n d re d E lix ir wit h SoI and Luna.

Th e ir Mercury first abs o rb s t h e ir t in c t u re , a n d wh e n h e h a s

a b so rbed it, he gives it to o t h e rs .

In preparing the E lix ir, take c a re not to a lt e r or in t e r m i x

the E lements. B oth E lix irs re q u ire t h e ir o wn f e rme n t and their

o wn E lements, for Natu re is s o c o n s t it u t e d that the t wo li g h t s

h a ve their different Su lp h u rs a n d d if f e re n t t in c t u re s .

The second work is c o o k e d in the s a me o r a s imila r vessel,

the same stove and the s a me d e g re e s of f ire as the f irs t , but it

is d one in a shorter time .

There are three k in d s o f mo is t u re in the Stone, n a mel y , the

w atery, the airy, and t h e ra d ic a l. T h e re f o re , a ll the wor k e r ' s

- r 39-
e ffo rts and labor must b e u s e d a g a in s t t h is mo is t u re . A1so,
in the work of the sto n e no other E le me n t than t h e mo is t u r e
is circulated, because t h e E a rt h mu s t f irs t of a rl b e t u rne d

in to moisture and made lio u id . Ho we v e r, the ra d ic a l mo is t u r e

of all things - which is c o n s id e re d a f ire is v e ry t o u gh and

sticklz because it is attached to the center of Na t u re f ro m w h i c h
it cannot easily be se p a ra t e d . T h e re f o re , e x t ra c t these moistures
ve r y gently' one after a n o t h e r, b y d is s o lv in g a n d a g a in congealing
th e m through their whe e ls . F o r b y f re g u e n t a n d s u c c e s s iv e repe-
titi on of the dissolution a n d c o n g e la t io n t h e wh e e l is expanded
an d the whole work comp le t e d .

TrrrE
ha ys!lection
n orf of t h e E lix ir c o n s is t s in the f irm conjunction
of the dry with the mois t , so that they can never a g a in be se-
pa r a ted, but the dry flo ws in t o t h e mo is t wit h c o n s id e ra b le heat
a n d stays there ti1l th e f ire is c o mp le t e ly s u p p re s s e d .

Take of the red E a rt h or of the re d f e rme n t t h re e Ibs, water

an d air a double l-b. P o wd e r t h e m f in e lv a n d ma k e o f them an amal-

g a m ate like butter or a me t a llic doughr so that the E a rt h is soft-

e n e d and cannot be felt wh e n mo is t e n e d . T h e re f o re , add to it one

a n d a half Ibs. This has to b e s u f f ic ie n t ly d ig e s t e d in a tight-

Iy closed or sealed ve s s e l, wit h the f irs t d e g re e of the fire.

Afte r this, the E lement s h a v e t o b e e x t ra c t e d in o rd e r, then,

w i th a slow motion, bro u g h t d o wn in t h e ir E a rt h and congealed so

th a t no volatile can mo v e . F in a l1 y , t h e ma t t e r will end in a

sh in ing, red and transp a re n t ro c k . Take of that a s mu c h a s y o u

p le a se, throw it into a c ru c ib L e over a g e n t le f ire , imb ib e and

-1 4 0 -
w ater it with its red o il t it l it b e c o me s q u it e liq u id but

w i th out smoking. B e no t a f ra id that it mig h t f ly a wa y b ec a u s e

th e E arth, softened by t h e imb ib in g , re t a in s a n d a b s o rb s it in-

si de . Now the E lixir is p re p a re d . K e e p it wit h you and take

g o o d care of it. Rejo ic e in God the L o rd a n d k e e p s ile n t .

In the same way an d o rd e r t h e Wh it e E lix ir is a ls o made

a n d produced, buy by us in g o n ly t h e wh it e E l-e me n t s . Wh e n i t is

su ffi-ciently cooked, it s b o d y will t u rn in t o a wh it e , s h in i n g ,

cr ystal-like leaf which wiI l b e c o me liq u id wh e n p o lis h e d with

a white oil. Of one o f these t wo E lix irs t h ro w one Ib. over

1 0 lbs. of quicksilver we ll wa s h e d wit h win e . Y o u will be s u r -

pr ise d at its performan c e .

B ecause in the E l-ix ir the p o we rs o f the f ire of Na t u r e are

a b u n dantly increased by t h e in f u s e d s p irit of the Q u in t e s s e n c e ,

an d because the body's b a d mis h d p s , wh ic h c o v e re d t h e ir purity

a n d the true light of n a t u re wit h d a rk n e s s , a re wip e d out by

fr eq uent sublimations a n d d ig e s t io n s , t h e re f o re the f ie ry Nature,

se ve red from its fetters a n d s t re n g t h e n e d by the a id of the hea-

ve n ly powers, is mighti ly e f f e c t iv e thus lo c k e d in our f j-ve E l e -

m e n ts. It is no surpri s e , t h e re f o re , that n o o n ly do they have

th e power to perfect the imp e rf e c t but a ls o to in c re a s e their

own powers.

The way to augmen t t h e E lix ir is t h re e f o ld . T h e f irs t :

ta ke one Ib. of red E lix ir, mix it wit h the pounds of it s red

wa ter, dissolve it into wa t e r in a me d ic in a l vessel and coagulate

th e well dissolved and b le n d e d ma t t e r t ilI it t u rn s in t o a ruby-

-I4I-
red leaf. Thereafter, wa x it wit h it s re d o il - wh ic h is des-

cr ib e d above - till it f lo ws . T h u s y o u will get a me d ic in e

th a t is ten times stron g e r than the f irs t . T h is wo rk is accom-

plish ed easily and in a s h o rt t ime .

The second method: take s o me o f your E lix irr d s mu c h a s

you 1ike. It must be we ll mix e d wit h it s wa t e r, a lwa y s in accor-

d a n ce with the weights. S e a I it t ig h t ly in a re d u c t io n vessel

an d dissolve it in a Ba t h wit h mo is t u re . Wh e n it is d is s o l v e d ,

d isti l l it by separating t h e E le me n t s f ro m t h e ir o wn f ire and by

co n g ealing them down, d s h a s b e e n s h o wn in the f irs t and second

w or ks, tiII they turn in t o a Stone. F in a 1 ly , cover it with wax

an d throw it to project. T h is wa y t a k e s lo n g e r but is muc h r i c h -

€ r r as the power of the E lix ir is a h u n d re d t j-me s s t ro n g e r , be-

cau se the subtler it be c o me s wit h f re q u e n t o p e ra t io n s , the more

p o we r of the inferior and the s u p e rio r it re t a in s , a c t in g all

th e more vigorously.

Fina1ly, take one o z . of the s a id E lix ir wh ic h h a s be e n a u g -

m en ted in power, and thro w it over o n e h u n d re d of the wa s h e d M e r -

cu r y. In a short time Me rc u ry , h e a t e d wit h c o a l, will be trans-

fo r m ed into a pure E lixir. If y o u wis h to t h ro w one oz. of it

ove r one hundred simila r } 4 e rc u ry , t h e v e ry p u re s t g o ld wil l ap-

pe a r before your eyes. T h e a u g me n t a t io n of t h e Wh it e E lix i r is

d o n e in exactly the same wa y . T h e v irt u e of t h is me d ic in e con-

si sts in the healing of a ll d is e a s e s a n d t h e ma in t e n a n c e of health.

Fo r its use, see A nnaL d u s d e V iL L a n o a , LuLLy, and other ph i l o s o -

p h e r s' books.

-L 4 2 -
 Whoever is looking for the time of the Stone will learn

it from its sign-bearer. T h e f irs t wo rk t o t h e Wh it e mu s t b e

completed in the house of the moon. The other in the second

house of Mercury. But the first work to the Red will be com-

p le ted in the second h o u s e o f Venus. T h e la s t one, h o we ve r ,

in the second royal se a t of J u p it e r, f ro m wh o m o u r mig h t ies t

Kin g will obtain a crown wit h a mo s t p re c io u s ru b y .

S i.e in se su a p e r V e s t ig ia u o L u it u z , annus.
(A nd so the y e a r t u rn s a ro u n d i nto i tsel f
th ro u g h i ts own paths) Aeneid Book 6
The Golden Fleece is g u a rd e d b y a t h re e -h e a d e d d ra g on .

The first head comes f ro m t h e Wa t e r, the s e c o n d f ro m the Earth,

th e third from the A ir. T h e s e t h re e h e a d s mu s t n e c e s s a rily end

in one single miqhty o n e wh ic h will devour the other d ra g o n s .

The n the way to the Go1 d e n F le e c e is open to 1zou.

Farewel1, studious re a d e r. T o re a d t h is , in v o k e the Spirit

of the E ternal Light. S p e a k I it t le , use your re a s o n , and discern

co r r ectly.

-I 4 3 -
 T(}THELOVERS
OFTHEHERI,IETIC
PHILOSOPHY:
GR E E T I I V G S '

T his is the differen c e b e t we e n t h e h e rme t ic r liv in g r

and the deadr heathe n r P h ilo s o p h y r that the f o rme r has

not been inspired b y a n y t h in g but b y G o d in t o the f irs t

tndnr applying himse lf to c h y mis t ry r and that it has no

other informer than the Ho ry s p irit r the s p irit of T rut h ,

which blows where it lis t e t h a n d k in d le s the t ru e rig h t in
the hearts of His o wf lr b y wh o s e p o we r a lr e rro r a n d d ar k -
ness are at once rad ic a lly d riv e n out.

T he latter, however r h a s b e e n in v e n t e d by the heathenr whor

disregarding and re je c t in g the p u re f o u n t a in r in v e n t e d ori-
ginal causes of thin g s , r. rit h g re a t h a rm t o the le a rn e d . And
what good or truth c o u ld they d o o r d re a m u p r they u p on w h o m

the true Light the e t e rn a r wis d o m o f c h ris t r the spring of

all wisdom and unders t a n d in g had never b ro k e n and appeared?

rt is no wonder, th e re f o E € r that they h a v e p ro d u c e d nothing

but worthless poems r d Dd b ro u g h t to rig h t o rd wiv e s r ta l e s r

b y which they have s o d is t o rt e d the v o rt h y p h ilo s o p h y that
o ne can no ronger r e c o g n iz e a n y t h in g of it s n o b le and nat-

u ral beauty.

But here now, one fe e ls i. n c lin d e d t o ma k e a c o u n t , e rmo v e .

-144-
Hermesr the first a n d n o b le s t of these P h ilo s o p h e rs r uds

also a heathen (tne y s a y )r dnd }/€sr that ma n y y e a rs b ef o r e

there had been autho rs wh o h a d b ro u g h t f o rt h a n d s p re a d the

P hilosophy by their re p u t a t io n . If that is in d e e d the cds€r

what of it?

Truer ouE Hermes Trismeg r stos r.ras born among the heathensr

but he lras specially and more than others, gifted by the

Lord God. With his whole life and actions he honored God.

He cognized God the Father, Who had not revealed His God-

head to anyone elser Who had also created man. He aLso cog-

nized the Son of G odr by Whom all things are mader Whose

high name, l ike an unspeakable miracle, is unknown to rnErrt

r

even unknown to the angels who wonder at His birth.

such a man r,ras our Hermesr who by special divine reveration

knew ahead of time that the son of God woul.d be born in the

flesh and that this would be in the final daysr so that He

could grant eternal salvation to the faithfull. It was he

who taught the mystery of the Holy Trinity although One in

essencer let in t.hree distinct Persons as any intelligent

person may see from what is to followr so clearly and under-

standably Ehat it can hardly be found more explicitly.

F or he says: he has b e e n t , h e L u me n I n t e l I ig e n s , that is,

the understanding Iig h t for the lu me n in t e l I ig e n s t a n d H e

has always been Men s Me n t is L u c id a & n ih f l a liu d . f u it hujus

yE R/fA S & S P IRIfUS o mn ia c o n t in e n s . A s id e f ro m Himr t h er e is

no Godr Do angel, nor any other b e in g . F o r h e is the Lo r d o f

- r 45-
all things. He is als o a Father a n d G o d r e v e ry t h in g is under

and within Him.

I pray Thee, Thou W o rd o f the F a t h e rr wh ic h He o n ly spoke

aft,er He had created t h e wh o le wo rld : I p ra y Thee by the only-

begotten Word of the F a t h e rr wh ic h u n d e rs t a n d e t h e v e ryt h i n g r

have mercy on tn€r ha v e me rc y o n me .

Nowr you sons of Hermesr seekr dnd if you liker seek day and

nightr again and again, in the great books of the pagan

Philosophers, lrith as much diligence as possibler to see if

you find in them such holyr such piousr !€sr such Christian

things. Discover that he was a heathen I admit it! But our

Hermes was a heathen who recognized Godrs omnipotence both

from the creatures and from himselfr and he worshipped the Lord

God as God. Nor do I hesitate to add to this, that with his

piety he far surpassed many of our time who only call them-

selves Christians; and for the blessings he received he

thanked the fountainhead of everything good as he could with

a humble heart.

Rather listen you Ch ild re n or Sonsr to the t e a c h in g s of the

P rophet,s and see if God the L o rd d id not lik e wis e wo rk a n d

walk among the people r s in c e He s p o k e t h u s : F ro m t h e rise to

the setting ( from E a s t t o We s t ) my n a me is g re a t a mo n g t h e

heathenr spake the L o rd Zabaoth.

Remember and admit openly that they hrere heathensr the wise

men who came from the East, Ied by a preceding starr afld a-

dored Christ. You faithful apprentices of the true and right

- r 46-
wisdomr consider fro m wh e re o t h e r heathensr after He rm e s r

took their teachings a n d p h ilo s o p h ie s r d n d y o u will f ind that

they do noL credit G o d wit h t h e ir wis d o m b u t t h e ir o wn w o r k

and effort. Now, turn your e y e s a n d lo o k at the b e g in n i n g of

Tractotus vfvi aure i s e p t e m c a p it u m P a t ris veste He rme t t s de

Loprdfs P hysicf sec re t o t a n d s e e h o w p io u s ly he speaks and

writes of God the L o rd r the g iv e r of these s e c re t s . For Hermes

writes: A t such a g re a t dger I d id not s la c k e n and spared no

work til1 I invented t h is a rt a n d s c ie n c e s o le ly t h ro u gh Godrs

inspirationr Who re v e a le d it to me a s His s e rv a n t . Verum ration-

obf I fbus judicare v f m a rb it ra n d i tr dbuf t, S e d n e min i oc c a s i o n e m

del inquendi rel iqui t .

But so that I might have nothing to fear of Judgement Day or

the day of the damnation of souls on account of the disclosure

of this science, I did not wish to reveal anything of it to

anybody. Neverthel-essr I wished to reproduce to the faithful

exactly what the Autor fidef had thought me worthy of re-

ceiving from him.

So much for Hermes. fn my est,imation, nothing wiser or more in

accord with the Christian religion could have been brought

forth. And that is how it has happened that aII highfy enlight-

ened and highty intelligent persons as many as there may be

or may have been have accepted the living worthy Hermetic

philosophy with their whole heartr mindr dnd aII their mightr

while totally rejecting the heathen as dead an ungodly. As to

the right and true Philosophy, they interpret it and make it

- r 47 -
more understandable wit h writ in g s and books. A mo n g a I I of

thoser I sincerely a d mit r f have to t h is dayr not re a d any

other that I conside r t ru e rr p u E e E o E c le a re r than that of

the A nonymus P hiloso p h u s a n d A le p s u s . T h e re f o E e r I v ish e d to

do a favor to the lo v e rs of the He rme t ic p h ilo s o p h y by pub-

lishing this little wo rk o n t h e s e c re t s of the He rme t i c

P hilosophy with the p h ilo s o p h ic a l s ig n -b e a E € E r a c c o rd in g to

the authorrs onn in t e n t io n . F a re we ll

-1 4 8 -
 IIIA6RAI{I{ITH THEHOUSES
OF THEPLAIIETS

IIIDI{IGHT SIGl{S
( swmer )

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E X
(autumn)
SETTII{G SIGIIS

OFTHETIIIESOFTHESTOITE

T his figure is calle d S ig n if e r P h ilo s o p h o ru m (s ig n -b e ar e r

of the W ise). E ach p la n e t is a s s ig n e d t wo h o u s e s b y t he an-

c ientsr except the S u n a n d t h e Mo o n r e d c h o f wh ic h has but

one houser both clos e t o g e t h e r. In t h is f ig u re r € d c h pl a n e t

-r49-
is shown in its own h o u s e s . In t h e ir P h ilo s o p h ic a l Wo rk r t h e

Philosophers begin t h e ir year wit h win t e rr wit h Ca p ric or n r

w hich is the first house of S a t u rn . T h e n t u rn in g in a clock-

w ise direction comes t h e second hosue of S a t u rn l A q u a ri u s r

at which timne S asturn r that is the b la c k n e s s of the Work,

b egins t,o have the upper hand after the 45th or the 50th day.

When the S un enters P is c e s , the Wo rk t u rn s b la c k and blacker

th an black. A nd the Ra v e n rs He a d b e g in s to show and come forth.

VJhen the third month has gone by and the Sun enters Ariesr

Sublimation or the separation of the Elements begins.

The following months, up to Cancerr will cause the Work to

become White. Cancer adds to it the greatest shine and white-

ness and perfectly completes all the days of the Stone or

White Sulphur t ot the infinite Work; which the Moon sits and

rules gorliously in its house.

In Leor the Bosflica (kingdomr Eeign), of the Sun begins a

Sun-Work, which ends in Libra in a Red Stone or perfect Sul-

phur. The other times, Scorpio and Sagitariusr dF€ imputed to

the Complement of the EIixir. Accordinglyr the wonderfull

b irth of the Wise sta rt s d u rin g the ru le of S a t u rn and reaches

its end and right perf e c t io n d u rin g the ru le of J u p it e r.

-1 5 0 -
 SIGl{SI1{THEDAY
THETIIELVE

F rom: 1I p.m. to I a . m. RAT SAGITTARTUS

t a.m. to 3 a . m. ox CAPRICORN
3 a.m. to 5 a . m. TIGER AQUARIUS
5 a.m. to 7 a . m. RABBITT PISCES
7 a.m. to 9 a . m. DRAGON ARIES
9 a. m. to 1I a . m. SNAKE TAURUS
II a.m. to r p.m- HORSE GEMINI
I p.m. to 3 p -m- SHEEP CANCER
3 p.m. to 5 P -m- MONKEY LEO
5 p. m. to 7 P -m- ROOSTER VIRGO
7 p.m. to 9 p -m- DOG LIBRA
9 p.m. to lt p . m. BOAR SCORPIO

T H ET } IEL VE
SIGIISIII T HEYEAR

F rom: Mar 2L to Apr 19 A RlE S DRAGON

A pr 20 to May 20 T A URUS SNAKE
May 2l to Jun 2L GEMINT HORSE
J Un ZZ to Jul 2I CANCER SHEEP
Jul 22 to Aug 2L LEO MONKEY
A ug 22 to Sep 22 VIRGO ROOSTER
S ep 23 to Oct 22 LIBRA DOG
Oct 23 to Nov 2L SCORPIO BOAR
Nov 22 to Dec 2L SAGITTARIUS RAT
Dec 22 to Jan 20 CAPROCORN OX
Jan 2L to Feb 19 AQUARIUS TIGER
Feb 20 to Mar 20 P I SCES RABBIT

-I 5 I -